<p>Cross posted from: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=1757730#post1757730[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=1757730#post1757730</a></p>
<p>I’ll monitor/summarize input from both forums:
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<p>Seems like our sons have the same choices to make?</p>
<p>We have been going back and forth with the same discussions. NROTC pointed out the opportunity for more majors, cross registration, more graduate level courses while an undergrad and a different diploma. Academy grads suggest the experience will be better, more comraderie, more athletics, more leadership, more travel and maybe more support for grad school later on.</p>
<p>As a single mom, helping him with the decision wil be hard. Feels like I am flying blind on this one. Friend of the family just got promoted to 07 Navy and he went OCS, graduated ASU with a business degree, and has been a pilot. Son's grandpa also OCS with an English degree, also retired fighter pilot. They both refer to the academies as the "trade" schools; where you go to learn to fly a plane, drive a boat...
So we know their bias, they both opt for the MIT, Harvard degree with ROTC.</p>
<p>Son does not have any preconceived notions, so no bias here. </p>
<p>I will be hoping for some great posts!!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>hmm definitely want to see what people say on this...still in the middle of the USNA/Harvard-ROTC decision...</p>
<p>there was a girl in your position on this forum last year. she chose harvard.</p>
<p>one word of caution: you have to be able to motivate yourself without having other people remind you how talented, special you are. you have 6 weeks where everyone will be telling you the opposite, and everyone around you got into the academy too. its really tough for some people to realize, i'm now competing and working with people of the same caliber.</p>
<p>In general, no one in the business world gives a damn where you got your degree, unless you are in medicine and went to Johns Hopkins, or in business and went to Wharton, or a lawyer and went to Yale, or an engineer and went to MIT, etc.</p>
<p>Military officers coming out into the business world are saught after because of their demonstrated leadership skills, degree source notwithstanding.</p>
<p>That said, I know that there are several anecdotes of hiring managers flipping through a pile of resumes looking for Academy grads, then dumping the rest of the pile. I've heard this directly from one manager myself. I've never heard that for any other school. Remember, however, that these guys aren't looking for engineers, lawyers, accountants, or doctors. They're looking for LEADERS. In that regard, USXA beats Harvard any day of the week.</p>
<p>Now, putting all that aside, a decision of Harvard or MIT vs. USNA is a difficult one, and careful attention must be paid to what you want your career to be, as well as the realization that you might change your mind over time. In my case, if I had to do it all over again, I may do something differently, but I still think I wouldn't give up USNA for anything, even MIT.</p>
<p>Yes, I know I said differently a few months ago, but things have happened since then that have made me realize just how useful USNA has been to me.</p>
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<p>I know for a FACT that a USNA degree has bennies decades later. When my husband, class of '72 was laid off in 1994...and was out of work for 11 months - he went on 13 job interviews during that time and several times he was told it was his USNA degree that got him the interview. And this was OUTSIDE of his field! So that is something to think about.</p>
<p>If the choice is between Harvard w/ROTC and the Naval Academy consider what you "think" you'll be doing in 9-10 years. Tough decision for anyone. Either way, let's face it...if you're good at what you do, you'll do fine in the Navy or outside. ROTC will offer leadership opportunities and once you're in the regular Navy you will rise on your own merit. If your goal when you get out is to go into business then picking up a degree at Wharton with ROTC isn't a bad choice either. ROTC is offered at major universities with solid academics. IT will look good on any job application that while you went to college you did such and such with the ROTC program and served your country. </p>
<p>If my son had a ROTC scholarship to Virginia and knew he wanted to study business I would advise him to go there over Annapolis unless he felt 100% sure Annapolis was the right fit for him. I had a classmate who left Annapolis and went to MIT. I'm sure that was the right decision for him.</p>
<p>You will probably enjoy the college experience a whole lot more at a regular university taking ROTC than if you went to a service academy. You'll probably be a little better prepared and look better in your uniform if you go to Annapolis. Six months in the fleet, you'll probably be even. And if you want to go surface line, you're really better going to the Merchant Marine Academy at King's Point. </p>
<p>Certainly graduating from Annapolis will open doors in the civilian sector and once you graduate no one can ever take it away from you. Even graduates who hated just about every day there (and ther are some though by senior year that number goes down) never look back and regret going there. If you have the choice between Annapolis and UCSD, you may regret the choice. Would you regret going to Harvard, Penn, Notre Dame, UVA, Michigan, or Vanderbilt...that's a question that can't be answered until you've graduated. It's a great choice to have and only your son can really answer that. </p>
<p>You have to be a much "tougher" person inside to graduate from Annapolis than Harvard/MIT. There will be no easy days on campus for almost an entire year...Sunday mornings at church are about your only break and then you still have to be in uniform. You can't stroll to corner Starbucks, have a latte, read the Sunday paper and wink at the pretty coed. It doesn't mean you don't have fun...but you certainly cherish those days. Mids tend to work very hard and play hard. They value their free time immensely. It's not easy and if it was there would be more applications. A committment to a service academy should not be taken lightly; but, there will be no greater sense of accomplishment nor will you experience such a camaraderie. A classmate who left after two years joined a frat at the civilian school but the ties that bind him to us are still far stronger after 25 years than the bonds between his frat brothers. That's something you can't buy nor find on most college campuses.</p>
<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I’m a new member, and I’m sure I’m late in joining the discussion, but I was wondering if anyone could provide the pros/ cons of MIT NROTC vs. USNA regarding the Medical Track. Although it is very early in my life, I see myself making a career in the Navy as a medical doctor. </p>
<p>I understand that it is extremely difficult to enter the Medical Corps straight out of the Academy (10-15 mids per year depending on the needs of the Navy) since the Academy trains line officers. However, would Med schools take into account the rigor of mid life at a service academy when reviewing an application? Does graduating from USNA look “impressive” to top Med schools? I’ve also heard of another option in which one can graduate from the Academy, do 2 years in the fleet, and then laterally transfer to the Medical Corps with a warfare pin. Is this process “easier” than applying to Med school straight out of the Academy? </p>
<p>I feel as if MIT would better prepare me for the medical profession, but if I want to be promoted above an O-3, wouldn’t USNA be a better choice?</p>
<p>I’m sorry how my single question multiplied into several! I would appreciate any opinions, insights, personal experiences, anything really! Thank you!</p>
<p>Don’t go to USNA if you want to go into medicine.</p>
<p>Any realistic officer will tell you that it doesn’t matter where you earn your commission as long as you can do your job effectively and efficiently.</p>
<p>Edit: Any officer regardless of their commissioning source has the potential to be promoted past O-3…</p>
<p>agentlula-
welcome to the USNA site on CC!!!</p>
<p>There has been a considerable about of discussion on this topic - even just recently. Open up the search feature, go to “advanced search,” and look for posts that address “medical school” on the USNA forum. Get comfortable- there is a lot of reading ahead!!!</p>