ca2midwestmom
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2013
- Messages
- 1,335
The way I see it, the SAs are doing candidates a favor by admitting those with well above minimum ACT/SAT scores. Candidates need to remember that the SAs are academically intense. All cadets/midshipmen take rigorous classes of calc, chem, english, & history the first two years -- 17+ credit hours/semester (my cadet had 5 classes 1st semester; another 5 2nd semester). That's quite a bit higher than the average college student at a civilian school, who can get by with 12-15 credit hours/semester (3-4 classes) and still be considered full-time. (And yes, there are exceptions at civilian colleges, but doesn't the average civilian college education take 5-6 years now? SA students don't have that option.) Even those SA students with 30+ ACT scores may find some classes challenging. At WP they use the Thayer method of teaching, which has taken my cadet some time to get used to. And unfortunately I am hearing about quite a few Plebes that are up for academic review after their first semester (having failed one or more classes). Add to the daily grind a sport/athletics, study time, tutoring, inspections, ECs, academy-wide events, and illness/injury, homesickness, stress .... while some candidates may see themselves primarily as leaders and athletes, they need to remember that academics are at the forefront and a required success for graduation.