Perception of Service Academies

[Anonymous]

We have good friends and family members who are Service Academy grads.

A few thoughts:

1. It's a small, elite club. Incredible individuals make it through but there is no lack of pretension separating the Academy grads from the rest of the military (enlisted and non-Academy officers). They get treated better than others throughout their career and they are conscious of it. This really seeps into the spousal cultural down the road.

2. Best friends for life are made at the Academies. These are the people who will literally die for you or help raise your kids if you die. And yes, those conversations are had.

3. Lots of serious Type A's. If that's not your kid, they probably won't make the cut.

I'd be thrilled if my child attended an Academy. It opens tons of doors throughout their life and career,

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I get it, OP. I come from a part of the country where I didnt know a single military member/vet other than my drafted grandfathers. Not a single person from my graduating class of 550 went into the military. When my sister’s boyfriend ended up attending the naval academy the following year, we were all fairly shocked—it wasn’t a typical path. (To be completely transparent though, he had applied to a handful of civilian schools and didn’t get in—USNA was the only option he had once decisions came out).

It worked out well for him, but it wasn’t until moving to DC that I learned it’s considered prestigious. I assumed at the time it had been his safety school since it was the only one he got into, lol.

Bullshit.

I don’t know how to prove it is true, but it really is. This was 2005 in an area where the closest (tiny) military bases were hours away. It just wasn’t a thing in my life at that time. Totally different mentality in dc adjacent areas, where I now have more military acquaintances than I can count.

I think the bullshit refers to "it was his only option." And I agree. Unless he only applied to Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Stanford.

Right there is 0% chance that his ONLY option was the Naval Academy. 0%.

I don’t know what to tell you. He applied to 3 traditional schools (Harvard was one, the other two were SLACs in our home state) and all 3 denied him. He went to USNA. He should have applied to more safeties, clearly, but 20 years ago applying to 10+ schools wasn’t a thing and I guess he overshot.

Sorry, but I don't buy it.

Name the SLACs. You can easily do that without outing him or yourself.

Pomona and Claremont McKenna.

I am not making this up. Both are extremely selective now, not sure what it was like in 2005. Obviously Harvard was still selective, lol.

So he only applied to four of the most selective schools in the country. That was a big gamble. “His only choice” needs that context. Without it, it sounds like he couldn’t have gotten in anywhere else and that’s not at all accurate.

New poster but please stop. No one cares. I don’t know why you’re obsessed with this.

No. I politely and accurately called her out on her deceptive post. Is she “obsessed” for writing her posts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:When applying to a service academy you are required to obtain a Congressional nomination from one of the following sources:

A member of the U.S. Senate
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives
The Vice-President of the United States
The Governor or Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
The Secretary of the Army

Each MOC possesses five nomination slots per year across all five service academies. Each senator has the same.

Really? How can there be so many applicants, then?

Oh please - I worked on the hill and constituents would just call or email their rep, send a blurb about themselves or resume and they would be nominated. The reps want to say xx from their district so it’s an automatic nomination

How long ago was this?
Most people give out the nominations through committees. My child recently applied and each had portals, questions, and interviews. It was thorough and documented.

Not all applicants end u being "qualified." Not all applicants receive a nomination bc members of Congress only have a certain amount of nominations to give out each year. Not all applicants will pass the medical requirements or the physical fitness exam. You have to have all of these components in order to be considered a qualified applicant, so some may start the application process but won't ultimately meet all requirements.

Not sure why you're replying to me. It doesn't address what I said at all. I'm well aware of this, because as I mentioned my child applied. What I take issue with is the poster who claimed to have worked on Capitol Hill and the nominations were automatic. That is not what we experienced at all, which is why I asked how long ago it was. If that was you, then you're just dancing around the question.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I get it, OP. I come from a part of the country where I didnt know a single military member/vet other than my drafted grandfathers. Not a single person from my graduating class of 550 went into the military. When my sister’s boyfriend ended up attending the naval academy the following year, we were all fairly shocked—it wasn’t a typical path. (To be completely transparent though, he had applied to a handful of civilian schools and didn’t get in—USNA was the only option he had once decisions came out).

It worked out well for him, but it wasn’t until moving to DC that I learned it’s considered prestigious. I assumed at the time it had been his safety school since it was the only one he got into, lol.

Bullshit.

I don’t know how to prove it is true, but it really is. This was 2005 in an area where the closest (tiny) military bases were hours away. It just wasn’t a thing in my life at that time. Totally different mentality in dc adjacent areas, where I now have more military acquaintances than I can count.

I think the bullshit refers to "it was his only option." And I agree. Unless he only applied to Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Stanford.

Right there is 0% chance that his ONLY option was the Naval Academy. 0%.

I don’t know what to tell you. He applied to 3 traditional schools (Harvard was one, the other two were SLACs in our home state) and all 3 denied him. He went to USNA. He should have applied to more safeties, clearly, but 20 years ago applying to 10+ schools wasn’t a thing and I guess he overshot.

Sorry, but I don't buy it.

Name the SLACs. You can easily do that without outing him or yourself.

Pomona and Claremont McKenna.

I am not making this up. Both are extremely selective now, not sure what it was like in 2005. Obviously Harvard was still selective, lol.

So he only applied to four of the most selective schools in the country. That was a big gamble. “His only choice” needs that context. Without it, it sounds like he couldn’t have gotten in anywhere else and that’s not at all accurate.

New poster but please stop. No one cares. I don’t know why you’re obsessed with this.

No. I politely and accurately called her out on her deceptive post. Is she “obsessed” for writing her posts?

