Any shot at MMA?

I know it is essentially futile to analyze, but I was wondering if anyone could give me their opinion on my chances at this fine institution

SAT: 2210
CR: 690 (I know, low...)
M: 780
W: 740

GPA: 4.0 (All A's, school does not weight gpas)
Class rank: 1/336
Taken six AP's, will have 10 when I graduate:
-Sophomore: AP European History and AP Calculus AB
-Junior: AP Physics C, AP Calculus BC, AP Composition, AP US History
-Senior (anticipated): AP Probability and Statistics, AP Chemistry, AP Human Geography, AP Literature
AP Tests: 5's on Calc AB and BC, 4's on US History and Physics C (Still disappointed in myself...)
-National Honor Society

Extracurriculars:
-Soccer: JV Freshman and Sophomore, Varsity Letter Junior and will letter Senior. Junior Year All-Conference Defender Honorable Mention and Team Defensive Player of the Year. Vying for team captain this coming season, as I played the most minutes out of my team last year and anchor the defensive line. Also have played indoor soccer in a men's premier league.
-Band: Play trumpet. Section leader in Jazz 1, Wind Ensemble, and marching band this year. Will possibly run for band council this year, time permitting. Member of wind ensemble placing 3rd in state, 2nd in state, and 1st in state my 9th, 10th, and 11th grade years respectively. Auditioned and selected for Western International Band Clinic 2012 and 2013, trumpet section leader in top band 2013. Selected for All-State Band junior year. 3 year band letterman, anticipating 4th year. Performed in trumpet ensembles and performed solos at district competitions all 3 years. Play voluntarily in pit orchestra each year. Traveled Europe as an Oregon Ambassador of Music Summer of 2013.
-Sea Cadets: Just recently joined, so will not be able to make petty officer by the time I submit applications At Recruit Training 2014, I was Recruit Petty Officer in Command (in charge of my company at the recruit level) and was selected Honor Cadet of my company and for the entire Recruit Training.
-Community Service: Assistant coached a local girls soccer team, Beach/river cleanups, tutored in geometry, bird counts for my city, CoCoRaHS weather recorder
-Qualified for the Oregon Invitational Math Tournament at Calculus level Soph. and Jr. years. Attended sophomore year
-PADI Open Water Certified
-YMCA Youth and Government: Sophomore and Junior Years
-Oregon Boys State 2014: Supreme Court Justice

-Worked picking blueberries summer of 2012 and worked construction cleanup summer of 2013

-Attended USNA NASS and USCGA AIM. AIM PFE was 248 (If I remember correctly, 8:47 1.5 mile, 39 pushups, 76 situps). NASS CFA was 80ft bball toss, 13 pullups, 45 pushups (can do many more now), 75 situps, and a 5:51 mile run

-OR District 5

I feel a little weak in community service and demonstrated leadership positions


Thank you all so much!

You'll get in.

But if you don't want to go to sea commercially this isn't the place for you.

Your "resume" is very good, as noted assuming there's not some disqualifying thing like a pre-existing medical condition (e.g. asthma, etc.) you'll likely get in.

As beyond notes though if a sea going career or at least a sea service (Navy/Coast Guard) career isn't your objective though, you may well find it's not the place for you. Before you go through the rest of the process if you are able, I'd recommend an overnight visit and if possible arranging that so you spend the overnight with a Midshipman Host who is currently on the Soccer team.

beyond said:

You'll get in.

But if you don't want to go to sea commercially this isn't the place for you.

Click to expand...

But if you want to go into the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or work for the NOAA this could be the place for you.

I always hear both sides of this. Some say only go there to be a Merchant Mariner for a living, don't go for the military, while others say it's a great place to earn your commission as a back up to your first choice academies. I know the military commission is one of MMA recruiting tools, but am unsure of what % of the brigade actually end up in the armed forces

luv2fly said:

But if you want to go into the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or work for the NOAA this could be the place for you.

Click to expand...

It really isn't a great place for you. Especially now.

