<p>Well, great news everyone! Today I received an email, and my dad got a call from work from Captain Wallace, the executive director of the Naval Academy Foundation Program, saying that I have been offered an appointment to one of their schools! Yay!</p>
<p>He did NOT recommend Northwestern. He recommended </p>
<p>-Greystone Preparatory School at Kerrville, Texas
-Marion Military Institute at Marion, Alabama
-New Mexico Military Institute at Roswell, New Mexico
-Western Reserve Academy at Hudson, Ohio</p>
<p>I have heard very good things about NMMI. I am still researching all of these schools to find the right one for me, but I would like your insight on these schools. </p>
<p>Thanks, and good luck to the class of 2012!
Casey</p>
<p>Congratulations LongC90. I would highly recommend either MMI or NMMI. I know nothing about Western Reserve and Greystone is new, without a published track record. Either is a proven commodity with a lot of bang for the buck and which will do you well.</p>
<p>He did not recommend Northwestern because it is only 4 months (1 semester) long. The other ones are a full year. </p>
<p>The Foundation Program is a preparatory program, kind of like NAPS. You can not apply directly to the Foundation program. The USNA Admission Board reviews your file, and recommends you to the Foundation Program, where the Foundation Program will sent you a packet with information and an application.</p>
<p>If you get an offer to attend one of the Foundation Prep schools (I think there are 24 total around the nation), you attend one of your choosing for a year (though, no school is guaranteed), and you word hard to excel in it. </p>
<p>As my BGO said, "100% of the students that make the requirements, and excel, will go onto the Academy".</p>
<p>95% of the Foundation students went on to the Academy last year. The 5% that didn't either didn't make the academic requirements, dropped out, or (rarely) did not make the physical or medical requirements for that year. Or maybe some other extremely rare reason, but the first two are generally the case.</p>
<p>It seems like a great program, and I will be working as hard as I can to make it into the USNA Class of 2013. You really have to show the Academy during your Foundation year that you are able to handle the academics, physical fitness, and the schedule. I believe the Foundation schools all mimic the schedule of the Academy.</p>
<p>Not every prep school is a college - some are a one year "post-grad" program. This is used mostly for athletes who continue to play their sport without losing NCAA eilgibility.</p>
<p>Marion Military Institute is a Military Junior college in Alabama. It is now a public college and offers Associate degrees. This year MMI had about 100 cadets in the Service Academy Prep program. The entire corps is about 400 cadets.<br>
SAP cadets there take a specially tailored program to prepare them for their academy. The academic programs are developed in cooperation with the academies and as a Navy SAP cadet you will take 2 semesters of English incl composition, 2 sems of chemistry, 2 sems of Math and 2 sems of History.
you will either take pre-calc or calculus depending upon your placement test.</p>
<p>You will be a member of the Corps of Cadets in a military school - this is very good prep for a service academy. You will take ROTC and do PT.
You will be given 4 hours of homework and 2 hours in which to complete it.
MMI has been at this for a long time they pretty much have this down to a science. There is a director for the entire program and each academy has it's own advisor. The USNA advisor is the chemistry teacher and a former Navy Officer.</p>
<p>My advice is to start looking at the school's websites - call the individual schools and speak to their program director - keeping in mind that they already want you!
If possible visit the schools, weigh the pros and cons of each program. Congratulations and good luck!</p>
<p>I have personally visited Greyston Prep School a few times and plan on attending. It is a great program and I have gotten to know Cmdr Bailey, the Director, quite well over the past few weeks. The reason it is such an awesome programs is because it actually is college level work done at a college. It is a part of Schreiner University in Kerrville, TX. IT has a great student to teacher ratio and the program is very disciplined. The first semester is basically set up for you then Cmdr Bailey backs off and oversees the program which is then run by the students themselves. </p>
<p>There is required PT in the mornings, requried attendence of classes, and required 4 hour study hall. You take plebe-like classes, i.e. Calculus, Chemistry, English, History and even a Character Development. The program is very involved with the community, volunterring with Big Brothers Big Sisters and at local elementaries.</p>
<p>If you have any questions about Greystone let me know, and if I can't answer them I can refer you to some of my friends that are in the program now or even plebes that were in the program last year.</p>
<p>P.S. Greystones website barely scrapes the surface of it all.</p>
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The reason it is such an awesome programs is because it actually is college level work done at a college.
