Service Academy admissions for a recruited athlete. Anyone btdt?

[Anonymous]

I have heard all the usual criticisms of service academies, all the reasons my dc has no shot, etc. So all you anti SA warriors can save your fingers from typing.

I’m looking to hear from people whose DC have had athletic recruiting experiences at service academies, what the process was like, etc. And of course if your dc ended up there, what they like or don’t like about it.

Tia

[Anonymous]

My friends dc was recruited for a sport

[Anonymous]

The recruiting process is very similar to any other college with the additional hurdle of having to pass the medical exam. It is best for your DC to do an official visit. This is the best way for them to see what a day is like at the Academy, talk to current players, and visit classes. Like other schools, the coach will help you through the application process (which is very long for academies)

[Anonymous]

My DS was recruited for a sport at USNA. The biggest difference, IMO, was that you have to demonstrate to THEM how much you want to attend, unlike other schools that told DS how much THEY wanted HIM. It was explained to me that no one at Navy wants to talk a kid into joining the military. It’s too big a life decision.
But the coach matched DS’s energy. The more DS communicated with him, the better things went. DS really liked the coach and got a lot of support through the process. We didn’t get the impression they could do anything about medical waivers, if you needed one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The recruiting process is very similar to any other college with the additional hurdle of having to pass the medical exam. It is best for your DC to do an official visit. This is the best way for them to see what a day is like at the Academy, talk to current players, and visit classes. Like other schools, the coach will help you through the application process (which is very long for academies)

I get the sense you/your dc didn’t experience this

[Anonymous]

May start off in the military academy prep schools first, if standardized test scores or grades not up to par to get in without the sport. They play the sport at the prep schools and compete against other prep schools and junior colleges, I believe.

If Army, Navy, or Air, that's D1 and will involve traveling for the sport, which obviously will take up some time. Not sure if they can take a lightened course load, though. If they can get in without doing a D1 sport, it may be an "easier" time -- relatively speaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS was recruited for a sport at USNA. The biggest difference, IMO, was that you have to demonstrate to THEM how much you want to attend, unlike other schools that told DS how much THEY wanted HIM. It was explained to me that no one at Navy wants to talk a kid into joining the military. It’s too big a life decision.
But the coach matched DS’s energy. The more DS communicated with him, the better things went. DS really liked the coach and got a lot of support through the process. We didn’t get the impression they could do anything about medical waivers, if you needed one.

Op here.

Thanks for answering.

Interesting. No medical waiver needed as far as we can guess.

My dcs experience has been a little different in that the coach was very encouraging of their academy, perhaps bc he knew dc has already been in touch with other academies so he knows dc is likely open to it. Recruitment interest at one has been going on since last year.

What sort of support did the coach give? I think our biggest concern is navigating the senator/rep recommendation process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:May start off in the military academy prep schools first, if standardized test scores or grades not up to par to get in without the sport. They play the sport at the prep schools and compete against other prep schools and junior colleges, I believe.

If Army, Navy, or Air, that's D1 and will involve traveling for the sport, which obviously will take up some time. Not sure if they can take a lightened course load, though. If they can get in without doing a D1 sport, it may be an "easier" time -- relatively speaking.

Op here. Yes, d1 is the goal although d1 sports at these schools aren’t all that competitive compared to many other d1 schools, from what I can see.

Dc is intent on playing his sport in college. His academic stats are fine, acc to the coaches.

Did your dc get recruited and end up at an academy? Anything he/she would do differently?

Dc has been to USAFA, WP and Navy and seems to enjoy them all. At one, they even took the kids through the early morning wake up, being yelled at routine, and dc handled it fine. In fact, he was disappointed that his time there wasn’t more physically rigorous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The recruiting process is very similar to any other college with the additional hurdle of having to pass the medical exam. It is best for your DC to do an official visit. This is the best way for them to see what a day is like at the Academy, talk to current players, and visit classes. Like other schools, the coach will help you through the application process (which is very long for academies)

I get the sense you/your dc didn’t experience this

Both I and DC played a sport at an Academy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was recruited for a sport at USNA. The biggest difference, IMO, was that you have to demonstrate to THEM how much you want to attend, unlike other schools that told DS how much THEY wanted HIM. It was explained to me that no one at Navy wants to talk a kid into joining the military. It’s too big a life decision.
But the coach matched DS’s energy. The more DS communicated with him, the better things went. DS really liked the coach and got a lot of support through the process. We didn’t get the impression they could do anything about medical waivers, if you needed one.

Op here.

Thanks for answering.

Interesting. No medical waiver needed as far as we can guess.

My dcs experience has been a little different in that the coach was very encouraging of their academy, perhaps bc he knew dc has already been in touch with other academies so he knows dc is likely open to it. Recruitment interest at one has been going on since last year.

