<p>
</p>
<p>Which part do you think I’m joking about?</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard the merchant marine mids have it pretty tough because they have a sea year to deal with plus their curriculum.</p>
<p>You really can’t compare USMA and USMMA - they are apples and oranges. </p>
<p>Having it pretty tough is not quite the same thing as an acaemically rigorous curriculum. Sure they are on the trimester schedule but plebes there take 17 courses plebe year over 3 terms. Plebes at West point take about 14 courses over two terms.<br>
USMMA has a very limited curriculum, very directly related to the Maritime industry. There is not a requirement for extensive English, History or Foreign Languages.
Each plebe at USMA will receive a very comprehensive Liberal Arts Education combined with an Engineering track plus their major.<br>
I have no knowledge of and can’t comment on either the rigor of the coursework or the quality of instructors at USMMA. Both of these do have some impact on National rankings however, and USMA consistently ranks very high.</p>
<p>This thread is ridiculous - just a mutual admiration society made up of parents who all believe that the Academy attended by their child is the “best” or the “hardest” or the most “rigorous.”</p>
<p>Yes, USMA is the toughest if your kid is there.
Yes, USNA is the toughest if your kid is there.
Yes, USAFA is the toughest if your kid is there.
Yes, USCGA is the toughest if your kid is there.
Yes, USMMA is the toughest if your kid is there.</p>
<p>:rolleyes:</p>
<p>I have a better idea - let’s debate “which religious denomination is the only “true” one?” </p>
<p>Or “is conservatism better then liberalism?” </p>
<p>Or how about “should Pete Rose be in the HoF?” </p>
<p>Maybe “which clothespin is better, the springy-type or the clip-on type.”</p>
<p>:rolleyes:</p>
<p>“Boxers or briefs”</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Luigi, most of what you said is nonsense; however, Pete Rose should be in the HoF.</p>
<p>All the service academies are designed to push the academic,physical, and mental envelope.That is the most tried and true measure to build professional officers. Everything that all these schools offer is to that goal. You graduate and you get a degree from a nationally recognized institution, comission, and at usmma a coast guard unlimited license. And most importantly the honor of serving your country. If a child is fortunate enough to be chosen to have our nation make such a huge investment in them. They should be humbled and inspired to viewed worthy of the honor bestowed upon them.</p>
<p><em>Quote</em>
“Luigi, most of what you said is nonsense; however, Pete Rose should be in the HoF.”</p>
<p>I disagree. What he said isn’t nonsense, it’s the truth. Your opinion is biased based on whether you/your child attend a certain school. Let’s just face it, all the academies are tough. And based on what I hear all service academies are great places to be… from.</p>
<p>P.S. Anyone with 4000+ hits is HoF caliber in my book</p>
<p>Anyone who violates the integrity of the game shouldn’t be in the Hof</p>
<p>Did he ever bet on himself to lose? NO!
So it sounds like self-confidence on steroids to me… Steroids, thats a problem to fix.</p>
<p>Luigi is a God!</p>
<p>Shogun – you forgot Commando</p>
<p>Or who’s smarter Stavridis or Petraeus</p>
<p>Might I suggest the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. Smallest of the academies - annual enrollment of about 275/300 max - great engineering school - low prof/student ratio - serve your country at the end of 4 years in a non-combative mode. check it out at [United</a> States Coast Guard Academy](<a href=“http://www.uscga.edu%5DUnited”>http://www.uscga.edu) -sign up to have materials sent to you - go for a visit. Hope this helps - You can also qualify to spend a semester at anny other service academy during your 2nd Class/junior year.</p>
<p>I’d say it depends upon which major one chooses…</p>
<p>USAFA for aero/astro engineering
WP probably takes CE
USNA probably has the toughest nuclear engineering course
USCGA and USMMA (I don’t know their programs well enough…sorry)</p>
<p>i was talking to an annapolis mid and a coasty at dinner one day, and they both agreed that academics (and freshman year) were significantly more challenging at USAFA. </p>
<p>their words, not mine…</p>
<p>which one did plebe year at usafa? From what I remember plebe year at usafa was shortest (recognized in november)</p>
<p>You mean March?</p>
<p>air force plebes are recognized in march? no wonder they say usafa’s easy</p>
<p>Our Army guy also commented that we do more training during the week.</p>
<p>Dude USAFA is no joke. I was even told by current west point cadets that USAFA had it the hardest academically. Yeah, USAFA’s recognition is in March so their training gets more intense early in their doolie year which makes it hard, not easy.</p>
<p>Luigi59,</p>
<p>I agree with you completely. To argue which service academy is most academically challenging is ridiculous. Although I cannot speak for all the academies, I’m sure each is tough in their own way. USMMA, for example, has a very limited curriculum, either engineering or marine transportation. Both are heavy into math, science and physics, but obviously the engineers have it harder. On average, people take 18-22 credits, and the academic year lasts almost 11 months. In fact, one trimester I took 24 credits and had class literally from 0800-1700 everyday of the week. Combine that with a year at sea doing an additional 15 or so credits on your own, you might see why some people say the academics are especially tough at USMMA.</p>
<p>With that being said, its up to you how “rigorous” your schooling is. You can choose to overload classes, take independent studies, and do other things to go above and beyond the normal curriculum. If you have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, any school you pick will help you fill that need.</p>