The Military Prep School Scam

hornetguy

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Made the NYT today. Reminds me of some rejection conversations on the USNA side of the forums.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/09/opinion/nocera-the-military-prep-school-scam.html?ref=opinion

Is there any institution of higher learning that isn’t gaming the system to gain athletic advantage? I’ve come to believe the answer is no.
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Harvard? Last year, before announcing that the university had uncovered widespread cheating, a Harvard administrator sent an e-mail to the university’s resident deans, saying that potentially culpable athletes might withdraw from school temporarily. That way, the cheating scandal wouldn’t cost them eligibility.

On the other side of the country, the University of California, Davis, had long kept athletics in perspective — until 2007, when it inexplicably joined the big boys in Division I. Vowing not to cut any “minor” sports, it did just that as athletic expenses soared. Promising not to lower standards, it abandoned that vow, too. After the U.C. Davis faculty athletic representative refused to support the application of “a talented basketball player with a questionable academic background,” she was removed from that position, according to a report by the Investigative Reporting Program at the University of California, Berkeley. The basketball player was admitted.

Which brings us to today’s subject: the military academies. Incredibly, even the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and West Point, charged with training the next generation of military leaders, systematically abandon their standards and admissions processes when a good athlete is within reach. Their highly questionable enrollment practices make one wonder whether the academies care as much about their mission these days as they do about winning football games.

There are two ways the military academies sneak in athletes who fail to meet their admissions standards. First, they all operate prep schools whose original purpose — preparing promising enlisted personnel for the rigors of an academy education — is long outdated.

Instead, the prep schools, which cost taxpayers around $25 million or so per year, are used for other purposes, including “redshirting” athletes — that is, stockpiling them for a year — when their high school records would prevent them from being admitted directly from high school. For instance, of the 300 students in the 2011 class of the Naval Academy Prep School, 110 are recruited athletes — typical for the other service academies. Oh, and they get paid a monthly stipend — which would seem to be a rather blatant violation of N.C.A.A. rules.

When I talked to academy officials, they pooh-poohed the idea that the prep school was a place to sneak athletes in through the back door. Because athletics are so important, said a public affairs officer, “we consider every midshipman to be an athlete.”

But the statistics tell a different story. Nearly 80 percent of the 52-member Navy lacrosse team came through the Naval Academy Prep School; for returning football lettermen, the percentage is around two-thirds.

Meanwhile, West Point recently built a new $107 million campus for its prep school. An aerial shot of the new campus on the Military Academy Prep School Web site highlights its dominant feature: acres of lush athletic fields.

The second scam involves the nonprofit foundations that exist to give financial support to the service academies. Among other things, the foundations offer scholarships to athletes to go to certain prep schools that stress certain sports — with the proviso, of course, that they then attend whichever service academy the boosters are supporting. (In 2010, when a Naval Academy athlete who had gotten in via the foundation route tried to withdraw, saying “this isn’t the place for me,” the foundation demanded the return of his prep school “scholarship” money.)

Although Ed Wallace, a retired Navy captain who runs the Naval Academy foundation’s “athletic and scholarship programs,” denied that it directed athletes to certain schools — or that it singled out recruited athletes for financial support — a document outlining this contractual obligation is on the Naval Academy Foundation’s Web site. Or rather, it was. It was removed in 2012, when the N.C.A.A. began an investigation into the practices of the prep schools and the foundations. (Despite some pretty obvious violations of its rules, the N.C.A.A. dropped the investigation last year.)

Of course, these practices are troubling for reasons that go far beyond the N.C.A.A. Is it really appropriate for our military academies to favor recruited athletes over more qualified candidates? Surely there’s a lot more at stake when the academies lower their admissions standards than when, say, Auburn does.

There is also the sequester. The Navy right now is in the process of canceling deployments, grounding airplanes and deferring ship maintenance. The civilian faculty members at the Naval Academy have been told that they will have to take a 14-day furlough sometime before the end of the semester. But I don’t see anyone suggesting cutting back on the prep school or the athletic teams.

Of course not. After all, Navy is joining the Big East in 2015.
 
I've always wondered if there never was enough qualified candidates each cycle?
At least that's what's been used as a reason why they have prep. Guess redshirting athletes and virtually guaranteeing a slot for reapplicants that did not make the cut the previous year lessens the odds of getting an appointment straight from HS even if you're qualified.
 
the article is only slightly misleading...:mad:

I mean the academies are hoarding D-I athletes like crazy...right?

and upon accepting scholarships from alumni organizations of said academies, which clearly state that every effort to make progress towards attending said prep school must be made, or the scholly must be repaid; it is obvious these young men/women are being completely manipulated in the process. It is outrageous to expect them to attend the school of the alumni group granting the scholly- a scholarship available to non-athletes as well. Pure craziness!

"acres of lush athletic fields..." A football field is more than an acre, and if it is watered, maybe that qualifies as a lush...


