<p>LOL... deepthroat... I love the fourth reason why going to USNA is a good thing...</p>
<p>it's true even in Newport (and New York City)<br>
It took me two months to respond back btw, I was so excited than the reality checked in.
Hey is anybody here on MySpace.com?</p>
<p>The "I'll try it for a few years" strategy is not usually a fruitful one. Numerous classmates of mine tried this and either ended up with a couple years of solid education but not a real scholastic direction for the future or slugging it out for the remainder and wishing that they had gone somewhere else. If the lure of civilian college life is paramount, NROTC is an outstanding option with an identical commission to be gained. The Naval Academy's benefits are almost exclusively intangible, and if these have not really resonated with you (your son), it might be a gloomy four years here. Having said this, four years of the Academy (or any school) will hold great memories but will seem chronologically insignificant in about ten years with carrier landings, combat missions, and/or world travels under his proverbial belt.</p>
<p>Thanks, Westcoastmom.<br>
I'm sure she would love to help with the military stuff as much as she can. I know that on I-Day at NAPS, her and her roommate were in quite a quandry about making their beds (racks). They were instructed to find a prior to show them how and that's it. Well, people of the opposite sex weren't allowed in eachother's rooms and there were no female priors. So, they were like, ????? now what? They ended up changing the rules so that people could go back and forth in the rooms, but it was rather funny that first day. They thought, "Oh great. Starting out strong!" So, she can at least now make a bed. LOL
NAPS05mom</p>
<p>Navgirl: I was accepted to Harvard EA also and now have an appointment to the Naval Academy and West Point. I'm not sure yet what I'll do but it's nice to have these options.</p>
<p>Congrats Stev!!! Quite an accomplishment!</p>
<p>Thanks Navgirl. It has been a really wild week with receiving both appointments within 2 days of each other. I still can't believe it.</p>
<p>Navygirl, I can TOTALLY associate with the whole flip-flop thing. I was gung-ho Navy after Summer Seminar. Then, I started to think about normal college life, and I decided that I was going to Georgetown on a Marine ROTC scholarship. After that, I was accepted to Notre Dame, and decided I'd take an Army ROTC there. Then I couldn't make up my mind between Army/Notre Dame and Georgetown/Marines. I talked to my counselor, and was like "Look, I don't know what to do. I just keep flip-flopping." She gave me some sage advice: "Choose what school you're going to go to, and set your heart and mind on it. If you do that, you won't turn back." And, interestingly enough, I chose to accept at West Point, and sent in my Acceptance card 4 days after I received my Appointment. I haven't turned back since then. My heart is set on West Point, and I can't wait to go.</p>
<p>There are several candidates who have appointments and also ROTC scholarships to many fine institutions who are ahving trouble deciding which option to choose. I was hoping that these candidates would share their concerns/doubts for not accepting the appointment yet. Is it the concern about the difficulty, the lack of a normal college experience, lack of free-time or freedom. I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts.</p>
<p>Parent0110--I've already accepted my Appointment, so I don't know whether I really apply to this situation. But, I can definitely tell you what I struggled with.</p>
<p>When I was debating between a Service Academy and a normal school, I kept thinking of what a kid going to a normal school would have: a social life, normal clothes, freedom to go where you want when you want, the ability to skip class. Plus, I kept thinking about how after completing the ROTC program, I'd be on an equal basis with an Academy grad. I mean, we'd both have our commissions, right? We'd be both 2nd LTs/Ensigns in the US Army or Navy, right? I was seriously deluding myself. </p>
<p>I finally had to take a good look at myself. When I did, I found that I was letting everyone AROUND me make my decision. Practically NO ONE wanted me to go to a Military Academy. All of my really good friends, and even the guy I was in love with (he didn't know that I loved him) kept encouraging me not to go. But after some earth-shaking events (well, earth-shaking to a 17 year old), I started to look at what I wanted. I've always been a part of a team, so I knew I wanted to have friends that were as close as teammates. I knew that I HATE having nothing to do, and that I always like to keep busy. I also knew that I liked to stay in shape, and that I liked a challenge. I think the challenge part was one of the biggest issues with me. I felt that if I did ROTC at a regular school, I'd only be second-rate: second rate in knowledge, experience, and wisdom. There's no substitute for 4 years of active service. I felt like I'd be letting myself down if I went through ROTC. That is not meant as an insult to any ROTC Cadets/Midshipmen. I have no doubt that the training can be incredibly grueling. I'm just telling you what went on inside of my head.</p>
<p>Another big issue was leaving my friends. If I went to a normal college, there'd be plenty of time to come back and visit. Not so with West Point/Annapolis. But one day, I just let that all go. That was the day I sent in my Acceptance Card to West Point. I didn't talk to my parents about it. I didn't talk to my friends about it. I just did it. I didn't want anyone to try to change my mind again. I'm incredibly glad that I did it, and I look forward to the challenge of this summer.</p>
<p>Good story marines4me I enjoyed reading it. Looks like you are ready to go.
