Plebe Summer: 1/4 through reality check

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
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<p>For those of you that are considering admission and/or want to know what your chances of admission are, consider the following:</p>

<p>On I-day [Induction day] three or four plebes quit. At the end of ONE day, after all the hard work it took to get in, three people quit.</p>

<p>At the end of ten days, 21 [more or less] plebes are in Tango company, the exit company you process through before signing the final papers. [Not all will ultimately exit.] More want to get in but are having to wait to process. [I am not sure of how many have actually been processed and are out.]</p>

<p>That's out of an entering class of approximately 1,250. So, is about a 2% washout rate over ten days good or bad? You decide. I don't think anybody showed up on I-day with the intention of quitting, but some have. EVERYBODY thinks they can make it; in fact, most do make it. As the Commandant said: All CAN make it, its a personal decision as to whether they will make it. [In the end, after four years, approximately 25% of the entering class will not graduate USNA.]</p>

<p>In addition to the daily PEP, the Plebes have taken their validation tests in at least Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, English . . . and probably others. They have attended numerous other briefings on military procedures, sailing, firearms, etc. The academic year has not even begun and the plebes are learning how to manage time, stress, and pressure.</p>

<p>It is a DEMANDING summer. Again, everybody thinks they can do it.</p>

<p>WHATEVER YOUR CURRENT SCORES, RANKINGS, ACHIEVEMENTS, ETC., they could be better. Apparently, your current scores, rankings, achievements, etc. are the best you can do. [Are you suggesting--like everybody does-- that you could have done better but did not?]
If that's the best you can do, it won't get any better. Can you make some junior year tweaks? Probably; but if you are not a club/sports officer by now, its doubtuf that all of a sudden you will be elected President. </p>

<p>Do the BEST you can do and that's all you can do. </p>

<p>Bottom line, the current plebes [like plebes before them] are hurting, are depressed from time to time, are scrambling like mad to keep up, and are having the time of their lives. [Whether they appreciate it or not.]</p>

<p>Comments from others re: current plebe summer?</p>

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<p>Well, you are pretty much correct. My daughter is one of the plebes right now. (fortunately not in Tango company). On i-day she was fine; thought it was all fine (that was after two days of being there since she was a Napster). Her first couple letters were all good. Then we spoke to her on Sunday. She said she was ok, but there were times that she was questioning why she was there etc. She sounded really good though. The thing is, she already has had a year of military training to really think this out and was fully committed for the right reasons before she left this summer. Now she is second-guessing herself. The good thing is that she knows this is part of it all and will be fine. </p>

<p>I think the hard thing about being a plebe is that you are taking highly decorated high school students, used to accolades that come with their achievments and putting them in a spot lower than the scum on the bottom of the shoes of the bottom feeders. This, along with removing them from all familiar (including micro-managing parents...myself included) and it is a recipe that will surely wash some out. I also think that some of the early DOR-ers, perhaps didn't want to go to USNA in the first place. Maybe parental pressure put them there and then after the first day, voila! THey can quit. :) </p>

<p>Like you say, "Do the best you can do". That is it in a nutshell. If accepted, and what you want, then that is a great fit. If not accepted or not what you want, then there are so many other wonderful places to study. </p>

<p>For what it's worth, please say an extra prayer for the kids in plebe summer right now. It is 2 weeks into the 6 1/2 week summer and right in the middle of the "tear you down" phase. So, any extra thoughts would be appreciated.<br>
Best of luck to the incoming seniors as you start the long application process. Remember, the sooner you get your stuff in, the better. :)
NAPS05mom</p>

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<p>Applicants should heed the words written by these folks. What a fountain of knowledge! My son is a week in at USMMA and although I see the determination in every bone in his body in the photos posted, I know it must be a blow to come from the Commanding Officer, a LT. Commander in NJROTC with all that bling-bling and acknowledgement who had 130 kids under him to being a "slug". I know he'll build himself back up and he knew what was coming. But I must caution those with a bit of an ego, ya better have it checked at the door. You'll be a nobody until you prove otherwise. Here's a little sea story for you.... I over heard one football player actually say outloud the day before reporting in, "I don't like taking orders from short guys or women." My son looked at him and replied, "You are in for an awakening." and walked away from him. As proud of my son as I was at that moment, I felt a tingle of guilt when I wished I could be there to see that football player fall like a lead balloon. Keep your head on straight when you apply to any service academy. You must have full dedication to doing this. My advice would be to seriously look towards your future.</p>

