Questions Thread

Chockstock said:
That doesn't sound too bad :smile: Where is Jefferson Hall? I remember at SLS there was this place that kind of looked like a bar and there was a bunch of cadets eating and relaxing in there but I dont remember the name of it

lol MREs...I had trouble opening those
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Jefferson Hall is the new library.

There is also a smoothie store in the gym and a Burger King at the PX.
 
how do weekends look like for the typical plebe during the academic year? I understand that there are very few weekends where one can go out and "sight see"...so that begs the question of what goes on during all the other weekends
 
WP hopeful said:
how do weekends look like for the typical plebe during the academic year? I understand that there are very few weekends where one can go out and "sight see"...so that begs the question of what goes on during all the other weekends
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Some have football games, some have military training, some have academic time, and some are free. All of them will have enough free time for you to walk around campus and enjoy the scenery if you want. It all comes down to time management. It also depends on how easy you learn, some need to put forth more effort into school than others hence less time.
 
1. If you took classes over the summer at a different university, would the credits transfer over to West Point?


2. If you do decide to become an exchange student, are you only allowed to become exchange students to foreign military academies or regular colleges?


3. How competitive is it to become an exchange student and can you choose where you want to go?
 
Chockstock said:
1. If you took classes over the summer at a different university, would the credits transfer over to West Point?


2. If you do decide to become an exchange student, are you only allowed to become exchange students to foreign military academies or regular colleges?


3. How competitive is it to become an exchange student and can you choose where you want to go?
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1) No, you can only validate certain classes by taking validation exams but credits do not transfer here.

2) You can also exchange to a foreign civilian college.

3) Yes, it is competitive.
 
Just to be clear:
McDonalds is off-post.
Subway and Burger King are on-post.
Grant Hall is a self-serve kind of place with pizza, chinese, soup, sandwiches, ice cream etc. Plebes can get takeout food there but are not allowed to eat in there (but they can eat there with visiting family). There are TV's all around so it is a good place to hang out (if you're not a Plebe!). We love eating there when visiting because the food is good and we get to be amongst the WP'ers.

There are many restaurants/pizza places in Highland Falls that deliver on-post. Gift certificates/accounts to these places are popular gifts! We have an account at a restaurant called Shades that we put $ into and our Plebe can order out or go there on week-ends and treat his friends!
 
Not sure if this is true or not, but have been told this is the only McDonalds in the US that delivers.
Our family enjoys Tony's pizza in Highland Falls and the breakfast diner across the street from Duncan Donuts (name has escaped me). Their pancakes are really something!
While you will not have the choices you are used to while at West Point, you will not starve, either. :thumb:
 
America's Finest said:
3) Yes, it is competitive.
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What are the selections criteria? Also, are there only semester long foreign exchange programs or year long ones?

BTW how big is the study abroad program at WP? I'm fairly interested in doing it if I could get an opportunity to do so and want to know what colleges and countries are offered etc


4. According to what some cadet said for the Princeton Review, cadet life is really tough the first two years and gets "much better" during the last two. Is this true? How much more "freedom" do upperclassmen get?
http://www.dean.usma.edu/documents/PrincetonReview-USMA.PDF

5. How often do cadets usually go to New York?

6. Can you stay overnight in the city (ie over the weekend)?

7. Other than Highland Falls, what other cities are nearby the campus?
 
Also, what is the average height at West Point (does anyone keep track of it :confused:)? I'm kind of scared of being on the shorter side
 
Chockstock said:
What are the selections criteria? Also, are there only semester long foreign exchange programs or year long ones?

BTW how big is the study abroad program at WP? I'm fairly interested in doing it if I could get an opportunity to do so and want to know what colleges and countries are offered etc


4. According to what some cadet said for the Princeton Review, cadet life is really tough the first two years and gets "much better" during the last two. Is this true? How much more "freedom" do upperclassmen get?
http://www.dean.usma.edu/documents/PrincetonReview-USMA.PDF

5. How often do cadets usually go to New York?

6. Can you stay overnight in the city (ie over the weekend)?

7. Other than Highland Falls, what other cities are nearby the campus?
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3) My company (roughly 160 cadets) had about 5 people at other academies, some at a service academy and soumd abroad. It is competitive because when a cadet is sent to another school or country, that cadets represents USMA (and in the case of another country, he represents our entire country) so naturally, only the best will be sent.

