Perception of Service Academies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i was chatting with a friend who mentioned that their high achieving rising junior was hoping to attend a service academy (West Point or USNA). They don't have a family military background and are certainly not hurting for money. My sense is that the kid could go to any school they wanted. It's not an understatement to say that choosing a service academy path totally floored me. What is the draw here or what am I missing? Is this considered a prestigious route in some circles?

It's considered a "prestigious route" in ALL circles. Except, maybe, the ignorant ones.

+1

You sound like a former friend of mine who was shocked to learn that military pilots typically have an engineering degree. She assumed they were all uneducated and really showed her own ignorance. No harm in asking questions, but it sounds like you look down upon people you know nothing about.

[Anonymous]

OP do you live under a rock or are you just extremely sheltered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i was chatting with a friend who mentioned that their high achieving rising junior was hoping to attend a service academy (West Point or USNA). They don't have a family military background and are certainly not hurting for money. My sense is that the kid could go to any school they wanted. It's not an understatement to say that choosing a service academy path totally floored me. What is the draw here or what am I missing? Is this considered a prestigious route in some circles?

It's considered a "prestigious route" in ALL circles. Except, maybe, the ignorant ones.

OP here - I'm willing to claim ignorance. I guess I wouldn't be surprised if the family were conservative, but given that they are left-leaning it was surprising. It sounds like I'm the one who needs schooling in this though. My kids are much younger and I'm from the midwest if that serves as any sort of explanation.

Liberals serve in the military at ALL ranks. It’s just considered unprofessional for leaders to be at all political and the smart ones will never let you know which way they lean. Some don’t even vote until they retire to be as apolitical as possible.

[Anonymous]

Upon graduation of basic training, they receive a full free education with stipend and then a guaranteed officer job that includes housing, medical care and a stipend. It’s highly prestigious and I cried when they gave the order to a senior at our school at the senior awards ceremony. Such a huge commitment for them to make at just age 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a professor at an R1 school, I have only vaguely heard of this. I thought it was like community college.

Well, you should be ashamed of yourself then.

And know better than to admit it.

[Anonymous]

All of the service academies offer at least 3 great things, in no particular order: (1) Excellent education at no cost (in general, I think students actually get paid), (2) a guaranteed job upon graduation , and (3) a chance to serve your country. Its an amazing opportunity for those who are interested and able to take advantage.

[Anonymous]

If they want to be an officer then it's a great/prestigious route, if they can get in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they want to be an officer then it's a great/prestigious route, if they can get in!

And even if they don’t. They can fulfill their commitment and move on. Free and excellent education if you have a type A, athlete-scholar, mentally tough, driven student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to the academics, there's also rigorous fitness and health requirements. A service academy would have been perfect for DS but his stupid peanut allergy excludes him from admittance.

Do they specifically exclude students with medical issues?

Yes because it is military. Just like the military will exclude you for things like Crohns.

[Anonymous]

Incredibly prestigious. Do you really not know this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to the academics, there's also rigorous fitness and health requirements. A service academy would have been perfect for DS but his stupid peanut allergy excludes him from admittance.

Do they specifically exclude students with medical issues?

A summary of disqualifiers:
https://www.gainserviceacademyadmission.com/service-academy-dodmerb-physical/

Lol, my son has six disqualifiers!

[Anonymous]

Don't ever underestimate the power-prestige of a Service Academy network! It's very strong -- especially West Point.

[Anonymous]

I have a sibling who attended a service academy and did the exchange program to spend a semester at other academies. Overall, the academies are an intense experience that can mess up the most sane person. When I meet a ring knocker, I think two things: you're smart but odds are you have trauma that probably clouds your thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a sibling who attended a service academy and did the exchange program to spend a semester at other academies. Overall, the academies are an intense experience that can mess up the most sane person. When I meet a ring knocker, I think two things: you're smart but odds are you have trauma that probably clouds your thinking.

Or at least makes you bad at relationships. Not all, of course.

[Anonymous]

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.

Almost the same here - my father was drafted and still refers to those two years as the most miserable two years of his life except for having just married my mom. Where I grew up, the only people who would go into the military are people too stupid to get into college who just smoked weed and were going nowhere in life. When I was in 9th grade, my brother was in 12th and between all four grades of over 1,000 kids, we know exactly ONE kid who went into the Coast Guard.