Summer Seminars - Did you teen do more than one?

it gets expensive.... my kid did SLE and NASS back to back, he was exhausted by the time he showed up at Navy, so he liked it less. He was also accepted to the AIM but we couldn't do it financialy. its 750 plus travel....
 
LMK72 said:
Hi Academy Parents, My son is a Junior in High School. He wants to attend a Service Academy but isn't sure about which branch. I am looking at the Summer Programs for:
  • Naval Academy
  • Coast Guard Academy
  • Air Force Academy
I think it would be good for him to attend a week at each academy, to figure out which really feels right.

I'd love advice from parents who had their child attend multiple military summer sessions.
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Hi!

I attended all three, (I did virtual aim) and I loved it. I have a friend who did AIM in person and she loved it too. Summer Seminar/AIM in person at the Navy and Coast Guard truly introduces you to what a midshipman/cadet life is like/what plebe summer will look like. It's very cool. USAFA's SS was incredibly fun and I made lifelong friends there. It's also insanely different from USNA's and USCGA's. I did Navy and USAFA back to back and while it was incredible, it was a weirdly different experience. However, USAFA is not an accurate representation of Cadet life because they do not let students exercise due to the elevation of the campus.

Apply to all 3. They are super selective so open your opportunities up by applying to all of them. I would also recommend applying to Westpoint's, as I've heard great things about it too. I'm now working on my applications to USNA and USAFA and I don't know which one I liked more.

If your son is serious about the Service Academies, he will love all of them. They are all different because the services are different, but I can't name one bad thing about any of them!
 
VelveteenR said:
And this is why none of these camps bear any resemblance to actual academy life.
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Hahaha true but they give a good idea and you get the stories from actual students. yes, they're trying to sell it to you, but I knew this is what I wanted to do going into and mentally prepped myself for anything so none of it was completely shocking.
I do know kids who afterwards decided that the academies was too much for them so they do weed out some people that way!
 
VelveteenR said:
And this is why none of these camps bear any resemblance to actual academy life.
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I don’t think any of the SAs bill their summer programs as “a day in the life of a cadet/mid.” And I don’t think any attendees go with the expectation that it’s a realistic experience. And why would they? It’s summer, school isn’t in, and most cadets/mids are away at training.

But SLE and SS remain valuable peeks into what the SAs are about, especially for those with limited or no military exposure, and/or those whose interest is newfound or recent. Even for those with longstanding interest (such as my DD), they can offer a reality check, a decision consideration, a different perspective, or even a boost of conviction.

So there’s really no reason to belittle these programs (and by extension or implication, those who attend them). They’re meant as outreach and exposure, and in that regard, they seem to be quite successful.
 
Not belittling at all. The summer sessions are valuable programs for the reasons MidCakePA points out. However, in the years since our son applied and attended, I’ve seen several kids on this forum and another I’m on equate the camps to academy life, and I think it’s important to make the distinction so decisions to apply/attend aren’t made based on playing sailor/soldier for a week.
 
As outreach programs, these are intended to create awareness among those who might have never considered attending an SA. The selection criteria is different from actually applying to an SA. The fact you weren't chosen is not an indicator you won't be successful when you actually apply to an SA.
 
My current plebe did USMA (SLE) and USNA (SASS, summer session) back-to-back. She had to reschedule her finals to get to SLE (take her finals a week early).

There were significant differences in the two programs. My kid likes being outdoors getting muddy, so she decided Army was the better fit for her. She re-priortized that West Point would be her #1, then civilian colleges that had Army ROTC would be her second path. That in turn restructured her college list in a huge way (basically blew it up and we had to start over). So going to two academies was helpful on all fronts.
 
I strongly recommend attendance at summer seminars. My DD attended 4 separate programs at USNA during high school years (XC/Track sports camp, ASPIRE, STEM , and Summer Seminar - July 2023). She also attended June 2023 summer seminar at USAFA. She received appointment letters to both USNA and USAFA. She will be heading to Colorado Springs June 2024.
 
My son decided he wanted to attend USNA in 11th grade. And chose Boys State after 11th grade, which conflicted with any programs. Plus AAU basketball.

Worthwhile, I am sure. But not necessary.
 
LMK72 said:
Hi Academy Parents, My son is a Junior in High School. He wants to attend a Service Academy but isn't sure about which branch. I am looking at the Summer Programs for:
  • Naval Academy
  • Coast Guard Academy
  • Air Force Academy
I think it would be good for him to attend a week at each academy, to figure out which really feels right.

