I'll jump in real quick as I am currently a "self prep" at NMMI and I have received my appointment to USCGA for the class of 2014.
Are these prep schools primarily used for recruited athletes? If not, does anyone know what the odds are on receiving an appointment if you self-prep as opposed to being a scholarship recipient? The website mentions that an estimated 40% go on to receive appointment, just wondering how many of those are scholars/self prep.
The 40% that NMMI quotes on the website applies only to self preps and for all the academies. The sponsored cadets, both from CGAS and the other academies have a much higher acceptance rate.
There are a lot of athletes who go to NMMI sponsored by one of the Academies. In fact, Roger Staubach, Hall of Fame passer for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979, was sponsored by the Naval Academy.
There is also another group of students who self prep with the desire to attend one of the academies. I don't know the odds, but it appears very favorable for those who completed the program. Both groups come together at NMMI and work hard to support one another. They are rooming together as well.
NMMI is not summer camp nor is it a typical college experience. In fact a lot of the USCGA cadets will tell you the academics are harder at NMMI than the USCGA. It truly prepares a student for the academies both academically and physically. Plus the introduction into a military lifestyle is a good reality check. There are those who leave the program mid-year and return home when it gets too challenging.
The USCGA has a full time staff member on site at NMMI to oversee every step a prep makes. If you are interested in learning more, call NMMI and ask to speak with the current USCG officer. This officer's job is to ensure the preps are successful, so ask as many questions as you have... You can also ask if he can share a name of a cadet that would be willing to speak about the self prep program further.
BTW - USCGA is the only academy with an officer at NMMI, which speaks volumes about the Coast Guard's commitment to the program.
Self Preps and sponsored preps at NMMI and I believe MMI do interact together. My roommate is a sponsored Coastie and we all have the same classes and PT together.
To add a correction to Bear's statement on the officer, there is no Coast Guard officer on site at NMMI but there is a Coast Guard Chief here. He is in charge of all the Sponsored preps both here and at MMI and he has helped me with lots of my questions. I think the reason he stays at NMMI is because there are more sponsored preps here then there are at MMI.
If you want to talk to someone at NMMI about the self prep program, the prep advisor would probably be the place to start because the Coast Guard Chief is responsible for the sponsored preps, not the self preps.
The USCGA uses TWO prep schools for their CGA Scholars program.
One is New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) in Roswell, NM.
The other is Marion Military Institute (MMI) in Marion, AL.
A candidate who is attempting to "self-prep" for USCGA would be wise to check out both schools and their success rates (appointments) for non-sponsored USCGA candidates.
I agree with Luigi. Plus there are many other ways to self prep than just coming to the military prep schools. I know on another thread many people are talking about the Maritime Academies because you can also commission to to the CG through OCS after you graduate in case things don't work out with the academy. You can also go the state or community college route and reapply as Shellz's son and others have successfully done.
The most important thing if you reapply is to take a full class load with classes that reflect Swab level classes and do well in them, try to get involved in community service and other extracurricular activities and sports, and jump at any leadership opportunities you can.
Maybe one of the members on this forum, JWSchultz, could fill us in on this year's NMMI self preps? He is a USCGA 2014 Appointee
, congratulations!!
JW, how many self preps were there this year, and were they successful in receiving appointments to USCGA? Or any other SA's?
There were 4 self preps that I know of at NMMI that applied to USCGA and 3 of us earned appointments. As for the other academies, I know of at least one person that eared an appointment to each academy but I don't know how many people at NMMI actually applied. I would think it is close to the 40 percent that NMMI advertises but Im not sure if that estimate includes athletes and other cadets that decide to apply after being here awhile or any of the high school kids that apply also.
Let me know or PM me if you all have any other questions.
