<p>I am going to be a high school senior (Class of 2010) and planning out my future education as best as I can. First of all, I have near perfect grades (GPA: 3.96 unweighted, 4.19 or so weighted), have a 34 on the ACT and 2280 on the SAT (760+720+800). My extracurriculars and whatever else are fine, and I plan to study/major in physics in college. Now my first choice, based on geography and prestige and level of education is Stanford University, my second being the California Institute of Technology; however, I have recently been pointed to the US Navy's NUPOC (Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate) program (Navy</a> Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) Program: Navy Nuclear) as a great career path in physics/nuclear physics. The catch (I think) is the minimum 8 years of service required after college graduation in return for all the pay and benefits received. My question is where should I go from here? Should I attend the US Naval Acdemy and then enter NUPOC; attend Stanford/Cal-Tech/or another school and enter NUPOC; or attend Stanford/Cal-Tech/or another school and find a job elsewhere (other than the Navy). My main goals are to not accumulate great debt in college, earn an advanced degree in physics, and head on to a stable, interesting, and well-paying career.</p>
<p>I think you should talk to your parents and some close friends to ask them for advice. It’s really hard for me to give you advice because I don’t truly know you as your parents or your friends do. Also, you should try doing more research (maybe talk to somebody that has done this before, if that’s possible) on the NAVY program and on other colleges you might think about applying to.</p>
<p>Well mainly I’m wondering if the Navy path would be worth the 8 years of service after college (which I’m not excited about being required to serve)
(edit: also posted on Stanford and Caltech forum)</p>
<p>Well:</p>
<p>-I’ve been a head altar server at my Catholic church (whichever one I attended depending on where my family was stationed at the time) since second grade</p>
<p>-I have held 4 jobs (including my current one) my first one starting at the end of my freshmen year. If these jobs could be important to a college, let me know and I’ll post more information, although none have been related to physics in any way. One was a pretty cool job repairing and setting up computers at my high school and my current one is pretty technical work at a veterinary clinic (I just learned 5 different white cell types and how to identify them in a blood smear of a dog under the microscope).</p>
<p>-I have run track and played football in junior high, and currently am doing summer workouts for cross country this spring.</p>
<p>-I participated in my technology club as well as two once-a-year tech/science/engineering competitions my freshmen and sophomore years</p>
<p>-My stock market club team took fifth in the region (western PA) my sophomore year</p>
<p>-I’m planning on being accepted (waiting to be notified as to whether or not I was chosen) as one of two youth councilors for my ward in Oklahoma City, a year-long commitment to my local community</p>
<p>-I’m planning on setting up a sort of career-shadowing with a local physicist my dad and I hang out with every now and then</p>
<p>-I’m also probably going to be a National Merit Scholar (does that mean anything to a school like Stanford?)</p>
<p>-I don’t have much to show for my junior year as it was a transition year (moved from Pittsburgh to OKC, had lots of trouble switching schools as far as transcript issues and such) but my grades, test scores, NMSQT beginning, altar serving, and the youth council thing.</p>
<p>I would love any advice you guys (or girls) could provide as to what else I should do to increase my chances. Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>The service academies require you to be active in academics, sports and other ECs (similar to major Us or LACs but requiring sports). You should be competitive for a nomination to an academy though it depends on how many are available from OK and your district. Keep in mind if you go nuke you may end up on subs. Getting into Stanford is a crap shoot. They don’t care about NMFs. They get their share already. My understanding is Caltech is more numbers oriented (grades and scores) but I know little about that school.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’d say only go to an academy if you want to be a pilot in the Air Force (all AFA cadets get to fly if they’re interested and minimally qualified; it’s a competitive process for everyone else), or if you want a 20 year+ military career (academies offer excellent military training - superior to ROTC I believe). An academy is going to be extremely demanding physically and is going to take up all your summers (when you could instead be doing REU’s). Like someone else pointed out you have to get a nomination which can be difficult, depending on where you live. I got one from my Congressman Senior year, but I ended up being medically DQ’d… Oh yeah, if you have to answer yes on any of the medical questions - be prepared to visit several doctors and engage in several tests from DoDMERB (Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board).</p>
<p>Doing college in the civilian world is a much better option for you, considering your goals. Also, I believe part of the 8 years is only reserve (probably 4 years active duty and 4 years reserve). Landing a good Navy Scholarship and serving will likely have you debt-free quicker and being in the military is something respectable to most employers so I don’t think you would have any trouble transitioning back into the civilian world.</p>
<p>With your track record you will likely be able to land most any job you want in the Navy (I know in the Air Force - everything’s about competition and performance - you compete for your job assignments, your base assignment, etc. I assume the Navy is the same way)</p>
<p>I think, overall with your goals, I would strongly discourage you from applying to Annapolis, and you would have to ask yourself if you want a military life for the other program you’re considering. They change your assignment every few years and being away from your family for most of the year in the Navy can be tough (they own you and if we’re at war or something you could be deployed… you could be deployed even if we’re not at war…) As an officer particularly you will learn a lot about communication and leadership that will give you an edge later on, particularly if you have a technical job where most of your peers would be hopeless at those two things.</p>
<p>Is it a good idea to inform them on my application of my goal to apply for and be accepted into the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidacy program in my sophomore year? Or is that a bad idea? Also, what about financial aid, a car on campus, and Caltech’s housing/dorms? Does anyone currently attend or who has recently graduated from Caltech have any advice?</p>
<p>Chances of even the best students getting into Stanford and Caltech are slim. If you decide against the academy, add several more schools to your list.</p>