The writer is trying to create some expose on the academies and fails miserably.
 
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If the SAs are turning away qualified applicants each year, why are appointments reserved for prep grads that didn't make the cut the previous year? Besides athletes recruited for their athletic potential, how about the non-athletes? If they were deemed unworthy of an appointment, because their stats aren't good enough, why not just give it to someone who is already qualified without any prepping?
 
If the SAs are turning away qualified applicants each year, why are appointments reserved for prep grads that didn't make the cut the previous year? Besides athletes recruited for their athletic potential, how about the non-athletes? If they were deemed unworthy of an appointment, because their stats aren't good enough, why not just give it to someone who is already qualified without any prepping?

"original purpose — preparing promising enlisted personnel for the rigors of an academy education."

For West Point, the law authorizes 85 appointments for active duty soldiers and 85 appointments for reserve soldiers.
 
If the SAs are turning away qualified applicants each year, why are appointments reserved for prep grads that didn't make the cut the previous year? Besides athletes recruited for their athletic potential, how about the non-athletes? If they were deemed unworthy of an appointment, because their stats aren't good enough, why not just give it to someone who is already qualified without any prepping?


Hear, hear!
 
But the statistics tell a different story. Nearly 80 percent of the 52-member Navy lacrosse team came through the Naval Academy Prep School

And when some of those lacrosse "prepsters" are coming from such prestigious private college prep schools such as Boys Latin, Gilman, Good Counsel, Loyola-Blakefield, etc you can be sure it's not because they are lacking in any academic qualifications.

And when a standout basketball player from Carroll County MD - a high academic performing county in a state with the highest rated public schools in the nation - wins the county scholar athlete award - and yet is sent to NAPS for a year - any denial of athletic redshirting cannot be reasonable explained.

Mullen loves to play because it’s a challenge, a test to see how well he can perform in a pressure situation. He does the same thing with academics, carrying a 4.02 weighted grade-point average and membership in the National Honor Society.

Mullen made the honor roll in every semester while he was at South Carroll.

"You look up high school athlete, you should have a picture of him right there,” Goff said in March. “He’s the epitome of what you want as a scholar-athlete. Good grades, good student, top-of-the-line kid.”

Before he can play for the Midshipmen, Mullen is headed to the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, R.I. He reports July 22 for three weeks of “plebe summer,” the Navy’s physical training regimen, and then embarks on a year-long journey of classes and basketball before he can enroll at Annapolis.
 
I would say whoever wrote this article does not understand the full ramifications of a service academy and its prep school... and is probably not qualified to write about a subject. Besides, as a journalist is to report the facts, not put a spin on it that makes such a prestigious institution look bad.
 
"original purpose — preparing promising enlisted personnel for the rigors of an academy education."

For West Point, the law authorizes 85 appointments for active duty soldiers and 85 appointments for reserve soldiers.

This makes perfect sense. The rest of appointments given to reapplicants-i don't know:confused:
 
And when some of those lacrosse "prepsters" are coming from such prestigious private college prep schools such as Boys Latin, Gilman, Good Counsel, Loyola-Blakefield, etc you can be sure it's not because they are lacking in any academic qualifications.


Having actually worked with kids from some of th prestigious private college prep schools in Baltimore, I can tell you that there are many kids with below average standardize test scores applying to West Point from those schools.

Don't want to stereotype, but some of students at those schools are there because their parents are rich. Good system can only do so much.
 
I would say whoever wrote this article does not understand the full ramifications of a service academy and its prep school... and is probably not qualified to write about a subject. Besides, as a journalist is to report the facts, not put a spin on it that makes such a prestigious institution look bad.

He, just what is the purpose of a service academy and its prep school? What would be the ramifications of de-emphasizing athletics?

Harvard, Middlebury and the rest have their holding pens, but we don't pay for them.

If this is spin..."But the statistics tell a different story. Nearly 80 percent of the 52-member Navy lacrosse team came through the Naval Academy Prep School; for returning football lettermen, the percentage is around two-thirds."...then tell us how we should interpret it.
 
I would say whoever wrote this article does not understand the full ramifications of a service academy and its prep school... and is probably not qualified to write about a subject. Besides, as a journalist is to report the facts, not put a spin on it that makes such a prestigious institution look bad.

Support your argument with some facts and figures. Disprove him on the merits of the claim. When you don't address the merits of the case and just discredit the author, then it becomes easier to believe him since I'd have to assume you don't have a case to disprove the claims. He did provide figures.

On another note - as a USAFA grad, this isn't any news to me.
 
If the SA athletic teams were dominating NCAA competition, I could be more easily persuaded that a "scam" is occurring.
 
My solution to the redshirt issue: all physical training at the taxpayer supported prep schools will be for service related conditioning only - no sport specific coaches will be allowed, no equipment or facilities not found on a standard installation physical fitness center will be allowed. Physical training will be limited to 1 hour per day with the remaining time devoted to academics.

