Boys State or NASS?

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ctkttww

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My DS has applied to NASS. Due to the fact that he plays competitive baseball, he is only able to attend session one of NASS if selected. Boys State is the same week. Which one would be more advantageous on his USNA application?

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My understanding from people on this forum that are way smarter than I am is that NASS does not add points to your WCS but Boys State does.
 
No Brainer.....

Boys State...it counts towards your leadership

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
Boys State most definitely. I had to cancel NASS because of Girls State, and the coordinator who I emailed said "congrats on your acceptance to Girls State" and I was later invited to a CVW.

Attending Boys State also means you have a chance at Boys Nation (I attended both Girls State and Nation, and was able to speak with my MOC each personally and discuss SA's while in DC) Both were valuable experiences for me, and 3 out of the four GN/BN senators who wanted to attend the SA's have already been appointed (two to westpoint and one to USNA)

However, that is just my two cents :)
 
Getting SELECTED to Boys State is what gives you points on your WCS. I would imagine there are some who get chosen and then for any number of reasons are unable to attend.
 
My DS was in a similar position last year (different sport though). He went to States because in his words, "that isn't a choice, but a commitment to his team". It all worked out for him-he didn't attend NASS, but did receive an appointment.
 
time2 said:
Getting SELECTED to Boys State is what gives you points on your WCS. I would imagine there are some who get chosen and then for any number of reasons are unable to attend.
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One of the SA's (sorry - can't remember now which one it was) said the opposite -- that it was participation in / completion of BS that mattered, and wanted a copy of the certificate when he was done.

It's been said several times already, but DS was also told that Boys State would be a better choice than SLE if it came down to it.
 
The decision to apply to a service academy and the associated commitment to military service is a BIG, life changing decision. You should take every opportunity to learn about the academy whether it be NASS or CVW when you are applying so you can learn as much about what this involves as possible. You might also consider a different NASS session. You can look back on posts from last year as this gets discussed quite often. I also think most coaches would understand that you have to make choices about where your future is headed.
 
Try for CVW

As stated by some of the BGOs on this forum, NASS is primarily a marketing tool for the Academy, with a summer camp type atmosphere, and going or not won't have any effect on an applicant's chances. Candidate Visit Weekend (CVW) provides a much better snapshot of life at the USNA, especially if you can arrange a CVW in Jan-Feb.

time2 said:
The decision to apply to a service academy and the associated commitment to military service is a BIG, life changing decision. You should take every opportunity to learn about the academy whether it be NASS or CVW when you are applying so you can learn as much about what this involves as possible. You might also consider a different NASS session. You can look back on posts from last year as this gets discussed quite often. I also think most coaches would understand that you have to make choices about where your future is headed.
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I attended Boy's State and it carried a lot of weight for me on scholarships (especially AROTC). I would say Boy's State
 
As stated by some of the BGOs on this forum, NASS is primarily a marketing tool for the Academy, with a summer camp type atmosphere, and going or not won't have any effect on an applicant's chances. Candidate Visit Weekend (CVW) provides a much better snapshot of life at the USNA, especially if you can arrange a CVW in Jan-Feb.
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I wouldn't state it quite that way. For those who are unsure whether USNA is right for them, attending NASS can help with that decision. While it is not nearly as rigorous a program as Plebe Summer, it does include elements of what life will be like as a mid. For quite a few people, NASS either cements their desire to attend or makes them sure they don't want to apply.

CVW provides a different type of snapshot in that the entire brigade is there, you attend real classes, get to see all four classes of mids, etc. That said, for the most part, you're observing, not doing and sometimes that can skew your views/decisions.

Finally, if you attend NASS and do well there, it can slightly help your chances for admission. However, the "bump" you get is probably less than what you'd get from Boy's State. Not attending NASS does not hurt you.

The above said, if you cannot make another NASS session, I would probably opt for Boy's State and ask for a CVW unless you are very undecided about whether USNA is right for you. In that case, I would probably do NASS.
 
My DS had same decision and went to NASS and would not take back the experience for anything. It truly cemented his desire to be there over all else. I cannot speak for what Boys State would have offered.
 
usna1985 said:
I wouldn't state it quite that way. For those who are unsure whether USNA is right for them, attending NASS can help with that decision. While it is not nearly as rigorous a program as Plebe Summer, it does include elements of what life will be like as a mid. For quite a few people, NASS either cements their desire to attend or makes them sure they don't want to apply.

CVW provides a different type of snapshot in that the entire brigade is there, you attend real classes, get to see all four classes of mids, etc. That said, for the most part, you're observing, not doing and sometimes that can skew your views/decisions.

Finally, if you attend NASS and do well there, it can slightly help your chances for admission. However, the "bump" you get is probably less than what you'd get from Boy's State. Not attending NASS does not hurt you.

The above said, if you cannot make another NASS session, I would probably opt for Boy's State and ask for a CVW unless you are very undecided about whether USNA is right for you. In that case, I would probably do NASS.
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Today, DS received an invitation for a CVW, and has been on an unofficial visit with the baseball team last fall during the fall Baseball Showcase Camp. He is pretty sure of his desire, wanting to go to USNA since about 4th grade. I think he would rather go to NASS over Boys State, but only because he wants to be in Annapolis so bad! I am thinking Boys State may be the way to go to help with his qualifications. Thanks, I really trust your advice!!
 
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