Boys State

My cadet's MALO told him that West Point values Boys' State as much as an Eagle Scout award.

However, Boys' State is much more than a line on your resume. It's a wonderful week of "living" state government, Moot Court, new amazing friends, and tons of fun. Both of my sons were honored to have been selected to attend and they got a lot out of the opportunity.
 
Does West Point look any further into what you did while at Boys State? For example, would they hold a candidate in higher regard if he was elected Governor or another leadership position or do they simply note the fact that the candidate attended Boys State?
Thanks
 
Boys State is VERY important and highly regarded in the admissions process. Run for Senator or another high office - that would be a nice bonus.
 
bmcfarlin said:
Does West Point look any further into what you did while at Boys State? For example, would they hold a candidate in higher regard if he was elected Governor or another leadership position or do they simply note the fact that the candidate attended Boys State?
Thanks
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On the actual USMA application, there are plenty of "check boxes" so to speak. Boys State is simply a check. However, later in the application you have the ability to go to a drop down menu for each box you checked. Under Boys State/Boys Nation (same drop down) there are two spots to click Governor and President Pro Temp (Senate for Boys Nation). That being said, the only position that may give you more points on your WCS, as I interpreted from the actual application for USMA, is Governor and Governor only.
 
Unless I'm mistaken, I believe there was a place to check Lt. Governor as well. Also, in you essays about your ECs, expound upon your personal experience at Boy's State and what positions you managed to attain. Just because senate member isn't on the check box doesn't mean you should stick with city council etc.
Good luck to you!
 
Can anyone suggest a way for me to do both Boys State AND SLS?

I can only attend week 2 of SLS (and I've already paid/etc for it), but as I'm a member of my school's Model UN team, I feel obligated to do something like this :) [and seeing as I want to major in PoliSci]

So my question/concerns:
1. If I decide to do both SLS and Boy's State, is it easy to change my SLS Week 2 to SLS Week 1?

2. Any ideas on convincing my school to let me skip the last week of school? (For SLS Week 1?) - and this week is final's week, but since I have all AP classes, we take our finals much earlier as prep for the AP test.

Any ideas? Convince me to pick Boy's State over SLS? And I REALLY want to go to SLS - I've told my parents that after SLS is when I'll finalize my decision to try to attend West Point or not so...

Thanks,
TheChicagoan
 
TheChicagoan said:
Can anyone suggest a way for me to do both Boys State AND SLS?

I can only attend week 2 of SLS (and I've already paid/etc for it), but as I'm a member of my school's Model UN team, I feel obligated to do something like this :) [and seeing as I want to major in PoliSci]

So my question/concerns:
1. If I decide to do both SLS and Boy's State, is it easy to change my SLS Week 2 to SLS Week 1?

2. Any ideas on convincing my school to let me skip the last week of school? (For SLS Week 1?) - and this week is final's week, but since I have all AP classes, we take our finals much earlier as prep for the AP test.

Any ideas? Convince me to pick Boy's State over SLS? And I REALLY want to go to SLS - I've told my parents that after SLS is when I'll finalize my decision to try to attend West Point or not so...

Thanks,
TheChicagoan
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USAFA values Boys State more than summer seminar. USNA said they did not. Call WP and ask.
 
TheChicagoan- i was going to boys state but decided against it to go to the summer sessions. I think thats better-imo

devildog-where did u hear that USAFA values Boys State more than summer seminar. and that USNA said they did not?
 
Prep said:
TheChicagoan- i was going to boys state but decided against it to go to the summer sessions. I think thats better-imo
Click to expand...

I believe that if he would only miss a few classes - which I suppose wouldn't hamper his learning, and considering it wouldn't damage his grades (all his tests would be finished already) -, I think it is to his advantage to attend BOTH.
 
Prep said:
TheChicagoan- i was going to boys state but decided against it to go to the summer sessions. I think thats better-imo

devildog-where did u hear that USAFA values Boys State more than summer seminar. and that USNA said they did not?
Click to expand...


When I spoke with the admissions counselor at both schools when my son was going thru the process 3 years ago. I can't believe it has been 3 years already. I did not get the warm fuzzy feeling when I spoke to the USNA Counsellor, that is why I say to call the schools and ask. USAFA absolutely said it was more important on his app. The USNA counsellor was not quite as sure but he said Summer Seminar was more important.
 