What sort of support did the coach give? I think our biggest concern is navigating the senator/rep recommendation process.

Your DC will have to go through the interview process for a nomination with his state reps, but if he does not receive one from his reps, recruited athletes are given one from "the extras" (states like WY, UT, ID, etc who don't use all of their nominations) As long as he is being recruited, he will receive a nomination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was recruited for a sport at USNA. The biggest difference, IMO, was that you have to demonstrate to THEM how much you want to attend, unlike other schools that told DS how much THEY wanted HIM. It was explained to me that no one at Navy wants to talk a kid into joining the military. It’s too big a life decision.
But the coach matched DS’s energy. The more DS communicated with him, the better things went. DS really liked the coach and got a lot of support through the process. We didn’t get the impression they could do anything about medical waivers, if you needed one.

Op here.

Thanks for answering.

Interesting. No medical waiver needed as far as we can guess.

My dcs experience has been a little different in that the coach was very encouraging of their academy, perhaps bc he knew dc has already been in touch with other academies so he knows dc is likely open to it. Recruitment interest at one has been going on since last year.

What sort of support did the coach give? I think our biggest concern is navigating the senator/rep recommendation process.

Have your kid gone through the Dodmerb process yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was recruited for a sport at USNA. The biggest difference, IMO, was that you have to demonstrate to THEM how much you want to attend, unlike other schools that told DS how much THEY wanted HIM. It was explained to me that no one at Navy wants to talk a kid into joining the military. It’s too big a life decision.
But the coach matched DS’s energy. The more DS communicated with him, the better things went. DS really liked the coach and got a lot of support through the process. We didn’t get the impression they could do anything about medical waivers, if you needed one.

Op here.

Thanks for answering.

Interesting. No medical waiver needed as far as we can guess.

My dcs experience has been a little different in that the coach was very encouraging of their academy, perhaps bc he knew dc has already been in touch with other academies so he knows dc is likely open to it. Recruitment interest at one has been going on since last year.

What sort of support did the coach give? I think our biggest concern is navigating the senator/rep recommendation process.

Oh good! It can be a major headache as anything from eczema to any broken bone while a teenager will trigger it. Plus anything mental health or ADHD related (even if just coded once by a pediatrician in early childhood). The good news is that many if not most things are waiverable. We had to go down that road and it all worked out in the end.

[Anonymous]

Have you asked this question on
Serviceacademyforums.com

You will get much better response - lots of expertise.

- USMA mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was recruited for a sport at USNA. The biggest difference, IMO, was that you have to demonstrate to THEM how much you want to attend, unlike other schools that told DS how much THEY wanted HIM. It was explained to me that no one at Navy wants to talk a kid into joining the military. It’s too big a life decision.
But the coach matched DS’s energy. The more DS communicated with him, the better things went. DS really liked the coach and got a lot of support through the process. We didn’t get the impression they could do anything about medical waivers, if you needed one.

Op here.

Thanks for answering.

Interesting. No medical waiver needed as far as we can guess.

My dcs experience has been a little different in that the coach was very encouraging of their academy, perhaps bc he knew dc has already been in touch with other academies so he knows dc is likely open to it. Recruitment interest at one has been going on since last year.

What sort of support did the coach give? I think our biggest concern is navigating the senator/rep recommendation process.

Oh good! It can be a major headache as anything from eczema to any broken bone while a teenager will trigger it. Plus anything mental health or ADHD related (even if just coded once by a pediatrician in early childhood). The good news is that many if not most things are waiverable. We had to go down that road and it all worked out in the end.

Op- yes, we won’t know for sure but I think we are in decent shape. A close relative is a ALO so we’ve discussed. But he knows little of the recruitment side

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS was recruited for a sport at USNA. The biggest difference, IMO, was that you have to demonstrate to THEM how much you want to attend, unlike other schools that told DS how much THEY wanted HIM. It was explained to me that no one at Navy wants to talk a kid into joining the military. It’s too big a life decision.
But the coach matched DS’s energy. The more DS communicated with him, the better things went. DS really liked the coach and got a lot of support through the process. We didn’t get the impression they could do anything about medical waivers, if you needed one.

Op here.

Thanks for answering.

Interesting. No medical waiver needed as far as we can guess.

My dcs experience has been a little different in that the coach was very encouraging of their academy, perhaps bc he knew dc has already been in touch with other academies so he knows dc is likely open to it. Recruitment interest at one has been going on since last year.

What sort of support did the coach give? I think our biggest concern is navigating the senator/rep recommendation process.

Have your kid gone through the Dodmerb process yet?

Not yet, but we’ve been through their list of disqualifications, and discussed with my relative who is an ALO for USAFA.