<p>Aspen, that was a great post. I have a few random questions, however.</p>
<p>-Did your son pick up/buy boots while he was there?
-You mention the possibility of validating a course and then being placed in a much harder one. Is there any benefit (besides the fact that you're technically ahead class-wise) to placing out of certain classes? ie, did the cadet in the advanced econ class get anything (besides a butt-kicking) for being in the advanced class?
-What clothing did your son wear? I need to make plans to go to USAFA's orientation, and I'm wondering what I should be wearing to attend class. Nice casual? Business attire/suit? High heels and stockings?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the awesome info, I've already learned a lot! :)</p>
<p>No. Our son didn't pick up his boots/shoes. He still hasn't received any information about footware.</p>
<p>The advantage of validating a course is that you get some of the required courses out of the way and can move on to elective or higher level classes. For example, if you validate calculus I you could take calc. II first year and then have space for an elective in year 2. I asked the admissions officer if the decision to validate was left to the plebe. He said that it was a joint decision between the academic advisors and the cadet. They don't want cadet's to try to retake courses they have already mastered. Since Admissions has all the cadets' grades and AP results, they have a pretty good idea of a cadet's abilities. </p>
<p>WP provided dress code recommendations for the visit. I think they called the dress code "smart dress". Our son wore a long sleve shirt(no tie) with khaki pants and dress shoes. Some visitors wore shirt/tie/jacket. Visiting ladies were wearing slacks/sweaters since it was really cold. I think high heels/stockings would be big mistake both for comfort and appearance. Due to cold weather, female WP cadets were wearing camo uniforms and combat boots.</p>
<p>vampie, I visited the USAFA on a soccer recruiting visit several months ago. I just wore some khakis and a sweater, but a couple of the other girls wore jeans. No one really cared either way, but I would probably go with what Aspen suggested.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the information you provided in your posts regarding your visit. It was great to read. </p>
<p>We had something interesting happen this week. It's not as good as an overnight visit but could be a 2nd. Our MALO contacted my daughter to let her know that a cadet from WP would be in town for a college recruiting fair. Since this cadet was from a town near us, the arrangements were made for them to meet in a local restaurant so she could ask him a variety of questions. (She wore her West Point sweatshirt so he would know her.) </p>
<p>She said he was really nice and answered a lot of her questions while giving her a few tips for Beast. His father came along and offered to answer any of her parents' questions. Although neither my husband nor I could be there, the father gave her his phone number so that we could call with our questions.</p>
<p>I'm just so impressed that someone thought of arranging this get together and that this young man took time out of his busy schedule - and an opportunity to be home - to meet with her. And the father was both so knowledgable and so nice that he could be one of the posters on the service academy threads at CC (I don't know how to do those smiley emoticons, but this is where I'd put one.)</p>
<p>Good thing something nice happened yesterday, because tomorrow all the wisdom teeth get pulled.</p>
<p>Question: Would it be too dressy if I wore black pants? The shoes I'd wear with them are REALLY easy to walk in, and are platforms, not heels. The weather's going to be 58-60 when I go (next Tuesday), and I don't really feel like wearing a sweater.</p>
<p>Marines, I highly doubt black pants would be too dressy, especially if you're not going to be wearing a fancy top with them. </p>
<p>And even if that is too dressy, I look at it this way. For one thing, I always think it's better to err on the side of being over-dressed. That way, you never look sloppy. And for another thing, you're probably going to be meetings profs and other administrators with high rankings, and who would come across better to them? The person in jeans who hastily tucks his shirt in or the person who makes an effort to look polished?</p>
<p>I don't know, just a thought, but I'm going to be dressing similarly to you for USAFA's orientation, and I think what you describe is a good medium.</p>