NAPS vs Foundation

navy7

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I received an offer to attend a Foundation school for Fall of 2009. I am excited to have been considered for this Foundation, but as I read the Forums it seems to be that most applicants are being offered NAPS instead of Foundation. Does anybody know if USNA has their 1st choice applicants attending NAPS and their 2nd choice applicants attending Foundation schools.
 
I received an offer to attend a Foundation school for Fall of 2009. I am excited to have been considered for this Foundation, but as I read the Forums it seems to be that most applicants are being offered NAPS instead of Foundation. Does anybody know if USNA has their 1st choice applicants attending NAPS and their 2nd choice applicants attending Foundation schools.

Good question, I'm not sure but I do know that you'll have to pay for some parts of your Foundation school where as NAPS is all paid for and you receive a monthly stipend.
 
There are many variables in who gets NAPS vs. Foundation vs no prep option. There is only so much room at NAPS. If a prior is going to get some form of prep, it will always be NAPS (because they are AD they won't go to civilian school). Typically athletes will get NAPS as well.

There are several other factors but the real issue is not if you are being given a Foundation opportunity instead of NAPS because you are higher/lesser than NAPS. The answer cannot be made here. The bottom line is that there is not enough room at NAPS for everyone and similarly, there are not enough Foundation spots for everyone either.

If your ultimate objective is to go to the SA - then take Foundation and do your best. Gain everything possible from the experience. While it is not a "guarantee" that you will be at the SA for the following class year, it is a very good bet. If you do your part (participate in class - do well - get a nomination, etc) then the SA will do their part and you will be in the next class. Don't spend time and effort wondering about where you stack up in compared to those in NAPS or other Foundations. Instead focus on becoming the best "you" that you can be and thrive.
 
I believe the simple math is that there are over 225 spots for NAPS and 60 for Foundation. If you look at it that way, it is even more of an honor.
If you try to put some other "preference" or "importance" label of NAPS vs Foundation, you are just wasting your time. Over 90% of Foundation graduates go the the Naval Academy. That you were selected means a great deal. It will add a year to your program and eventual commissioning, and that may be an issue for you.:wink:
So you have an offer for a program that wold give you a 90% chance (historically) of admissions next year to USNA, but you'll have to earn it. If you do not want it, please let them know early so your spot can go to someone else. There is always more deserving applicants than there are scholarships.
Best of luck.
 
^^
Excellent posts - as a Mom of a Foundation student (USMA) who is also friends with several Navy Foundation students - believe me when I say this is a fabulous opportunity for anyone who wants to go to USNA.

Don't worry about why - Congratulations!
 
What percentage of those 90% graduate

Does it matter? I ask this without malice.

When I received my appointment to NAPS, it never once occurred to me to ask that question. Who cares? Even if the graduation rate is 1% (which it isn't), then the mindset should be "I'm going to be that 1%!".

I don't have the specific number, and perhaps someday I'll be able to compile it based on yearbook data, but my NAPS class was all but decimated at USNA. Doesn't mean that if a kid asked me "I got appointed to NAPS. Should I go?" my answer would be anything other than an enthusiastic "YES!!!"

Same for Foundation. :smile:
 
O I would most def take it if I was offered as well. I was just curious thats all.....
 
I would also accept a recommendation for NAPS in a heart beat! :biggrin:
 
I don't have the specific number, and perhaps someday I'll be able to compile it based on yearbook data, but my NAPS class was all but decimated at USNA.

Same for Foundation. :smile:

I'm curious if you could offer some explanation as to why this happened to your class. Is it always like that? Do the NAPS kids generally struggle at the academy? Is the USNA graduation rate for NAPS lower, higher or the same?
 
I think it's because of academics that kids from NAPS tend to die out. I'm guessing the transition from NAPS academics to USNA academics is a big step and some people just can't handle it. But like everything in life, I'm sure if you really try hard, you can get past it.
 
I'm curious if you could offer some explanation as to why this happened to your class. Is it always like that? Do the NAPS kids generally struggle at the academy? Is the USNA graduation rate for NAPS lower, higher or the same?

I don't have hard numbers. Perhaps the resident BGO's have access to that.

I can only speak to my class. While we were definitely better prepared for USNA militarily and physically, we were slaughtered by academics and a good dash of stupidity.

I had a few NAPS classmates tossed for theft or for being a parent (back in the old days where they didn't allow you to leave and dump the kid; you were just GONE) or for not being able to swim. The lion's share, however, was from academics.

I can think of five NAPS classmates of mine who didn't graduate, and that was from my USNA company alone. One of them was my roommate first semester of my Youngster Year. Hell, I was almost added to that list myself; how I managed to miss being tossed after scoring a 1.55 GPA one semester is beyond my ability to explain...

NAPS DOES prepare you for USNA. It looks like a lot of changes have been made to the curriculum itself since my day to support that.

Why NAPS seems to have not done such a wonderful job academically for MY class is worthy of a study....

But like everything in life, I'm sure if you really try hard, you can get past it.