Anyone want to place money on how many of the next season's lacross players would attend?
 
When my son was coming out of HS, a Lax coach from USMA approached his club coach about him playing at Army. My son's coach informed him that he already had LOA's to USNA and USAFA. The WP coach told our club coach that they would not be able to justify sending him to USMAP if he was already accepted to the othe two academies. He told our coach that they like to send the kids there for a year of seasoning.
 
WELL THEN

I rather have school of athletes who simply need help with some areas of study than a whole school full of book worms. Cadets should be well rounded and capable to participate in sports which in turn enhance character. I do believe that Prep Students should NOT receive stipend. They are being offered a chance to attend a service academy a year later for free. That is one mans opinion and regardless, a service academy is usually filled with cadets whop have participated in varsity sports so it isn't a big deal. Prep schools keep students from having to pay a year of college in attempt to reapply the following year which keeps them from maintaing a job and school work simultaneously which can keep them from enhancing their skills in math and sciences which was probably the downfall to begin with.
 
I rather have school of athletes who simply need help with some areas of study than a whole school full of book worms. Cadets should be well rounded and capable to participate in sports which in turn enhance character. I do believe that Prep Students should NOT receive stipend. They are being offered a chance to attend a service academy a year later for free. That is one mans opinion and regardless, a service academy is usually filled with cadets whop have participated in varsity sports so it isn't a big deal. Prep schools keep students from having to pay a year of college in attempt to reapply the following year which keeps them from maintaing a job and school work simultaneously which can keep them from enhancing their skills in math and sciences which was probably the downfall to begin with.
As you said the cadets are mostly high school varsity athletes. So it is not likely that the prep school is needed to ensure enough athletic cadets get in. If this is the case, why should the taxpayers pay for a year of prep rather than admitting one of the already fully qualified candidates that got the TWE?
 
If the SA athletic teams were dominating NCAA competition, I could be more easily persuaded that a "scam" is occurring.

Depends on your definition of dominating (I am just pointing out athletic accomplishments)

Navy football has been pretty successful last several years
Within last 10 years, Navy men's lacrosse made it to the NCAA final

Army Lacrosse qualified for NCAA tournments a few times in last 10 years.

Air Force was football program was good.
 
Just so you know, it's not like they automatically waiver everything for athletes. I have an applicant this year who is a highly recruited athlete. He is also fortunate enough to be a 3.89gpa, excellent test scores, etc.... He received a CONDITIONAL APPOINTMENT which he accepted. The condition was requiring a medical waiver for something most of us consider pretty insignificant. It was a sports injury that happened a few years ago. it was repaired. Obviously, he's still playing sports and kicking butt. However; we just found out that the academy who has final say so on waivers, DENIED his waiver. Again; highly recruited athlete. Top % of his class. All AP classes. Excellent ACT/SAT test scores. The injury was sports related, repaired a few years ago, and he's still playing his sport. Yet, they denied.

I also know of one a couple years back who was nationally ranked athlete. Highly recruited by everyone. Recruited by air force academy. Not the greatest GPA or ACT/SAT test scores, but not the worst i've seen either. Right at the line of meeting minimum standards. He had coaches and everyone fighting for him. The academy turned him down and didn't offer him a prep-school slot either.

Not saying that there isn't some favoritism given to athletes and minorities coming to the prep school and/or the academy. Simply saying that it's not a blanket given that if a coach wants a player, that they automatically get them no matter what. I've seen first hand, more than once, where the academy didn't feel the individual met or would meet the requirements to attend the academy, graduate, and go on to be a quality officer, and they simply turned them down. Also, FWIW: I've seen first hand where a highly nationally ranked athlete was being recruited to the academy, and the "Head Coach" stopped it. He said he didn't feel that this individual could make it through the academy and on to being a commissioned officer. Which he said is the #1 goal.

Again; not saying there isn't some preference to athletes and minorities, but it's not an automatic: "You're one of the best athletes, you're AUTOMATICALLY getting an appointment/prep slot". Too many times it's not that way. Not arguing it doesn't happen, just that the coaches aren't God. Just because they want someone, doesn't mean they'll get them.
 
When another four degree in my squadron from the prep school is a recruited football athlete from the prep school is on Academic Probation and struggling through Calculus 1, plus has gotten in trouble for being over the fence at USAFA, and has gotten an alcohol hit at the Prep School.... well, I don't think he's "highly qualified." His other buddy on the football team chose to leave after the first semester because he had I think a 1.3ish GPA.

I also spoke with a preppy who is now a three degree, I hope I get his numbers right. He said of the 250 or so that started at the Prep School, 200 entered USAFA. 3 Semesters into USAFA, there were 80 left. The overall graduation rate is about 80%, depending on where you get your numbers.

The Academy can't make you an "officer of character" if you don't graduate...
 
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