<p>I have been given a spot in the USMAPS class. However, I am an Army ROTC cadet in my second year. I could either graduate in 2 years through ROTC or go to USMAPS and graduate in 5 years. This has been a tough decision because I would be starting over but West Point would be a great school to attend. I see other cadets in my battalian and cant imagin that they will commision before me if I go to USMAPS. Don't get me wrong, they are good cadets and will be good officers, but I am a more high speed kid. </p>
<p>Any advice would be great. I don't want to make a bad decision.</p>
<p>The statement “The means to an end”, is a common philosophical term.
Simply, its “any action which the sole purpose of is to achieve something else.”</p>
<p>In this case, the “end” is the same. Either way, you’ll become an officer in the world’s finest Army.
Therefore, the problem here is the “means”.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean when you say you’re a “high speed kid”
But if you mean that you like to finish things fast, then its simple.
Finish ROTC. 2yrs > 5yrs
Those “means” seems to better fit your style. </p>
<p>Haha, but if I totally misinterpreted what you meant by high speed kid, please clarify. :)</p>
<p>Do you like your school where you are now? Are you enjoying the freedom to do what you want outside of the classroom? Going to USMAPS will still allow for you to have some freedom, but once you start at West Point, that will end for a good long while. No question, USMA is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but you will have a longer commitment than you would if you just finished up ROTC. Go where your heart leads and then don’t look back.</p>
<p>In two years you could be:
A. Finishing your plebe year at West Point
B. Getting ready to graduate, commission and beginning your career in the Army as a 2LT.</p>
<p>Quite frankly, if I were you, bonf1382, I would stay in ROTC.
There is a female cadet in my company who did 3 years of ROTC and started over from the plebe year. I personally that is a waste of time, but do what you gotta do.</p>
<p>I agree with everything thats been said…simply put, in the end you’ll be a know nothing 2nd lt, and it wont matter where you come from…do you want to be there in 2 years or in 5?</p>
<p>So, if you go to WP, you may regret the next three or four years when some of your contemporaries are ahead of you. And if you don’t, you may regret the missed opportunity the entire remainder of your life. I have heard a lot of ‘regret’ stories in my life, but very very few of them has been someone regretting not taking the easy way out.</p>
<p>Well I’m not too sure if this is exactly one of those “taking the easy way out” situations. More like they are wondering if adding the unnecessary extra time to attend West Point just to wind up at the same location is worth it. Will it make the difference for a career as an officer in the Army? Who’s to say? Certainly didn’t mean a thing to Colin Powell.</p>
<p>But then again, your point is true also, they might regret never having taken the road less travelled. Might make all the difference. As Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it”.</p>
<p>One other way to look at is from a financial standpoint.
By spending 3 extra years in school, he would be losing out on 3 years of income and be 3 years further from retirement. The “cost” to going to West Point for “free” would be about $100,000 and looking at retirement at 45 instead of 42 assuming he made the military a career.
Then again - if he has his heart set on being a General it might be worth it; Colin Powell being the exception to the rule.</p>
<p>There are many benefits to attending West Point, both tangible and intangible. I would advise the OP to take a long hard look at his strengths and weaknesses from an academic standpoint. He needs to ask what held him back all these years and what does he want to study. Knowing nothing of his major, he needs to have a clear understanding of the academic rigor involved including the curriculum requirements.</p>
<p>Thansk all for all the responses. Everything helps. At this point, my parents have said, “their is no rush to get into the working wold. You will have the rest of your life to work once you graduate school. An additional 3 years at WP only prepares you more.”
I have taken this into huge consideration as I make my decision. I may be giving up so much but their is a slight chance that this may be the best thing that could ever happen to me. I can always go back to College but WP does not happen to many people. My goal for this thread is to get all the facts weighed out because maybe WP is not the logical choice.</p>
<p>Sounds like you’ve thought about it and made up your mind. Hope it is a great time in your life. Our son was a Prepster before entering West Point and he will forever have the close friends he made there. </p>
<p>Which brings up another good question, when does USMAPS move to West Point? Last I heard was 2011, anyone know anything more about the move? And where exactly will they be located once the move is complete?</p>
<p>My admissions officer said that if I went to the Prep school this year that I would get to experience the last time they would have it at Ft Monmouth NJ. It didn’t say where it would be moved to but for some reason I want to say its going to be moved to West Point. I feel like I heard that a while ago but not for sure. </p>
<p>I know it’s being moved to West Point, but where? In Highland Falls at the old girl’s college or on Post somewhere? Seems like I also heard it might be out at Buckner. Anyone actually know?</p>
<p>Being at FT Monmouth can be good and bad. They did just redo the barracks a few years ago, a plus. Also, one can walk outside the back gate and catch the train into Manhattan on the weekends. And the beach at Sandy Hook is just five minutes away too. Not going to be doing that once it moves to West Point, although the CC’s could still be able to get a cab ride over to Garrison to catch a train I suppose. The downside is that Monmouth is not at West Point and can feel like a world away sometimes. But then, maybe that’s a blessing too. ;-)</p>
<p>It’s being moved on post. Up near the ski slope somewhere? don’t quote me on that. I think there is new construction for it and the CC’s will live in separate barracks.
Your points are well noted. CC’s also have a lot more free time than plebes - there are definitely pros and cons to both. don’t forget the ferry - they can take that across the river to Garrison, too.</p>
<p>USMAPS is moving across from buckner, I think.</p>
<p>To the decision kid - </p>
<p>Going to West Point is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. You will meet people, experience things, and have such a wealth of knowledge when you leave this place that you will wonder why you even considered otherwise. To the people who say “it’s a means to an end,” I understand your point, but college in general is about learning about yourself and your surroundings, and West Point definately gives you a unique perspective on so many fronts. While this place may be hard, boring, isolated(sometimes), that’s what makes it so unique. Youll meet such amazing people here, people that will be with you the rest of your life.</p>
<p>If your desire is to become a general, both paths will get you there. West Point in no way is a golden ticket to a star, but what it does do is bring out the good, honorable person inside of you, and forces YOU to succeed in life.</p>