<p>Does the Merchant Marine Academy follow like the other service academies that there is no obligation money-wise or duty required if you quit before the 3rd year? If that is so, and I don't know that it is, EXACTLY WHEN does the third year begin? Is it calendar related, academic work qued, or before/after the sea year? I really, really need to know this. Thank you.</p>
<p>and what happens about that naval reserve you swear into at acceptance day?</p>
<p>Yes, it is the same as the other academies. The year begins the day you set foot on campus for your junior year. Just realized something, but I'm not sure what that would be if you were at sea for that time. As for the naval reserve thing it goes bye bye as well.</p>
<p>That's the official line anyway, the unofficial line is that I've known plenty of people who have left one way or the other after junior year who have not been seen in a uniform since.</p>
<p>As an aside. If you are even thinking of not completing the coursework at USMMA then do another applicant a favor and withdraw your acceptance and go somewhere else. There is nothing more that I hate than someone who goes to the Academy without thinking it all the way through and taking that spot from someone who really wanted to go. You have to remember that the spot you take cannot be filled again once Indoc begins, so think it through, and if you think you will quit then don't go at all. **Steps off soapbox.</p>
<p>A couple asides: if you have these thoughts and you haven't entered KP yet, you probably shouldn't go (see KP2001). If however, you are there already, know that it isn't going to get better academically if that is your problem. If it is the military bit, leave now. Also know that many required courses at KP do not transfer to "normal" colleges, i.e. firefighting. However, many mids transfer to other maritime academies (i.e. SUNY, Maine). The summer sea time for B split is a tie - it really is your junior year, but as you are at sea and not at the academy, it doesn't really count as junior year for these purposes (but doublecheck if an issue).</p>
<p>cant blame the guy for wanting to know what hes getting into...</p>
<p>If someone "really, really needs to know" it would be a good idea to first check out the official material and also make a phone call or two. Info here is good, but not verified...</p>
<p>5family: Welcome and please excuse our sometimes too brutal comments. I just realized this was your first post and encourage you to post questions here - but do check out the official sites as well as trolling through the many,many threads posted here with lots of great info. The question is a valid one, as Taffy says, but as you will find with all the service academies, going in with the question of getting out is probably not the best attitude - smart maybe, but it implies an intent of not giving it 110% on entry. With so many truely gung-ho, if you are not, it will be a problem for you at the academy. As KP2001 said, don't take a position that someone else could have had.</p>
<p>5Family, your question is oddly worded. Do you want to know how long an academic year is? Take this year for instance: July 24, 2005 was the first day back on campus for Midshipmen and the academic year will end on June 20, 2006. Next year's dates have not been posted yet. You can find out more by going to the <a href="http://www.usmma.edu%5B/url%5D">www.usmma.edu</a> & to the parent's page as well. Is this an issue you're trying to figure out for an appointment for this upcoming year? You should pick up the phone & contact the Academy directly and just ask. They don't mind really. Are you a parent or a kid? We're glad to help you here but sometimes things written here come across badly or not complete. <em>cough cough</em> We don't really want to believe that you want into USMMA so you can quit.... If you're a parent, I understand your concern. We had to figure out what all the service obligation stuff meant. Good luck and please post back.</p>
<p>OK So here's the "rest of the story" if anyone cares to read it. Our Midshipman (2008) began disliking USMMA upon return from first sea year. We(parents) were hoping that if they went to their second sea year, they would stay because there would be less than two years left. Our midshipman was very concerned, though, that it would not be possible to quit after the second sea year if the feelings of "I made a wrong choice" were still overwhelming , and so when the call came for report to USMMA on Mon to ship out, they resigned yesterday. I know a lot of kids do leave, but it's been a pretty depressing day for us, so please don't unload on me. There was every intention of completing 4 years when the appointment and decision to go was made. It was a huge decision for them, too, but then, I was surprised at the initial decision to go to USMMA. Perhaps the ret. Col father and active duty Army Major brother made this kid feel they needed to go military, too. If King's Point cared at all, the time to have talked to this MN/3 class was in Nov when the first transcript request went through the registrar's office. We've beaten ourselves up over getting them a cell phone and talking to friends going to more plush schools; maybe we should have paid for more tickets home during the first year. We don't know. I do know that this was a very, very unhappy midshipman, and it didn't look like things were going to improve in the next 2 years, plus obligation. I guess we parents enjoyed the USMMA experience more than our child.</p>
