I am going into my junior year and I would like to attend a service academy when I graduate. I have no clue which academy I want to attend besides no AF and no Army. I like that you can have a more normal life in the CG, but I am more interested in working on aircraft carriers or something. What would you have to say about the pros and cons of the Coast Guard compared to the Navy? Also, if I decide to go Navy… would you be more prepared for the Navy from graduating USNA than USMMA? Because summer training at USNA includes subs and focuses on swo work on ships unlike USMMA.
Two things to consider are what do you really want and what you might really end up doing.
First thing to do is dig into “I am more interested in working on aircraft carriers or something.” There are very few things on earth that are like an aircraft carrier, so comparing your interests to such a singular thing doesn’t really shed a lot of light. Do you like the idea of huge vessels, or the mixed team life with air crews on board, or being at the center of the action, or maybe naval aviation? Some of those things are unique to the Navy and some are not. If you want to get into a leadership position earlier then the CG is the route to take. Those grads are frequently running their own small boats within a few years. If you’re into engineering on huge ships then those new monster Panamax things are vast and merchant shipping could be for you. If you want to work with nukes or strike forces you’ve pretty much looking Navy.
Which leads the the second point. If you go USNA you will end up in the Navy. If you go to the USMMA you may not. How prepared are you for that event? And even if you get in and survive four years and graduate from Annapolis, the “needs of the service” might not lead you where you want to go. What does five years of not doing “aircraft carriers or something” look like? Ask around, see what normal outcomes are for grads from all three academies and picture yourself wearing those hats. And be open to the idea that you will change in the coming five years and you might want something completely different by then. What will your options look like if you want something else? Spend a lot of time looking at life after each academy and weigh that against a realistic self-evaluation of what you want and how you want to live.
Good luck.