I'd love advice from parents who had their child attend multiple military summer sessions.
Click to expand...
Yes!!! Usna and Usafa. ( She did an overnight with the soccer team at USMMA)
She loved it. Highly recommend it. She learned a lot about both academies and passed her CFA while at USNA. She decided " Navy>AF"
She just accepted her appointment to USNA.
 
My DD only applied to one because she only wanted CGA. She did get in to AIM, but because it was a Covid year it was virtual. That felt disappointing at first, but she got most of what she wanted from the experience: made a lot of friends she's stayed in touch with and it did cement her desire to attend. There was enough extra time in the virtual sessions not spent marching around that they had extra time to hang out and get to know the cadre a little better and have more open discussions. She's there now and doing well.
 
I advise attending none... visit or shadow a cadet on your own during the school year. Apply to all seminars to get put in their system so as to get in their portals for an earlier application deadline, but do not attend. Better ways to spend a summer to improve one's resume. Summer seminars don't add to your application and cost money:) Sorry for such a negative post.
 
pv123 said:
I advise attending none... visit or shadow a cadet on your own during the school year. Apply to all seminars to get put in their system so as to get in their portals for an earlier application deadline, but do not attend. Better ways to spend a summer to improve one's resume. Summer seminars don't add to your application and cost money:) Sorry for such a negative post.
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There’s truth to this. My son applied and was accepted to USNA SS and AIM virtual. Ultimately the SS conflicted with Boys’ State, and he decided on Boys State. He was selected for virtual AIM but he decided a family trip was more important. He did an overnight with a cadet that was eye-opening. When we picked him up he said it was going to be a difficult road, but that he was more committed than ever. The plebes were completely honest about everything. As a bonus, he got to write in his essay that he knew what he was getting into because he saw it firsthand. Still, the USNA t-shirt would have been cool to have 😊.

The only real benefit would have been the chance to get the CFA out of the way. That was a bit of a hassle, as he did it before school began and had to find someone to administer.
 
Really I think it depends on what your situation and budget are like. My son did not do the summer seminar at USAFA because the cost of travel was more then I felt comfortable spending but did do USNA since it was a drive there and not a plane ride. He did enjoy it and got his CFA out of the way which was a good thing. He also did a Bear Day at USCGA to get the feel for a school day.
 
Wannabecoastie said:
I don't want to spend my last summer in high school going to four mini plebe summers." S
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momofusna1 said:
AIM, is the most realistic and similar to 4th class summer
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^ I know this isn't the intent of the thread, but USNA's summer program is not , and has never been intended to reflect Plebe Summer.. It is 100% a marketing and awareness program. Sure, they may play and have a simulated Plebe experience, but it is very short (not like Plebe Summer). Think of NASS as more like summer camp ...meet fun people, do cool things, and learn about USNA.
 
My plebe at USNA said AIM at USCGA was a really good warm up for her plebe summer. She loved AIM.
 
My DS got into three summer programs (USAFA, USMA, USNA) and chose to go to Air Force and Army back to back. We had just toured USNA and he ruled out Navy for his consideration. Coming from a non-military family, he said he learned a lot on the campuses of what made each of them unique, spent quality time with cadre, etc. He confidently put USAFA as his first choice and come this June, he will be a 2028 Falcon
 
Our son was 100% USAFA, thus my handle on here, mostly because of a very important mentor to him and his JROTC experience in high school( I know, I know, the latter is a TERRIBLE reason to base a lifetime decision upon.) He did the visit to Colorado Springs and at the last minute asked if he could also visit West Point. I was reluctant at first mostly because the money tree in the backyard hadn't bloomed in a few years, but also thought it would be a great opportunity to compare/ contrast.
Welp, he fell in love with USMA upon arrival for the visit that summer and that became goal #1. My wife and i did not see it until A-day in August of his Plebe year. It was immediately obvious to me why he felt the way he did.
Each of the academies offer a great education and developmental opportunities. They all do, and this isn't to say if he had attended one of the others, he wouldn't love it as much as he loves WP. But when he knew, he knew; if that makes sense. I'd encourage more visits, if that's practical for your situation. You never know how it's going to turn out or where their heart will lead them.
 
LMK72 said:
Hi Academy Parents, My son is a Junior in High School. He wants to attend a Service Academy but isn't sure about which branch. I am looking at the Summer Programs for:
  • Naval Academy
  • Coast Guard Academy
  • Air Force Academy
I think it would be good for him to attend a week at each academy, to figure out which really feels right.

I'd love advice from parents who had their child attend multiple military summer sessions.
Click to expand...
Applying is the first step but don’t expect him to get all or any of them. They are limited in numbers. Apply to as many as he can and see where the experiences open.
 
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