<p>Hi! I am applying for the Naval Academy and I would appreciate someone reading my personal statement and giving me feedback. </p>
<p>In a well-organized essay of 300 to 500 words, please discuss the following:</p>
<p>(1) Describe what led to your initial interest in the naval service and how the Naval Academy will help you achieve your long range goals, and
(2) Describe a personal experience you have had which you feel has contributed to your own character development and integrity.</p>
<p>The United States Naval Academy is where I want to be. The academy will give me unparalleled, wide-ranging skills and allow me to serve my country to the best of my abilities. I have never been 100 percent sure about anything except this; the Naval Academy is the right place for me. It will open doors to my future and allow me to do things that never thought I would be able to do. It is the place where I am supposed to be, where I will become the best I can be, and where I want to be.
The route to this revelation was pretty round about. Honestly, the Coast Guard Academy piqued my interest in service academies. The volleyball coach was recruiting me, and as I looked into it more I began to realize how great service academies are. My dad was in the Navy and when I shared my interest in service academies he suggested looking into the Naval Academy. I watched videos, read stories, and learned a lot about the academy. I read about the extraordinary places and amazing experiences had by shipmen. I learned about the great academics, healthy competition, emphasis on moral development, and physical requirements. It was these aspects that made the academy seem like a good match for me. Then I was given the opportunity to attend Summer Seminar and it was there that my desire to attend the Naval Academy was solidified.
The ambience of the Naval Academy is remarkable. The unanimous dedication to the United States and amongst peers is so motivational and inspiring. An education at the Naval Academy forges such an intense bond between classmates that could not be experienced at any civilian college. The sense of unity is one of the reasons that I want to attend the academy, but the biggest reason that I want to attend the academy is because I want to be a part of something that is bigger than myself. I want to have something to work for other than myself and do something that will have an impact on the community.
Character development is an integral part of the Naval Academy. I experienced a taste of the growth that happens during the mock sea trials at Summer Seminar. When my squad and our partner squad ran the obstacle course there was a boy who was having a really tough time physically and mentally. The course was timed and he was adding considerable time. We were all really competitive people and we could have just left him behind and let him quit, but we did not do that. The course tested him physically, and the rest of us were tested morally. We all worked together and helped him get through it. We stood by him every step of the way and were rewarded by friendship and camaraderie. It was a great experience and I look forward to the development that an education at the Naval Academy would provide.</p>