NMMI Self Prep appointment numbers

FreedomFighter

5-Year Member
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Feb 20, 2012
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Just wanted to provide a little insight to those individuals that are considering self prepping at NMMI. If you go to their web site, it says, "Historically, approximately 40% of self-preps receive appointments from his/her academies. This number is predicated upon the cadet being a qualified candidate for an academy." The last two years the numbers have been significantly lower than 40%. Last year the number of Self Preps who gained an appointment to one of the Service Academies was below 10% - this year was even worse - around 5% - between 50 - 60 self preps and only three gained appointments - one to USAF and two to USMMA. The recent cuts in the DoD budget are having a significant trickle down effect to the Academies, in regards to appointment numbers. Major Don Hanak, who runs the Service Academy Prep program has commented several times via this forum that last year was bad and this year was terrible - with no relief on the immediate horizon. I believe that NMMI does a great job molding the cadets and providing a structured environment, but to think that you are going to attend as a self-prep and gain an appointment is almost unrealistic. Recent numbers support that statement. As with anything in life, do your homework by asking specific questions about recent results and always have a back up plan.
 
When doing a "self prep", the courses taken (plebe/swab mirror as best you can) and the grades received are usually more important than the place they were earned.

Self preps who excel at the local CC, State, Vine-Covered U, or a designated military prep school probably all have equal chances.
 
To: FreedomFighter

I don't know where you are getting your numbers from, but they don't agree with mine. I count self preps that are enrolled in an academic curriculum similar to sponsored preps, have me as their academic advisor, and are actively pursuing an appointment in their second semester.

I don't include those that lose interest after the first semester, don't follow a prescribed curriculum, or "say" they are a self prep. Some of these never complete their academy application or nomination process.

The numbers I report to the State of New Mexico are these for self preps:

2007=11/30 for 36.67%; 2008=9/20 for 45%; 2009=14/33 for 42.42%; 2010=7/14 for 50%; 2011=5/19 for 26.3% 2012(still in progress)=3/12 for 25%. The total for the last six years is 49/128 for 38.28%

I do agree that that last two years have been significantly lower. When attrition rates at the academies are down, applications are up, and academies are cutting manning slots and budgets, applicants face the "perfect storm" when it comes to appointments. I am always honest with our self preps about their appointment chances and encourage both "B" and "C" plan.

Self preps need to understand that they are not competing against each other. They are competing against the candidates from "back home" for both the MoC nominations and academy appointments.

To: Luigi59

I can't objectively contradict your statement. I do know that we have hosted the current Admissions Directors of the USAFA, USMMA, and USCGA here and they have never said "it dosen't matter if you go to a military or civilian prep school". The Director of the AoG at WP only allows their sponsored preps to attend military colleges. The Falcon Foundation and USNA Foundation use a combination of both.

My overwhelming feedback from the sponsored preps do indicate that attending a military school/college helped them academically, militarily, physically, and practically (with skills such as leadership/followership, time management, team building, and maturity). I would like to see some "hard evidence" about the equal chances you speak of, if you have it.

For: Both

Please don't think I'm trying to be rude or antagonistic. People are entitled to their opinions. When opinion is passed off as "truth", it deserves to be challenged.
 
To: Luigi59

I can't objectively contradict your statement. I do know that we have hosted the current Admissions Directors of the USAFA, USMMA, and USCGA here and they have never said "it dosen't matter if you go to a military or civilian prep school". The Director of the AoG at WP only allows their sponsored preps to attend military colleges. The Falcon Foundation and USNA Foundation use a combination of both.

My overwhelming feedback from the sponsored preps do indicate that attending a military school/college helped them academically, militarily, physically, and practically (with skills such as leadership/followership, time management, team building, and maturity). I would like to see some "hard evidence" about the equal chances you speak of, if you have it.

Please don't think I'm trying to be rude or antagonistic. People are entitled to their opinions. When opinion is passed off as "truth", it deserves to be challenged.

Who said anything about sponsored preps?

I thought we were talking about self-preps?

If you are presenting as "a fact" that self preps from military schools have a higher appointment percentage that self preps from local community colleges and state universities, it also needs to be challenged.

If you have any "hard evidence" to contradict my statement, I'd like to see it.
 
