Is it more impressive to graduate from a school such as UCLA or the United States Military Academy at West Point. Trying to decide wether or not to reapply to the service academy or stick with UCLA. I’m extremely happy to go to either. I simply want to know what is more prestigious.
Thank you
Unlike a lot of people on CC, I am fine with people striving for the most prestigious university possible. However, when it comes to service academies, and the commitment that comes along with attendance, if West Point isn’t your immediate and overwhelming choice, I think UCLA is the place for you.
Two wonderful schools - both with plenty of prestige. UCLA is a fantastic option. If your life goal is to serve in the military then West Point is a great place as well – I’m just not sure your acceptance decision would be any different if you reapply during a gap year. I’d go for the certain option with the acceptance in hand from UCLA.
If you become a career officer in the US Army, wouldn’t the USMA be the most prestigious college possible?
The USMA is still prestigious in other contexts, though it does vary.
However, if you were not admitted to the USMA this year, it may be less likely to get admitted if you try again. In the context of UCLA now or gap year to apply to the USMA, the evidence would suggest going to UCLA now if you can afford it. You can do Army ROTC at UCLA.
There is only one reason to attend West Point- you want a career (or at least the beginning of your career) as a military officer. The experience is tough- attending for the prestige is going to feel like a weak argument when you are in the midst of your training. And unlike grad school where you can decide, “Oops, I don’t really want to become a lawyer, so no thank you law school”, when the Army sends you to a combat zone you don’t get to change your mind.
One thing I didn’t make clear in my opening paragraph is the fact I have a full 4 year rotc scholarship to UCLA. I will be attending UCLA this upcoming fall. The only decision I want to make is wether or not I want to reapply to West Point. I want to serve in the armed forces so the drive to become a soldier is there. I just wanted to know the perception of the two schools’ prestige post military service.
My very first boss when I started in corporate recruiting was a West Point grad- so my take is not representative since he was a HUGE booster. But West Point grads are highly sought after in the corporate sector for a bunch of reasons- tenacity, the leadership training and skills developed during military service, long range planning but able to think on your feet, etc.
Highly prestigious IMHO. My boss graduated near the bottom of his class and was always impressed with someone in the top 50%!
I can’t think of any place where post military service, USMA would be an advantage over UCLA. Maybe some small defense consulting firm that was all USMA grads.
USMA @ West Point is more prestigious than UCLA.
I know of several major US employers who seek out / prefer West Point & BYU grads.
Eeyore- big banks, consumer products companies, retailers- filled with USMA grads.
You can’t think of any- but you’re thinking in the wrong places.
And defense consulting firms tilt towards former CIA and other Nat Sec agencies…
I agree 100% with @blossom.
Some employers love graduates from USNA @ Annapolis, USMA @ West Point, BYU, USAFA @ Colorado Springs.
And they are also full of UCLA grads. I just don’t see a job where the OP would get hired after their service with a degree from USMA and not get hired if their degree was from UCLA.
If your career goal is to be a soldier, than West Point is the place for you. It is designed for this.
I also agree that “prestige” doesn’t go so far when people are shooting at you.
For a military career, USMA is more prestigious. It is physically, psychologically, mentally, academically, strenuous. It’s not “college” the way most teenagers experience it. You have to want it to make it through.
For a civilian career, UCLA+ROTC leadership skills will be plenty impressive on its own, but then it’ll depend on you, what you do at UCLA, what opportunities you create for yourself or seize.
Certainly USMA will be impressive to employers but since you owe the Army 8 years after graduating from West Point that’s a long time away (~2034) and at that point “prestige” will not be on your mind.
So, if your main question is about prestige for a civilian job, I don’t think the USMA is the right pick. If your main question is prestige for a military job, then the USMA wins.
For perspective, you can compare UCLA to Colby, Davidson, Haverford and Smith, colleges USMA ties in U.S. News.
Personally I have found that USMA is more impressive (there are MANY more UCLA grads then USMA grads) and contrary to some posters here, the USMA grads do quite well in civilian life. They also do well in admissions to very prestigious grad schools (after they have served their commitment). I personally know a couple that have gone on to Wharton.
The bigger question is what makes you think you would have a better chance of acceptance into the USMA in the next cycle? I would take the ROTC scholarship at UCLA.
I have accepted the ROTC to UCLA. As of right now that’s the plan for the next 4 years. There are a number of reasons I feel I would get into the USMA next cycle. I increased my SAT, CFA score(fitness exam), and have more clubs on my transcript. 30% of West Point cadets come from college. All these factors lead me and my field force representative to believe I have a very good shot of getting in this year.
A very good friend attended USMA. He has had a very lucrative and successful totally non-military career. He loved his time there, but it’s probably fair to say he also hated his time there.
How many people can actually get into West Point? Not many, and those who do are genuinely special people, if my friend is anything to go by. My many visits to West Point for football and lacrosse games confirm my view that there truly excellent people there. In my view, UCLA doesn’t come close. It’s a fine school, but it’s not USMA.
To detail:
I don’t mean that USMA grads don’t do well in civilian life. I mean that aiming for the USMA as a means to higher consideration for a civilian job isn’t the right thing to do. What happens after the Academy should be secondary to the Academy and its goals.