I'll be going there next year, but my current knowledge is limited to my pre-knob visit
-How many cadets are housed in one room?
Rooms either house 2, 3, or 4 cadets.
-Are the rooms equipped with bathrooms or showers?(if not, how does this work?)
Bathrooms and showers are located on each floor I believe. The rooms do have a sink and a mirror though.
-What are the weekends like for cadets?
This one i really would like to know more about too. But this is what i know: Some weekends cadets are allowed to leave campus as long as they are back before curfew (midnight for knobs, 1 AM for upperclassmen i believe), and for others they have to stay on campus. On Sundays cadets go to either a religious service or an ethics seminar, and on Saturdays they may have inspections.
-How difficult is the academic portion at The Citadel generally?
I didn't get a chance to attend a class while I was there, but I was impressed with the Honors Program. As a whole though, I think that academics there will be tough since cadets also take ROTC classes and Physical education, and have to adhere to such a regimented lifestyle. On the other hand, the structure and Evening Study Periods would seem to ensure that cadets would study enough.
-When and what are the room inspections like?
There are some scheduled inspections on Saturdays, but I think there are also impromptu ones as well.
-What is a typical day like for a first year?
All cadets have a daily schedule that they have to adhere to, including attendance at meals, formations, parades, etc. Knobs do have a much different year though. I've found that the book
In the Company of Men: A woman at The Citadel by Nancy Mace is an excellent resource. Being the first woman graduate, she does address the differences in treatment that she encountered from her peers and the system, but the majority of the book was focused on knob year.
Also, I found this section from the article on "How the Citadel works" from
Howstuffworks
For knobs, most days begin around 6 a.m. They must get ready by 7 a.m. for formation and breakfast mess. (There's even a specified time slot designated "personal hygiene" on the Citadel's official 24-hour schedule!) Their squad leaders inspect them, sometimes assigning push-ups before marching them to morning mess. As we mentioned, knobs sit erect at mess, observe table manners, serve upperclass cadets, eat quickly and answer questions when asked. After breakfast, they report back to their barracks to get ready for 8 a.m. classes.
Citadel classes are much like those in other universities. The faculty consists of male and female professors. Approximately 99 percent of the faculty have a terminal degree (the highest degree a professional can earn in her or her field [source: The Citadel]. Citadel classes have a low faculty-to-student ratio (approximately 14:1) [source: The Citadel]. Class attendance is mandatory, with few exceptions.
At noon, knobs gather for lunch formation and a repeat of the morning routine. Afternoon classes last from 1 to 4. Physical training (PT) usually occurs on Monday and Thursday mornings and some Friday afternoons for all cadets. Like breakfast and lunch, knobs assemble for evening mess and march there at 6 p.m. After dinner, they head back to the barracks to take care of any duties they may have or to attend club meetings. Mandatory evening study period begins at 8. Cadets may study in their rooms or other campus buildings, but they must be back in their rooms by 10:30 p.m. for accountability check-in. Lights-out is at 11 p.m.
Amid that tight schedule, all cadets take part twice a week in drill periods and parade practice. Parade is where the cadet companies march in formation for review by the commanders. On Friday afternoons, the Corps of Cadets assembles for the weekly military dress parade. On weekends, knobs usually get a breather for study, rest and general leave.
Hope this helps!
