<p>My son has just entered 9th grade and has approached me regarding appling for USMMA at Kings Point, NY. I am thrilled that at 14 he has some direction but very nervous about his desired journey.</p>
<p>I am encouraging him but I do have some reservations.</p>
<p>My son is a high honor roll student and very athletic. He manages his time well, is very organized and he's mature for his age.</p>
<p>What should he do or continue to do to unsure he has a good chance of being accepted?</p>
<p>^^^
He should do the same things he would do to be admitted to an Ivy or top 25 college. Plus stay out of legal trouble, get involved with varsity athletics and cooperate with his teachers and guidance counselor. He will need their enthusiastic recommendations at the end of his junior year when he begins his application. Good luck!</p>
<p>I am from Long Island. My father suggested that I go to King’s Point, but I foolishly rejected his advice. Kings Point would be a good decision for your son.</p>
<p>My recommendation would be for your son to do things relating to the sea, such as working on some sort of certification as a boat captain, and/or sailing lessons. Get certified in scuba diving. Stuff like that. </p>
<p>Maybe volunteer to work for a shipping company, or on a fishing boat.</p>
<p>If you read Michener’s novel, Hawaii, when the grandson turned age 16, the rich grandpa scooped him up, and dumped him on an international cargo ship, and told him not to come back for a year.</p>
<p>It’s great that your son is thinking ahead, that gives him time to really explore his options. I’d echo what aglages and floridadad said, plus two things I wish we’d known where you are in the process:</p>
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<li><p>Have a plan B. And C, D, E… etc. Competition is really, really stiff for the service academies and ROTC scholarships right now and for the foreseeable future. Don’t let that deter your son, just be sure to work on backup plans too. That would include looking at the other service academies to see if those interest your son, senior military colleges, the various maritime academies around the country as well as civilian schools.</p></li>
<li><p>Be prepared to apply early - this is a big one that isn’t obvious and only becomes clear when you poke around places like here and Service Academy Forums. It’s especially true of the other service academies, but my understanding is that it applies to USMMA as well. When the site says the application deadline is March of your son’s senior year, ignore it, because that’s too late for the majority of applicants. Application portals for the various academies open in the spring for those graduating HS in the spring of the following year (i.e. applications for students entering in summer/fall 2012 opened April-ish 2011). The application should be in as soon after the application portal opens as he can complete his file. That means he needs to be working on his sports, leadership, academics, etc. so he has a great resume by the end of Junior year and evidence of a strong Senior year in the works.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Finally, the son of a friend was accepted at USMMA for this year and his contact with the school began while he was a sophomore. He was involved with both Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets and came to the attention of USMMA admissions through those programs.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the information. I guess I should be happy he decided early so he has a better chance of meeting all criterias and having a good record to show. I will take all of your advice and help him start the process.</p>
<p>Agreeing with all the above, at this point, plan on taking the most advanced math and science offered at this school. This will prepare him for KP and any place else. KP is a school that washes out more great kids because of the heavy duty calculus/physics/thermonuclear etc. than anything. Thus as many AP/Honors in those areas as possible. Plus all the other wonderful things noted, as well as cozying up to your local Members of Congress for a nomination. Also consider the Coast Guard Academy and SUNY Maritime.</p>