Let me apologize for my last post. I re-read it and it did sound "harsh". It was not meant to be so. Since writing it I was visited by one of my self preps who finished finals and came to say, "Good bye". This is a fine young man who wanted to go to the USNA and graduate with a commission in the USMC. He did not get an appointment to Navy. Next semester he will go to Texas A&M on a full NROTC scholarship under the Marine Corps option. By no means do I consider him a "failure".

We had a self prep last year who wanted to go to WP. He did not get an appointment. However, he did get a WP/AoG scholarship for this year. He came back, took another two semesters of college work and earned his appointment to West Point. Was he a "failure"? I think not.

A SA, any SA, is never a goal; but a waypoint. The Goal should be to obtain a commission and serve the USA.

I used that info I had for sponsored preps because the Falcon Foundation, the USNA Foundation and the USMMA Admissions Office tracks and reports survey data. While no one is formally tracking data on self preps, if the two (self and sponsored) are in the exact same program their data should be similar.

I would like to see the SA's release data from their Admissions Offices that compared the percentages of college students from civilian colleges to military ones. I don't know if they release that info.

Once the final numbers for all the SA's for the class of 2016 are in, there is releasable date on total applications, qualified candidates, and appointments offered. I'm willing to predict that the self prep rate from the military junior colleges (i.e. NMMI, Valley Forge, Marion, Wentworth, and Georgia Military) is higher than the national rate. Will that suffice as "fact"?

We both are on this board to give advise, and help guide those "newbies" going through tha SA nomination/application/selection process. I have read many of your posts and thank you for the time you spend and the advice you give. Again, my apologies if you were offended - it was not my intent.
 
We both are on this board to give advise, and help guide those "newbies" going through tha SA nomination/application/selection process. I have read many of your posts and thank you for the time you spend and the advice you give. Again, my apologies if you were offended - it was not my intent.

No offense taken, no apology necessary. I always look forward to reading your posts and your valuable information.

I used that info I had for sponsored preps because the Falcon Foundation, the USNA Foundation and the USMMA Admissions Office tracks and reports survey data. While no one is formally tracking data on self preps, if the two (self and sponsored) are in the exact same program their data should be similar.

I would disagree, as the "sponsored prepster" has already been chosen by the Academy to receive that scholarship and that academy has a vested monetary interest in appointing them. The "self prepster" has already been rejected and the academy has invested nothing in them.

Once the final numbers for all the SA's for the class of 2016 are in, there is releasable date on total applications, qualified candidates, and appointments offered. I'm willing to predict that the self prep rate from the military junior colleges (i.e. NMMI, Valley Forge, Marion, Wentworth, and Georgia Military) is higher than the national rate. Will that suffice as "fact"?

If you have access to that data, sure, I would love to see a comparison of appointed post-high school applicants - those non-sponsored prepsters who attended a military prep and those who attended "other."

I would predict that the numbers are not much different, and given the high (relative) cost of self prep at those military schools, not worth the risk when the local CC or State U can offer the same courses and the same (or very similar) chances.

:cool:
 
Once the final numbers for all the SA's for the class of 2016 are in, there is releasable date on total applications, qualified candidates, and appointments offered. I'm willing to predict that the self prep rate from the military junior colleges (i.e. NMMI, Valley Forge, Marion, Wentworth, and Georgia Military) is higher than the national rate. Will that suffice as "fact"?

.

I will really love to see the data.

Just to share what I see, of the candidates I have knowledge (I know this very unscientific) of this year two community college, one regular college got appointments offer from my state and one self claimed "self-prep" did not.
 
IMHO, the main issue is what the candidate needs. If he/she has not done as well as he/she could in h.s. due to study habits, lack of discipline, etc., a prep school may be what's needed.

If the candidate is really close in terms of grades and standardized test scores, he/she is probably better off at a regular college taking plebe courses (calc, chem, English, history), focusing on academics, and getting As or maybe Bs.

There is no "magic" formula. As a general rule, reapplying candidates who are o/w strong (sports, leadership) will succeed if they get As in plebe courses. Whether this is at a prep school or college isn't critical. However, USNA has said that the best predictor of doing well at USNA is doing well at a 4-yr college (unless finances make a CC the only option).

If you don't think you'll succeed at college due to study skills, focus, etc., a prep school may be the best option. But you need to consider your situation before making that decision.
 
As a general rule, reapplying candidates who are o/w strong (sports, leadership) will succeed if they get As in plebe courses. Whether this is at a prep school or college isn't critical.

My point exactly.
 
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