The post isn't deceptive. He/she said that was their only option. True. You don't get to go back and say he/she should have qualified it with the schools he applied to because it doesn't fit your narrative. You are just hung up on driving this silly point of yours.

[Anonymous]

One perception which is true in the south, much less so in the DMV, is that it's connections that get you the nomination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course they are prestigious. Even more so than Ivy schools.

You must have top academic record AND be top athlete AND get a congressional nomination, AND not have any (documented) medical issues including anxiety, depression, adhd, allergies, AND Abe physically and mentally resiliant

This is the equivalent of a unicorn among today’s teens.

No SAT average for West Point is only 1270

Where are you getting that number from? According to West Point's Common Data Set, the 25/75 SAT range is 1220/1440. That doesn't average out to be 1270 -- it's 1330.

Dunno where OP got it, but the current IPEDS says this:

Test Scores 25th Percentile* 75th Percentile**
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600 700
SAT Math 600 740

Midpoint between the two is 1320, but the actual data distribution could certainly pull the average well below that. From their perspective, some low-scoring students are too valuable to lose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course they are prestigious. Even more so than Ivy schools.

You must have top academic record AND be top athlete AND get a congressional nomination, AND not have any (documented) medical issues including anxiety, depression, adhd, allergies, AND Abe physically and mentally resiliant

This is the equivalent of a unicorn among today’s teens.

No SAT average for West Point is only 1270

Where are you getting that number from? According to West Point's Common Data Set, the 25/75 SAT range is 1220/1440. That doesn't average out to be 1270 -- it's 1330.

Dunno where OP got it, but the current IPEDS says this:

Test Scores 25th Percentile* 75th Percentile**
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600 700
SAT Math 600 740

Midpoint between the two is 1320, but the actual data distribution could certainly pull the average well below that. From their perspective, some low-scoring students are too valuable to lose.

Maybe they're fulfilling some need in the makeup of the incoming class? Like at other schools, the classes won't automatically be filled with the applicants with the highest stats.

[Anonymous]

A third or more of the incoming class are recruited D1 athletes. They bring the average GPAs and SATs down considerably. There is also a standing allotment for prior enlisted. I have nothing but the utmost respect for those men and women but there stats are usually well below your average incoming plebe. A third category involves USMA prep school kids. Some are members of the other aforementioned groups. Still many are members of URM who did not have the stats of the “direct admits” but who showed promise so much so that the Army was willing to send them to a 1 year prep school to get them academically ready. All 3 categories of these young men and women drag down the average stats.

The Army makes up for it by making sure anyone not in any of these categories is a super high stat kid. The ones I know who were admitted also got into the Ivys, Top Tens and NESCACs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course they are prestigious. Even more so than Ivy schools.

You must have top academic record AND be top athlete AND get a congressional nomination, AND not have any (documented) medical issues including anxiety, depression, adhd, allergies, AND Abe physically and mentally resiliant

This is the equivalent of a unicorn among today’s teens.

No SAT average for West Point is only 1270

Where are you getting that number from? According to West Point's Common Data Set, the 25/75 SAT range is 1220/1440. That doesn't average out to be 1270 -- it's 1330.

Dunno where OP got it, but the current IPEDS says this:

Test Scores 25th Percentile* 75th Percentile**
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600 700
SAT Math 600 740

Midpoint between the two is 1320, but the actual data distribution could certainly pull the average well below that. From their perspective, some low-scoring students are too valuable to lose.

Maybe they're fulfilling some need in the makeup of the incoming class? Like at other schools, the classes won't automatically be filled with the applicants with the highest stats.

And by ‘need’ I’m pretty sure you mean football team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have good friends and family members who are Service Academy grads.

A few thoughts:

1. It's a small, elite club. Incredible individuals make it through but there is no lack of pretension separating the Academy grads from the rest of the military (enlisted and non-Academy officers). They get treated better than others throughout their career and they are conscious of it. This really seeps into the spousal cultural down the road.

2. Best friends for life are made at the Academies. These are the people who will literally die for you or help raise your kids if you die. And yes, those conversations are had.

3. Lots of serious Type A's. If that's not your kid, they probably won't make the cut.

I'd be thrilled if my child attended an Academy. It opens tons of doors throughout their life and career,

You have no idea what you are talking about. Service Academy grad with 30 years of service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have good friends and family members who are Service Academy grads.

A few thoughts:

1. It's a small, elite club. Incredible individuals make it through but there is no lack of pretension separating the Academy grads from the rest of the military (enlisted and non-Academy officers). They get treated better than others throughout their career and they are conscious of it. This really seeps into the spousal cultural down the road.

2. Best friends for life are made at the Academies. These are the people who will literally die for you or help raise your kids if you die. And yes, those conversations are had.

3. Lots of serious Type A's. If that's not your kid, they probably won't make the cut.

I'd be thrilled if my child attended an Academy. It opens tons of doors throughout their life and career,

You have no idea what you are talking about. Service Academy grad with 30 years of service.

New poster. What do you take issue with?

[Anonymous]

They are "prestigious" only if you are poor or middle class OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are "prestigious" only if you are poor or middle class OP.

Or an astronaut

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/slideshows/12-colleges-that-have-produced-the-most-astronauts

Or a Rhodes Scholar

https://www.westpoint.edu/news/press-releases/four-west-point-cadets-named-rhodes-scholars

Or a member of Congress

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legislators_educated_at_the_United_States_Naval_Academy

[Anonymous]

Presidents Grant, Eisenhower, Carter…and maybe one day, Pompeo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are "prestigious" only if you are poor or middle class OP.

Mmmm. No.

The scions of the southern gentry and the blue bloods of the NÉ corridor have for generations made USMA a stop along the way before assuming Daddy’s mantle.