What I've learned that I wish I had known

<p>First of all, congratulations to your son on receiving the LOA from WP. Although not a total guarantee, it does eliminate some of the pressure. It sounds like you're doing everything right, including knowing that this will be quite a roller coaster ride. Nominations probably will not be given out until late this year or early next year.</p>

<p>Stick around. There are a lot of parents and students who will be pleased to share their experiences with you. And check the archives of the different service academies. There is quite a bit of valuable information. Finally, as long as you are pursuing West Point, you and your son should sign up for perspective.net if you haven't done so yet. I'll find the link and post it later. It's a source that I wish I had while going through the application process. It would have been very helpful.</p>

<p>Here it is. All USMA candidates and their parents should register for this as soon as possible. And good luck!</p>

<p><a href="http://www.west-point.org/parent/prospective-net/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.west-point.org/parent/prospective-net/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>MODAKC, What is your son's first choice for an Academy?</p>

<p>Well, originally it was in this order. USAF, USNA, USMA. But since summer camps, well you know, they change their minds.</p>

<p>MODADKC:</p>

<p>Let me add my congratulations. Your son is in an elite group of LOA recipients. Getting an early LOA takes some (but not all) of the anxiety out of the process.</p>

<p>If you haven't already done so, make sure you get the DODMERB remedials taken care of. Based on some of last year's discussions, getting things resolved with DODMERB can take some time and perseverance.</p>

<p>Would recommend scheduling an overnight visit to the academies. If you haven't visited yourself, I recommend you accompany your son. We visited USMA in March and it gave our son a taste of the winter weather he would face at West Point. During the stay he shadowed and roomed with a plebe. The parents tour/briefing was excellent.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>I concur with regard to visits. Make as many as you can and go to different academies and talk to ROTC programs as well. My son was absolutely determined he wanted to go to USNA forever, going to camps there and doing Summer Seminar. He was convinced to spend a night at Kings Point, in the middle of winter, no less, and fell in love with the place. It became his first choice hands down. And that's where he is now. You just never know.</p>

<p>Also, if you are an athlete, talk with the coaches. Get a realistic view of what you can accomplish. Its a lot more fun to be a starter at a Division III school than it is to be third team at a Division I school.</p>

<p>First, MODADKC, congratulations on your son's LOA! I endorse all the advice given in subsequent posts.</p>

<p>However, one demurral ... you asked, "Any other thoughts from those that just got their child into an academy?" I believe that none of us feel that we "... got their child into an academy." Our sons and daughters did all the heavy lifting. We could coach from the sideline, drive them to interviews, and even perhaps keep track of due dates, etc., but our children had to complete the several distinct academy, congressional, and senatorial applications and handle the half dozen or so interviews. Before that, it was they who compiled the records that made a service academy an option.</p>

<p>Our sons would tell you that the most miserable cadets were those who went to West Point because their parents wanted them to ... i.e., who "got them into an academy." Among their friends, the most successful and happiest were those who decided to apply and attend on their own hook ... some of the very most successful were those who attended despite parental misgivings or even opposition.</p>

<p>Again, congratulations to your son! Good luck with the rest of the process.</p>

<p>GO ARMY!</p>

<p>LaxDad's comments would have had less meaning to me last year, pre-academy days, than it does now.</p>

<p>I asked my son last weekend if he thought he had made the right choice, vis-a-vis, Duke and Rice. I asked him if, even though it was a mite too late, he had second thoughts.</p>

<p>He responded:</p>

<p>"Some kids are here because they have always wanted to be (1) a pilot or (2) a marine; some kids are here because of family pressure; some kids are here because they always wanted to attend the Naval Academy. I don't fit any of those categories."<br>
He continued: "I am here because I am supposed to be here. It feels right. I've always thought it would be the place for me because of the structure, the education, the opportunities, and the honor. I am here because it was god's will that I be here." </p>

