equestriangrl93
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2011
- Messages
- 77
What are some reasons people decide not to attend a Service Academy after getting a nomination or appointment?
Fear and worry is common, one that you will get passed. I also agree with why many leave the SAs...it was never their desire, but felt they must do it because of outside influences.
I'd place USNAs poli sci/govt/security studies/comparative politics up against any undergrad program on the planet ... Gtown, Hopkins, Tufts, Ivies, anyplace. This one is a no-brainer.
They show up in lists of top colleges and engineering programs but I've never seen them listed as a top political science school.
It sometimes works the other way: A candidate, rather lukewarm about the prospect of serving in the military, is coerced into applying to a service academy and, once they get there, they discover that it is a perfect fit for them. They love it!
Although, I will admit, this is not ideal - and I wouldn't count on it turning out that way. But, it does happen.
I, for one, went to the Naval Academy for many of the wrong reasons. I wasn't influenced by my parents, but I was enamored with the idea of attending without really thinking it through. I had no idea what it meant to serve in the military. Serving as an officer in the Navy was not high on my list. I just thought it would be cool to attend the United States Naval Academy.
And when I got there - I hated it! I discovered I had no interest in anything nautical. I didn't even like sailing. It sure seemed like a lot of work to get from point A to point B. (Now you know why I chose aviation)
But, not being a quitter - I gave it a little time and I discovered it was the perfect school for me. I just needed to mature a bit. I don't think my story is all that unusual.
I am positive that the SA's have a great govt program, but again, it goes back to the entire curriculum. For his college, he loved the idea that he was going to intern on the Hill. He also is in their Scholars program for govt., which requires seminars and internships. This type of learning appealed to him since it was not just classroom experience, but "real world".
There's hardly any curriculum in the world that comes close to the service academies as far as preparing their graduates for the "real world" of their future occupation - that of a military officer.