Tell me about VMI

[Anonymous]

looks like a prison

[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.

God damn.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, it’s a military school - first and foremost, military.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

VMI builds character. We need more people like this in our country. If your daughter does not want to join the Military she probably will not be happy at VMI. Would you (and she) be willing to explore the options of a career in the Military? We need more good people who are dedicated to serving our country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Sounds like someone who didn't make it through the Rat Line

[Anonymous]

On the positive side and I hate to sound old fashioned but....... the chances of meeting a great guy at VMI are pretty high.VMI is 13% women and students aren't really allowed an outside social life. Just sayin'.......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

VMI builds character. We need more people like this in our country. If your daughter does not want to join the Military she probably will not be happy at VMI. Would you (and she) be willing to explore the options of a career in the Military? We need more good people who are dedicated to serving our country.

Seems odd to pay for this privilege vs going to a service academy or just enlisting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

VMI builds character. We need more people like this in our country. If your daughter does not want to join the Military she probably will not be happy at VMI. Would you (and she) be willing to explore the options of a career in the Military? We need more good people who are dedicated to serving our country.

Medicated ADHD is disqualifying for serving in the military.

[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.

+100 and Brutal is the right word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

VMI builds character. We need more people like this in our country. If your daughter does not want to join the Military she probably will not be happy at VMI. Would you (and she) be willing to explore the options of a career in the Military? We need more good people who are dedicated to serving our country.

Seems odd to pay for this privilege vs going to a service academy or just enlisting.

Yeah no one turns down a service academy to go to VMI.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP - I haven't read the comments above but DS wanted VMI. We toured but DA didn't qualify due to ADHD. We liked Fork Union but DS chose UVA ROTC. I know other cadets who loved USC ROTC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I haven't read the comments above but DS wanted VMI. We toured but DA didn't qualify due to ADHD. We liked Fork Union but DS chose UVA ROTC. I know other cadets who loved USC ROTC

If ADHD disqualified them from VMI, wouldn’t it disqualify them from all ROTC at UVA, USC, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP - I haven't read the comments above but DS wanted VMI. We toured but DA didn't qualify due to ADHD. We liked Fork Union but DS chose UVA ROTC. I know other cadets who loved USC ROTC

If ADHD disqualified them from VMI, wouldn’t it disqualify them from all ROTC at UVA, USC, etc.?

You can take the ROTC basic course for freshman and sophomore years at a civilian college with no obligation assuming you haven’t taken $$$. Some ADHD kids will do that and try to wean off meds which you have to be off for 12-15 months in most cases. Then they can apply for ADHd waiver and formally commit after sophomore year when they enroll in ROTC advanced or if they can’t wean or get waiver they can just drop out with no repercussions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Sounds like someone who didn't make it through the Rat Line

Did you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is being recruited by VMI. A military school was never on our radar. I'm trying to understand the difference between the service academies and the 6 sr military colleges. VMI seems more "military" than say TAM or Tech.

The school seems to offer all of the military training and commissioning as the service academies but its not a free education. DD would love a D1 school but I'm not sure this is right for her. She also has ADHD and is medicated for it. I know that's a disqualifier for the service academies but it is true for the military colleges?

She has no desire to go into the military after college. TAM and Tech seem more like regular college experiences.

Does she want to throw he life away in exchange for playing her sport in college?