My son also got both a NROTC to UNC and an appointment. But he has always wanted to go to Annapolis and the NROTC was a backup. So to me its seems funny that some kids are having trouble deciding. I can understand if you were going to a regular college and couldn't decide between Harvard or Yale. But I always assumed that if you applied to the service academies, it was because you wanted to go there in your heart. There is a huge difference between regular college and the service academies.</p>
<p>parent0110, </p>
<p>My daughter had her heart set on West Point since sophomore year of high school. She attended IAW and said it was the best week of her life. She pursued other options as the odds of receiving both nominations and appointments were daunting. The other choices included ROTC programs at a few other colleges. </p>
<p>After meeting with the AROTC people at her 1st choice civilian university, she was impressed with how nice they were and how strong and respected the program was on the campus. The fact that they told her on the interview that she would be offered a 4-year scholarship made her feel very wanted. She began to think that it was not just a good option but may even be a better choice - especially when she thought about visiting home any weekend and having a "normal" college experience, as well as the other concerns you mentioned.</p>
<p>In the meantime, we experienced so much angst with WP due to the waiting. Checking the mailbox was the most important part of the day. The week before the ROTC interview she had been saying she wanted WP more than anything in life. She also said that she would be thrilled with USMAPS if offered. When the appointment from WP arrived at our house she had already been thinking for a few weeks that it just wouldn't happen and began to set her sights on the other options. Although thrilled, she now had a difficult decision to make. I think she needed time and space in order to figure out (again) what was important to her. We talked about her doing the overnight visit at WP. That's when she realized that as much as she would like to visit, the visit would not be a catalyst in making her decision. Although she wanted to be an officer, she realized that she wanted to be at WP for school and even if the visit was great it could not influence her in any way because she knew what she wanted. On the other hand, if the visit was not a positive experience, she still would want to go to WP.</p>
<p>She accepted the appointment and is very confident that she has made the best decision for her. We gave her the space, but also the opportunities to pursue any of her options. I truly believe that quite a few appointees who are going through this decision process are doing exactly the right thing to think about it for a while. They will each make the right decision for the right reasons.</p>
<p>Excuse me for using this site for therapy but I have to say that I am the one in our family who is struggling with my son's choice. Just this last week I was visiting our daughter at her college, where she is in graduate school, and I found myself feeling so sad that my son will have such a different college experience. Please don't misunderstand me - I am very proud of the choice he has made and am bursting my buttons with pride over what he has accomplished - but part of me was really looking forward to hearing about a normal college experience. All the things he will be giving up that I think of as normal college - the parties, the fraternities, the activities, staying out all hours and sleeping all day on Saturday - are the things he specifically doesn't want. Every piece of mail that comes from the colleges that have accepted him make me so sad. We worked very hard so that he could have gone to any college he wanted to go to. Is anyone else feeling like this?</p>
<p>doglover1586
I struggled with the same feelings last year when my son was going through this process. He is at USAFA this year and loves it. He had a 4 year ROTC scholarship to his first choice "civilian" college which is near our home but when the appointment to the Academy came it was abvious to all around him where he would go. He has never looked back and I think that what made me recognize that his choice was the right one was when he mentioned that "I really feel like I fit in here --we are all smart jocks" in a letter from BCT. He has matured so much more than his friends from High School it is amazing to talk to him now.<br>
My son decided the summer before his senior year that he wanted to go to the acadenmy so it was quite a shock when he actually got in! WHat I realized was that it didn't matter what I thought, he followed his heart and has never looked back. I hope your son has the same experience.</p>
<p>doglover,</p>
<p>I know exactly what you mean. However, my daughter said that she does not want to be giving up what is important to her just to go to parties. She believes that she will be getting more out of college than if she went to one of the Big 10 colleges or other schools she applied to. </p>
<p>I know it takes a different breed, and I know that I never went through this kind of thought process, but I also know that I have never had this kind of commitment to anything in my life. I envy all of these students who are looking at the world in a way that I never considered. And I'm thankful for having my eyes open. </p>
<p>Talk about your therapy sites...</p>
<p>Marines4me: I know what you're talking about with people trying to stear you away from the military. A lot of my friends couldn't understand why I want to serve, but I think I've made it real clear that I'm not changing my mind. I have a NROTC scholarship to Purdue and accepted to Harvard EA, but I'm sticking with the Academy. I'm just not sure which one yet. If I can decide between a History major or Engineering, that'll be it. History - I go to West Point, Engineering - I go to USNA</p>
<p>Navgirl: I sent you a PM</p>
<p>I believe that the extraordinary experiences one has, first as an undergraduate, then as a graduate of a service academy, clearly surpass drunken frat parties and sleeping in on Saturday mornings. Like many, I am sickened to read about binge drinking and college students dying from alcoholic poisoning and drugs. The role of universities is to educate not entertain. I can see choosing one college over another because of a special major or course of study, but wild parties? Also, we all know that having a college degree doesnt necessarily guarantee a long and successful career in today's job climate <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fi-jobless11mar11,1,5194886.story%5B/url%5D">http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fi-jobless11mar11,1,5194886.story</a>. Therefore, high school students need to be pragmatic and deliberate when considering institutions of higher education. D and her friends applied to universities that will prepare them for their respective career choices, not the social scene. As I mentioned in an earlier post, ds peers are driven academically, typically complete 8-10 AP courses by the end of high school, and are almost embarrassed to earn less than a score of 4 or 5 on AP exams. On the other hand, I also believe that All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. These kids are not introverted bookworms. They travel, read Teen Vogue, watch The OC, and have normal social lives (unlike The OC). Frequently, the highest achieving students also play sports and/or perform in the school orchestra, jazz band, and participate in many other fun activities that help them grow intellectually and develop their identities, thus allowing them to lead full productive lives. D has NROTC scholarship to UC Berkeley and other choices, but as Mr. Moore remarked, (her) heart is set on USNA. She considers it an honor and privilege to receive an appointment to USNA. Now I think I will step down from my soapbox </p>
<p>Very well said, WCMom! There will be plenty of time for parties later on...I'm surprised a mom would say that she'd rather have her son be able to have a "normal" social life...oh well.</p>
<p>why settle for "normal?"</p>
<p>Don't kid yourselves, there's just as much drinking at USNA, it's just not the Plebes that are doing it!</p>