4) Life gets a lot easier after Plebe year. There is no more hazing or knowledge. You will, however, have more responsibility since you will slowly gain leadership.

5) Only some Plebes go and that is about once a semester if at all. It is not very popular (it is more so with upperclassmen since they have more passes, have a car, can drink, etc.) The only Plebes that take passes frequently are ones that live close.

6) You can only stay overnight if you use a pass or if you are on leave.

7) I would call Highland Falls a village. :biggrin: There is not much close to West Point, highland falls is the only place visited regularly since it can be done 99% of weekends as Plebes.
 
Your primary objective, Chockstock, is to find a way to have authos. Authos=life saving plebe year! It means you have authorization to leave post (and to get out of marching!). You might be on a sports team (club or varsity), some type of club, etc...something that gets you out. If you have authos, you will see the surrounding areas. You might leave w/ a club to go grab dinner in Central Valley (many restaurants, shopping, etc) or go into NYC. Sometimes you will go to a neighboring college for some type of competition. If you don't have some activity you are involved in, you might just spend all your weekends in HF...where you will run out of things to do pretty quickly! It's very quaint, but there is really not much to see and do after you've been to the museum.
 
I'm very disapointed to hear that the study abroad program at West Point is hard to get into. Study abroad is near the top of my "things to do in college" list. And no, partying is not even on the list.
 
Thanks AF for the answers

I want to clear up a few things about what you said though

1. How bad would you rank hazing at USMA when compared to the other SAs? I know I should expect some degree of it, but its still nervewracking :mad:. What are your experiences with hazing?

2. When you mean "on leave", do you mean days when cadets are on break?

3. How do you "earn" more passes?

4. Can you get host families in NYC? How exactly do host families work?:confused: I'm really interested in getting a host family


mom3boys said:
Your primary objective, Chockstock, is to find a way to have authos. Authos=life saving plebe year! It means you have authorization to leave post (and to get out of marching!). You might be on a sports team (club or varsity), some type of club, etc...something that gets you out. If you have authos, you will see the surrounding areas. You might leave w/ a club to go grab dinner in Central Valley (many restaurants, shopping, etc) or go into NYC. Sometimes you will go to a neighboring college for some type of competition. If you don't have some activity you are involved in, you might just spend all your weekends in HF...where you will run out of things to do pretty quickly! It's very quaint, but there is really not much to see and do after you've been to the museum.
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Oh ok...is it mandatory to be on a number of club or sports team?


vampsoul said:
Just locate and stand by me Chockstock- I'm 5'0''.
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:| don't take this as an offense, but I'd consider you as like an anomaly. I'm sure the average height of male cadets isn't 5'0''. But anyway, we're in the same hole. Tall people scare me :smile:
 
Chockstock said:
:| don't take this as an offense, but I'd consider you as like an anomaly. I'm sure the average height of male cadets isn't 5'0''. But anyway, we're in the same hole. Tall people scare me :smile:
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Pretty sure vampsoul isn't a male! :wink:
 
marciemi said:
Pretty sure vampsoul isn't a male! :wink:
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Chockstock: I meant it that way. It was a way of saying, even if you're on the shortest side, you are not the shortest person, so don't sweat it so much.

marciemi: quite right; I am, indeed, female.
 
Language majors have an easier time getting study abroad programs, but they are not all assured. I think about a dozen in my son's major applied, and about 1/2 were selected. Son opted for a foreign military academy, but could've gone civilian.

What do you consider hazing, Chockstock? It's not like the old days where you sing in the shower for hours on end. Will someone make you recite plebe knowledge randomly? Sure...you have to know it, so it's good practice. Will someone drop you for extra pushups? Yes, but he/she will do them with you. The extra workout will ensure you pass the required APFT. No one is terrorized, if that is what you are concerned about. If you draw extra attention to yourself, you will recieve it, that is for certain. Study, get in shape, and learn your plebe knowledge and you will have no better and no worse time than anyone else. Do something stupid, and you will receive whatever attention is necessary to smooth out your rough edges. Leadership is not bullying; it is not tolerated at West Point.
 
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