<p>I am impressed with the female candidates (those applicants who chose to attend USMMA) after all their work in preparing and earning their appointment. I've seen their PT photos, and empathize with the running LAP<em>01 freshness to the LAP</em>10 dogged determination to just finish.</p>
<p>I'd heard (unconfirmed) that 30% of applications were from females, but only 11% accepted the challenge.</p>
<p>So, for for female applicants that accepted their appointment: **Why did you choose to attend the academy?**
--or--- for female applicants that declined their appointment: **Why did you choose NOT to attend the academy?**</p>
<p>I am wondering the same thing! This is the Elephant in Room that no one is talking about and I would be very curious to know the answer. I spent 21 years as a Navy Officer and was very impressed with KP grads whom I worked with and met. However, I all my years on active duty, I never met a Female KP grad. I know that KP was the 1st Fed Acad to admit women but I have to ask the current cadets and grads; does KP truly welcome women to the school. I looked on line and noted that only 28 women arrived for Indoc. How many stay? How many started last year and how many stayed? What can be done to attract more women applicants to the school? In my first years of service, there were no women on ships and those who came aboard were treated with great curosity. I watched this trend over the years and now women are not only on ships, they are commanding them! And you know what, no one notices a difference. KP is an outstanding school, can they fix this and if so HOW!</p>
<p>In his address to the parents Admiral Stw. stated that there were more women applicants this year than ever before, but less qualifed in the group. The female applicants have to compete with the male applicants on an equal academic level so the offer of appointments were made to qualified men & women, not based on gender. At least that's the way my husband and I heard it.</p>
<p>The simple fact is that there is a very finite number of young women willing to consider an academy education. All the academies compete vigorously for them. Many of them apply to multiple academies. While KP may be the best of the academies, it is not the most prestigious. So some (not all) who are accepted ar USNA, USMA, USAFA and even USCGA (God help us) choose to go there rather than here. Well qualified women can take their pick. Unfortunately, too few pick KP. </p>
<p>The limited range of majors at KP is another recruiting problem. You can't major in English, History, Psychology, etc. How many young women look forward to going to sea as a salty dog? Contrast that with the "glamour" of joining the "Aerospace Team" at USAFA, earning a degree in English or the like, doing five years, getting out, earning a master's degree and going on to teach. That doesn't work as well when your degree is in marine transportation or inter-modal transportation, etc.</p>
<p>On another note, KP has actually had a very good record of integrating women into the regiment. When The Citadel was court ordered to go coed, the Commandant's Dept. at KP called The Citadel to offer advice and assist in any way they could. The Citadel's response was :"Thank goodness someone will help; when we called West Point they blew us off." </p>
<p>As Plebe Sponsor Parents, my wife and I have sponsored both boys and girls. We are friendly with several sets of parents whose daughters have gone through the academy. As far as I can tell, everyone is treated equally and generally gets the treatment he or she earns. Anyone who acts like a prima donna, male or female, is going to be treated one way. Those who pull their weight, work at being part of the team, etc, get the respect they deserve. None of the women graduates that I know have any regrets about attending KP.</p>