Hey everyone... If anybody has any questions they want answered, I'm a current Midshipman (3/C) and I'll be happy to answer. I used this site when I was applying and it's a great tool for anyone interested in the Academy.
Questions for a Current Mid
- Thread starter alecpro
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NDIUSuperfan
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2012
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- 46
How hard is it to balance sports, academics, and military training? What have you liked/disliked about the academy?
Thanks!
You get used to balancing everything the academy puts on your plate, to include sports, school, and other stuff like watch and mandatory lectures. As a plebe you're given time every night to do school work, and sports is a good way to let off some steam. As for military training... well that's just part of the Naval Academy experience that every mid has to deal with. To answer your question: it's not that hard.
The friendships you make here will last a lifetime. Also, I enjoy the ingenious ways mids figure out how to have fun, cause that's the key to getting through this place.
I really dislike a lot of the stupid yet essential stuff that they make us do. For example: Watch, mandatory lectures, parades, parade practices, mandatory formations, etc. All of this stuff is important and necessary, I just don't like doing them
Hope that answers your questions!
I came from New York, which I believe is pretty competitive last time I checked. The thing you have to make clear is your reasoning behind wanting to come here. If you want to serve your country, you can just enlist and do that. If you want to be an officer, you can go to NROTC and go to regular school. If you want to go to the best place in the world, Harvard and Yale are taking applicants. You have to distinguish the Naval Academy from every other opportunity. Other applicants say they wanna do all the things I listed above, but what set me apart was my specific reason why I HAD to come here.
Plebes (as well as all Midshipmen) have a half day schedule on the day before Thanksgiving, and can leave the yard right after school on that Wednesday. Mids need to be back by 8pm on Sunday night. Last year I think we had to be back by 6 on Sunday, this year they pushed it to 8.
My standard questions for midshipmen
Hardest and easiest things?
Also, you not being a Plebe anymore, what insight do you now have that you didn't have a year ago?
Hardest thing: staying awake in class and reading 50 pages of a history textbook every night.
Easiest thing: I get to nap sometimes during the week in between classes (Plebes cannot nap or sleep until after 10pm)
Insight as a Youngster: Plebe life is NOT hard! It's just tedious and long and seems to never end. The tasks they make you do are NOT difficult, although at the time they seemed so.
NDIUSuperfan
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2012
- Messages
- 46
You get used to balancing everything the academy puts on your plate, to include sports, school, and other stuff like watch and mandatory lectures. As a plebe you're given time every night to do school work, and sports is a good way to let off some steam. As for military training... well that's just part of the Naval Academy experience that every mid has to deal with. To answer your question: it's not that hard.
The friendships you make here will last a lifetime. Also, I enjoy the ingenious ways mids figure out how to have fun, cause that's the key to getting through this place.
I really dislike a lot of the stupid yet essential stuff that they make us do. For example: Watch, mandatory lectures, parades, parade practices, mandatory formations, etc. All of this stuff is important and necessary, I just don't like doing them
Hope that answers your questions!
Yes, it does. Also, if you don't mind me asking, what sport do you play?
Thank you! How's summer training?
My concern is that on I Day my BP will be above 140/90. Will they make me go back home? Do they check BP on I day?
The above quote (in one form or another) has appeared in several strings lately and in different posts.
Can you shed any light on this subject?
The above quote (in one form or another) has appeared in several strings lately and in different posts.
Can you shed any light on this subject?
Alec,
Thank you for taking the time to share information with others. DS will hopefully be at USNA next fall. He will have taken 9 or 10 AP classes, and has done pretty well on the AP tests. What is your advice on validating classes? I realize that there is no one answer that will fit everyone, but I am curious about your thoughts and experiences for this question.
BTW - Go Navy and Beat Army!
bandad
Thank you for taking the time to share information with others. DS will hopefully be at USNA next fall. He will have taken 9 or 10 AP classes, and has done pretty well on the AP tests. What is your advice on validating classes? I realize that there is no one answer that will fit everyone, but I am curious about your thoughts and experiences for this question.
BTW - Go Navy and Beat Army!
bandad
Thank you!
I am an Intramural Warrior.. aka a NARP (Non Athletic Regular Person). I play basketball in the fall and 3 on 3 basketball in the spring.
I did not take the AP Physics test. First semester is a basic introduction to Physics and second semester focuses more on thermodynamics, electricity, circuits and stuff like that. On like the third or fourth day of plebe summer you'll take all of the validation exams. TAKE THESE SERIOUSLY! Try and validate as much as possible! If you get an A on the AP Physics test I think you can be placed out of physics, try emailing the department chair to see what he says.
GPA was a 3.0
SAT was 1250 (I think high 600's on the math and in the 500's on the reading)
Male
I was on varsity cross country and varsity basketball. I honestly don't remember all of the clubs i was in. I was logistics coordinator of the SAFE (Student action for environment) club.
As you can see, my grades and extra curricular stuff were not stellar. However, what is most important is your drive and determination to come here. I had to go to a foundation school after high school, but it was well worth it.
Was a normal training schedule... went to norfolk and was on an amphib for a couple weeks, then did YP's the next block, and finally went ahead on my matrix and took Navigation during third block (which i HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!) People now are going crazy cause of Nav and I finished the entire class in a few weeks during the summer.
I had about 10-12 days of leave too.
I do not think they will send you home. If you have been medically qualified by DODMERB then you shouldn't have a problem. All medical tests they do on I day are for their own files and to make sure you have your immunizations (I had three shots on i day).
There were a lot of big football players who i'm sure had high BP but they're all still here. I wouldn't worry about it.
I'm going to assume DS is your son...
My advise on validation is to try and test out of as many classes as possible. There are several reasons for this: Taking 15 credits a semester will be much easier than taking 23 credits, leaving more room for studying, a higher GPA, and a better chance to service select your top choice. Also, having less credits allows you to focus on other leadership opportunities like being President of a club or a Company/Battalion/Brigade position firste year. Furthermore, a majority of your grades will be determined by the PROFESSOR and not you! I spent hours and hours studying for chemistry second semester because my professor was really horrible. Others in my class didn't even read the textbook and got by with an A. Validating classes eliminates this uncertainty and you will have more time to focus on classes with bad teachers.
Overall, validate as much as possible, both online before you get here and during the first week of plebe summer.
Also, there are many graduate programs that are available for people who finish their matrix before second semester firste year. If you finish all required courses before then, you'll get the chance to get a masters at hopkins or georgetown and other places (Paid for by the navy with no additional service requirements)
Hope this answers your question.
--Alec