Switching academies mid-college

bob7860

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May 19, 2010
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Quick question: If you attend the Merchant Marine Academy can you switch to another military academy in the middle of your college career? I attended Academy Day in Atl, Ga, and I talked to one of the representatives there. They said that it was possible, but I haven't found any information on this topic. Thanks for your help.
 
If your going to accept an appointment you should have every intention of graduating from that service academy. I'm sure its allowed, but I don't see how anyone could go to USMMA without the desire or intention of staying there.
 
Yes it is allowed but you have to start over as a freshman. If you're a 2c at west point and switch to usafa then you start out as a member of that incoming class and spend 4 full years there until you graduate like anybody else from that class.
 
It will probably be impossible as you are literally are stealing two spots at the academies, one from the Merchant marines, and the one to say naval academy, and what if you get there and decide you don't like it or don't want to be in the Navy? Think long and hard before you even conceive that idea.
 
Is it possible? Yes
Is it advisable? No

As stated above you will start over as a 4/c and will then complete the full 4 years at the "new" Academy. I had a plebe classmate of mine start over at USNA; however, he is the only one I've ever heard of.

I would not advise going to one Academy with the intention of applying to another for the following year.
 
also, its not like an "exchange" program. its just like applying to the second academy initially, you just have a year of college down. also, i would imagine dealing with the requirements for the application while attending another academy would be difficult. there was one M/N in my class who went about halfway through the application to Navy while he was here, but then decided to stay:thumb:

i know when i was up a West Point for their SLS program, they mentioned that in several VERY RARE and quite exceptional cases, they have had a M/N from Annapolis and a cadet from West Point "switch" places, on either a temporary or permanent basis. i have heard that since then, this is no longer possible.
 
Objee has posted on this subject where it concerns USCGA:

Objee said:
Luigi is correct that every year we seem to have an application or two from Kings Point Midshipmen, but it's rare that they actually earn an appointment to USCGA. Once they've started at USMMA, or any other service academy, we believe they should honor that commitment and complete the program...they can always get a Coast Guard commission after graduation from Kings Point. Attending community college or a full-time college/university is a much better plan if you're interested in reapplying.
 
Lets get a couple things straight.

First, USMMA is not a "military academy" despite the best efforts of some of the staff to turn it into one. USMMA is part of DoT, not DoD.

Second, you dont "switch" academies. You resign from one and apply to another. I cant imagine that any Congressmen would seriously consider giving you a nomination to an academy when he already gave you one. Nor would I think a particular academy`s admissions dept. would look highly on you since you have either already quit or are talking about quitting another.

Just my $.02
 
I would beg to differ. KP is above all a maritime school but it is a military academy non the less (even if quasi military) everyone who graduates is by default a Naval Officer and if you cut that link to military the school no longer has a reason to get federal funding to give you that free education. The need for officers to man ships in case of emergency is the reason for our existence. That being said...

It is unwise to switch academies while you are here. You will be taking a spot from someone who quite possibly wanted to go to USMMA. Also if your heart is not in it to go here then you will not survive KP. You need to go in with the mentality that this is the place you want to be, otherwise you will never survive the classes. Just my $0.03.
 
Lets get a couple things straight.

First, USMMA is not a "military academy" despite the best efforts of some of the staff to turn it into one. USMMA is part of DoT, not DoD.

Second, you dont "switch" academies. You resign from one and apply to another. I cant imagine that any Congressmen would seriously consider giving you a nomination to an academy when he already gave you one. Nor would I think a particular academy`s admissions dept. would look highly on you since you have either already quit or are talking about quitting another.

Just my $.02

Kings Point IS one of the 5 Service Academies in the United States and joins the list with the Coast Guard Academy, Naval Academy, West Point and Air Force Academy. It is one of the 4 Service Academies that requires a nomination for admission (USCGA does not require a nomination). KP's graduates serve as IRR or may choose to be commissioned as an active duty Officer in Coast Guard, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Army.
 
Quick question: If you attend the Merchant Marine Academy can you switch to another military academy in the middle of your college career? I attended Academy Day in Atl, Ga, and I talked to one of the representatives there. They said that it was possible, but I haven't found any information on this topic. Thanks for your help.

I wouldn't go into any academy with this thought process.

BTW went to academy day last year and found the USMMA alumni network to be quite strong throughout the state.
 
I would beg to differ. KP is above all a maritime school but it is a military academy non the less (even if quasi military) everyone who graduates is by default a Naval Officer and if you cut that link to military the school no longer has a reason to get federal funding to give you that free education. The need for officers to man ships in case of emergency is the reason for our existence. That being said...

It is unwise to switch academies while you are here. You will be taking a spot from someone who quite possibly wanted to go to USMMA. Also if your heart is not in it to go here then you will not survive KP. You need to go in with the mentality that this is the place you want to be, otherwise you will never survive the classes. Just my $0.03.

