Congratulations to you'd DS! So great to hear positive news!!!
Still in the game
- Thread starter Prepswimmom
- Start date
Congratulations to you'd DS! So great to hear positive news!!!
I saw and read the same thing. I was shocked when I read it too!
Prepswimmom
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All I could think was - couldn't they have profiled a Mid that got in and matched the posted averages? I realize some sports are money makers, some are not. Maybe some athletes are held to a higher standard - sport depending. But it was really depressing to read when I had a DS dying to go there to serve his country and better qualified.
We can argue all we want that the academic criteria is CLEARLY different for athletes. Any school in the country has this same problem, but we enter in this "arena" knowing the rules of this rather cruel game. I can only say that our kids are so talented and without a doubt will be successful in life. With this disappointment they will grow. I could almost say that having this type of crushing disappointment is a blessing in disguise that will create a growth that can never be attained in any other venue. God bless all of our amazing kids as they continue on their path in life.
Heck guys! I just wanted to know how many folks were out there on the still waiting bandwagon that are recruited athletes. He has busted his hump and pushed mentally and physically to make it happen.
I am still sitting on the island like the rest hoping my DS is able to live his dream at USNA and his end goal to commission.
Was the reporter looking for the norm in that article? I think not. They want to find something that is attainable for many so that they might raise their expectations and goals.
Either way, we the sports minded have been here in the trenches with you, you are our friends and we will stand by our mailbox proudly with you anyday
Now lets see, I started it...did I end it?
I am still sitting on the island like the rest hoping my DS is able to live his dream at USNA and his end goal to commission.
Was the reporter looking for the norm in that article? I think not. They want to find something that is attainable for many so that they might raise their expectations and goals.
Either way, we the sports minded have been here in the trenches with you, you are our friends and we will stand by our mailbox proudly with you anyday
Now lets see, I started it...did I end it?
@prepswimmom
My DS is not a RA but aspires to play on the IC team. I would have liked it if he was a RA but it wasn't in the cards and he is still willing to walk on and do the work to be part of the varsity team. We are still on the island and waiting patiently for the call.
This happens nation wide. I've been to several college visits and all said the similar thing. If you are a recruited athlete the standards are brought down for you. For example UCLA is willing, and this was said by the tour guide, lower their standards to allow a recruited athlete in. It sucks but these sports, football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball bring money into the school and the community that's around the school. This is similar for Stanford and USC.
The service academies are a little different in some ways. To get in as a RA you still need to go through all the application steps, ie. nominations and physicals which is not needed at a civilian school. A lot of the RAs enter through NAPS because they are not up to par with the average cadet plus it's like a red shirt year. So with this said most RAs that choose a service academy as their school want to serve and just used their talent to get there. A lot of them become great officers because they have always been on a team and team leader.
Congrats to the BFE recipients and good luck in the future for the TWEs.
My DS is not a RA but aspires to play on the IC team. I would have liked it if he was a RA but it wasn't in the cards and he is still willing to walk on and do the work to be part of the varsity team. We are still on the island and waiting patiently for the call.
This happens nation wide. I've been to several college visits and all said the similar thing. If you are a recruited athlete the standards are brought down for you. For example UCLA is willing, and this was said by the tour guide, lower their standards to allow a recruited athlete in. It sucks but these sports, football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball bring money into the school and the community that's around the school. This is similar for Stanford and USC.
The service academies are a little different in some ways. To get in as a RA you still need to go through all the application steps, ie. nominations and physicals which is not needed at a civilian school. A lot of the RAs enter through NAPS because they are not up to par with the average cadet plus it's like a red shirt year. So with this said most RAs that choose a service academy as their school want to serve and just used their talent to get there. A lot of them become great officers because they have always been on a team and team leader.
Congrats to the BFE recipients and good luck in the future for the TWEs.
Time for a much needed break
Why would it be disapponting to see some other young person fulfill their dream to attend USNA and how would you know your DS was better qualified than this kid by just seeing academic scores. I say this because for months you have displayed so much positivity and support for all of our DS/DD's and now it seems you are heading down the dark road of nagativity. A previous poster said it best, "Any school in the country has this same problem, but we enter in this "arena" knowing the rules of this rather cruel game".
I hate to say it but you will lose this fight as the majority of us have sat through endless all day track meets, tennis matches, football games and fully support athletics.
It's a small world out there and you never know someday that kid you are disparaging could be a mentor to your DS at USNA.
