I’ve been thinking about offering up this thread for a while; I hope it has legs.
I found this site about 8 years ago. My DD had an Appointment in hand, and she’d felt a strong draw to become a Mid on a recruiting visit. DD was very uneasy with her lack of knowledge about life at USNA and in the USN. She was 17old and 9years was a big commitment to make based on a short data-stack. She had offers/rides at a bunch of great “Normal Colleges”…. all favored by friends, family, and teachers over USNA. Trying to help, I found this site. I remained a “Guest’” looking for Info on USN and USNA until I DD ran into a DoDMERB issue and I had a process question to ask so I joined.
It makes sense that the great majority of posts here deal with inquiries from young people and parents who know that USNA is the FIRST CHOICE. What makes the best application? What will my Nom Board ask about? Chance Me? B&G interview info,……... and so on. Important stuff, but I suspect that, there are many people who find this great board while seaching for info on life at the USNA and reasons to choose USNA over Duke, or Yale, or……….? I’ve noted that I always see 3-5X Guests-to-Members online at any given time. I wonder how many of those “Guests" are like my DD back in 2015 struggling with their first really meaningful decision in life and desperate for info on what she would be getting into at USNA. Maybe just a Dad looking for info to help my kid, or trying to show the DW that DD/DS going to USNA might not be the end of the world.
Accordingy, I present this Question to this board:
As a current Mid, a USNA Alum, the parent of a Mid, or others with close knowledge of the USNA. ………. What’s your first to come to mind BEST, REASON to attend the USNA?
Something that you would relate to an applicant, or his/her parent reading this board as a Guest looking for info to help with the choice between USNA vs Stanford, USC, Yale, Duke, GTech, Cal, UM, Texas, VT, Etc.
As it happens, I have 3 answers…………but it covers 3 people.
Just DAD says:
#1. I strongly believe that the best thing about the USNA (common to all service academies) is that the USNA flips the Std. economic relationship between student and institution. The USNA isn’t selling seats in lecture halls and Mids aren’t buying office hours. The USNA chooses young people to INVEST in. “A Free Education for 5 years of service” overlooks a wonderful synergy. The Navy’s ROI is based on the quality of service the Mid delivers in those 5years of service, (and USN hopes beyond). It’s in the Navy’s interest to develop each Mid to their fullest potential as a competent capable well-rounded leader,(and it shows in everything they do). The result is a purposeful/broader approach to “education “at USNA. The education of my DD as a whole person is light years beyond what she would have gotten at an Ivy. Truly there is no comparison. My DD left the USNA ready to contribute, ready to lead, ready to win. I am no-where near as proud of DD for choosing Navy as I am happy for her.
I was in Norfolk to see DD off on deployment last month and took the opportunity to ask DD (CL2020) and her guy (also a USNA grad) this“One Best thing “ question. Responses were interesting.
DD surprised me with,…… (Paraphrasing)
“Looking back, I think it’s that the Academy scared me Dad.”
“I wouldn’t have been challenged like I was at the Academy anywhere else. USNA made me tackle things I wouldn’t have chosen for myself (at 18-19 yrs. old). Classes and training were sometimes outside of my comfort zones. I ended up learning that I could do a lot of things I didn’t think I could do, It was 4years of real growth and exploration. The workload was high, and I had service selection goals for myself. I always had too many things I wanted or needed to do, and too little time to get them done. I learned to work under stress, and I learned that I do pretty good work under stress. I am know now that when things get Hairy, I am a good person to have around. That’s huge in my work right now, and I think it always will be for me.“
The Boy Friend had an interesting one. He said, (Paraphrasing):
“I think it’s that the Academy delivered me, a broad/purposeful undergraduate education.”
“I like Poli-Sci and Econ. I think I would have done very well at any college, taking Poli-Sci and Econ classes pretty much exclusively. At the Academy, like all the other Poli-Sci Mids., I took chemistry, math, Physics, leadership, language, seamanship, navigation Etc.. Instead of narrowing my thinking, training, and opportunities to areas I liked at 19yrs old, the Academy set me up with a really broad tool set. I can work with any group of professionals or pursue any Grad Degree program I want.”
Context: Both these young people are doing work they feel is important, both have work responsibilities that dwarf my own at their ages. I don’t know if the boy-friend will get past 7yrs. The private sector has spoken ..OMG!
That’s it. I know these “Best Things” are kinda dry. I hope someone speaks to some of the fun and living experience differences at USNA.
For lurkers with decisions to make, I hope this thread is helpful. Note: DD applied to Stanford and didn’t get in, 2 of her team-mates did. Teased about this (by me) in her 2C year she said. “Dad, if I had been accepted to Stanford I probably would have gone there ………..I got lucky Dad, really lucky!"
To those who don’t get a nod from the Selection Board consider what submitting the application says about you.
Adventurous? (check).
Willing to take on hard work/ hard challenges? (check)
Fearless…[relatively{? (check)
Confident? (check)
Patriotic? (check)
Willing to “Buck the Trend”? (check)
Desire to be a team player? (check)
Willing to roll the dice against Long odds? (Check?)
That’s just for starts. I belive the application says much more about the person than the appointment does.
If this doesn’t play out for you the way you want it to, I still like your long term odds.
If your parents/family seem disappointed, it because they are disappointed for you, not in you. Hell! it makes me feel good knowing that there are young people like you willing to take a shot at this.
