Are service academies super competitive?

[Anonymous]

my kids went to an all-boys jesuit school and probably half or even 2/3rds of the kids could get into a service academy if they wanted. I dont know anyone who wanted it who didn't get it.

- first the high school itself was competitive to get into. but not super hard. but all kids were good enough students.

- the curriculum was college prep so every kid did pretty good to great on the SAT/ACT

- the college counseling office knew how this worked and was on top of it

- local reps knew the high school and liked it. plays into old prejudices about "good kids" but whatever - the letter wasnt' too hard to get.

- there's a culture of athletics at the school so even if the kid wasn't athletic per se, they were in shape.

- families who were at least open to the idea

- school that pushed "service" "god and country" etc.

- military academies like all the above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a lot that goes into an academy application. Grades and test scores are one part of it. But fitness requirements are also very high. So too is the need to demonstrate community service. And most importantly is leadership - class president, captain of the football team etc. And then you need a Congressional nomination.

There really aren’t a lot of 18 year olds today that can meet all the academy requirements. Right now, less than 30 percent of 18 year olds are even eligible to join the military at all in any capacity - too fat, too medicated, too criminal and so on. Plus the academies need their classes to look like America with every state represented.

So yes, it’s very competitive. But it’s different than normal schools. Someone might have a 4.0 and 1600. But if they’re not an athlete or a community leader, they are not going to have a shot at an academy. A student needs all the components for a successful application.

And an applicant with much lower test score will get in because of other intangibles. Like you said, it's the other things. I don't think the fitness requirements are very high at all espeically if your kid is active. It's clearing DODMERB that causes a lot of interested applicants to not make it further.

This - was shocked to see who got in from our HS. Not at all elite.

On the contrary, I’ve taught several students who went to academies. Phenomenal academics, athleticism, and character. Total package types.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. I know many academy graduates including two cousins. All good students but not a single one was anywhere near the top. One, a recruited athlete was above average and not by a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are very popular now with the price of college so high. Lots of kids from DMV go through the process so the academies have their pick and it isn't just rural kids trying to get out. ROTC super competitive too now.

What is different is that once you get in you have to stay in. That is also a lot of work for 4+ years. Kids going either academies or ROTC want it. So yes you should be impressed with those kids.

Not true. You can leave before your junior year with no obligations. They know it is not for many people so totally get it.

A lot of people who would normally be applying do not want to serve under the current commander in chief, even though he will be done before current applicants graduate. This includes the children of many senior military officers who were historically fairly conservative Republicans but are horrified by the lack of respect for the values they had sworn to uphold and hate how he is destroying this country. The military tends to be much more Republican than the rest of America but many senior officers are not supportive of Trump. They hate that he put a clown like Hesgeth in charge. However, the enlisted love him. I know students who would have considered an Academy in the past who want nothing to do with it. Which is a shame.

Insert your TDS comments here. To better prove my point.

No one applying now will serve under this administration.

What part of my clause "even though he will be done before current applicants graduate" did you miss. Sorry I insulted your Golden Calf. Unfortunately, he has done long lasting damage to all parts of the government, including the military. And is trying really hard to rig future elections to make sure one of his followers succeeds him. And no, Democrats don't rig elections, Republicans do. He is not trying to clean things up, he is trying to make it worse. And if you don't believe that, you should not go to a military academy because you are not of sound mind and have been brainwashed - I wish that was part of the testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our OOS private(not a feeder type school but it is rigorous), we had 2 girls accepted to the Naval academy. Neither were in the top 20% of the class and were not the highest rigor either. They took maybe 5-6 AP classes total( our school limits AP to junior/senior year- The top students take 8-9 ). They were good students but not NMF level test scores. 1 was recruited to play Lacrosse so that makes sense but the other was not a recruited athlete. She got injured and had to get knee surgery, so had to defer her acceptance. She ended up at Pitt.

They admitted from our high school last year were 2 girls too, and both Asian. I don't know their stats. Just curious whether SA also try to balance gender, race, region, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Off topic, but one of the attractive factors can be the emphasis on leadership training that you don't find at other universities. This can transfer over to the corporate world, if grads go that way after service obligation. Leading starts at academy and continues afterwards during the service obligation.

Definitely true. I went to a top MBA program and was very impressed by the academy alums in my class and most of them were very successful after business school. There are lots of academy alums in very elite positions in corporate America. They are smart, well-trained, disciplined, and the network is very tight.

That being said, it is a huge commitment, including potentially being sent to war, so I'm not sure if it is the ideal way to get there for everyone.

It is said that their graduates are well welcomed in Business/Law schools or big corporates. Is it true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Off topic, but one of the attractive factors can be the emphasis on leadership training that you don't find at other universities. This can transfer over to the corporate world, if grads go that way after service obligation. Leading starts at academy and continues afterwards during the service obligation.

Definitely true. I went to a top MBA program and was very impressed by the academy alums in my class and most of them were very successful after business school. There are lots of academy alums in very elite positions in corporate America. They are smart, well-trained, disciplined, and the network is very tight.

That being said, it is a huge commitment, including potentially being sent to war, so I'm not sure if it is the ideal way to get there for everyone.

It is said that their graduates are well welcomed in Business/Law schools or big corporates. Is it true?

There are no guarantees but for business school, the skill set usually matches up very well with what the schools are looking for. Then a lot of jobs like this as well - think about the kinds of roles that like athletes - leadership, function well under pressure, good people skills, plus companies can often check a box by hiring veterans.

I think it is slightly less relevant for law school and lawyers but it probably doesn't hurt.

[Anonymous]

My feeling is opposite to some points above. Say, in an elite private school in metropolitans whose tuition is 50K+, will many students have interest in service academies? probably not. But in rural area, it is a great path for promised future, right? Just my feeling, no proof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you serious? Yes, they are looking for the best of the best.

They are great kids and well rounded, which often makes them stronger than most kids in many ways, but certainly not the best of the best from an academic standpoint.

Academics are only one part of being a successful and contributing member of society. And academics are not even the most important part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did a deep dive on service academies and ROTC scholarships last summer. This ROTC Scholarships podcast has information about both and helped me understand what the military is looking for and the selection process.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rotc-scholarships/id1505358064

Thank you for this! I have a rising junior looking at ROTC and service academies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Within the first year, about half quit and don’t continue rotc even on scholarship (quitting before 2nd year don’t have to payback anything) and afrotc only about 75% are selected between 2nd and 3rd to go to field training to continue. It’s tough

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Each service academy enters 1200 kids. Around 1000 graduate. That's hardly "half" quitting.

[Anonymous]

The kids I know personally were all decent to strong students, but not highest level academically. Similar athletically.

[Anonymous]

My DS is friends with a girl who was rejected from the Coast Guard Academy (but was qualified physically and went through the summer AIM program successfully) and ended up attending Dartmouth.

If that gives you any indication…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is friends with a girl who was rejected from the Coast Guard Academy (but was qualified physically and went through the summer AIM program successfully) and ended up attending Dartmouth.

If that gives you any indication…

That is not the norm. Especially for Coast Guard. It is less selective than the others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Within the first year, about half quit and don’t continue rotc even on scholarship (quitting before 2nd year don’t have to payback anything) and afrotc only about 75% are selected between 2nd and 3rd to go to field training to continue. It’s tough

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Each service academy enters 1200 kids. Around 1000 graduate. That's hardly "half" quitting.

ROTC