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<p>Hey everyone. I am a newly risen youngster home on leave from the Academy. My mom is on here ALL the time as part of her continuing "help the child graduate" crusade. In her readings here, she has seen some parents begin to worry alot about their kids. Well, for everyone concerned, here is something that I hope helps. (and if it doesn't then at least I wrote something and my mom will leave me alone so I can sleep..) Moving on.<br>
I got one really good piece of advice from a youngster when I visited USNA. He said not to worry about it at all because the place is designed for an eighteen year old kid to pass. That is its function! Give it time. Like grandpa supe said, if we don't give up on them, they won't give up on us. Another point I would like to make is that I am quite possibly the dumbest person to ever pollute the halls with my presence and was still able to finish at least the first year. You and your kids owe it to each other to at least finish out this one year to avoid having doubts for the rest of your life. I guess everyone is reduced to cliches when it comes to life's big decisions, but then again thats WHY they're cliches. Anyway, good luck and a heartfelt thanks to all the new plebes. (note I didn't say plebers, I actually like the new guys). Parents, keep doing what you do. It is important. RAH.</p>

<p>{ So I just finished that first part up above and my mom wanted me to write something specifically referring to plebe summer. Guess I take orders on leave too huh? }</p>

<p>Anyways, in all reality, (and don't tell your kids this) plebe summer is about the most fun you will have the whole year. It's seventeen hours of FUN every day for most of the summer. Sure, there's a few lectures, but the monotony is broken by FUN! Obstacle courses, the E course, rifle quals, pistol quals, sailing, rock walls, marching, PT, happy fun time.... In all it's the only time that the true nature of the place is given to you straight. The academy during the AC year is BORING. All you do is go to SCHOOL. Plebe summer is like permanent recess for the hardcore. It's awesome. I had fun. Tell your kids to learn their stuff and have a good time. This is not to say that certain moments in the day didn't suck, but then again no one can yell at you when you're all alone on a laser in the middle of the bay. Plebes only have to be good five minutes out of the day. The trick is finding out what five minutes. Five seconds here, twenty seconds there... remember this phrase: "No one is messing with me right now." Good luck again, hopefully this addition passes muster. Later guys.</p>

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<p>super,</p>

<p>Please say "thank you" to your mom for all of us worried parents. It looks like she raised a wonderful kid. And I hope you get some sleep.</p>

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<p>Bill,</p>

<p>I'm sure that at each of the service academies a number of highly qualified, highly motivated new cadets/mids are doubting their decisions. I suspect that they and their parents didn't think it would be them considering leaving after all of this time. I guess it could happen to any of our families. So even though we are surprised when someone opts out, I expect that the reality of plebe summer is quite different from the imagination during junior and senior year of high school.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I just received the 2nd letter from WP. Although the word most commonly used is "sucks" and apparently so many parts of plebe summer "suck", it's amazing to me that I also found out that she really likes her roommate and squadmates, enjoys chilling out at chaplain hour and getting extra food there, doesn't have any blisters, and isn't too sore. Her company counselor (I didn't know they had one) is <em>so</em> nice, and most of the cadre aren't horrible. (She really planned for a recurring nightmare in terms of cadre.) It sounds okay to me.</p>

<p>Then I read about the fact that there is just no time to put on sunscreen, and not enought time to eat and she misses family and friends, and she hates hills - and I wonder if it could happen. Could she decide that the "sucky" stuff outweighs the good stuff?</p>

<p>Well no one knows for sure, but she did say that no matter what happens, she won't quit. (Good thing, because I bought all those USMA class of 2009 clothes and toys.)</p>

<p>Good luck to all parents of plebes at all academies.</p>

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<p>Mom of Twins :
3 more letters arrived today from D and it was amazing to see the same comments you talk abt---Chaplains time is great for FOOD, "sucks" is a faily common word in the letters, etc...Bottom line, everything is going as planned! :)</p>

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<p>shogun,</p>

<p>I'm glad the news is similar. I agree with you. Everything is going as planned - and if I can remove the emotional part of this, I don't think there are any surprises. (Except that she really likes chaplain time.)</p>

<p>My biggest problem right now is the grandmother who is crying because there is no time for sunscreen.</p>

<p>And I just can't wait for that next phone call since she only talked to her sister last week for the 10-minute phone call. At least I found lots of new pictures of the back of her head.</p>

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<p>One thing that I have begun to realize at least with my daughter is that she purges herself of negative thoughts and throws them upon me. So, when she is upset, stressed etc. she vents to me, goes on about her day and I pick up the shambles of my emotions after the roller coaster. But, she skips off, feeling much better. LOL I think a lot of the kids do this and you have to keep in mind that in the course of the time the letter was written to when you receive it, much can and most likely will have changed. For example, today I received a letter dated a week ago that was very negative. Had I not spoken to her on Sunday, I would be a wreck. It is true to take this all in stride. On the flip side, the happy-go-lucky one could be DORing next week. (Yikes)
NAPS05mom</p>