I found this site about 8 years ago. My DD had an Appointment in hand, and she’d felt a strong draw to become a Mid on a recruiting visit. DD was very uneasy with her lack of knowledge about life at USNA and in the USN. She was 17old and 9years was a big commitment to make based on a short data-stack. She had offers/rides at a bunch of great “Normal Colleges”…. all favored by friends, family, and teachers over USNA. Trying to help, I found this site. I remained a “Guest’” looking for Info on USN and USNA until I DD ran into a DoDMERB issue and I had a process question to ask so I joined.
It makes sense that the great majority of posts here deal with inquiries from young people and parents who know that USNA is the FIRST CHOICE. What makes the best application? What will my Nom Board ask about? Chance Me? B&G interview info,……... and so on. Important stuff, but I suspect that, there are many people who find this great board while seaching for info on life at the USNA and reasons to choose USNA over Duke, or Yale, or……….? I’ve noted that I always see 3-5X Guests-to-Members online at any given time. I wonder how many of those “Guests" are like my DD back in 2015 struggling with their first really meaningful decision in life and desperate for info on what she would be getting into at USNA. Maybe just a Dad looking for info to help my kid, or trying to show the DW that DD/DS going to USNA might not be the end of the world.
Accordingy, I present this Question to this board:
As a current Mid, a USNA Alum, the parent of a Mid, or others with close knowledge of the USNA. ………. What’s your first to come to mind BEST, REASON to attend the USNA?
Something that you would relate to an applicant, or his/her parent reading this board as a Guest looking for info to help with the choice between USNA vs Stanford, USC, Yale, Duke, GTech, Cal, UM, Texas, VT, Etc.
As it happens, I have 3 answers…………but it covers 3 people.
Just DAD says:
#1. I strongly believe that the best thing about the USNA (common to all service academies) is that the USNA flips the Std. economic relationship between student and institution. The USNA isn’t selling seats in lecture halls and Mids aren’t buying office hours. The USNA chooses young people to INVEST in. “A Free Education for 5 years of service” overlooks a wonderful synergy. The Navy’s ROI is based on the quality of service the Mid delivers in those 5years of service, (and USN hopes beyond). It’s in the Navy’s interest to develop each Mid to their fullest potential as a competent capable well-rounded leader,(and it shows in everything they do). The result is a purposeful/broader approach to “education “at USNA. The education of my DD as a whole person is light years beyond what she would have gotten at an Ivy. Truly there is no comparison. My DD left the USNA ready to contribute, ready to lead, ready to win. I am no-where near as proud of DD for choosing Navy as I am happy for her.
I was in Norfolk to see DD off on deployment last month and took the opportunity to ask DD (CL2020) and her guy (also a USNA grad) this“One Best thing “ question. Responses were interesting.
DD surprised me with,…… (Paraphrasing)
“Looking back, I think it’s that the Academy scared me Dad.”
“I wouldn’t have been challenged like I was at the Academy anywhere else. USNA made me tackle things I wouldn’t have chosen for myself (at 18-19 yrs. old). Classes and training were sometimes outside of my comfort zones. I ended up learning that I could do a lot of things I didn’t think I could do, It was 4years of real growth and exploration. The workload was high, and I had service selection goals for myself. I always had too many things I wanted or needed to do, and too little time to get them done. I learned to work under stress, and I learned that I do pretty good work under stress. I am know now that when things get Hairy, I am a good person to have around. That’s huge in my work right now, and I think it always will be for me.“
The Boy Friend had an interesting one. He said, (Paraphrasing):
“I think it’s that the Academy delivered me, a broad/purposeful undergraduate education.”
“I like Poli-Sci and Econ. I think I would have done very well at any college, taking Poli-Sci and Econ classes pretty much exclusively. At the Academy, like all the other Poli-Sci Mids., I took chemistry, math, Physics, leadership, language, seamanship, navigation Etc.. Instead of narrowing my thinking, training, and opportunities to areas I liked at 19yrs old, the Academy set me up with a really broad tool set. I can work with any group of professionals or pursue any Grad Degree program I want.”
Context: Both these young people are doing work they feel is important, both have work responsibilities that dwarf my own at their ages. I don’t know if the boy-friend will get past 7yrs. The private sector has spoken ..OMG!
That’s it. I know these “Best Things” are kinda dry. I hope someone speaks to some of the fun and living experience differences at USNA.
For lurkers with decisions to make, I hope this thread is helpful. Note: DD applied to Stanford and didn’t get in, 2 of her team-mates did. Teased about this (by me) in her 2C year she said. “Dad, if I had been accepted to Stanford I probably would have gone there ………..I got lucky Dad, really lucky!"
To those who don’t get a nod from the Selection Board consider what submitting the application says about you.
Adventurous? (check).
Willing to take on hard work/ hard challenges? (check)
Fearless…[relatively{? (check)
Confident? (check)
Patriotic? (check)
Willing to “Buck the Trend”? (check)
Desire to be a team player? (check)
Willing to roll the dice against Long odds? (Check?)
That’s just for starts. I belive the application says much more about the person than the appointment does.
If this doesn’t play out for you the way you want it to, I still like your long term odds.
If your parents/family seem disappointed, it because they are disappointed for you, not in you. Hell! it makes me feel good knowing that there are young people like you willing to take a shot at this.