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</p>
<p>So is Marion Military Institute and New Mexico Military Institute.</p>
<p>Questions - for those of you who are going to civilian prep schools - what is going to happen when you get to the academy and find out that you do not like the environment of a military school?</p>
<p>If you do not think this will happen - then think again. There are some kids who just don't like the whole structure of a military school. You may THINK you will like it but you won't really know until you get there.
If you think you will like a military school - then why not attend a military school as a prep school? One that has a proven track record over many years?</p>
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Questions - for those of you who are going to civilian prep schools - what is going to happen when you get to the academy and find out that you do not like the environment of a military school?
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</p>
<p>seems they do just fine.</p>
<p>What may come as a surprise is that despite the fact that some of the foundation schools are not military-focused, they are highly structured in their own right- only their "uniform" consists of a jacket and tie! </p>
<p>don't worry folks- the foundation schools on the list are there for one reason- they are all capable of producing the desired outcome, as long as the candidate puts in the effort of doing the work. And they also have a proven track record- the academy has been working with these schools for a long time.</p>
<p>What is KEY is that it is the candidate wanting this- willing to spend the year to gain the appointment. What doesn't work are parents pushing kids into this when their heart is not in it- IMO, a recepie for disaster.</p>
<p>Best of luck everyone, and congratulations to your selection for NAPS or Foundation- now work hard!!!!</p>
<p>Concur on excellent things heard of MMI, NMMI, Valley Forge (being in PA, I hear nothing but stellar reports frm those who've been there, done that). I'm not sold on Greystone. Shreiner may be fine, but it's not the Harvard of the Southwest. Now, I may be mistaken, but it MAY be the St. Johns of Texas. Isn't it a Great Books curriculum? I know. Greystone's not Shreiner. But if I'm recalling right, just seems like apples and oranges to me. Now, I have heard great things about another school down there ... I think it's Hargrove? Lots of Marine types there, I believe. Can anyone edify?</p>
<p>You're correct about NWP only being a one semester program, but then you need to continue on your own and attend a semester at your local University. One of the things I really liked about the school was the fact that the only reason it exists is to get students in on there second try. The Durbecks really know what it takes and have a 90+ % rate of getting students into the Academy of their choice.</p>
<p>I'll get off my soap box now. I'm sure where ever you end up you'll do fine.</p>
<p>You do have a point. I think it is listed as a third tier college academically. The very few, in the past, Greystone students have simply been thrown in classes with the Schreiner students, who are mostly business majors. Hardly the service academy environment. Greystone's advertising is actually that they cater to students who don't want a military environment. Duh?</p>
<p>USNA is not nearly as insistant as USMA that all prep schools be military but JAM does have a point. Coat and tie is not a uniform. I had a student at NMMI a couple of years ago who, to this day, states that he had never before realized how important it was to squeeze a toothpaste tube in a certain manner. And I am beginning to think he is serious.</p>
<p>For quality and cost and being around many others of similiar bend, Marion and New Mexico lead the pack. Their instructors know Academy academics and prepare the students accordingly. That all of WP and the most of any other USNA Prepsters go to these two, speaks a lot for them. Of course USNA sends some athletes in the specialty sports to the 12+ grade ones in order that they might play their sport and not lose a year of eligibility.</p>
<p>What are your thoughts on Valley Forge Military School?</p>
<p>Seems like a lot of schools are being filled up as we speak, and I have had 3 days to look through them, so I want to make a decision tonight, maybe tomorrow at the very latest. </p>
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Seems like a lot of schools are being filled up as we speak,
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</p>
<p>can't speak for the rest but the military jr colleges: MMI, NMMI etc have space available for Service academy prep kids. They actually hold slots open since they know that foundation prep offers continue into the spring.</p>
<p>Valley Forge - I can't speak from personal experience but they are in my back yard. A couple of years ago USMA took them off their AOG scholarship list. MY belief is that Valley Forge is working hard to get back on it. I know they have been doing some heavy duty advertising for Service Academy Prep for a couple of years. I would call them, talk to them and ask for figures.