I may be able to shed some light on this issue. Like most of you, I also got selected for SLS and Boys State. The problem was that there was conflicting dates between both of them. So, I called up West Point, and they said above all else do Boys State, it will make you application stand out to us. However, then I called Boys State, explained my situation, and asked if I could leave a day early so that I could attend both. They gladly agreed, and now I get the best of both worlds.
 
Thanks for all the quick responses.

To BillSL: Yea you bring up a good point about West Point being a lifestyle choice, not just a college/future-school choice, and that's one of the reasons that I really want to go to SLS.

But if going to Boys State is going to make a huge difference (I don't scout, so no eagle-scout award/rank) on my West Point app, I feel that I should take any opportunity that I can take to make my chances for 2017 even better.

And on top of that, I am very sure that I will enjoy Boys State - since it's a Model UN sort of simulation.

But then again, I also want to see what a week at West Point would be like...
And I'll try calling WP to ask what they value more.

EDIT: Seems Cadet2017 says WP wants Boys State...

Thanks,
TheChicagoan
 
Chicago-are you going to three summer sessions and boys state?
 
I went to both SLS and Boy's State. Boy's State, while cool and all, pales in comparison to the experience I had at SLS. I think any academy hopeful that can go to SLS should go to SLS. Boy's State, while valuable to the admissions process, will not make or break you in terms f admissions. Plus, SLS is the neat reasonable way to decide of WP is right for you. Nobody whom I met walked away ambiguous about their decision. They either REALLY wanted it, or REALLY didn't.
 
TheChicagoan said:
But if going to Boys State is going to make a huge difference (I don't scout, so no eagle-scout award/rank) on my West Point app, I feel that I should take any opportunity that I can take to make my chances for 2017 even better.
Click to expand...

Why don't you try switching to SLS week 1 and, therefore, attend both? That would be good.

You'll only miss a week of classes, right? A student who aims for West Point probably won't suffer from losing a week of classes.
 
I couldn't go to SLS because of a school conflict (aka a teacher said she wouldn't give me any opportunities to make up work if i missed that week of school, which would have destroyed my grade.) I did, however, go to Boys State. I'm not sure what you're interested in, but I've had to do a lot of public speaking and government/political type things in the past year, and my one week at boys state prepared me for those more than anything else I've experienced in high school. I'm a better leader now because I learned how to stand up and speak my mind at boys state; I'm just more confident in general too. I wouldn't give up that experience for anything. There's a reason it's valued on your application, and that's because it's more than a check in a box; it's a hardcore week of leadership training (assuming you take every opportunity you can there to speak and lead, and then build off of those experiences Senior year.)
 
TheChicagoan said:
Can anyone suggest a way for me to do both Boys State AND SLS?

I can only attend week 2 of SLS (and I've already paid/etc for it), but as I'm a member of my school's Model UN team, I feel obligated to do something like this :) [and seeing as I want to major in PoliSci]

So my question/concerns:
1. If I decide to do both SLS and Boy's State, is it easy to change my SLS Week 2 to SLS Week 1?

2. Any ideas on convincing my school to let me skip the last week of school? (For SLS Week 1?) - and this week is final's week, but since I have all AP classes, we take our finals much earlier as prep for the AP test.

Any ideas? Convince me to pick Boy's State over SLS? And I REALLY want to go to SLS - I've told my parents that after SLS is when I'll finalize my decision to try to attend West Point or not so...

Thanks,
TheChicagoan
Click to expand...
TheChicagoan,
My DS skipped the last week of school last year to go to SLS. He simply asked all of his teachers ahead of time and told them what he was doing and why he wanted to go. Since, his grades were very good, as I am sure yours are as well, they all agreed.
Good Luck.

By the way, he is a LOA recipient and 2016 Appointee.
 
TCUSMA2016 said:
TheChicagoan,
My DS skipped the last week of school last year to go to SLS. He simply asked all of his teachers ahead of time and told them what he was doing and why he wanted to go. Since, his grades were very good, as I am sure yours are as well, they all agreed.
Good Luck.

By the way, he is a LOA recipient and 2016 Appointee.
Click to expand...

Once again, thanks for all the helpful responses.

I'm going to try to do what TCUSMA2016 said - I'll skip the last week of school to go to SLS, then go to Boy's State, then USAFA SS. :)

This summer is gonna' be amazing!
(And hopefully I LOVE SLS, I'm already super-biased toward West Point)

Thanks everyone,
TheChicagoan
 
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