I spelled this out a little better in another thread:

You can look at the BOTC rosters on the internet, I can't find the last KP'r who completed BOTC.
There are 0 air force slots. No one from KP is going into the air force. Zero.
Coast Guard is almost 100% inspections.
Marine Corps is a tough gig to get through all of your sea days in time, but possible.
Navy has a few slots every year, but they're competitive.
Army is do-able.

Going active duty is tough. Really tough. We're not designed for it, and the training here focuses on going to sea. Some people enjoy shipping and want to do it, but also have an interest in active duty, that is fine. The folks who come day one and want nothing other than to go be a ground ponder in the Army have a really tough time. If they make it through they typically have a lower GPA than their counterparts who value the practicality in the curriculum. Celestial is a tough nut to crack. Even tougher if you know that there isn't even an obscure chance of ever needing to use it.

Admissions does a great job marketing us as a back door, and plan B to a commission, it is how they've attracted folks with higher GPAs and SAT scores. If you're really dead set on going active duty there are better paths.

Luv2fly did your son go active duty? Maybe you can shed some light on how things were then. Trying to predict the state of the industry or military four years from now is futile.

kdrgamlich24 said:

I always hear both sides of this. Some say only go there to be a Merchant Mariner for a living, don't go for the military, while others say it's a great place to earn your commission as a back up to your first choice academies. I know the military commission is one of MMA recruiting tools, but am unsure of what % of the brigade actually end up in the armed forces

Click to expand...

*Regiment not Brigade

Historically it is about 30%. That number has been a little lower because shipping is good right now. I'm great friends with people vying for active duty slots. You just can't make the mistake to think that the maritime part of the curriculum will be easy. Don't think that you can ignore it. The commercial shipping aspect will be very in your face for all four years.

Think about it this way:

Option1 ... You end up at StateU and have a 4.0 with a BA is Esoteric Philosophy with a minor in Applied Kinetic Whoosiwhatsie. In FY 2019 the Armed Forces may be accepting exactly no one in to OCS ... at graduation you have zero obligation. You are now free to pursue whatever life you choose to make for yourself.

Option2 ... You go to KP and end up with a 2.7 GPA and a BS in Marine Transportation. Due to the same FY 2019 accession constraints the Armed Forces commission zero M/N out of KP ... at graduation you now have an obligation to work for 6 years in the Maritime Industry and 8 years in the Navy Reserve in the red-headed stepchild of a community.

Congratulations Son! Pack your bags, your going to sea!!!!

The way I see it

Bud,

I currently attend Kings Point as a member of the Class of 2018.

When considering KP you need to put her in a totally different ballpark from the other service academies. She's the most misunderstood, the least recognize, and the most diverse in regards to career opportunities.

I would not recommend you place her in any sort of "Back up" position to any college or university. She's just not the same and I'll tell you why.

Most people consider all the other service academies as synonymous with their respective branches. This is why it's easier to understand the mission of Annapolis or West Point but people can't seem to grasp their mind around Kings Point's mission and purpose.

Kings Point exists to serve the U.S. Government by insuring that there is a constant flow of Merchant Marine Officers (this title refers to Mariners(commercial sailors) who hold a U.S Coast Guard License, either Engine or Deck) sailing on U.S. Flag vessels in our merchant fleet.

Think about a Merchant Marine Officer like a Professional Engineer in the sense that you can go to school and study all about engineering but until you are a licensed engineering you are "Not" an engineer. Point being, it's the U.S. Coast Guard License that gives a Merchant Marine Officer his qualification.

This fact makes life at Kings Point VERY different from the other service academies.

At all the other service academies you graduate with two important documents: your degree (duh), and your officer's commission into their respective branch.

Kings Point requires that you graduate with a degree, an officer's commission, and a U.S Coast Guard License.

This unique trait makes it so that your experience (i.e. life, student body culture, focus of study, etc.) will be complete different from any of the other service academies because Kings Point is all about getting you that license.

With that said, you still graduate as a commissioned officer, meaning you will be just as qualified to receive an officer's commission as anyone else from any of the other academies. The difference is if you go into the maritime industry or sail of the military sealift command you are generally going to be commissioned into the U.S Navy Reserve into a billet known as the Strategic Sealift Officer. This way, the Navy retains a surge capability in times of great emergency.