Why would it be disapponting to see some other young person fulfill their dream to attend USNA and how would you know your DS was better qualified than this kid by just seeing academic scores. I say this because for months you have displayed so much positivity and support for all of our DS/DD's and now it seems you are heading down the dark road of nagativity. A previous poster said it best, "Any school in the country has this same problem, but we enter in this "arena" knowing the rules of this rather cruel game".
I hate to say it but you will lose this fight as the majority of us have sat through endless all day track meets, tennis matches, football games and fully support athletics.
It's a small world out there and you never know someday that kid you are disparaging could be a mentor to your DS at USNA.
Prepswimmom
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Someone brought up athlete recruits - I know it happens everywhere and I do not begrudge civilian schools recruiting. If an Ivy or Stanford wants to recruit I'm fine with that - in fact my DS has many friends who are Ivy recruits. I have 3 children - all swimmers and I have been at swim meets since this son was 5 - attending, timing, running them. DS chose not to apply anywhere as an athlete instead applied on academic credentials. He wanted to pick the school he wanted for his future and career not the school he could swim at. I just wanted to share what I had read in a National Publication. As I said - time to sign off.
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Dial the gate
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Enough about recruited athletes!!
Let's discuss diversity candidates!
KIDDING!
It's raining, but at least it's above freezing in Chicagoland. Spring should be here soon...we hope...gosh, I can't wait to complain about the humidity!
Good luck to everyone today!
Let's discuss diversity candidates!
KIDDING!
It's raining, but at least it's above freezing in Chicagoland. Spring should be here soon...we hope...gosh, I can't wait to complain about the humidity!
Good luck to everyone today!
Wanted to throw my 2 cents in since I actually went to a service academy (USMA) and knew many recruited athletes...
2 recruited athletes (hockey) lived across from me for 2 years... both aerospace majors and super smart.
A football athlete lived down the hall from me for 2 years and didn't have the best academics coming out of high school, but he made it through USMA and graduated. There were many more academically prepared cadets that didn't make it for one reason or another.
All these guys took the same classes and same tests as I did. I never met one person there that wasn't smart. Some were smarter than others, but all were smart.
Lot's of "my kid is better than this other kid that got in" going around. I think the best advice is to find out where you fell short this year, improve that aspect during college and then reapply if you wish.
One last point... being a varsity athlete in high school is nothing near being a Div 1 level athlete.
Best of luck to those still waiting.
2 recruited athletes (hockey) lived across from me for 2 years... both aerospace majors and super smart.
A football athlete lived down the hall from me for 2 years and didn't have the best academics coming out of high school, but he made it through USMA and graduated. There were many more academically prepared cadets that didn't make it for one reason or another.
All these guys took the same classes and same tests as I did. I never met one person there that wasn't smart. Some were smarter than others, but all were smart.
Lot's of "my kid is better than this other kid that got in" going around. I think the best advice is to find out where you fell short this year, improve that aspect during college and then reapply if you wish.
One last point... being a varsity athlete in high school is nothing near being a Div 1 level athlete.
Best of luck to those still waiting.
Congrats to all BFE. Keep pushing forward to those who are still in the hunt.
As far as the debate about Scholar VS Athlete etc, I think one fundamental point always gets overlooked when the subject is discussed. The goal of the Academy is to produce Naval Officers to serve the nation. It is NOT just a prestigious academic institution. Many people look at it as such and will wonder how someone with a 4.0 GPA and perfect SAT scores got bumped by someone who has a 3.0 GPA and so-so SAT scores.
The admissions team is not only looking for who has the aptitude and ability to make it through the Academy and become a Naval Officer, but also who they believe has the firm desire and commitment to becoming a Naval Officer. They are two very different things altogether. I do know this--the opinion of the Blue and Gold offciers is very improtant and does factor in, especially when selection gets down to the wire. The interviews reveal a lot of the intangibles that cannot be measured by SAT scores, grades, or athletic accomplishments. You cannot put a score on the desire to serve or to want to become a Naval Officer.
I talked with a BGO years ago and he put it into perspective. When he talks with candidates, that is the time when someone is looking to see if that light is burning inside. Is anyone really home? It is not the time to evaluate whether they can solve partial differential equations or run a one-minute mile. The question, "Why do you want to attend the Naval Academy?", usually gets the stock answer about wanting to serve etc. An admirable goal, yes, but this is the stock reply they expect to hear from everyone.
They dig deeper to try to find out if the desire to serve and become a leader is truly sincere. He told me he may ask, "What made you decide to pursue this path to service? You can choose to serve your nation by enlisting or perhaps NROTC? What is motivating you to want to attend the Academy?" This is where things come out and the wheat is separated from the chaffe. The BGO said the kid may have the genius of Albert Einstein and run a two minute mile but does not really appear to really have that light burning inside to want to become a Naval Officer and serve. He might get a less than stellar review on the interview and admission bumps the candidate in favor of the someone with less stellar credentials who the BGO feels has that true and genuince commitment. It's not that the kid is smarter or more or less athletic. It's just that the light burns a bit brighter.