<p>I guess I did not have anything more to say.</p>

<p>We helped him a lot in the applicaiton process. We asked family friends to be references, we suggested that he get a reference from his employer [a state legislator], we edited and reviewed essays. In the end, though, Laxdad has it correct: He was the one that had the record upon which he could stand. He is the one that went into the interview sessions and pulled it off. </p>

<p>A year ago, certainly two years ago, I would never have guessed that I would have been at parent's weekend in Annapolis.
Each time that I visit the yard, hear the superintendent, see the resources that are now available to my son, I continue to be amazed.
The Academy lifestyle is not for everybody [Does anybody remember Navgirl?], but for those parents that have doubts, if your child is selected and chooses to attend, you should erase any doubt from your mind. [I am sure this applies to any of the service academies even though Navy is the best!]</p>

<p>Thanks all. No question, it is the child that earns the entry into any academy. I am sorry it came off like I was "getting" him into one. I am not. He has this position. "I want to be part of the solution to end terroism", a quote from him. </p>

<p>I have regularly checked with him on his desire to attend and serve. His response for over one year now has been, absolutely he wants to be serve in a leadership position.</p>

<p>I am former Air Force, enlisted.</p>

<p>My dad was USMC Captain.</p>

<p>It is in our family much like many of yours.</p>

<p>But I think it is his desire to be a part of the solution, etc.</p>

<p>I totally appreciate the thoughts, keep them coming. </p>

<p>We had a doc do the remedials. And we overnighted the results to DODMERB.</p>

<p>Now, perserverance comes into play.</p>

<p>Again, I already feel part of the family and look forward to carrying on with the communication.</p>

<p>thanks all</p>

<p>Has USMA sent out the packets yet?</p>

<p>Yes, my son received his application packet yesterday.</p>

<p>thanks. We will patiently wait then.</p>

<p>He got USMA packet today.</p>

<p>MODADKC - I forgot to add my congrats a while back! Let me add mine to everyone else's! You & your family will have some kind of fun with the newly arrived package of papers work! ;) Good luck with it all! It will be an exciting few months for you & your son. Keep us up to date and how things are going! In the past, people have posted about their children getting hurt playing their sports, ect. while waiting for appointments. We parents here will be glad to send you some left over rolls of bubble wrap to use on yours!</p>

<p>thanks Jamz.</p>

<p>He is working to complete USMA packet which involves getting direct teacher input among other items. He went on DODMERB web site and saw that he is "qualified" physically. </p>

<p>DODMERB had issued remedials and he got the remedials answered. They are evidently on top of things.
.</p>

<p>Topping - because there is a lot of good info here. The many, many pieces of an academy application, plus the uncertainty between the nomination and appointment can be real nail-biters. The good news, is that everyone applying to some degree is an awesome candidate for most universities and will have options if this does not work out.</p>

<p>I'm putting this back to the top hoping to get new updates. There is good info here already but when my son visited the AFA last month he asked his cadet escort the "What do you know now that you wished you knew..." question. Are any of you veterans at this now aware of some obscure or arcane tidbit us newbies should know to support our kids? Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>^^^^
semper gumby! ;)</p>

<p>From the WP perspective, a few changes are coming: 1. A paperless application is in the works. 2. If a candidate takes the ACT, the writing section will be mandatory (for data collection purposes at this point).
Tips:
!. Apply to every nomination source you are eligible for
2. Start the WP application process early (Dec. of Junior year - SLS application) and aim to have it complete by November of your senior year. Yes, the deadline is much later but WP works off a rolling admissions system.
3. Follow up with DoDMERB early and often - this is one area that often derails candidates. Do not be discouraged if you get DQed, a large percentage of the accepted class is accepted with a medical waiver.
4. Take the SAT/ACT at least twice</p>

<p>As a follow-up to Ann's comment, if you are scheduling the ACT exam, you MUST sign up for the Writing section.</p>

<p>One of the reasons for taking the exams at least twice is that the highest subscore is used to calculate a new score for you. It's to your advantage. Also, take both exams. Some people do better on the ACT and some on the SAT. SATII's are not necessary.</p>

<p>Run on hills.</p>