<p>just wondering if any current mids could give a few details about plebe year (social life, liberty, whats allowed/prohibited). I know i'll find out in less than 3 months, but im really anxious.</p>
<p>No one replied to this one yet; you all seem to have lots of questions about indoc, plebe year, etc, so i thought i'd try and help.</p>
<p>First, in my biased opinion Kings Point has to be the hardest of the Service Academies. </p>
<p>The regiment is tough and it's demands are sometimes ridiculous. Athletes are hardly pampered compared to other service academies. Academically you're looking at, on average, 18 credit hours per trimester. Each trimester is 13 weeks long. Compare that to EVERY other academy who has the semester system. You spend 9 trimesters in residence at Kings Point taking academics. Other colleges, academies included only have 8. Then wrap a year of academics into 360 days at sea with no instructors.</p>
<p>You'll spend a year at sea, travelling around the world. You'll be in a very micro environment with different standards and different people. You'll go to foreign lands and work with some of the smartest and dumbest people ever. Basically, you'll be in the real world learning your trade which is the safe navigation of a vessel, it's crew, and ithe hundreds of millions of dollars of cargo across an entire ocean. I've never been an ROTC cruise or academy cruise but I suspect it's not the same. The level of responsibility between a young 22-year-old 3rd Mate, fresh out of school, standing watch, at night, in the fog, on a 95,000 ton tanker is quite different from that of a fresh Ensign who is a Division Officer on a navy frigate. To say your better trained coming from Kings Point in terms of shiphandling, navigation, seamanship, all things related to the water, when compared to your USNA/ROTC Counterparts is an understatement. You will have the opportunity to intern with a F/A-18 squadron, or spend a month on a Nuclear Carrier. </p>
<p>The academics here are difficult, and somewhat narrow. You're not going to find a English or History Major, but on graduation day you'll find 180 new officers who have experience that is underrappreciated by them, and uncomparable to their ROTC counterparts.</p>
<p>What does this have to do with Plebe Year? You must be ready physically, and mentally. There have been stronger athletes who have cried and failed in the first day. There have been weaker kids who've made it where that guy failed, and graduated without every approaching PT stud status. Knowing your taking on a superior challenge and knowing you'll leave here with some of the best training available will hopefully give you all something to reach down inside for when you've been brought to the edge and your ready to quit. You'll find new meaning to motivation, spirit, discipline, and pride.</p>
<p>Indoc is no where near the end. In fact it's the easiest time you'll have here. Guaranteed. Plebe year will test your endurance, morally, mentally, and physically. Your accountable to someone, if not several people at all times. However your only responsible for yourself. Moving through your senior year you may find yourself looking after 150 different people, their welfare, their training. At the end of the four years you'll look back and wonder how it could pass so quickly and transpire so lengthily at the same time. You'll change physically. You'll be sharpened mentally. You'll be hardened morally. And you may not realize any of this until you step out of the gate when you see the type of person you've been molded into in this 4-year crucible stacked up to your 'nasty civilian' counterpart. No, civilians aren't nasty, but you'll definitely experience something that very few people have. </p>
<p>Kings Point's small size produces one of the best, varied, tight-knit, and powerful alumni anywhere. Kings Point graduates have been to every war. They've been around the world and across the oceans. They've been to space. They've run companies and made millions. Anyone read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad"? They've worked for NATO, the White House, Exxon, you name it. And no one will mean more to you than the guys and girls you came here with and made it through here with. NO ONE makes it through alone.</p>
<p>Most importantly perhaps, Kings Point is not for everyone. Your going to find a broad variety of people here. Army and Air Force have their future 2nd Lieutenants. Navy and Coast Guard have their future Ensigns. Kings Point has 180 young men and women who came here for 180 different reasons and could be employed doing 180 different things. </p>
<p>Why am i telling you all this?</p>
<p>Four years ago i sat where you all sit wondering if i should take the leap. On the 20th of June I'll graduate. A scant 48 days away, after 4 long, sad, strange, wonderful, amazing, painful, short miserable, awesome years. The fine details about plebe year will all come and go before you know it. Enjoy your life now because if you take this journey you'll finish as a different person. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>hobbs053:</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. More importantly, thanks for committing yourself to one of our country's service academies.</p>
<p>Finally, congratulations on your upcoming graduation.</p>
<p>Good luck and God bless you.</p>
<p>Thanks Hobbs053! Please know that the advice you'd posted is very very informative and helpful. We hope that you'll have some time to continue to add a few things here along with CB. The kids here have no way of knowing of something that they haven't experienced yet and it is GREAT to see that you've given them food for thought.
Sending you the very best wishes on your graduation day and to your future!</p>
<p>Thanks for the great information.....About PT, what are the standards.....I can smoke everything but push ups, I have a hard time with them and have been working extremely hard to improve since I recieved my appointment in Dec., but so far I'm not anywhere near where I want to be......Its kind of sad</p>
<p>flynavy - I've sent you a pm so check your inbox on here. WOW its been dead around here. Everyone must be busy getting it together. Thought I'd answer your question. I found this info on the main web site: 4th class must demonstrate the capability of swimming 100 yards using 2 basic strokes and 15 minutes of flotation. Female minimums are (2 min.) 62 sit-ups, (2 min.) 24 push-ups and a 1.5 mile run in 13:30. Don't worry! You'll make it! By the way, the Cubs have lost 7 in a row. It doesn't seem to dim the Cub worship in this household though! :) Jamz checked the schedule for when you guys go to see the Mets play on Aug. 3rd and he will miss the Cubs by two days! The Cubbies play there on the 5th. SHAME!</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, I can smoke everything put the push ups , but im working on that......got your PM also. Ya.... I wouldn't mind seeing the cubbies, even though in my heart I can't stand them, but that just comes with being for STL. Cards dropped 3 in a row, but were still in first so its all good. You can't win them all...</p>
<p>flynavy05 - what does your work out consist of?</p>
<p>3 mile run three times a week, about 150 situps everyday, weight trainning four to five times a week and as many push ups that I can do everyday, normally 3x10</p>
<p>flynavy05 I also sent you a pm. I know they don't notify users like on some message boards, just given you a heads up.</p>
<p>C- I was wondering if you've heard about your sea year plans yet? Will you be leaving soon and do you get any sort of summer break before you do? Hope you get to see your family before you go!</p>