Most graduates will probably tell you that in order to make it through and graduate, you do not just want to attend and graduate from a 'prestigious' institution like the Naval Academy. You must also have the sincere and burning desire to become a Naval Officer--this is your primary goal. Otherwise, you just will not make it through. It is that much of a commitment. There is a reason 1 out of 5 fully qualified candidates drop from the academy. They too dreamed of attending the academy. But somewhere along the line they said, "What have I got myself into? I had this all wrong. This is not just Harvard with pushups and room inspections. This is a lifestyle."
So, if you did get a TWE, keep pressing forward. Reaaply. If you are still turned down, your goal is not over, not by a long shot. You can still obtain a commision as a Naval offcier through ROTC, OCS. The dream lives on. I know this is dissapointing but it is just a small bump in achieving your ultimate goal of becoming a Naval Officer, right?
As far as the debate about Scholar VS Athlete etc, I think one fundamental point always gets overlooked when the subject is discussed. The goal of the Academy is to produce Naval Officers to serve the nation. It is NOT just a prestigious academic institution. Many people look at it as such and will wonder how someone with a 4.0 GPA and perfect SAT scores got bumped by someone who has a 3.0 GPA and so-so SAT scores.
The admissions team is not only looking for who has the aptitude and ability to make it through the Academy and become a Naval Officer, but also who they believe has the firm desire and commitment to becoming a Naval Officer. They are two very different things altogether. I do know this--the opinion of the Blue and Gold offciers is very improtant and does factor in, especially when selection gets down to the wire. The interviews reveal a lot of the intangibles that cannot be measured by SAT scores, grades, or athletic accomplishments. You cannot put a score on the desire to serve or to want to become a Naval Officer.
I talked with a BGO years ago and he put it into perspective. When he talks with candidates, that is the time when someone is looking to see if that light is burning inside. Is anyone really home? It is not the time to evaluate whether they can solve partial differential equations or run a one-minute mile. The question, "Why do you want to attend the Naval Academy?", usually gets the stock answer about wanting to serve etc. An admirable goal, yes, but this is the stock reply they expect to hear from everyone.
They dig deeper to try to find out if the desire to serve and become a leader is truly sincere. He told me he may ask, "What made you decide to pursue this path to service? You can choose to serve your nation by enlisting or perhaps NROTC? What is motivating you to want to attend the Academy?" This is where things come out and the wheat is separated from the chaffe. The BGO said the kid may have the genius of Albert Einstein and run a two minute mile but does not really appear to really have that light burning inside to want to become a Naval Officer and serve. He might get a less than stellar review on the interview and admission bumps the candidate in favor of the someone with less stellar credentials who the BGO feels has that true and genuince commitment. It's not that the kid is smarter or more or less athletic. It's just that the light burns a bit brighter.
Most graduates will probably tell you that in order to make it through and graduate, you do not just want to attend and graduate from a 'prestigious' institution like the Naval Academy. You must also have the sincere and burning desire to become a Naval Officer--this is your primary goal. Otherwise, you just will not make it through. It is that much of a commitment. There is a reason 1 out of 5 fully qualified candidates drop from the academy. They too dreamed of attending the academy. But somewhere along the line they said, "What have I got myself into? I had this all wrong. This is not just Harvard with pushups and room inspections. This is a lifestyle."
So, if you did get a TWE, keep pressing forward. Reaaply. If you are still turned down, your goal is not over, not by a long shot. You can still obtain a commision as a Naval offcier through ROTC, OCS. The dream lives on. I know this is dissapointing but it is just a small bump in achieving your ultimate goal of becoming a Naval Officer, right?
Prepswimmom
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As I started this thread - I want it back to what I started it for. Supporting all those waiting for BFEs and comforting those that got a TWE.
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AnxiousinAR
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Expecting good things on the island today. Happy stalking!
#full mailbox
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rocatlin
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Thank you, skierxman, for sharing your thoughts. The desire to serve is one of the most interesting aspects of the SA experience, and yet the degree to which one wants to serve is so intangible and to some degree unknowable. It's such a "heart" thing. DS is one of those people who holds his cards close -- not an emoter. I've been wondering, and you sparked me to wonder more, if he emoted in his BGO interview. Guess we'll find out soon. Still waiting in VA.