<p>Congrats to your son on being selected for AIM. He will love it.</p>
<p>You will not be alone, all parents are invited to the Friday session open house, the grounds are open all day long. </p>
<p>You will get to watch the Engineering competition in Billard Hall and attend a Q&A with Admissions, and Lunch in Leamy Hall before seeing them drill on the parade field and "graduate" in Dimick Hall auditorium.</p>
<p>Many of the buildings will also be open so you can see the classrooms as well.</p>
<p>"My son will be attending AIM second session"</p>
<p>Ill be heading out for the second session as well. Im in pretty decent shape so I should definintely pass the fitness test. I am thinking that the best thing to do is to not draw to much attention to yourself. How is your son packing? Is he bringing a dufflebag or a suitcase? I am a little nervous but I think it will be a lot of fun...</p>
<p>I dropped my son off yesterday for the 1st AIM week session. My advice is to pack light; only what they list in the AIM Manual and most of all, pack everything in a single bag that you can carry up a very long set of stairs. The kids that made the trek up the stairs to the dorm look easy had a single duffle bag with shoulder straps so they could keep their hands free. The process looked exactly like the regular swab reporting in process to me; upperclass cadets barking out instructions. None of the AIMsters were smiling at that point. But AIM provides a great experience if they do go through it again as a swab. AIMsters should have an advantage over the kids who didn't go through it.</p>
<p>He will be packing light....obviously nothing other than what is on the packing list...........I imagine a dufflebag would be best but are open to suggestions, Correct?</p>
<p>There is a large green military-type sea duffle bag that has the two backpack type shoulder straps that is definitely best. Military surplus stores sell them. I was surprised to see a lot of kids carrying pillows, blankets and Exchange shopping bags. The Company commanders swear each of the 8 Companies in and hustle them up the stairs to the dorm (Chase Hall) separately. I felt bad for the kids that were trying to carry this extra stuff. A couple of kids couldn't quite make it, so the cadets had to grab their bags and carry them up for the kids. Not the start they were hoping for I bet. My son's shoulder strap broke half way up and he had to wrestle the thing up to the top. He would not have been able to catch it if he had been carrying anything other than the water bottle they make them all carry around!</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your answers so far. My next question may seem a little...odd. I was just wondering about the male to female ratio at the program. I am a girl so I was wondering if there was a decent amount of girls at registration. I dont mind hanging out with guys and everything...i actually prefer it sometimes but I would like to know that I wont be one of only a few women.</p>
<p>Also, does anybody know what kind of showers they have at the CGA? I was at the Naval Academy Summer Seminar and there was a shower and a sink in each room. But my friend who went to the West Point summer program said that they had one communial shower that everyone went into together. If anyone has any information I would appreciate it, just so I can kinda know what to expect.</p>
<p>If you go online here: United</a> States Coast Guard Academy and click on the AIM Handbook PDF File, theres a list of what you need to bring. I packed tonight...I was somehow able to fit everything in a duffle bag! Whoo! lol Do we need to wear anything special to CGA the day of registration?</p>