Tell me about VMI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you like racism? Because VMI has a long history of it …

VMI's superintendent is Black. I can assure you that racism is not tolerated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is TAM?

Texas A&M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got to want to be at VMI and even that is not enough to make you enjoy VMI.

This. VMI is brutal even for military-motivated kids who want to be there. Even more so for females. If she doesn’t really, truly, want to go to VMI and into the military, don’t consider it.

It's needlessly brutal. It seems like they're embarrassed that they aren't a real academy and go overboard to make up for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you like racism? Because VMI has a long history of it …

VMI's superintendent is Black. I can assure you that racism is not tolerated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/vmi-investigation-racism-lawsuit/2021/02/19/e9068892-715f-11eb-93be-c10813e358a2_story.html

This was 2021

[Anonymous]

Here is a student review from niche.com

I am actually transferring from the Virginia Military Institute to the University of Virginia. Next year will be my first year at UVA and I am very excited because I hear UVA has amazing academics. My academic experience at VMI was challenging. If you haven't heard of VMI, it is a military college located in Lexington, Virginia. The first seven months at VMI, you go through something called the "rat line". During this seven-month period, you are pushed to the limits both mentally and physically. Personally, the real challenge wasn't the exhausting workouts or being yelled at for hours on end. It was actually balancing my academics that really challenged me. For example, I remember having to be up every morning between 5:00am-6:00am for mandatory workouts or formations and then having to take a huge test or go to a full day of classes right after. It was really hard to balance academics with being in the constant state of the "rat line", but I finished the semester with a 3.59 GPA!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got to want to be at VMI and even that is not enough to make you enjoy VMI.

This. VMI is brutal even for military-motivated kids who want to be there. Even more so for females. If she doesn’t really, truly, want to go to VMI and into the military, don’t consider it.

This is absolutely true however my brother and father-in-law both graduated from VMI and the alumnae network is very strong. Because of what you go through the bonds are very deep.

Oh absolutely. But women are still a very small minority in that “ol’ boys’ club” and I would NOT recommend it to a female who didn’t have her heart set on going.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t consider it- at all. She doesn’t want to be in the military and is medically disqualified anyhow. It’s not a college you attend just to play a sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you like racism? Because VMI has a long history of it …

Also sexual assault.

[Anonymous]

1) The service academy inferiority complex manifests itself everywhere.

2) read the WaPo multi part series and the independent investigation report by Barnes and Thornburg

3) the alumni network is amazingly strong. Strong in the same way that all trauma bonded persons like abused spouses can connect.

4) you are far better off doing ROTC at a civilian school if you want military.

[Anonymous]

Sports are taking a ridiculous place - in the life of your daughter, in the life of your family.

[Anonymous]

Texas A&M is abbreviated TAMU

-TAMU Aggie

[Anonymous]

Only about 50% of graduates go into the military.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Athletes are exempt from a LOT of the standard PT etc. They get a lot of "outs". My daughter is there for soccer.

Their soccer is not true D1 experience. Definitely not men's. They play mostly D3 teams and they still lose most of their games.
I think they are ranked bottom of Men's D1.
No serious players go there.

[Anonymous]

My opinion is that of an outsider, because it is only my neighbor that I know who goes there for swimming.

This kid wanted engineering and D1 sports at an affordable price (instate VA or thereabouts in price--so places like Lafayette, Lehigh, Drexel--out of price range, VaTech/UVA out of reach academically or for swim). Here comes along a very very shiny new 40 million dollar pool and promise of both D1 competition and an engineering major. What's not to love--oh wait, someone is going to scream in your face for 6 months, even while you eat so you skip meals. Less than half of people make it through the engineering program, 10-15% drop out of the school in the first 6 months.

You can't leave overnight but you can leave on non football Saturdays or Sundays with your parents (or anyone over 23) if you don't have demerits. Football games are required and the parents get there at 5 am to set up their tents for the tailgating so they can feed their kids and their friends who don't have parents there. You live 4-5 in a room and roll up your bed every morning.

I think it will be very difficult to make it thru the sports season and engineering and the ROTC commitments. Just seems overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My opinion is that of an outsider, because it is only my neighbor that I know who goes there for swimming.

This kid wanted engineering and D1 sports at an affordable price (instate VA or thereabouts in price--so places like Lafayette, Lehigh, Drexel--out of price range, VaTech/UVA out of reach academically or for swim). Here comes along a very very shiny new 40 million dollar pool and promise of both D1 competition and an engineering major. What's not to love--oh wait, someone is going to scream in your face for 6 months, even while you eat so you skip meals. Less than half of people make it through the engineering program, 10-15% drop out of the school in the first 6 months.

You can't leave overnight but you can leave on non football Saturdays or Sundays with your parents (or anyone over 23) if you don't have demerits. Football games are required and the parents get there at 5 am to set up their tents for the tailgating so they can feed their kids and their friends who don't have parents there. You live 4-5 in a room and roll up your bed every morning.

I think it will be very difficult to make it thru the sports season and engineering and the ROTC commitments. Just seems overwhelming.

This is a great example that bolsters the general tone of the other comments. If your daughter is medically unqualified and has no desire to join then do not do this, it quite frankly might traumatize her. I'm a USMA grad and watched strong people brought to their knees both physically and emotionally in the first two years. Plebe year is no joke and at VMI you are a Rat and part of the Rat line. Google it and watch some of the Youtube videos. Trust me, you have to want it to go through that in college.