Overnight Visit

dlarts

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Jul 13, 2009
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My son is scheduled for an overnight visit next week.

Any advice on what to wear/what to bring? We're wondering if khaki slacks and a short sleeve dress shirt is appropriate to wear to visit classes. Then we engaged in the "tie vs. no tie" debate. And after classes in the evening, does he need to have something more casual like shorts? I don't know what happens in the evening.

Probably sounds like a dumb question but any feedback is most welcome!
 
My son did an overnight visit. I do remember one thing he didn't have that he wished he would have brought. He didn't go to any classes, it was more sports related, however, he wore a collared shirt and khakis. That night, the boys played some basketball and he didn't bring shorts and sneakers with him so he had to borrow some. I'm sorry I don't know about attire for classes.
 
First Impressions !!

You only get one chance to do it. Think about the value of a academy education. I would take my first impression very seriously. Think about it ! Good luck ! :thumb:
 
Our DS did an overnight.... I have posted previously regarding there being an "Interview" ....you might want to take a look at that thread.....back to your question:

He wore Business Casual (Suit with a collard Polo with top button buttoned) during the "Interview Phase"

He also wished for a little more casual attire for the time after the interview. A change of clothes shorts, athletic shoes, T-shirts etc. would come in handy.

Really wish we were plugged into this forum back then (end of his Junior year of H.S. WAY back in 2008!!!)

Good Luck !!!
 
You might want to call:
Questions or Comments
Shirley Anthony
Parents' Program Coordinator
USMMA Parents Assoc.
Kings Point, NY 11024
516-773-5105
 
Ours wore jacket and tie to class and had his running outfit and shoes for a track workout later. Have your son call their admissions person on campus and ask about any sports equipment. Our son was told to bring his running outfit as he was a track member in high school.

Also note where your son bunks on his overnight. Ours did both a day visit junior year and an overnight senior year. Both times they gave him to a track member in Band Company. And now, he is on the cross country team and in Band Company. They all but told him he would be in Band Company on both visits and they were right. All those years of listening to him honk away on his sax finally bore fruit!
 
kahki pants and a short sleeve dress shirt are fine and I believe totally apropriate - assuming they are neat, clean and pressed, your kid will likely make as good an impression as if he wears a suit and will be fair more comfortable. I'd bring athletic gear (gym shorts, t-shirt (no inapproriate pics or logos on the t-shirt) and perhaps even a bathing suit. I'b bring a spare clean pair of kahkis and shirt for day 2 as well. He should be well groomed (whatever that means to him as regards haircut, etc.) as well. That's my 2 cents...and despite all the other posts here he and you should realize and use the visit even more for him to decide if KP is for him as the Academy will use the visit to check him out. I've said this before - visits are not required so I don't believe nor do I know of anyone who didn't get in because of them not waearing a suit on an overnight visit.

Yes work to make a good impression but to do that and accomplish the second part - answer "is this place for me?" he also has to be himself and comfortable.

If you want to call someone on this topic, you are probvably already speaking to the right people - the admissions staff.
 
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dlarts, I would like to hear how your son's visit goes. I will be at the academy for an overnight Sep. 9th and 10th!
 
My son wore a suit to the info session, then had kahkis and ironed polo for classes. He had shorts, sneakers and ironed T-shirts. I think he complained of being over dressed but he is in so you never know what impact the suit made. Remember you only get to make a first impression once. When I picked up DS he told me that he felt he could be happy at KP and he is!!!
 
Thanks so much for all the great feedback.

DS is totally jazzed about this visit. He lives and breathes the regimental lifestyle and would never be happy in a "traditional" college.

He is a musician so I'm expecting he'll end up with a host from Band Company.

Downhiller2010 - will keep you posted.
 
Oh please make sure your son's hair is cut neatly. There was a young man I recently saw walking about with a Plebe Candidate for his overnight visit, and he had extremely shaggy and unkept hair. It looked awful, and I was thinking, this kid must not really want to come to KP if this is the way he shows up for an overnight visit. ugh! I bet admissions viewed him the same way.
 
Please keep posting intel on overnight visits

Thanks for the information to date, Please keep posting impressions of overnight visits after your son or daughter visits. The tip about basketball type gym clothes seems very helpful. I am sure that there are more ideas or suggestions out there. Thanks.
 
One thing that would have been useful when our DS made his visit - bringing a sleeping bag. My understanding is that none of the PCs actually sleep in their bunks, they all use sleeping bags, so it would be useful for him to bring his own rather than have him "mess up" one of their racks.
 
cots

It is the responcibility of the host to get his recruit a cot to sleep on for the night. When I had my recruit stay with me he used my foot blanket and slept on a cot that I was able to get. There are cots availible recruits should not be sleeping on the ground.
 
A post overnight visit update........

The visit was a HUGE success. DS had a great time and learned a lot. He had exacly everything he needed with him, thanks to the kind folks who provided feedback on this forum.