Talk about curriculum - esp if you have a weakness. Many kids have a "weakness" in either English or Math - i.e. if your math SAT is low and you have not had calc then ask about their math curriculia and how it will help you to prepare.</p>
<p>Location wise - Valley Forge probably has the best location, being outside Philadelphia - this is good and bad though.</p>
<p>Marion Military Institute
New Mexico Military Institute
Greystone Prep
Western Reserve Academy</p>
<p>and the following are still available</p>
<p>Valley Forge Military Academy
Bridgton Academy
Kiski</p>
<p>pretty much everything else has been taken now.</p>
<p>I emailed Greystone asking some questions, but they haven't gotten back to me.</p>
<p>Are any of those I listed far better than the others? I'm sure they are all good, that's why they are on the list, but what I mean is, does any one really stand out from the rest?</p>
<p>When you leave Greystone, whether you did not get an appointment or decided that you don't like the military environment, you leave with around 36 college credit hours. Which is a good thing because it wasn't a waste of time. Greystone is still very structured, in its own right. You don't have to be a military school to be structured, and military doesn't alwasy mean structure either.</p>
<p>Also, I do respect all of the people who attend military schools like NMMI, MMI, and VFMA, but I personally (however bad this may sound I don't care) don't feel like going to a year of plebe summer and then actually going to plebe summer. Just my opinion. I do have friends at NMMI and MMI and they love it but, I can decide for myself between military and civilian prep schools. Another thing, my friend told me at NMMI that there are kids from grade 8- 12 and post grad, I don't feel like getting bossed around by a 12 year old.</p>
<p>Besides, they don't just shove a bunch of prep schools onto a list and mail them out and say pick.</p>
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Does anyone know anything about the enrollment issues that NMMI is having?
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Can you elaborate?</p>
<p>If at the end of your prep year at MMI or NMMI you do not get or decide not to accept your appointment then you will leave with college credits as well.
I can speak for MMI, since my daughter is there, but their credits are transferable to many fine 4 year Universities - including Auburn and Texas A&M to name a couple. </p>
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Also, I do respect all of the people who attend military schools like NMMI, MMI, and VFMA
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I hope so since you have a desire to attend the Naval Academy - which is a military school.</p>
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don't feel like going to a year of plebe summer and then actually going to plebe summer. Just my opinion.
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your opinion may not be grounded in reality, however. A year at MMI or NMMI is NOT plebe summer or even plebe year.</p>
<p>MMI has phased out their high school. There are still a few college cadets who have been there several years and will have rank. With the school going to straight Jr College there is plenty of opportunity to make rank. Several SAP cadets even make officers.
NMMI - yes still has the high school - a high school kid could out rank you and I have heard that rankles some SAP cadets. Perhaps they better understand, when upon their commissioning the feelings of senior enlisted whom they outrank but know more than they do.</p>
<p>Zrm - I sounds like you might have reservations about attending a military school. Perhaps this is why you feel the need to plan for a plan B. You are correct that your classes at NAPS would not transfer into college credits. This could be a drawback if you decide not to accept your appointment.
If you are on the fence about an appointment however, then NAPS is probably not your best choice.</p>
<p>One more little bit of unsolicited advice - be very cautious when folks tell you their college credits are transferable to another school. This depends on many factors - including the school's policy, level of coursework, grade you received in your course and sometimes your major.
Of course all your coursework taken at Greystone would transfer right into Schreiner University - if you think you might want to stay and get your degree from Schreiner U. then you are all set.</p>