Sorry KP2010 but you are wrong and KP Engineer is correct. Just because you are a midshipman in the USNR and are required to accept a commission if it is offered upon graduation does NOT make USMMA a military academy. It is indeed one of the five Federal Service Academies and it is a Maritime Academy not a Military Academy.

Several ROTC programs have 24/7 Regiments/Corps and virtually all their members also receive commissions upon graduation, however they also are NOT military academies.

Further your statement "if you cut that link to military the school no longer has a reason to get federal funding to give you that free education." also displays clear lack of understanding of why the USMMA was founded and made permanent. I personally strongly believe and think that if you reflect closely on the realities of the Federal Funding Process, etc. starting with the fact that the USMMA and the Maritime Administration have never been part of the DoD or it's predecessors and rather trace their roots to the Department of Commerce and then the Department of Transportation you will likely conclude as I, that, if the primary purpose and intent was to produce approximately 200 -250 more O-1s every year, USMMA would be closed A LOT faster and the authorized funding of the numerous other federally funded commissioning sources increased. I suggest you consider reviewing the original public laws and Congressional actions as well as the attendant testimony that resulted in the creation of the Academy in the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 (and the events and testimony/actions leading up to it from the Morro Castle disaster in 1934 through it's actual passage) H.R.9434 as amended and pass on July 30, 1954 and the corresponding Senate passage of H.R. 6043 which passed the House on May 17. 1955 and subsequently passed the Senate, unanimously on 2/7/1956 and made the USMMA a permanent institution.

In these bills and subsequent Public Law it is clear the intent is clearly that the Federal Government maintain Kings Point first and foremost as a Maritime Academy/Training institution in recognition of the importance of a strong Merchant Marine to the national economy as well as our ability to project power throughout the world. To be fair it also makes clear that all graduates of the school should also be required to serve in the naval reserve. However I believe if you read the actual bills, testimony and public law, vice the abbreviated/abridged version of the story which is part and parcel to the copy of "In Peace and War: A History of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point", you will revise your thinking and agree with KPEngineer that the USMMA is first and foremost a Maritime Academy and that is what it is meant to be.

That being said .. like you I cannot believe that without some very unusual circumstance that I couldn't begin to fathom, it would ever be wise to switch to another academy once you start a different one. If that's your goal, I'd suggest enrolling in a good state university/institution with a solid ROTC program in the branch of the service whose academy you wish to attend. Here in Northern VA for example, I have over the past 3 years seen two individuals leave the NROTC program at UVA to accept appointments at USNA and one individual leave the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech to attend USMA.

Just my $0.04...
 
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Jasperdog is the man because he is consistantly able to explain his informed point of view in terms we can all understand. I would suggest, if you consider yourself to be a wise man, woman, to carefully and completely consider his thoughts on these sunjest.

Thank you for bringing us along for the ride. We are better because of your efforts.
 
Like everyone said, I'd reconsider going INTO any service academy with the thought of transferring.

No matter which way you slice it, PLEBE year at any academy is going to be a tough gut-check. Why someone would want to do that more than once is ... unusual.

It would be FAR easier to go to any other college, where you can make your own schedule, and bone up on mastering the 'plebe killer' classes (calculus, physics, chemistry).

And Jasperdog has a wealth of information and informed perspective. Thanks for sharing it.
 
Just to clarify…as one of the recruiters, which was present at the Georgia All Academy Day, I can say that if that question was answered in the way that is being stated the caveat of ‘But is not recommended” would have been added to that statement. We are here to promote the USMMA and not the other academies. Yes, we do tout the fact that the USMMA is the only service academy which allows options upon graduation. However, we don’t want to be misconceived on the point that we are here to recruit future Deck Officers and Engineers for the transportation industry.

I think the thread has pretty much covered the issue. Just know that switching academies is not the best option. Go where your heart sends you and don’t “Jump Ship”

:tank:
 
Also after reading my last post I decided I probably came off harsher than I meant to - apologies to KP2010 on that point. There are some semantics here as well.

As has been noted the USMMA is indeed one of the five federal service academies.

In point of fact there really is only one (1) federal "military" academy - The United States Military Academy at West Point (USMA).

Typically when folks misapply the term "military academy" they are talking about the three (3) federal service academies managed under the Department of Defense - USMA. USNA, and USAFA; though the USCGA, which is managed under the Department of Homeland Security can and does rightly consider itself a "military academy" in that vein since the US Coast Guard is a Military Service - despite what the Navy Federal Credit Union thinks and acts as under their charter...and despite that only one of the US Coast Gard's five primary missions is "National Defense":

http://www.uscg.mil/top/missions/


Sail Safely All.:wink:
 
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