Would it be better to do USMAPS or College w/ ROTC?

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LBK117

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Oct 23, 2013
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I am a HS senior who very recently got accepted to West Point's Prep School, which made me very happy, but got me thinking as well. I could go there and have a chance to go to West Point or I could of done my secondary plan (doing the SMP with the National Guard and doing ROTC at Michigan Tech).

I looked at the courses, which are primarily English and Math. I don't have the best GPA (3.2 then dropped a bit), but I'm am quite competent in academics. I'm taking AP Calculus AB (the highest level math class showed on their site) and took and passed the 1st and 2nd semester courses of English Composition at my local college as well as Literature Interpretation since I was dual-enrolled at the time.

Essentially it would be like repeating me senior year of high school with military training. I could just go to Michigan Tech where I won't repeat the same courses and get on with my academic and military education there. I'm going to contact them about this to see what can happen with the courses, but I would like to hear opinions as well.
 
USMAPS is the way to go if you're serious about West Point. You will be ahead of the game in everything basically which is GREAT plebe year. You're essentially doing plebe year minus the enormous stress of being constantly yelled at or doing beast. Prep school is great because you learn everything--academics, shining boots, wearing a uniform, everything.


Jackie, USMA USAFA USMMA Candidate for Class of 2018
Principally Nominated to USMA & USAFA
 
It's hard to know where to start here. First, your concept of USMAPS is incredibly out to lunch if you think that it is "repeating a senior year of high school with military training". The purpose is to take a candidate with good potential who is weak, the operative word here is "weak", in some academic area such that Plebe Year would chew them up and spit them out if that was not corrected. You may think you are quite competent in academics but your GPA and West Point Admissions don't think so. Of course, what would they know? They have only seen literally thousands of candidates go through the system and can spot problems a mile off.

You have been given a golden ticket to WP through the graces of the Admissions Board and you want to dump it and go be a college boy and participate in ROTC which you think is just as good? All I can say is go for Michigan Tech (after all you are already checking into it) and forget WP. Enjoy.
 
Spud said:
It's hard to know where to start here. First, your concept of USMAPS is incredibly out to lunch if you think that it is "repeating a senior year of high school with military training". The purpose is to take a candidate with good potential who is weak, the operative word here is "weak", in some academic area such that Plebe Year would chew them up and spit them out if that was not corrected. You may think you are quite competent in academics but your GPA and West Point Admissions don't think so. Of course, what would they know? They have only seen literally thousands of candidates go through the system and can spot problems a mile off.

You have been given a golden ticket to WP through the graces of the Admissions Board and you want to dump it and go be a college boy and participate in ROTC which you think is just as good? All I can say is go for Michigan Tech (after all you are already checking into it) and forget WP. Enjoy.
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I see that you're not interpreting my wording here the way it was intended. Now you're presuming that I'm not looking into it properly, I am, that's why I'm inquiring here. I wasn't declaring that it is "repeating a senior year of high school with military training" I was saying that's what it potentially seemed like, so please don't undermine my statements. I know my GPA isn't high, that's essentially the reason I wasn't accepted, that and my English score on the ACT. Knowing that, I thought my chances at West Point were very slim (which I'd say they still were) and I worked on another way of becoming an officer (something I really wanted to do for a long time).

I don't know much about the Prep School, that's why I wanted opinions to help enlighten me on the information. I know that there's a chance to get into West Point from the Prep School, I just don't know how high the chances are. So understand what I was intending here. I want to go to West Point, but if I didn't make it there after a year of Prep School, that would be an academic year that would of been a loss of opportunity for more classes towards my electrical engineering major at a different institution. I feel that I would do good at the Prep School, I'm just being contemplative of my options here. I'm not really a pessimistic person, but I have to consider that "not getting accepted to WP out of Prep" possibility too.

So if you any personal insight on it, I'd like to hear it, just know that I'm not thinking about the way you initially thought.
 
If attending West Point is part of your goal(s,) then the Prep School is the most certain pathway to achieving that.

If you are wanting to become a military officer down the road, while still experiencing traditional college life, then the ROTC route might suit you better.

It comes down to what you are looking for. If the end goal is more important, than either path will get you there. if you are desiring a particular experience for college life, then you just need to decide what is is that you seek.
 
LBK, I'm sure spud has a good understanding on what he read. If you took all those English classes and that great math class then you should be fine at prep school. Admissions is basically handing you a golden ticket to give you an extra year to get up and running rather rushing into your 1st yr. Its NOT a repeat of your senior year, get that out of your head and be ready to work and learn about life at USMA.



LBK117 said:
I see that you're not interpreting my wording here the way it was intended. Now you're presuming that I'm not looking into it properly, I am, that's why I'm inquiring here. I wasn't declaring that it is "repeating a senior year of high school with military training" I was saying that's what it potentially seemed like, so please don't undermine my statements. I know my GPA isn't high, that's essentially the reason I wasn't accepted, that and my English score on the ACT. Knowing that, I thought my chances at West Point were very slim (which I'd say they still were) and I worked on another way of becoming an officer (something I really wanted to do for a long time).

I don't know much about the Prep School, that's why I wanted opinions to help enlighten me on the information. I know that there's a chance to get into West Point from the Prep School, I just don't know how high the chances are. So understand what I was intending here. I want to go to West Point, but if I didn't make it there after a year of Prep School, that would be an academic year that would of been a loss of opportunity for more classes towards my electrical engineering major at a different institution. I feel that I would do good at the Prep School, I'm just being contemplative of my options here. I'm not really a pessimistic person, but I have to consider that "not getting accepted to WP out of Prep" possibility too.

So if you any personal insight on it, I'd like to hear it, just know that I'm not thinking about the way you initially thought.
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LBK117 said:
I'm going to contact them about this to see what can happen with the courses
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Bad idea. Reread Jackie's post then think if USMA really was a goal.

Only you can make this decision.
 
LBK117 said:
I'm not really a pessimistic person, but I have to consider that "not getting accepted to WP out of Prep" possibility too.
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There are NO GUARANTEES that you will be accepted into WP after USMAPS.
That said.....if you succeed at USMAPS and demonstrate that you REALLY want an appointment to the USMA.......you will VERY, VERY, EXTREMELY likely receive one. USMA isn't funding your year at USMAPS in anticipation of you NOT receiving an appointment afterwards....they are just preparing you academically for when you do receive an appointment. Let me quote Spud:
Spud said:
You have been given a golden ticket to WP through the graces of the Admissions Board...
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You've already decided that you want to be an Army officer. Now you just need to decide if you want to accomplish that goal with AROTC or the USMA. If the answer is the USMA then USMAPS is the door through which you gain entry.

Good Luck!:thumb:
 
Not sure how the army is doing, but I know the Air Force is in a HUGE cutting phase. The only, safe, way of becoming an officer is through the service academies. Probaly the same for the army.
 
Thanks for the inputs. I made the choice to attend already, I initially wasn't aware of the likely hood of a USMA appointment following Prep, so minor worries were there. I made the choice and I'm happy with it. I'll be looking forward to my future attendance of USMA itself. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, so that extra year is fine.
 
Congrats LBK! You'll do fine. Just be serious about learning and PT when you get there.
 
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