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<p>As I said, for most plebes, this is the time of their lives. They just don't know it.
What 18-year old wouldn't love to sail, shoot guns, learn how to wrestle, climb over obstacles, etc. etc. etc. [For reasons left unstated, many years ago, I spent four months at Quantico doing all these things and it was GREAT!] Mix in a few classes and briefings on how great you are, and next thing you know, you are building Navy studs [and studettes].
My plebe, who didn't exactly say he loves it, nonetheless sounded better than we were expecting.</p>

<p>Super described it well. [It is, nonetheless, demanding and rising seniors should take that into account.]</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Photos/PlebeSummer/gallery.php?entry=Images/Plebe_Summer_2005_29.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Photos/PlebeSummer/gallery.php?entry=Images/Plebe_Summer_2005_29.jpg&lt;/a>
<a href="http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Photos/PlebeSummer/gallery.php?entry=Images/Plebe_Summer_2005_32.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Photos/PlebeSummer/gallery.php?entry=Images/Plebe_Summer_2005_32.jpg&lt;/a>
<a href="http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Photos/PlebeSummer/gallery.php?entry=Images/Plebe_Summer_2005_48.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Photos/PlebeSummer/gallery.php?entry=Images/Plebe_Summer_2005_48.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>It looks like they're enjoying themselves a lot in that last one. :)</p>

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<p>Just like being on Fear Factor w/out having to submit a tape! [Of course, there is no 50,000 prize and the girls aren't in bikinis, but what the heck!]</p>

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<p>Quote from my son (USMA '09) in letter to sister: "My sergeant said a really profound thing about this, in life we will feel pain, the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. When were all in tough, stressful, bad situations you have 2 options; going through the pain of discipline i.e. sticking it out and putting your head down or the pain of regret i.e. quitting. Now as we look at the situation were in we realize that were going to feel pain regardless so we should just stick it out."</p>

<p>By the way - the phrase "this place sucks but it's ok or it's not that bad" has come up a few times in his letters to us.</p>

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<p>Hi Guys,
I've been reading this thread with interest as it reflects what my son(and I) are going through right now. He's at the US Coast Guard Academy.
The letters have been coming fairly regularly, postcards really, about 7 of them. Better than a lot of parents I've read about on other boards. Some days they are good and some are bad. I agree with those who say he is venting and uses us as his sounding board.
CGA doesn't allow any phone calls in the first few weeks so I'm jealous of those others who get these calls. It's a lot easier to gauge sentiments over the phone than in a card. But maybe that's for the better in a sense.
Fortuantely he along with his company will be going to Europe late this month and will sail on the barque Eagle for a week going from Spain to Portugal. Also, there is an opportunity for parents within a reasonable distance to come and see their "swab" at a flag-raising ceremony next weekend at Mystic Seaport.
These weeks are trying but I have heard the thought that kids look back on this as one of the best summers of their lives. May not seem that way now but some day it will. Good luck to all(parents too!) the new academy kids.</p>

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<p>Momoftwins & Shogun:</p>

<p>Saw your posts here on the USNA site and wanted to join forces in case the WP parents are staging an invasion of the USNA site.</p>

<p>Have to hide your posts from my wife since we have received just a single letter from our son at WP. She would be incredibly jealous to know that you have received multiple letters. At first I thought the frequent writing was a "girl thing" but Bossf51's disproved that false assumption. The irony is that our son at one time considered being an english major. Fortunately, our son was chatty during his 10 minute call last week so my wife and I feel pretty good about his state of mind - as of last week.</p>

<p>We have had the good fortune of finding some photos of our son during CBT on the memory pages. At least we know he's still at WP. He actually looked alert in the classroom picture - better than some of the cadets shown with eyes shut.</p>

<p>Take care all.</p>

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<p>aspen,</p>

<p>These were <em>very</em> short letters and I want so much information. But I think you're right not to tell your wife. ;-) I'd go nuts if I thought I was the only mom who has received only 1 letter so far.</p>

<p>I'm glad you found pictures of him. Those memory pages are a terrific lifeline, but my productivity at work has decreased a bit.</p>

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<p>Reading these posts as a candidate and hopeful USNA graduate of 2010, this may sound weird but all of you have motivated me even more to achieve my goal of going to the Academy. This past June, I attended Summer Seminar and I thought that was wonderful motivation, but reading these posts and the thought of my upcoming Plebe Summer makes me giddier than Christmas morning when I was younger. I have full understanding that Plebe Summer will not be a cakewalk, but for me getting there will be an achievement that I have wanted since I was seven years old. I once again want to thank all of you for your comments about your sons or daughters.
GO NAVY BEAT ARMY
USNA class of 2010...hopefully :)</p>