<p>As a member of a Congressional selection board for the USNA I can say that the candidates that communicated the honest determination to become a "Naval Officer," plain and simple, in addition to displaying dedication, integrity, and service to their community were the ones that shined. </p>
<p>Not the name of the school you attend, not always those with the highest GPA or SAT scores, or those who are #1 in their class...</p>
<p>Simply speaking, will you make an honorable CAREER Navy Officer?</p>
<p>Character, honor, integrity....that's what it is all about.</p>
<p>I wonder what my BGO must have thought of me. He interviewed me in a room in my basement that I had turned into my hangout room. All my books, models, posters. My computer. All of it was military, most of it Navy. It was impeccibly organized and clean, not because he was coming, but rather because I always kept it that way. It was my retreat from the world.</p>
<p>At one point he asked me to describe who I was. I simply motioned around the room and said, "This is what I am."</p>
<p>The answer just came to me. I still remember it.</p>
<p>It makes sense, though. The Academies don't want to spend a king's ransom on someone who is planning on cutting and running. They want a return on their investment.</p>
<p>What a cool answer!
I have always described my daughter's room not as 'her room' but 'her envirnoment'. It is covered, wall to ceiling, in posters of military, Christian, sports, family photos and motivational sayings she herself puts on posters. The ceiling is covered in glow in the dark stuff, and she has painted a lot of other places with glowpaint...and at night she turns the place with her black light into a dreamy fantasyland with all the galaxy glow stuff everywhere, especially on the ceiling. In one corner is a huge pole with 30 or so rolls of any color you can think of duct tape...and on her bookshelf in addition to rows of books...Shakespeare..notes..homework notebooks, military books, etc...are collections of cool beer bottles, pop bottles and SoBe bottles...surrounded by her duct tape creations like wallets, stickers, and what the heck else. Oh yes, there really is a bed...the bedspread is covered in the ole '70's "Happy smiley faces" and she has a desk with her computer...stacked with about 3 inches of papers of active school work ( thanks to 6 AP Classes) and next to the desk chair are piles of school text books, Academy stuff, ROTC stuff and other asst. college stuff.
Her closet has more military gear than girls' clothing, with all her Civil Air Patrol uniforms, equipment and gear.</p>
<p>You're right, Zaphod...had her BGO interviewed her in her room, she could have answered exactly the same way you did.</p>
<p>There still is floor space, too, really and truly</p>
<p>and </p>
<p>I don't clean it up, even though it KILLS this control-freak mom! It's too unique and nothing like my other kids did...much to their complaints that SHE got her OWN room as a teenager and THEY didn't. Yep...when you have 5 kids in a 3 bedroom home versus 1 kids things change. Guess it pays to be the baby in the family after all.</p>
<p>cadetmom: From the mother of a young woman who received an Appointment...Thank you for your words describing the young people who have chosen this path in life. I am so proud of my daughter...</p>
<p>You can compare percentages to a point, but sometimes the overall quality of applicants is better one year than the other schools and better at another the next. A school may be easier to get into, but it may be hidden behind small numbers, but maybe they just have more applicants that simply aren't up to par. It's hard to compare, especially because all of the Academies are striving for excellence.</p>
<p>Hi i'm going to naps this year and i think this has to be the most worthless discussion ever...what really ****es me off is that i'm getting the feeling that some people are not realizing the dedication and commitment that actually goes into going to one of these schools...these are the best schools in the world that train officers of the best military in the world...its not about who's better than who...we're all on the same team...and just remember its four short years until you in the middle of iraq leading a platoon or waiting offshore for spec ops operatives...its serious so why don't we take it that way and stop disrespecting everyone in a uniform because you wanna know which one is going to make you seem like a better person.</p>
<p>Dude, switch to decaf. No one here is dissing any of the services, and no one hear fails to appreciate what the Service Academies are. That's especially true for me, since I GRADUATED from one, and a few others here who are AT one of them NOW.</p>
<p>I guess welcome to our USNA forum Midshpmnboy15. Although I think you are in the wrong here as no one has dissed any of the SAs, you will realize over time on this forum that most of the people on this site are very proud parents, current mids, upcoming mids, and candidates that are very very proud to be associated with this school. This may not be the most worthwhile discussion ever, but truthfully we don't always have too much to talk about. Many of us have been members of this site for quite a while and have covered most of the worthwile information we have needed to this point. </p>
<p>This forum does have lots and lots of useful information as well as very informative parents, alumni (Zaphod!), current mids, and plebes-to-be that have gone through the process and can definately help you.</p>
<p>If you are offended by this particular thread, go to another one. If you have a fresh new question on something USNA, start a new thread and I promise people will answer your questions.</p>
<p>Does it really matter? The desire and passion of the candidate and where they actually choose to go is what will matter to our country! Their comittment and dedication, not which academy is the toughest to get into, will lead them! That is what is important!</p>
<p>next week im touring illinois, doing an overnight at usma, and touring the CGA. CGA told me I should hear in the second week of august. I'm liking UC Davis and U Illinois Urbana Champaign.</p>
<p>UIUC is a great school. My husband went there and my other daughter (twin_a) goes there now. The town is nice, but don't expect amazing. The profs are great. If you're interested in Engineering, the program is truly incredible and you'll find a complete challenge. The program is highly competitive for Admissions so your classmates will keep you on your toes. The campus is lovely, but you'll always find one that is more gorgeous. The weather may be tough for a California boy, but you can finally have a chance to appreciate 4 seasons. The ROTC programs are strong and fairly well-respected for a civilian campus. If you're planning on ROTC, make sure to visit the Armory. And you may even see the cadets rapelling down the side of the football stadium.</p>
<p>As my loyalties are evenly divided, I'll close by saying:</p>
<p>Second week of August sounds very strange to me, all cadets are back for the beginning of classes on 20 August.</p>
<p>Don't let the small size of the CGA campus put you off. There is so much to offer. Also, they are Div III if you want to be involved in Varsity sports.</p>
<p>I love both of the schools (UIUC and USMA) because both of my daughters are so confident that they made the right choice. I just don't know what I'll ever do if the schools play each other in any sport. I can switch baseball caps or sweatshirts at half time I guess. ;)</p>