Absolutely no doubt about it. That was certainly the case in MY case; I simply didn't apply myself as much as I should have, and I paid for it.

I still am, actually. :frown:

I can't help but wonder if graduating from NAPS gives a person a certain "I am God" attitude as a Plebe. I remember we were a cocky bunch. That may have come around to bite us. Like I said, worthy of a study it is...

If you go to NAPS, then apply yourself at USNA and stay out of trouble, you really should be fine, and FAR better off than some kid coming in straight from High School.
 
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What percentage of those 90% graduate

In the case of USMA, the cadets that go through the foundation prep year have a high percentage that graduate from the academy. I would be surprised if USNA hasn't also found this to be true.

Through USMA, not sure about USNA, the prep year is spent at a military junior college and the academics there are not easy. You take the same kinds of classes you will take as a plebe. My son said that after taking chemistry at NMMI and plebe chemistry at USMA, the NMMI chemistry was harder.
 
One difference between the "foundation prep" or "civil prep" and the academy prep schools, NAPS and USMAPS is that NAPS and USMAPS is the prep school for enlisted.

Believe it or not there is an attrition rate for prior enlisted - most just decide they don't want to stay with an Army career and know they can leave within the first two years if their enlistment is up during that time.
Many prior enlisted do very very well - even in academics. Being older than the peer group has it's challenges, however.

Overall - the attrition rate for all the academies has really dropped over the years. Please don't try and compare the attrition rate of 20 years ago to today. There is much support and effort to help struggling mids and cadets to succeed.
They spend a lot of money and effort to get you there - they want to keep you there.
Everyone with an appointment has the potential to graduate - the question is do they want to continue to put forth the effort that it takes for them to graduate.

At USMA they have a saying: "Cooperate and Graduate". Sounds easy but for some it is a struggle.
 
Everyone with an appointment has the potential to graduate

Amen.

If you get an appointment, then you CAN graduate. They don't just hand those out to people they think will fail, you know.... :thumb:
 
I can't let this conversation continue w/out pointing out that plenty of NAPSters do extremely well @ USNA. I wish a BGO would chime in w/ stat's, because I know I've heard high grad'n numbers for recent classes -- pretty comparable to direct admits.

There's no way to offer up my Youngster Mid's profile w/ out sounding like I'm bragging (and he'll be mighty unhappy if he finds out I did!), but he's a NAPSter who was Supe's list his plebe year (that's a notch above Dean's list), has consistently had an Order of Merit in the top 15% of his class, and is headed into the honors program. None of his closest NAPS friends has left the Academy, and I know at least a couple of them are doing as well as he is.

It's difficult to get him to talk about this, but when he does, he thinks he's "lucky" because he's long had good study skills, and NAPS reinforced them. He thinks some of the direct-admits who struggle academically didn't develop good work habits in high school, perhaps because the work came easily to them. Now they're challenged by the time management demands @ USNA. He believes if you get out of NAPS w/ a 2.0 and you want it, you CAN succeed @ the Academy.

I am going to be in SO much trouble. But those of you headed for NAPS: you will be @ an advantage, NOT a disadvantage.
 
In my day (which preceded Z's), NAPSters did quite well academically at USNA. One of my good friends majored is Systems Engineering and went on to serve in subs for 20+ years.

Athletes are also sent to Foundation schools. I do not know how the decision is made (NAPS vs. Foundation) other than for prior enlisted, who all go to NAPS. I don't know that they have provided BGOs the "success rates" for NAPS/Foundation -- if they did when I took my training, I've long since forgotten and it's not something that is put out to us regularly.

We are told that, if someone successfully completes NAPS/Foundation, he/she is VIRTUALLY guaranteed an appointment. And, I am guessing that students from NAPS at least (b/c it's federally funded) generally do well at USNA or the program would likely be discontinued. I can only hope that Z's year was the extreme exception.
 
I can't let this conversation continue w/out pointing out that plenty of NAPSters do extremely well @ USNA.

In my day (which preceded Z's), NAPSters did quite well academically at USNA.

Permit me to stress that I agree 100% with both NCM and USNA1985. The fact that for reasons unknown my class really took it in the shorts should NOT be construed as any suggestion that NAPS is anything but a wonderful preparation program.

That said, it doesn't make you bulletproof, either. Study hard at USNA no matter what your background is, or else be prepared to be seated at the wrong end of the long green table. :wink:

I can only hope that Z's year was the extreme exception.

It sorta figures that it would be MY class. It's probably the same thing that gives me such luck on lottery tickets (read: NONE). :rolleyes:
 
You're right that it shouldn't matter.

That said, I believe Foundation students have a 95%+ graduation rate from USNA. I can search for the source if you need to see it, but I'm quite certain I read that it's that high.
 
If you get a Foundation Offer does that mean you will not get an appointment this yea

My son got accepted to Valley Forge Military College through the Foundation. He also just received in the mail an invitation to the Candidate's weekend. Does the invitation mean he is getting an appointment for the Class of 2013 or does the fact that the Foundation is sponsoring him this year that he will be part of the Class of 2014?
 
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