I'm a high school senior. Right now I have a 3.66(top 25% of class) but it should be more like a 3.75 by the time I graduate because of weighted AP classes. I scored a 1330/1600 on the SAT and did four years of marching band and have lots of community service. I know well that the date to apply and attend USNA has passed. For the past couple years my first choice for college has been Virginia Military Institute which is in-state, I'm a legacy because my dad went and my parents are willing to pay my tuition because they saved up money for me. I am finishing up my application for VMI and am planning on doing early decision. Now looking at all my options I see that the USNA is a great option. I don't know how my chances would have been to be accepted but I'm now thinking that I might try to attend the SA after a year at VMI. There are pros and cons to both. I am leaning toward trying to commission into the Marine Corps but right now I'm not really in good enough shape physically. Also I'm looking at majoring in Mechanical Engineering which both schools have a good program in. I'm looking at playing rugby too. If I do VMI like i planned i might completely fall in love and want to finish my degree but I feel as USNA will put me on a better track to succeed as an Officer in the Marine Corps and beyond. Statistics online indicate that USNA grads make 20,000+ more just 5 years after graduating.( http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/best-schools-by-type/bachelors/public-schools ) Maybe that shouldn't matter at all though. My dad definitely wants me to do VMI, he didn't accept a commission though. I just want to do whats best for me. Although braving rat year and then excelling enough to get accepted enough to get accepted to USNA before doing plebe year is daunting, this time at VMI to get in shape and prove I can do well in an intense military environment could be imperative to me getting accepted into the Naval Academy. According to the USNA class of 2020, they only accepted 85 kids with prior college experience making admissions seem competitive. I'm also worried about how my credits from a year at VMI and from AP courses in High School would transfer. The vibe i get from other threads is that VMI is a fine institution but when it comes to commissioning as an officer, a SA will leave you more prepared which is why i want to pursue it. Is it worth it to entertain the idea of doing 4 years of USNA after a year of VMI, or nah? I'm trying to get the jump on this question as early as possible so come next year I'm not regretting not trying. Thanks to anyone willing to respond!