USAFA vs USNA?

hopeful2016

5-Year Member
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Aug 31, 2010
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I'm a junior in high school and while I know I have a while to decide, I was just wondering about the relative strengths and weaknesses between USAFA and USNA. Also, should I attend both summer seminars? Thanks for any input!
 
Hate to be Captain Obvious but air vs. water is a big one, important nonetheless (this is obviously a generalization since there are definitively aeronautical courses at USNA and some water related courses at USAFA).
 
Skip USNA vs. USAFA.
Focus on USNA/USMC vs. USAFA.
4 yrs school is less important than 5/8+ yr career.
 
Yes, both summer seminars

If you're able to attend both summer seminars, by all means go to both. The debate of USAFA v USNA can go on for hours; however, your goal should be to get as much information about both schools as you can. Good luck.
 
I agree with BPU......... what are you hoping to do in the Military? Once that is established the "debate" will be a little easier.
 
Sorry, typo in previous post.
Meant focus on USN/USMC vs. USAF. (a long day)
 
The service you want is more important than the school for that service.

That said,
USAFA: slightly tougher academics (based on the ONLY people to make 4.0 some semesters were at USNA on exchange), a little more individually oriented (based on feedback from exchange mids), focus on pilots (1/2 the classes currently go to UPT).

USNA: (less experience here) Many more choices for careers. The Marines have a little of everything, and the Navy is a bit more diversified in its missions than the AF.

AF: Air, Space, and Cyberspace
USN: Subsurface, Surface, and Littoral warfare.
USMC: Littoral warfare from the sea (mostly ground and air)
 
The service you want is more important than the school for that service.

That said,
USAFA: slightly tougher academics (based on the ONLY people to make 4.0 some semesters were at USNA on exchange), a little more individually oriented (based on feedback from exchange mids), focus on pilots (1/2 the classes currently go to UPT).

USNA: (less experience here) Many more choices for careers. The Marines have a little of everything, and the Navy is a bit more diversified in its missions than the AF.

AF: Air, Space, and Cyberspace
USN: Subsurface, Surface, and Littoral warfare.
USMC: Littoral warfare from the sea (mostly ground and air)
Superb answer!!! :thumb:

And MORE impressive (No R, this is not a slam, rather a comment of "you impressed me even more than usual)....the mention of littoral warfare!!!

I NEVER hear that from "junior officers" in my world...it's just us old-farts.

KUDOS!!!! :yay:

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
both academies have a different feel. from personal experience alone, i felt Navy had much easier academics but had a culture more towards athletic excellence. from a "military" standpoint, neither school was really what i expected as far as ingrained discipline (in other words, both schools the culture is to get by with the minimum, and those who stress rules are consider "tools" or "joes"). Navy had more pride in their school as a whole, especially the atmopshere of football games. it helps there than annapolis is more established and well-known.

other than summer seminar, i would reccommend visiting both places on your own and doing an overnight stay other than with the mass times if that's possible. mass orientation just doesn't give you a real feel of the place, and i would assume summer seminar feels different as well. and remember, things change as years progress, so don't get stuck on little details (weekend training or sunday evening formations)
 
I NEVER hear that from "junior officers" in my world...it's just us old-farts.

Well, that was their big thing docrinally. The LCS certainly had their attention for a good while. It seems like that program is undergoing some difficulties, last I heard.

What can I say, I majored in mil history.
 
Eagle: when I read your comment, I saw "mass times" and just for a minute, thought you meant that the O.P. should compare USNA vs USAFA by their Catholic masses. It would work for our family but surely not everyone. Then I reread... ;)

From the mom's perspective, USAFA is uber-nuts on athletics and personal fitness. USNA was insane about their uniforms looking just-so. Of course, there is always climate to consider, ski conditions, proximity to big cities, outdoors, etc. All secondary to the education but some people might really miss them.
 
well. well mass times too. i have to say it was a lot easier to attend daily mass at USNA since it was at 1230 instead of 0640. But yeah, i meant mass as in "everyone show up at once and we'll pretend this shows you what our school is like"
 
Thank you so much for all your feedback!
As it is, I'm not sure what I want to do careerwise. I would be the first in my family to enter the military and I'm unsure of what I'm really interested in pursuing. So, now is the time to make some really tough decisions. I'm mostly impartial in the air vs. water thing, to be honest. Right now I'm just trying to research possible opportunities.
 
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