For the benefit of any other parents facing this overnight visit, here is my two cents worth. Dress and grooming are extremely important in any "first impression" college situation, but probably even more so in this arena. I don't think it's necessary to go overboard, but my son wore crisply pressed khakis, dress shirt and tie. He brought a second similar outfit for the next day.

We were told by the admissions office that he should be sure to bring a towel and toiletry items and I imagine most people would expect that requirement.

But here is something to keep in mind when packing..... When calling to schedule the overnight visit, you may be asked what activities your child has an interest in - in our case, my son's application had already been submitted and when we called to schedule, the person in the office already knew what activities he was interested in from the application and just verified.

Keep those activites in mind when packing. I wasn't sure what to expect so we packed a pair of athletic shorts, T-shirt (I recommend that you are mindful of slogans and artwork on those T-shirts), socks and running shoes. On a last minute hunch, I threw a pair of swim trunks in the duffle bag* (I'll get back to the duffle bag in a second).

The academy seems to try and match up visitors with students who are already involved in the activity your child is looking at. I sort of expected that but in my son's case, he was interested in band, sailing and crew. I wasn't sure what combination of clothing would work for any or none of those possibilities but I figured a generic pair of shorts, T-shirt and running shoes was a good compromise.

It worked out perfectly as he changed into those clothes to go to practice with the offshore sailing team. He didn't have his boat shoes or sailing gloves, but he made out just fine. Luckily he had his sunglasses with him.

He said he got to sleep on a cot in the room with his host and roommates and then attended morning classes with his host. Cot and bedding was provided.

Rewind to duffle bag topic... keep in mind when packing your child for this visit that room is probably at a premium. We sail and have always had space issues when trying to squeeze two adults, two children and one dog onto a sailboat with the assorted "stuff" that is required to keep all those people (and dog) fed, clothed and amused while afloat. Duffle bags are usually a manageable size and pliable enough to fit into tight spaces when room is not abundant. Your host student will probably be forever grateful to the families who pack the visitor's necessitites in a modest size duffle, rather than a big old, rectangular, hard sided wheeled suitcase!

Again, my profound thanks for all the posts giving me feedback in preparing for this visit. Had I not been alerted here, I would not have realized that casual clothes/shoes would be needed for the evening. THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!
 
Ha sounds like my roomate was your sons honor guard
 
KP13,
That may very well be the case! If so, you guys made him feel very welcome and he had nothing but praise for all of you.
 
Folks Many of You are likely to simmer at me about this comment/reaction but I have t

Re

A post overnight visit update........

.... For the benefit of any other parents facing this overnight visit, here is my two cents worth. .... I wasn't sure what to expect so we packed a pair of athletic shorts, T-shirt (I recommend that you are mindful of slogans and artwork on those T-shirts), socks and running shoes. On a last minute hunch, I threw a pair of swim trunks in the duffle bag* (I'll get back to the duffle bag in a second).... Had I not been alerted here, I would not have realized that casual clothes/shoes would be needed for the evening. THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!

So as I've mentioned I've been acting as an Admissions Field Rep for over 20 years and have seen numerous kids go through this process and helped them do so. I continue to try and point out that attending an Academy generally has to the 18 - 25 year old who will attend's decision, else they will generally probably NOT make it through the Academy. As always especially as regard Midshipment who enter the Academy directly from High School, parents have a strong incentive on a number of fronts to want their children to attend a Federal Service Academy if they can indeed get in. That said, pushing a child to attend, including doing the necessary steps and preparation, nagging them about wearing clothes and acting like someone they may not otherwise be during an overnight vist, etc. can and usually does backfire.

For example in the case of my own DS' current Class - 2012 when they entered in July of 2009; 299 reported by the end of Indoc over 20 had resigned of their own volition - that included several "legacies" sons and or daughters of graduates who should have known well what they were getting into and shopuld have known they really wanted to go to KP.

While I applaud folks desire to support their DS or DD's efforts to gain admission to a Federal Academy if at this juncture you are still telling them what to pack and/or packing for them maybe several things bear consideration:

a) they really don't want to go and check out the school because they want to go to a "normal college" - "like most of the rest of their friends" or

b) they need to be let go and you need to let them go so they will be mature enough to get through the enevitable rougher moments they will face between the minute you leave the Academy grounds when they report and they come home and/or you see them at Christmas - even if you live close and they get home before that - they will both feel the desire and have the need to look inward and decide if they really want to go through the challenges they will see others going through between the moment they have that "aha" moment and their graduation 3 1/2 - 4 years in the future.

Sorry to be so blunt and rough and I know a lot of folks on here seem to take pride in the term "helocopter parent" and/or being very involved in their DS and/or DD's decision but I caution you all to let them explore, be themselves and make this their own decision - and also to require them to do some of the work for it on their own so they believe you when you tell them it is their decision. They will likely need to really know that at least once during their first 6 months at the Academy to get through a down momeent that could last days or even weeks...
 
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