<p>I just received appointments to both the USAFA and USNA, and now I have to make a decision. I’d like to get a degree in Aerospace Engineering, and have intentions to be a jet pilot or astronaut. I also row, and plan on doing that for the Navy. I’m curious if I have a better chance to accomplish my goals at one academy than the other. Or, if you have any other information that could help me make a decision, please let me know. Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>First of all, congrats on dual appointments. You should be really proud of that, and both academies are really great. :)</p>
<p>Docfrance can probably give you some more hard and fast evidence to make a case for one school versus the other, but you can read facts all day and still be torn. If you honestly can't decide, your choice might come down to your "gut feeling" and/or with the place that you just feel you are being called towards. Did you attend either Summer Seminar? If so, I'd think about at which place you felt more at home. And whether you did or didn't, DEFINATELY attend the over-night "cadet for a day" type thing at USAFA (I'm sure USNA has one too) to get a better idea of each environment.</p>
<p>Definately wait on it and really think about both places. Imagine yourself there. Where do you just seem to fit? I know it seems a little wishy-washy but it's certainly helped me. While the viewbooks are nice to look at and facts interesting to read, I think decisions like this really rest within ourselves. We just have to be willing to self reflect to figure out what exactly is best.</p>
<p>Either way, congratulations and good luck, I'm sure you're going to make the right choice.</p>
<p>I won't try to convince you one way or another. Your performance and particular talents have MUCH more to say about if you'll achieve your goals than if you choose one of these academies over another. I do know the aerospace programs at both schools. In fact, I know the dept heads of aero and astro at USAFA and aerospace at USNA. They're all great people running super programs. At USAFA you can choose between the two and the astro program is fairly unique for an undergraduate institution, focusing on satellite design, dynamics, and control.</p>
<p>Your chances of flying at USAFA are probably a little higher, too, which almost all physically qualified cadets going to pilot training versus about 200 per class at USNA.</p>
<p>There was a very good letter I read last year about this time addressed to a candidate at both USNA and USAFA relating to this subject. The writer was a pilot, USNA grad that had also spent time (a couple of years) in the AF on some shared agreement. Anyway it was very interesting and not what I expected. I would have thought USNA would be the way to go and this spoke to opportunities in both settings. I think, based on this letter, there were more technical opportunities relating to "flying" at AFA. Compare course loads etc. This graduate told the candidate to look at later life and what they wanted. Did they want to be at sea for 6 months at a time? Did they want to be with families at holidays? They talked about people you would work with and their backgrounds/enlisted personnel. I was surprised that it wasn't as complimentary to the Navy as I would have thought. It was an excellent letter and if I find it I will post it. The bottom line was where does your heart lie and what are your long-term goals. With changes in routes to astronaut training in this day and age it's probably best to look forward and not back at history. The end conclusion was AFA was the way to go and it very much surprised me since at first read I thought the writer waould say otherwise. It was only one person's opinion and can be debated forever but since this is an information-gathering site I thought I'd post a little about what I read.</p>
<p>I can't say much on this subject, but I have visited USNA and I have lived at the Air Force Academy for seven years. Scenery wise, USAFA has USNA beat, no doubt about it. If DocFrance is correct (and I have no reason to believe otherwise) and USNA only produces 200 pilots per class, while USAFA produces a lot more, I'd say go to USAFA. The Astro program also seems like what is up your alley. But that's just my uneducated two cents about the matter. Just remember that Colorado is far better looking than Maryland. :)</p>
<p>I've gone though this dilema...though not in your situation of having the offers. What it boiled down to me was "do I want to spend 6 months on a boat?"....I could answer no to that...and that convinced me USAFA would be my goal.</p>
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<p>I have just completed an outstanding book called Riding Rockets by astronaut Col Mike Mullane, NASA Class of 1978, the initial shuttle class. He was a WP grad, class of 1967 and an F-4/F-111 WSO. In addition to being an outstanding and very informative read, it delves into the politics of NASA and would probably present a pretty good argument that USNA and/or the Navy is a better route than the AFA.</p>
<p>Whoa, this topic was almost 3 and a half years old. ;)</p>
<p>Yes, looks like it was the slow boat in giving poor c<em>healy advice!
It would be interesting to know where c</em>healy is today!</p>
<p>I was trying to figure out how he got appointments in June...</p>
<p>Me too Buckaroon, then I looked at the date. I remember the Doc. 2005 was my join date.</p>
<p>Wow, this is crazy! I randomly checked an old email account in which I had made this post, and saw that USNA69 had replied to it. So I thought I'd answer RoleoMom, and give you all an update.</p>
<p>Well, I made the decision to go to USNA and don't regret it at all. I'm going into my firstie year now, and have pretty much done everything I said I was going to do! I'm majoring in the Astro track of Aerospace Engineering, and currently doing a year long research project out at Goddard Space Flight Center (a NASA base close by). I'm a platoon commander and team captain of the Lightweight crew team. Rowing has been my saving grace out here, and helped provide some balance, especially during a stressful plebe year. We put in our final service selection preference next week, and I'm all clear to go Navy pilot. Wish me luck!</p>
<p>Any one who is currently in the same situation I was, I agree with the advice that was given to me: follow your instincts, go with where you feel most comfortable. Also recognize that your goals might change (although mine didn't), and ultimately, its not one institution which is going to make you better, its what you do at that institution that will separate you from the others.</p>
<p>That is crazy. Glad you made the right choice for you! :)</p>
<p>C Healy - Thanks so much for the reply! It sounds like you chose the right path and are doing exceedingly well! Best wishes to you in the future. Now you be a good boy and check back with me in 4 more years and let me know where you are! </p>
<p>Roleomom</p>
<p>Wow! Great story! Best wishes c_healy and blue skies to you!! :)</p>