Are service academies like West Point considered prestigious?

[Anonymous]

Air Force Academy..,not so much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow,DCUM has a lot of snobs. I guess you’re the same people who have more respect for the Big Law partner next door than the four-star general who lives down the street.

Swamp creatures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow,DCUM has a lot of snobs. I guess you’re the same people who have more respect for the Big Law partner next door than the four-star general who lives down the street.

Swamp creatures.

Well there are very very few four star generals floating around so I would mostly be surprised if one moved onto my street, but i have met a bunch of generals in my life because of my dad's line of work and they mostly seemed of average intelligence and they all had hell raising kids.

Also, i give you Generals Flynn, Kelly, McMasters, and Mattis -- what a bunch of Trump enablers. Such weak men. And of course lets not forget Petraeus, or these princely fellows:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/23/disgraced-army-general-fired-after-inappropriate-relationship/422902001/

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/06/28/disgraced-ig-slams-afcent-one-star-for-inappropriate-relationship/?utm_expid=.jFR93cgdTFyMrWXdYEtvgA.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F#jwvideo

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/disgraced-army-general-jeffrey-a-sinclair-receives-fine-no-jail-time/2014/03/20/c555b650-b039-11e3-95e8-39bef8e9a48b_story.html

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a9924/a-disgraced-air-force-generals-last-interview-16341301/

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/admiral-poised-to-lead-navy-retires-over-professional-relationship-with-disgraced-bad-santa-press-officer

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/navy-admiral-to-plead-guilty-in-fat-leonard-corruption-scandal/2016/06/09/6955e5ec-2e4e-11e6-9de3-6e6e7a14000c_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Air Force Academy..,not so much?

Totally disagree.

Not sure about the space academy though?

[Anonymous]

I think graduates of the academies tend to be very capable, show good judgement, and are often very savvy about group dynamics and organizational politics. Not always the most book smart but still incredibly effective.

[Anonymous]

What is your reaction when you hear that a kid turned down at top 20 school for an academy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a kid with a 1200 SAT score headed to Harvard for a sport. I also know a kid going to Westpoint next year. More impressed with Westpoint kid.

West Point. Two words, not one.

The avg sat at West Point is in the 1200s.

[Anonymous]

What does one do with a West Point degree if you leave the army after your minimum commitment? Grad school? Govt contractor?

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow,DCUM has a lot of snobs. I guess you’re the same people who have more respect for the Big Law partner next door than the four-star general who lives down the street.

I doubt anyone on here lives next to a four star general -- there are like 40 active and 100 (?) total four stars alive in the US. But firm partners are a dime a dozen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very prestigious and very sought after by employers after their service commitments.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like to an average layman? Maybe not as prestigious as Harvard and Yale, but up there with Penn and Brown? Just curious. This really impressive great-at-everything senior boy in our son’s school is heading to one and I sense parents are not impressed. And most kids don’t seem to have a clue what a service academy is, how selectivity, process of getting in, and commitment. I honestly think most sort of conflate it with just enlisting?

They are idiots. The service academies draw the top of the top, exceptional students who are molded into leaders. I have lived in Annapolis and been friends with families who served as area hosts for midshimen. Watching their transformation from 18-year-old plebes to polished, 22-year-old Naval officers is amazing. I have the utmost respect for the men and women who commit to the service academies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your reaction when you hear that a kid turned down at top 20 school for an academy?

Top engineering school
Wants to be a fighter pilot
Wants a challenge
Wants med or law school paid for a job security
Natural leader

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very prestigious and very sought after by employers after their service commitments.

This

Agree. Same for top grad school programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Average SAT at West Point and AFA is about 1300. Lower at USNA. Not nearly as difficult to get into as an Ivy or any hyper-elite college. Great schools and much respect to the kind of kid who makes the commitment but not nearly the same level of academic performers.

Have at me. (If it helps, I did earn a congressional nomination to the AFA but was denied due to a failed color blindness test. I had no clue I was color blind. It hurt but I would’ve made a lousy cadet. Couldn’t get out of bed. )

I think the low SAT average is partially based on the forced geographic distribution of nominated and appointed students. I'm sure they could load up on high stat kids from NY, CT, NJ, MD, VA, CA etc. like most prestigious colleges do. But they are looking for more geographic balance.

It is interesting that their average SAT/ACT scores are well below even top state schools like W&M, UNC and UVA.

+1 If HYP was forced to admit kids from every part of the country, they'd likely have a similar profile.

The academies are definitely prestigious.

For those who aren't going to get in anywhere that requires individual or advanced thinking, sure. It's prestige for stupids.