Tips for NASS?

U

USNA2020

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Apr 8, 2015
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Just received word today that I was accepted to NASS Session 3! Now I'm more motivated than ever to get into the best shape I can. (Running and push-ups and more running) I know the detailers write reports on the attendees and I want to be someone that pumps up their squad mates instead of falling behind.

If anyone on here has been to NASS or knows someone that did, I'd love to get your advice on how I can be successful at NASS! How much swimming is there? What should I know before I go (rates and songs and such? do we have to memorize them?) and what should I bring/be prepared for?

Thanks in advance!
 
Prep for the CFA-it's easier to do well when motivated by the others and that gets it out of the way. Be a team player. Don't be "THAT" guy (you know in my JROTC group..., or I'm excellent at...)

Be yourself and have fun. I know some of your squad leaders and they are great guys/gals. They will have just finished plebe year so they still understand where you are.

Ask questions (like how to survive plebe year, how to do well academically, how to prepare for plebe summer, etc) you may be curious about. They can't tell you your chances for acceptance-no one really can. Make friends-some may become your classmates (although out of the kids DS met only one other was appointed but he still has some good friends and they are a great network during the process).

Above all enjoy the "taste" of the real thing!
 
Prepare for the CFA and try your best to be in shape going in to it, but as far as the report goes that your detailer fills out, it has a lot more to do with your character and interaction with others than it does about physical fitness and rates memorization (Though that is a VERY SMALL portion of the report). The academy believes that you can always retake the CFA if needed and always improve, and they'll take your grades more into consideration rather than how well you memorize things like the mission of the Naval Academy.

As 2018midmom mentioned, don't try to brag about your accomplishments or try to make yourself look better than everyone else, that's what the actual application is for. Make this an opportunity to meet new people, ask as many questions as you can, have fun and be yourself. This is more for you to get to experience the academy and see if it's something for you rather than for the academy to see if they want you or not since NASS plays a very minute factor in the overall application process.

So to answer your questions, you can't really be "successful at NASS". There is a small swimming portion for mock Sea Trials day at the end, though you don't need to be a expert swimmer for it (also don't be that one guy that shows up in a speedo.... there's always that one). For rates, I would NOT try to memorize them before hand (my opinion) rather than see if you're able to manage the work load of memorizing them there on top of everything else that you'll be doing like Plebe Summer. Hope this helps.

I did NASS before coming to the Academy and I ended up being a NASS detailer last year incase you were wondering how I knew these things.
 
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Went to NASS last year. Tons of fun. Helped a ton in deciding whether to attend or not. Anyways, from what I remember NASS was extremely tiring for me. Not entirely physically exhausted, but mentally demanding due to endless information being thrown at you. Memorize the rates in your free time, hardly anyone else in my squad did so. But as previously stated, the rates aren't a "make or break" kind of deal. Just take it all in, and do not stress about making mistakes otherwise it won't be as fun! Meeting people from across the country in my company was extraordinary. I still talk to one of my squadmates from NASS (I'm from GA, he's from NY) and we both were accepted, so be open and sociable.
 
Hey i'm going to session 3 as well! I'm from San Antonio, Texas. Maybe we should create a thread for session 3 people, like the other ones, so we could keep in touch. See you then!
 
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