In regards to active duty, I would say that if you are looking for a school that is all the active duty branch you want to join, then go to that branch's service academy.

In other words, don't go to Kings Point and expect Annapolis, West Point, Air Force, or Coast Guard.

However, if you maybe aren't settled on what you want to do, or you are settled but you recognize the significance of what Kings Point officers, then I highly recommend considering Kings Point.

KP has Liaison officers for every military branch. Why? Because these people are your BEST FRIENDS if you want to go active duty.

Technically, KP competes in the world of ROTC in regards to active duty billets. With that said, that means that you compete against every ROTC branch out there for whatever billet that you want.

However, this arena is not all black and white. While it's my understanding that every branch will allocate a certain number of slots to their respective service academy, they do not give them all the slots and the rest of the slots are up for grabs by all other commissioning programs.

Kings Point is at an advantage here because all the branches understand the Kings Point isn't just some ROTC unit at a conventional college, consequently you already have recognition with every branch for being a service academy.

With that said, while it is true that whether or not you can get a billet in a branch is dependent on the needs of that branch, the thing most people overlook is your liaison officer.

This brings me to my final point: Your liaison officer's job is to work with both you AND the branch you are interested in to find a billet that you qualify for and get you that billet. Meaning, stop worrying about the number game. Your goal should be to do as good as you can do regardless of well you go. Be competitive athletically, academically, and show an aptitude and desire to lead. If you do those things then work with the liaison officer and he CAN GET YOU the billet you want.

This doesn't mean it's candy land and you can just pick and choose, it simply means that if you do your part (work hard, get good grades, stay out of trouble, show yourself to be a leader), then it just makes things so much easier for that liaison officer to get you your 1st choice billet.

Therefore, If you go to KP and decide you want to go Air Force, then make it happen. That's all it is.

I hope this helped you get a better understanding of Kings Point and whether or not you should attend.

Short Response

Don't go to Kings Point if you hate the maritime industry.

If you love the maritime industry KP is the place to be from.

If you are uncertain about the maritime industry and are also open to active duty, KP can be the place for you as well.

The Phrase "America's Best Kept Secret" doesn't really begin to attain it's true meaning until you show up for INDOC and begin your time at KP.


Best of luck, feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

How do you know if you like or dislike maritime industry.

I'm not going to talk about the specifics of USMMA, because I don't know them.

While I was in the Coast Guard, now and then I would work with a USMMA produced CG officer. Each one was great.

USMMA is an odd animal to the other four academies. In addition to everything that has been said above, they're also on trimesters, so the don't have exchange cadets/midshipmen with USCGA, USMA, USNA or USAFA.

They produce fine officers and they're legit, even if they're overlooked and no understood.

RangerVic said:

How do you know if you like or dislike maritime industry.

Click to expand...

Not trying to be a smart alec but likely the same way any young man or woman "knows" or "thinks" they'll like going active duty in any of the services (note I AM NOT saying sailing as a Merchant Mariner is anything like going active duty - it's not, just saying that its the same as trying to decide anything that interests you as a 16-20 YO) - research and looking at what the "job"/career involves and deciding that "sounds good or cool" to them. For example lets say you are a "free spirit" and dislike routine and structure but are exceptionally creative then it's likely NONE of the 5 Federal Academies are for you nor is a career on active duty. Or lets say you have always like the ocean, water, beach, etc and the idea of going to sea seems romantic to you, then maybe USMMA is a place that upon further research you might be very happy and and after your first sea year you'll know for sure if its for you or not....

RangerVic said:

How do you know if you like or dislike maritime industry.

Click to expand...

Very few 18 year olds are 100% sure they like or dislike anything much less a chosen career paths. On some level you won't really know until you do it. I had more than a few classmates who just never showed up back at school from their sea year.

KPEngineer said:

Very few 18 year olds are 100% sure they like or dislike anything much less a chosen career paths. On some level you won't really know until you do it. I had more than a few classmates who just never showed up back at school from their sea year.

Click to expand...