<p>5Family, well gosh. Where to start.... Now all makes sense with your first posting. I cannot begin to tell you the heart break I feel for you and your Mid. You've had many sleepless nights I'm sure and you have alot of sympathy here on this board as I'm sure others will tell you when they have the chance to read this. Deep down, you realize that the most important thing in life is to have a happy, healthy kid. If its his/her destiny to find that happiness somewhere else then you gotta find some comfort in their decision to seek out their own way to do that. So, he/she gave it a try. Its a far cry from failure. He/she will take all the experiences & knowledge with them to a new place and most likely do very well. I'm not sure the cell phone or visits home can hold too much blame if they reach that decision that this academy isn't for them. Kids just gotta see for themselves sometimes and parents can't help with that. So no beating yourself up! I wish ya'll the best of luck with your new beginning. I promise, as a parent, I know I am enjoying the USMMA experience more than my Plebe. Take care.</p>
<p>Thanks. That's exactly how we feel. Maybe later today I'll feel like taking the USMMA window sticker off my car. It is a whole new chapter; the maturity and growing up had to happen somewhere. And, if it matters to anyonw else, most of the credits do transfer from USMMA to other schools. Our former mid will be classified as a junior, although with lots of 'elective' credits.</p>
<p>5family - there is a reason that KP has such a low graduation rate and I know from personal experience that well over 1/3 seriously consider transferring/leaving, especially after 1st sea year. Ours is awaiting his grades from that experience right now and that will impact his decision before the start of his junior year.
Your son and 99% of the midshipmen & women are great kids, good scholars and will do just fine with the rest of their lives - or they would not have been chosen to start at USMMA. I agree that KP should be doing more to attain the rates of other academies. It is their loss. We wish your son and you all the best. It is true we invest a lot of ourselves as parents and this is often a place to vent.
Stay in touch - remember that he was nominated and chosen over many, many others (see the rest of this board!) and be proud that he made a difficult decision. Godspeed!</p>
<p>5family,</p>
<p>I know that this could happen to any family with a child at a service academy. And I suspect that for the vast majority of us, it would be heartbreaking. I wish you and your family all the best.</p>
<p>what is graduation rate for KP?</p>
<p>I cobbled together some statistics from the class of 2005 - abut 77% graduated (220) of those entering (285). - see <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=136585&page=3&pp=20&highlight=stats%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=136585&page=3&pp=20&highlight=stats</a>. Also see: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=131483&highlight=Graduation+rates%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=131483&highlight=Graduation+rates</a>
And don't forget - even in civilian college, there is a significant drop out rate. DD graduated from very good private LAS and remembers frosh orientation with - look at the person on either side of you - at graduation, one of you will not be here. It was about right - people leave for many reasons.</p>
<p>We're doing OK. It'll take awhile to feel 'normal', just like any 'loss'. When he's back in classes and has a new routine, I'm sure the hole will be filled. It occured to me yesterday--when he was supposed to go back at USMMA--that his older brother suddenly (as opposed to being unhappy for over a year as this one) called us and said he was joining the Army. He actually dropped out of college one semester, went to basic, AIT, transferred colleges to an ROTC program, and changed his life course. And we didn't protest, feel sad, feel like he was driftless, or even question his decision! The older son was EXACTLY the same age--191/2--as this son. It's not fair to 'punish' this son for changing his life in the exact same way, just in a different direction. After all, he's pointed out to us that the 'easiest way' would have been to have just stayed the course, where he knew what the future would be. So, I mourn for the friends his father and I made in the parents club, the sense of belonging to a small group with common pride and experiences, but that's all. I don't mourn for a 'loss' for our son, because I know he made the right decision for him. USMMA taught him to sew, clean, study, keep a physically fit body, and help him grow up in so many ways, that the two years he spent there will continue to be a significant factor in his character. I sent a boy to the Academy, and recieved a man back. It just wasn't the right choice for the man it turns out. And thank you all so much. I do feel your acceptance. Good luck to all at finding the best path in life; it sure isn't easy. God Bless.</p>
<p>Thank you for your beautiful post....I think that I can appreciate what you are going through; and boy, you hit the nail on the head when you wrote, "...finding the best path in life; it sure isn't easy."</p>
<p>God's blessings to your son and his wonderful family.</p>