<p>We didn't do pt all night, we just did more of it in the hallways and stuff. It was actually REALLY fun - team building like none other. The poster was cuz our platoon's theme was mickey mouse - the girls stayed up all night and helped the cadre draw it. Beats the crap out of first's dumbass ketchup thing right?</p>
<p>its like camp, except for military nuts xD</p>
<p>OMG I had sooo much fun at SLS. I was 2nd week 2nd p. 6th Sq. Did one of You guys have Sgt. Shea??? I had Sgt. Tremble. Do you guys remember when everyone was makin fun of the company commander b/c she was always sayin "if you are talking you are wrong" we had so much fun makin fun of her. LOL. If anyone has any questions about the SLS just ask. I got in really late, like in feb or march. Originally I got a letter sayin I didnt get in then I got one sayin I did. </p>
<p>BTW I just got my LOA today, Im so freakin excited.</p>
<p>Kels</p>
<p>Man if I remember right wasnt the company commander about to kill someone when he say the poster?</p>
<p>lol good times...</p>
<p>You guys know what the best part of the whole thing was though? Playing Americas Army on a team with you squad against everyone else. BTW I won the T-shirt for kicking all the guys a$$.</p>
<p>k-sarge,
When my daughter attended 2 years ago she played that game as well--those silly boys, you can guess who won it all that day........ :)
Good Luck!</p>
<p>k-sarge,
Why would you get a letter sayin you didn't get in and then get one sayin you did?? I was just recently rejected......soo i was just wondering</p>
<p>Well I'm not really sure why that happened but I got a letter on Feb. 16th saying I wasn't in and then a couple weeks later I got one saying I was. I'll look for the letter today and see if it says anything about it.</p>
<p>It's good stuff guys, people who want to West Point should all apply to SLS, its fun and is a great introductory to life at West Point. Keep the questions coming, not just chance questions though, because those are hard to answer.</p>
<p>When did you apply and how long did it take to hear back?</p>
<p>How was taking the CFA at SLS? How did most candidates do?</p>
<p>I took my CFA at SLS and did well enough that I didn't have to take it again. I practiced a lot before going. I knew what my scores would be about before actually taking the test. I would recommend doing that. Some candidates did very well, and some did very poorly. If you don't do well it's okay though, because you can take it again. I thought that the cadets were very helpful when administering the test. I had thought they would be really tough, but they were actually very nice about it.</p>
<p>I actually had a different experience than orangejp8 above me regarding the CFA. I did fairly poorly, but that's because I didn't prepare like he did - that's another thing SLS lets you know, is where you're at physically. After SLS, I knew a lot of good workouts (read: PT), and things I could do to prepare myself physically; then I took the CFA again and did <em>much</em> better.<br>
The cadre were pretty strict regarding technique - my roommate did (I think) 12 pull ups, but only 10 were counted, as he found out after he finished. Some cadre are great, some are OK, and a few are just mean. All of them know what they're doing though. I'd imagine it's more of a luck-of-the-draw thing.</p>
<p>Yeah but what they dont tell you about the CFA at SLS is that you start it at like 6 in the morning on a stomach full of dry cereal. I took the test cold turkey and did well but I had torn my hamstring a few weeks before I went and couldnt run the mile, thus disqualifing me. BTW my mile time was like 16 mins. LOL.</p>
<p>k_sarge4,</p>
<p>Your SLS experience is different from mine. During ours, SLS 2006 Session 1, half of us, I think Platoon 3 and 4, went on a walking tour of West Point, while Platoon 1 and 2 started on the CFA. Platoon 1 and 2 and Platoon 3 and 4 were supposed to switch off, but in the end, Platoon 1 and 2 just waited and talked while Platoon 3 and 4 finished. We didn't go to Brunch until after the CFA was over for everyone. To pass the time and to curb our hunger, we talked, ate some oranges or apples, or ate those "mMm mMm good" Hoo-Ah! bars.</p>
<p>What was it like playing America's Army at SLS? What did you play it on? How long did you play it?</p>
<p>Were the sports activities intense or laidback? Was it exciting?</p>
<p>Was there and dirty dancing (grinding) at the opener or was it mainly just guys goofin off doin little dance imitation?</p>
<p>Did you get to do the obstacle course? If so what was it like?</p>
<p>Did you sleep in the barracks? What was that like?</p>
<p>How was the food? Did it fill you up?</p>
<p>hmmmm that's about all the questions I can think of for you post SLS'ers!</p>
<p>What was it like playing America's Army at SLS? What did you play it on? How long did you play it?</p>
<p>America's Army kinda sucks in my opinion. I'm not used to it, but I'm pretty good in Counter-Strike. America's Army is so much more team oriented than Counter-Strike and so much slower, mainly because you have new people playing a first person shooter for the first time and mainly get stuck in a corner. Don't worry about the computer specifications- they're really good. I remember the geography lab's computer's were 3.something ghz, xenon processors with two 19 inch screens side to side. The gaming room only has one single 19 inch screen, but it's still pretty nice. We only played for about an hour and a half. and because of how long it took for everyone to die and for everyone to understand how to join a game, we only got to play like 5 games. It was very disappointing for me.</p>
<p>Were the sports activities intense or laidback? Was it exciting?</p>
<p>Our squad (First Platoon, Seventh Squad, Session One SLS) was really laid back and the only sports activities we did was the platoon wide soccer tournament, which was the fake kind of rivalry- all in good fun. To amuse ourselves at night, because our squad leader had to serve on the honor board for an honor case most of the time, we got a bunch of other candidates and started an ultimate frisbee game. </p>
<p>Was there and dirty dancing (grinding) at the opener or was it mainly just guys goofin off doin little dance imitation?</p>
<p>There was no dirty dancing that I could see on day one because everyone was shy. By the last day, there might have, but I stayed with my squad mates at our table just chatting.</p>
<p>Did you get to do the obstacle course? If so what was it like?
