Service Academy to VMI

VAlegend

5-Year Member
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Oct 20, 2010
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I am currently in my 2nd year at USMA, considering switch to VMI. I am from Virginia. I have a few questions that I have been unable to find the answer to and was hoping someone could help.
If I have already completed the entire Plebe year, how does Matriculation/being a Rat work?
How would Military Science (ROTC) credits transfer? I have completed Cadet Basic Training, MS100, Cadet Field Training, and will have completed MS200. I can compose and brief OPORDs and all that fun stuff.
My high school GPA was 3.5 and I know that's typically good enough for VMI but they say "transfers should have a 3.0 at their previous college to be competitive for acceptance". I definitely don't have a 3.0 at the academy...Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
 
I am currently in my 2nd year at USMA, considering switch to VMI. I am from Virginia. I have a few questions that I have been unable to find the answer to and was hoping someone could help.
If I have already completed the entire Plebe year, how does Matriculation/being a Rat work?
How would Military Science (ROTC) credits transfer? I have completed Cadet Basic Training, MS100, Cadet Field Training, and will have completed MS200. I can compose and brief OPORDs and all that fun stuff.
My high school GPA was 3.5 and I know that's typically good enough for VMI but they say "transfers should have a 3.0 at their previous college to be competitive for acceptance". I definitely don't have a 3.0 at the academy...Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

I'm not sure on the ROTC deal, but you will have to start as a Rat at VMI. Regardless of previous military school (or active military experience), everyone starts as a Rat. You can graduate early (due to transferred credits), but you still must go through the Ratline. Generally speaking, you always identify with the class with which you went through the Ratline. For instance, say you matriculated last August...even if you only spend two years at VMI before graduating (some people have done this if they have enough transfer credits), you will always identify with the Class of 2014 (get your ring with them, etc).

I've never heard of someone coming from a service academy to VMI. Usually, it's the other way around. Any specific questions regarding ROTC should probably be asked via email to the AROTC department. I will say this, ROTC participation is required for eight semesters, so if you graduate before that time, I'm fairly certain you will be enrolled in ROTC. As far as advanced standing in ROTC due to West Point experience, since your situation in rather unique, I'd make sure to ask the ROTC people at VMI.

Do you still want a commission in the Army? I'm not sure why you'd want to leave USMA if that is the case.
 
I'm not sure on the ROTC deal, but you will have to start as a Rat at VMI. Regardless of previous military school (or active military experience), everyone starts as a Rat. You can graduate early (due to transferred credits), but you still must go through the Ratline. Generally speaking, you always identify with the class with which you went through the Ratline. For instance, say you matriculated last August...even if you only spend two years at VMI before graduating (some people have done this if they have enough transfer credits), you will always identify with the Class of 2014 (get your ring with them, etc).

I've never heard of someone coming from a service academy to VMI. Usually, it's the other way around. Any specific questions regarding ROTC should probably be asked via email to the AROTC department. I will say this, ROTC participation is required for eight semesters, so if you graduate before that time, I'm fairly certain you will be enrolled in ROTC. As far as advanced standing in ROTC due to West Point experience, since your situation in rather unique, I'd make sure to ask the ROTC people at VMI.

Do you still want a commission in the Army? I'm not sure why you'd want to leave USMA if that is the case.
I have to echo what Sprog says here- I've never heard of anyone transferring to VMI from a Service Academy- the other way around, but while I am old, I'm not old enough to be the institutional memory for the place so it's probably happened before. as Sprog has pointed out- You will be a Rat even if you have transferred enough credits to be in a different academic class. There are several Rats walking around with CIBs or Marine Combat Action Ribbons- they are still rats even then.
Also like Sprog- I'm not sure that I understand why you are pursuing this if you still wish to be an Army Officer?
I don't want to discourage you, but I am curious about what your motivation is here. Most of the kids who want to leave USMA cite the lifestyle as their primary reason or their change in heart over an Army career. Going to VMI and signing an Army contract will give you relief on neither of those fronts. Academically- I'm sure that they will give you a lot of consideration in VMI's admissions department if you are staying AC Proficient at USMA but VMI isn't going to be a cake walk either so if you are struggling now at USMA I think that you will find much the same situation at VMI. Although my SA brethren will harumph over this, there are some things about life at VMI that really are tougher than at USMA. It is not a kinder and gentler place and in some ways is a lot less forgiving. I would think hard about this course of action. If you want to be a US Army officer- the premier place to start out is at USMA. I understand that sometimes things don't work out but VMI won't be a soft landing zone for you, and the things that are bedeviling you at USMA I believe are likely to be there at VMI as well. My honest opinion- which is of course uninformed about your specifics- is that you bear down and make a success of things at USMA.
However, if you want an honest assessment about your chances to be accepted I would contact LTC Whitmore at VMI (the admissions officer for transfer students).His email is: whitmorend@vmi.edu

good luck- feel free to PM me if you really are serious about pursuing this.
 
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