Bingo. And Sea Year is what convinced me to stay. . . . KP was NOT my first choice way back then, but I certainly was interested once I found out what the school was about. Of course the shipping industry was quite different then. The regimental aspect of the school was not to my liking, but it was something I had to endure to get my license and get to sea.

Oh, and I have made two severe career path changes since graduating, although I still maintain a tie to the maritime industry.

beyond said:

Luv2fly did your son go active duty? Maybe you can shed some light on how things were then. Trying to predict the state of the industry or military four years from now is futile.

Click to expand...

Beyond,

DS was class of 2013.

He was turned down for a Navy pilot slot. Was offered a NFO (Naval Flight Officer) slot, he turned that down. He did not want to sit back seat. His class had six pilot slots and 12 NFO slots for the Navy. From what I understand all slots were filled. Three mids got USCG. Two were pilot slots and one went to ships. Four went Air Force. DS couldn't remember what the jobs were for Air Force. One went NY Air National Guard with a pilot slot. Seven went Army Aviation. A few went Marine Corp. One of his friends is Marine Aviation.

Currently DS is working in the Gulf of Mexico as a Marine Engineer and doing Navy Reserve assigned to MSC. He is also in the process of transferring from Navy Reserve MSC to Active Duty Naval Aviation.

Sorry it so so long to respond to your question.

luv2fly

luv2fly said:

Beyond,

DS was class of 2013.

He was turned down for a Navy pilot slot. Was offered a NFO (Naval Flight Officer) slot, he turned that down. He did not want to sit back seat. His class had six pilot slots and 12 NFO slots for the Navy. From what I understand all slots were filled. Three mids got USCG. Two were pilot slots and one went to ships. Four went Air Force. DS couldn't remember what the jobs were for Air Force. One went NY Air National Guard with a pilot slot. Seven went Army Aviation. A few went Marine Corp. One of his friends is Marine Aviation.

Currently DS is working in the Gulf of Mexico as a Marine Engineer and doing Navy Reserve assigned to MSC. He is also in the process of transferring from Navy Reserve MSC to Active Duty Naval Aviation.

Sorry it so so long to respond to your question.

luv2fly

Click to expand...

One of my classmates (and shipmates, we did two months or so cadet shipping together) went NFO and had a very successful career. He didn't always fly "back seat". He just retired last year.

cmakin said:

One of my classmates (and shipmates, we did two months or so cadet shipping together) went NFO and had a very successful career. He didn't always fly "back seat". He just retired last year.

Click to expand...

cmakin,

I'm not saying the NFO job is a bad job, not at all. The NFO job is a different mission. I'm guessing your classmate must have been assigned to the S-3 Viking, the A-6 Intruder, or the EA-6B Prowler. Those aircraft the NFO's sat in the front right seat. If my memories serves me correctly the S-3 was the only aircraft that had a complete set of flight controls on the right side.

Being an NFO didn't fit in DS's long range plans thats why he turned it down. DS hasn't given up yet, he's waiting to hear if the transfer from Reserve to Active Duty goes through.

luv2fly

Beyond,

I forgot about Active Duty Navy ship side. There are more kids went Surface Warfare and Nuke's than went Aviation. One mid made it to BUDS.

luv2fly

How much does an 18 year old know.

I've heard this discussion for years now. "If you don't want to sail commercially then KP's not the place for you". Often we get caught up in this discussion, and on occasions have openly discouraged those who want a military career.

To my knowledge the USMMA have never surveyed incoming plebes on what they expect to do after graduation. From my visits and discussions with plebes, my guess is that well over 50% and maybe as high as 80% would say that they will go active duty (Regardless of the discussion if the spots are available).

The truth is after 4 years of school and sea year the school has decades of documented evidence that only 25% to 33% end up going active duty.

We live in the mountains and my DS knew very little about the Maritime Industry. When asked before Indoc he would talk about following Mark Kelly (and his twin brother) into Naval flight. But now that Sea Year is over and he knows significantly more about 'going to sea' he's no longer talks about active duty. My guess when his Senior year is over and he graduates, he will not go active duty but sail.

This school offers grads tremendous opportunities which is wonderful. But the biggest understated advantage is you don't need to make that career decision when your 18, you can wait until you're 22.

Just my 2 cents