<p>My mom and I are going to USNA this Thursday night, then I'll spend Friday and Saturday on the Yard! Yay!! Any insight as to with whom they would place a girl? Does EVERYONE stay with plebes, I'm assuming?</p>
<p>And is anyone else going? Had this sudden revelation today that it's good that I'm not going to the November one, as that is the weekend all Missouri Congressmen are doing interviews - you know, kinda essential for a nomination....</p>
<p>Yeah, as it turns out, our congressman holds his inteviews that Saturday as well. Didn't even think of that! Have fun!!</p>
<p>Hey marmadillo - so how was Oct. CVW??? Ours comes up in 2 weeks...any hints of something we need to know/bring??</p>
<p>Yes, tell us about it! What did you do? Was it what you expected it to be? And like peskemom asked, is there anything we should bring that we might not have thought of before?</p>
<p>It was really good - informative, and not at all like NASS if you went to that.
Started in an auditorium in Rickover where they showed some videos and let people ask questions. Candidates had to fill out some forms that asked about interest and previous experience with the Naval Academy. They had the Admissions staff there to answer questions: I asked something about medical waivers and that discussion went on for a LOOOONG time (my mom says that it continued in the parents-only meeting after the kids left). Then they have boys exit left, girls exit right and get matched up with a mid (of the same gender, duh).</p>
<p>One thing, off-topic: don't expect to get called by name. They all every candidate "drag," even if you've introduced yourself. "Hey, drag, where you from?" "Hey, drag, we scared you away from this place yet?" "Hey, drag, are you recruited for sports?" I was with a varsity athlete, so they expected that I was recruited - umm no. Rumor was that all the recruited athletes came through on the same weekend in September - don't know if that was true or not.</p>
<p>Went directly to class with my mid - we didn't have time to drop stuff off, so pack as lightly as possible. English class, then up to the room to drop stuff off, then to the gym with my mid so she could do her weight-lifting for XC, then to lunch (it was kind of a let-down at lunch. I really wanted the full King Hall experience, but because she had to do her workout first, we ended up eating with her XC team and there was barely anyone else there - they were already done and gone). </p>
<p>Another side comment - every admiral in the fleet was there during my weekend. Like, 200. That was a pretty astounding sight.</p>
<p>Off to Chem with her, then she had to go do an XC workout alone because the majority of the team was at a meet. I went running with her - for 3.5 miles! I'm on the track team at my school, but NOT for long distance! My 30 minute, 3.5 mile run with her was the longest of my life - yet I kept up, which reassured me greatly about my physical ability.</p>
<p>So be ready to go exercise with them - everyone is on a sports team of some type, and will most likely have practice while you're there.</p>
<p>We kind of hung out until dinner time then, when we went to the Steerage snack bar in Dahlgren. We had to take the food back up to the room to eat because plebes aren't allowed to sit down in the sncak bar (and yes, as far as I know, all drags are placed with plebes).</p>
<p>The Army/Navy soccer game was that night, so we went (where Navy beat Army, yay!!). While there, we decided to steal the WP flag - my very first spirit mission! We then spent 30 minutes taking pictures of the flag in various places around the Yard. Their firsties were very proud of them.</p>
<p>They dragged a mattress from another room for me to sleep on the floor. If you sleep in an actual room, like if a roommate is gone on a sports trip, DON'T SLEEP UNDER THE COVERS. You mid might be too polite to tell you, but most of the time they just curl up on top so they don't have to remake their bed every day.</p>
<p>Woke up at 7:30, showered and was out in the hall by 8:00. We went to Alumni Hall to watch a presentation by a retired enlisted Marine who was in Vietnam - he was HYSTERICAL and very poignent as well (this was their Saturday Morning Training. Depending on who you stay with, you might end up going on an obstacle course, swimming, rifle shooting, etc....That's why they tell you to bring work out clothes and a swimsuit, though I never used my swimsuit).</p>
<p>Then we went back up to the room, grabbed my stuff, and met my mom in Dahlgren (where we arranged to meet before she left on Friday, primarily because she knew where it was).</p>
<p>So, basically: Candidates, don't hold your mids back! If they say to be ready by 8, you MUST be ready by 8 or you can get them in HUGE trouble. Take some money, because you may want to get some food or visit the Mid Store (it wasn't open when I was there, which made me sad - very cheap clothes, souveniers, etc that I wanted). Take your cell phone - I didn't because I didn't know if that would get my mid in trouble, but her company allowed plebes to have cell phones and it would have made it easier for my mom the next morning (see parent advice, below).</p>
<p>For parents: My mom made copies of ALL letters I'd received from both USNA and USMA so that she and I both had a set. She never had a chance to talk to the medical officer on campus (with all the Admirals there, supposedly schedules were really messed up), but she would have had an opportunity to ask him about medical waivers and made sure she had all the info. Also, she got INCREDIBLY lost trying to pick me up on Saturday. Know how to get in one gate and don't try to use another one - just stick to what you know. For her, Gate One by the Visitor's Center was impossible to find. She wanted to call and tell me to meet her somewhere else that she knew how to find (like Rickover Hall, where she left me off), but I didn't have my cell phone.</p>
<p>I think that's pretty much everything. It was an awesome experience, and like I wrote on the survey they made me fill out, "only intensified my desire to attend the Naval Academy."</p>
<p>PS - I talked to some midshipmen by email after I got home (old classmates and my NASS squad leader) and they said that the weekends are not like the rest of the week. I must admit, I was surprised by the amount of freedom and spare time they had. They said it's not usually like that. Maybe the academy is trying to present its best side? Anyway, nobody I talked to said it was a total hellhole all the time - one of my mid's roommates tried separating twice over plebe summer but is still there and liking it much better.</p>
<p>All in all, it reminded me a lot of high school - mids trying to argue back points on English papers, finishing calc homework about 3 minutes before the bell rings, making fun of people at lunch... So not all that different from what I already know. Maybe validating some courses makes a difference? My mid hadn't Ved any, so I think it was basically a lot of senior courses again.</p>
<p>Any more questions?</p>
<p>I just have a general question for anyone who can answer.</p>
<p>I run XC, and I would love to run XC/track for USNA. In fact, the coach called me to invite me for an overnight (you know, shadow a mid, go to a football game). I would really love to do this, but I would also like to see USMA at least once before making a choice between the two (assumming I get into both). I went to NASS, and that gave me a chance to see USNA and talk with the mids. I wouldn't mind seeing it again during the AC year (I was told it's much different). However, I think it'd be a silly idea to choose USNA over USMA without knowing what USMA is like from a firsthand view. I can only have one visit, either to USMA or USNA. I'd really hate to turn down amazing opportunities like the XC invite to USNA (would that be recruiting, by the way?).</p>
<p>So...
1. Visit USNA again, and possibly get recruited for XC.
2. Visit USMA early next year.</p>
<p>If you are being recruited, you are permitted 5 official visits under NCAA rules.....however, you are allowed an unlimited amount of unofficial visits....there should be enough to go around and accomodate both usna and usma if you plan carefully! good luck!</p>
<p>ps...marmadillo: that was a great post- thank you for the insights into CVW!</p>
<p>Yes, marmadillo, thanks very much. I have been trying to convince my parents to let me go even though I went to NASS. Hopefully this will be enough to let me go.</p>