Anyone with a dc applying to an academy? Dc received a congressional nom yesterday. But they’ve somewhat lost interest

[Anonymous]

I know a bunch of kids in the same place right now. Some in academies / some applying.
IMO - keep the process moving and make the decision later. Things change significantly in the 18 YO brain and you want it as an option on the table.
I was over at a Navy football game right after all of the leaders were called to Quantico and ran into some who were in the audience.
The culture at West Point is different than at Navy / Air Force and you saw it at the Army Navy football game so just make sure your child understands the differences in the service academy they are considering.

Best of luck in navigating this process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

My older kid (2nd yr at ivy) is in the afrotc program on scholarship. lots of time commitment and enjoying "normal" college life. younger kid just got in ed to ivy and got the nrotc scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a bunch of kids in the same place right now. Some in academies / some applying.
IMO - keep the process moving and make the decision later. Things change significantly in the 18 YO brain and you want it as an option on the table.
I was over at a Navy football game right after all of the leaders were called to Quantico and ran into some who were in the audience.
The culture at West Point is different than at Navy / Air Force and you saw it at the Army Navy football game so just make sure your child understands the differences in the service academy they are considering.

Best of luck in navigating this process.

Thanks for the normal response!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

We are aware of ROTC of course. Why do you think it’s a better option?

Why does your kid want to go to an academy? Is their real goal to be a military officer or just to go to an academy? If it is to be a military officer, ROTC will provide them both the training and the ability to have a relatively normal college experience at the same time. This may work better for them especially if reluctant to an academy. If it's just to go to an academy and that's the only focus, they should rethink this entire thing, and go to a regular college. If they have a desire to still be a military officer after college, they can go to OCS (officer candidate school) upon graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a bunch of kids in the same place right now. Some in academies / some applying.
IMO - keep the process moving and make the decision later. Things change significantly in the 18 YO brain and you want it as an option on the table.
I was over at a Navy football game right after all of the leaders were called to Quantico and ran into some who were in the audience.
The culture at West Point is different than at Navy / Air Force and you saw it at the Army Navy football game so just make sure your child understands the differences in the service academy they are considering.

Best of luck in navigating this process.

I don't agree with this. Kids that go to the academies and make it through are never "I will go through the process and decide later" if I really want this type of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

We are aware of ROTC of course. Why do you think it’s a better option?

No offense but did you actually read my post? The main reason it may be a better option is that you can leave the program without having to transfer out and/or without taking a gap in college. You just continue on.

The negative is that when you're at a Academy, all your peers are obviously also at the Academy. There is 100% cultural support for this. When you do ROTC you are getting up at 5:30am, 4-5 days per week when your roommates sleep in (plus you're also doing some weekend drilling) You are possibly getting some cultural push back for being in the military, both from other students and even faculty. My student is in ROTC at a top20 school and has made the adjustment but it wasn't easy at first because this all starts in week one when you're also making the adjustment to just being on campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

My older kid (2nd yr at ivy) is in the afrotc program on scholarship. lots of time commitment and enjoying "normal" college life. younger kid just got in ed to ivy and got the nrotc scholarship.

Why was stating "Ivy" relevant to the post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

My older kid (2nd yr at ivy) is in the afrotc program on scholarship. lots of time commitment and enjoying "normal" college life. younger kid just got in ed to ivy and got the nrotc scholarship.

Why was stating "Ivy" relevant to the post.

I think its to show that kids can enjoy college life at a prestigious college while meeting the end goal being commissioned as officers in the military.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

We are aware of ROTC of course. Why do you think it’s a better option?

No offense but did you actually read my post? The main reason it may be a better option is that you can leave the program without having to transfer out and/or without taking a gap in college. You just continue on.

The negative is that when you're at an Academy, all your peers are obviously also at the Academy. There is 100% cultural support for this. When you do ROTC you are getting up at 5:30am, 4-5 days per week when your roommates sleep in (plus you're also doing some weekend drilling) You are possibly getting some cultural push back for being in the military, both from other students and even faculty. My student is in ROTC at a top20 school and has made the adjustment but it wasn't easy at first because this all starts in week one when you're also making the adjustment to just being on campus.

You didn’t give much detail. My dc is not interested in ROTC, partially for this reason I think although their 18 yo brain isn’t great at communicating these details.

It’s academy or regular. No halfway. They’re aware of the academy, and have spent time at each academy and enjoyed their experiences.

[Anonymous]

^ aware of the discipline I mean

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

My older kid (2nd yr at ivy) is in the afrotc program on scholarship. lots of time commitment and enjoying "normal" college life. younger kid just got in ed to ivy and got the nrotc scholarship.

Why was stating "Ivy" relevant to the post.

I think its to show that kids can enjoy college life at a prestigious college while meeting the end goal being commissioned as officers in the military.

or just enjoy life at all great prestigious colleges with great school spirit, big time sports/football etc. (Big Ten, SEC, ACC) and all the fun that goes with that while meeting the end goal of being commissioned as officer in the military.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a bunch of kids in the same place right now. Some in academies / some applying.
IMO - keep the process moving and make the decision later. Things change significantly in the 18 YO brain and you want it as an option on the table.
I was over at a Navy football game right after all of the leaders were called to Quantico and ran into some who were in the audience.
The culture at West Point is different than at Navy / Air Force and you saw it at the Army Navy football game so just make sure your child understands the differences in the service academy they are considering.

Best of luck in navigating this process.

I don't agree with this. Kids that go to the academies and make it through are never "I will go through the process and decide later" if I really want this type of kids.

I don’t totally agree with this. Every dc is different.

[Anonymous]

This was my DS last cycle. When it became real, he had a total change of heart. I think it’s mostly the 17 year old brain and I was glad when his brain caught up. He would have been great at Navy but I’m glad he pulled out of the process because he was completely different when reality set in. Obviously I wish he could have gotten there before spending the hours and hours on that process. It really took away from other school applications (and a ED shot) but I think he had to go through the process so there were no regrets and that’s how it played out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ROTC sounds like it's a better option. It's a significant amount of work during college but you can leave the program at any time and you're still a student at the college, unlike the service academies. Many kids have a hard adjustment but end up sticking it out because they make friends in the program, etc.

We are aware of ROTC of course. Why do you think it’s a better option?

Why does your kid want to go to an academy? Is their real goal to be a military officer or just to go to an academy? If it is to be a military officer, ROTC will provide them both the training and the ability to have a relatively normal college experience at the same time. This may work better for them especially if reluctant to an academy. If it's just to go to an academy and that's the only focus, they should rethink this entire thing, and go to a regular college. If they have a desire to still be a military officer after college, they can go to OCS (officer candidate school) upon graduation.

There are people who use ROTC as a springboard to successful military careers, but nothing — nothing — compares to the credential/network power of being an Academy grad in that world.

That said, PP’s are 100% correct that the only way to succeed in the Academies is absolute commitment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and seem on the fence. Anyone btdt or in the process? If you don’t like military, Trump, Hegseth etc please move on.

Why?

Who in their right mind lets a child do this now?

You posted this question on a soical media platform zero privacy.

Shame on you for even having a consideration for your child to go to war against the American people and needless wars in other countries for a fascist dictator.

There are no “children” at the military academies.