Exactly....
kpbaseballmom: "The real problem is that there is no good way to accurately know beforehand what life is like at an academy, especially KP. In some ways, the admissions dept. downplays the difficulty of the program."
Very good point. When we did the get together before our mid's overnight, it seemed 75% of the presentation centered on how much money the graduates made! Very little on the curriculum, etc. I mentioned this to a fellow parent and was informed that it had actually been toned down from the one he previously heard!
You are basically being recruited while you are talking to admissions staff etc. - just like at any other college. The overnight visit is a two way street but it's primarily one way - you are being recruited. The application review and selection process is all about your application package. That's why I've said over and over in the discussions about "what to wear, etc." - dress comfortably, ask questions, get the information you want to make your choice/decision. I'm not suggesting you have your DS/DD show up in totally inappropriate attire, I stand by what I've said, except by truly reprehensible/heinous behavior you can't hurt your admission review status by/during an overnight or day visit since no visit is required.
Your interview is your chance to ask the questions you want answered as much as it is for the admissions staff to talk to you.
USMMA, like it's four federal service academy sisters, is categorized by this years US News and World Report college rankings as a "more selective" college for admissions. To keep those standards and attract applications and acceptance of those offered admission, KP like any other school that it competes with for students, needs to attract acceptance of it's admission offers from lots of kids who have choices. During an overnight visit, in addition to explaining the standards they expect applicants to have, they also "sell" the school. If your DS/DD visited KP in the fall or winter, basically anytime prior to Recognition, they spent over 18 hours in the company of an escorting Plebe. During that time, it's hard for me to understand how they didn't get some sort of realistic preview of what their life would be like if they decided to come to the school.
As far as the rigors and how busy they were going to be, etc. again I can't believe that didn't come up at least once during their discussions with the Plebe who was escorting them or that Plebe's friends. Further, the visiting prospective recruit attended classes, etc. as far as understanding the curriculum, etc.
Sure, you never really know what it'll be like until you attend but it's not like during an overnight visit there's any sort of sugar coated, scripted experience.