National Service/Military Academies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those grads who leave after their 5-year commitment, many work for a DoD contractor. They make really good money.

But they don't make as much money as Google SWE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those grads who leave after their 5-year commitment, many work for a DoD contractor. They make really good money.

But they don't make as much money as Google SWE.

I’d say the WP five and dive grads who end up working for contractors are relative underachievers if not failures. The ones I’ve known end up at Harvard business school or the like and end up making a ridiculous amount of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those grads who leave after their 5-year commitment, many work for a DoD contractor. They make really good money.

But they don't make as much money as Google SWE.

I’d say the WP five and dive grads who end up working for contractors are relative underachievers if not failures. The ones I’ve known end up at Harvard business school or the like and end up making a ridiculous amount of money.

My wife's workplace is full of ex-service academy members who are DOD contractors. I guess there are many "failures" academy members, by your definition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do affluent people attend the academies or is it mainly for the kids on the other side of the tracks?

My DH is a USNA grad. He's MC, his father was a professor, his mother a nurse. Fairly common background. He spent 8 yrs as an active duty Marine, and he's now a C-level exec for a large IT company.

The alumni network is unreal. He went from active duty straight to a mgmt job at IBM (although he did get his master's while still on active duty).

The Navy paid for a masters? How much time owed does that tack on?

[Anonymous]

Academies send multiple graduates immediately to grad school paid for by the military - my son graduated from Air Force Academy and went straight to MIT for masters in nuclear engineering - his roommate went to University of Hawaii for masters in Asian studies. They both will have an additional 2 years tacked on to obligation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academies send multiple graduates immediately to grad school paid for by the military - my son graduated from Air Force Academy and went straight to MIT for masters in nuclear engineering - his roommate went to University of Hawaii for masters in Asian studies. They both will have an additional 2 years tacked on to obligation.

Yes, my USNA kid will likely do the same.

[Anonymous]

And, to be clear, it is not just that the Navy/Air Force/Army pays for the masters, the student is now a commissioned second lieutenant getting paid a salary and benefits while attending grad school. Pretty good deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academies send multiple graduates immediately to grad school paid for by the military - my son graduated from Air Force Academy and went straight to MIT for masters in nuclear engineering - his roommate went to University of Hawaii for masters in Asian studies. They both will have an additional 2 years tacked on to obligation.

Were those 2 year masters programs? Or was it a one year masters, and an extra obligation of 2 years?

[Anonymous]

2 for 2. I think it depends on many factors what the additional obligation will be.

[Anonymous]

My co-worker's son who started at West Point in June is already calling it quits. To be fair, my co-worker's DH pushed the kid into it. A cautionary tale for any future academy attendee. You (as opposed to mom and dad) really need to want this path. And the academy experience does not provide a typical college experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My co-worker's son who started at West Point in June is already calling it quits. To be fair, my co-worker's DH pushed the kid into it. A cautionary tale for any future academy attendee. You (as opposed to mom and dad) really need to want this path. And the academy experience does not provide a typical college experience.

Absolutely agree - they tell you that multiple times in the admissions process, but some parents still push. There is absolutely attrition at the Service Academies - at USMA they start with about 1200 per class and graduate about 1000. Some leave by choice but others are involuntarily separated for academics or misconduct. Not sure how that compares to civilian colleges.

[Anonymous]

When did your DC now at an academy first begin to express an interest in attending? Is this something that usually occurs from a younger age? My DC is a rising junior and for the first time ever mentioned this interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About 5 years ago we visited a family friend at West Point. From the second we arrived, it felt like a jail. They searched our car. The kid was a freshman so he had only been there a few months but he was totally desensitized, couldn’t crack a joke, etc. The student was able to come out to eat with us off-campus and he was dressed like a Catholic Priest. And yes I know they don’t call it freshman but they should.

This, Annapolis USNA version. We visited (no car search because at Annapolis visitors have to park off-campus; very tight space); the friend's daughter was basically an automaton. The atmosphere was oppressive - much worse and more tense than any active post I've ever been on, and that's multiple. I later heard that close to half of the 4th class Mids that this one knew had come home for Christmas break and raised the issue of dropping out with their families. The group has been out for over two years now. They are all ver confident and very good at following instructions. Not one has any awareness of non-job life, and not one talks about the Naval Academy overall. Signs of trauma resulting from institutionalized hazing.

This is part of the process. Turning high school aged kids into leaders who understand that they are in a serious business, where their decisions will have serious, sometimes life or death consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When did your DC now at an academy first begin to express an interest in attending? Is this something that usually occurs from a younger age? My DC is a rising junior and for the first time ever mentioned this interest.

Rising junior has plenty of time - but try to visit this fall as applications can be opened winter of junior year

My DS now at USMA first expressed interest end of sophomore year - we visited USAFA spring break sophomore year and USMA November of junior year

There is a summer program to apply to for summer after junior year - a great way to try out academy life.

Send your kid to serviceacademyforums.com for tons of good information and insights.

Not for everyone but a great opportunity for those who decide to commit

[Anonymous]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/west-point-is-displaying-a-ku-klux-klan-plaque-at-entrance-to-science-building-congressional-naming-commission-finds/ar-AA11k2uD

WTF?