Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a close friend who was a CIA agent briefly (she learned quickly that the job was not for her). She was a history major.

One of my friends in law school applied to the agency. She comes from a semi-famous family and there’s tons of info on them if you do a google search. I could see why the CIA would not want to hire someone with this profile.

FBI is in the business of law enforcement. They need to be law abiding citizens. CIA on the other hand, is beyond this level. They are the type that goes overseas to "take out" enemies. No sense in talking about law and order here.

OMG. Here is someone who thinks movies and novels are real life.

The idea that all FBI employees have to endure FBI academy training is laughable. Special agents, absolutely, but no one else at the FBI is going through the academy in the same way agents do. I work in a related agency (and have spent time at the FBI academy), know many FBI employees, including attorneys, and not a one of them has been through the academy.

A lot of suspect info in this whole thread.

My daughter (influenced by Criminal Minds of course) wants to join the BAU after she becomes a psychologist. Wait til I tell her about hand to hand combat training and torso bruises. I'm pretty sure she will shut the door on that idea!

Anonymous wrote:The service academies are not normal schools. You have to actually want the heavy military focus that comes with them: the discipline, the intensity, the pomp and circumstance. It's not needed for FBI and CIA so not sure one would go with that path unless they want the military aspect. Georgetown, George Washington and University of Maryland are all good for CIA.

Yes and no, as you're somewhat of a vetted commodity if you've been to a service academy and served for 5 years. You may also get a military hiring preference at these agencies.

It would not appear that the current crop is particularly covert as evidenced by the number that "know somebody".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FBI it total law enforcement and very physical to get through. Even the lawyers have to go through the FBI academy which isn't easy.

I have a kid who is a Russian studies major at a state school. Regulalry they bring the Arabic studies kids in to the class also and have recruiters speak to the entire class. CIA, NSA but also private security companies.

The FBI academy sounds pretty abusive. You can read the memoir by an ex-CIA agent who later tried to join the FBI and—at the FBI academy—had pepper spray blasted in her eyes and was not allowed to attend her grandfather’s funeral.

I forget her name but she was in Delta Gamma and blonde.

I'm sure the west point grads, especially the ones who pick up a ranger badge along the way, find getting pepper sprayed to be abusive training.

Anonymous wrote:The CIA/FBI agents I knew graduated from UVA. And yes, his dad worked there, too.

I also know a UVa grad who is CIA and a few from William & Mary and Georgetown.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FBI it total law enforcement and very physical to get through. Even the lawyers have to go through the FBI academy which isn't easy.

I have a kid who is a Russian studies major at a state school. Regulalry they bring the Arabic studies kids in to the class also and have recruiters speak to the entire class. CIA, NSA but also private security companies.

The FBI academy sounds pretty abusive. You can read the memoir by an ex-CIA agent who later tried to join the FBI and—at the FBI academy—had pepper spray blasted in her eyes and was not allowed to attend her grandfather’s funeral.

I forget her name but she was in Delta Gamma and blonde.

My brother is an agent. I still remember him getting a weekend to come home after doing his hand to hand combat training. The bruises on his torso! Good news is that he is still in service and hasn't ever had to do hand to hand fighting again!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FBI it total law enforcement and very physical to get through. Even the lawyers have to go through the FBI academy which isn't easy.

I have a kid who is a Russian studies major at a state school. Regulalry they bring the Arabic studies kids in to the class also and have recruiters speak to the entire class. CIA, NSA but also private security companies.

The FBI academy sounds pretty abusive. You can read the memoir by an ex-CIA agent who later tried to join the FBI and—at the FBI academy—had pepper spray blasted in her eyes and was not allowed to attend her grandfather’s funeral.

I forget her name but she was in Delta Gamma and blonde.

Well, that says it all!

Anonymous wrote:NSA: mathematics, foreign language, computer skills.
FBI: law
CIA: get tapped by Skull & Bones

Kinda true.

The service academies are not normal schools. You have to actually want the heavy military focus that comes with them: the discipline, the intensity, the pomp and circumstance. It's not needed for FBI and CIA so not sure one would go with that path unless they want the military aspect. Georgetown, George Washington and University of Maryland are all good for CIA.

Anonymous wrote:FBI it total law enforcement and very physical to get through. Even the lawyers have to go through the FBI academy which isn't easy.

I have a kid who is a Russian studies major at a state school. Regulalry they bring the Arabic studies kids in to the class also and have recruiters speak to the entire class. CIA, NSA but also private security companies.

The FBI academy sounds pretty abusive. You can read the memoir by an ex-CIA agent who later tried to join the FBI and—at the FBI academy—had pepper spray blasted in her eyes and was not allowed to attend her grandfather’s funeral.

I forget her name but she was in Delta Gamma and blonde.

The CIA/FBI agents I knew graduated from UVA. And yes, his dad worked there, too.

I know a lot of CIA past employees. Two were field agents, and a lot stayed home and did research that made things happen.

I know four or five at NSA.

Both NSA and CIA like to hire children of current employees and sometimes do so while the child is still in college.

I’d suggest attending a recruitment fair where the agencies will be in attendance to explore what they are seeking in new employees.

In one case, one employee got the MBA.

Anonymous wrote:Service academy is probably the best way to get into that line of work. Great networking and skills learned.

This is incorrect if OP's child is looking for field work. That requires investigative skills which come from a security forces/military police background. You can commission, but most of those positions are going to be enlisted.