Because Session One SLS 2006 was filled with rainy weather, we weren't able to go on the "leadership reaction course". Session 2, I hear, had better weather and was able to go.</p>
<p>Did you sleep in the barracks? What was that like?</p>
<p>The barracks are alright. They are really old looking. There are 2 to 3 beds in their, 2 to 3 desks, and 2 to 3 closet areas with a sink area. There are community bathrooms in the hallway. As a swimmer and water polo player, I never had a problem with showering with other people, but some candidates do. Eventually, because of all the time constraints, everyone got used to showering with others, sometimes with 2 guys or girls per shower head.
How was the food? Did it fill you up?</p>
<p>Keep those questions comin'!</p>
<p>What was it like playing America's Army at SLS? What did you play it on? How long did you play it?
I pretty much agree with what spctrez589 said. I play some games in my off time, but hadn't before SLS, as had many of the people there. We played for about 1.5 hours, mostly an informal type of "Hey, I bet we can kick their team's ass" kind of thing. It was fun, but nothing on the level of like, halo tournaments, if that's the kind of thing you're expecting. Oh, and the best player wins a shirt. :)</p>
<p>Were the sports activities intense or laidback? Was it exciting?
In my session, 3rd platoon especially, we were more on the sports side. There were a lot of ultimate frisbee games that got pretty intense, as well as DODGEBALL, which was fun but got really hardcore. I remember it took about 30 mins for our whole platoon to beat just our 8 or 9 cadre members. I generally don't play team sports, but I found it pretty exciting. The PT was totally new for me, but I ended up loving it. It was exciting, and again, 3rd got pretty intense - we did additional PT in the hallway and stayed after everyone else left in the mornings. Fun stuff. :D</p>
<p>Was there and dirty dancing (grinding) at the opener or was it mainly just guys goofin off doin little dance imitation?
There was some grinding going on, but with an 80% male ratio, it was a little too much guy/guy dancing for me to be get involved in. Something like 12 guys all trying to get to one girl, who pretends not to notice. :) Like I mentioned above, a guy I met at the mixer put it nicely: "If you came here to hookup, you came for the wrong reasons."</p>
<p>Did you get to do the obstacle course? If so what was it like?
Yeah, 2nd session did the obstacle course. It was great - built team spirit, cohesion, and problem solving skills. Also, I understand new cadets do the exact same thing in Beast so you get a little head start that way.</p>
<p>Did you sleep in the barracks? What was that like?
Yeah, we slept in (I believe) MacArthur Hall. I had just one roommate. We found there to be more than enough room in the cupboards for our bags and clothes and whatnot, although we were stuck on the other side of the building and had a pretty crappy view out the window. Beds were a little small (I'm a tall guy), but comfy. What can I say, the room was a room. :) The showers were communal, which some people (myself included) were new too, but most got over it pretty quick.</p>
<p>How was the food? Did it fill you up?
Food was good. Not gourmet, but not exactly Denny's either. It was filling, there was more than enough to go around, and you get to the point by the end of the week where you can down a whole meal in ten minutes and just sit there twiddling your thumbs and hanging out for the rest of the meal time.</p>
<p>Feel free to keep asking.</p>
<p>What was the interview like towards the end??</p>
<p>What was the 30min graduation thing like?</p>
<p>Interview wasn't bad. It's just you having a conversation with your squad leader and going over some things that you already know, like what Beast is like and the code of honor. You are also asked why you want to go to West Point. Just be relaxed and honest. It's great because it counts as your interview in the admissions process I believe. At least I didn't have to do any other interviewing for admissions besides the nomination stuff.</p>
<p>The graduation thing was okay. It seemed kind of silly and pointless to me, but my parents liked it and the marching band played and they were very good. We also had a candidate sing amazing grace which was really cool. It actually gave me chills standing next to possible future cadets and listening to that song.</p>