The Citadel Class of 2020

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laker7745

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
36
Hey everyone!

I was recently accepted to The Citadel and would love to hear from any other members of the Class of 2020!! Send me a DM or reply!
 
Congratulations to you all. I have a few questions for you. My DS is a jr in high school and just came back from a CVW at USNA. He loved the experience however needs to look at all the different military college options.
Did you visit Citadel prior to applying? If so tell me about your experience.
What other colleges did you apply to? He's just starting the process so any information you can provide will be helpful.
 
Swag said:
Congratulations to you all. I have a few questions for you. My DS is a jr in high school and just came back from a CVW at USNA. He loved the experience however needs to look at all the different military college options.
Did you visit Citadel prior to applying? If so tell me about your experience.
What other colleges did you apply to? He's just starting the process so any information you can provide will be helpful.
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I personally didn't visit any of the colleges I applied to except USMA (because I have sibilings there). I live in Maine, and to travel to West Point, VMI, the Citadel and Texas A&M would've been quite expensive. I just know that I want to be in the military, and I want to be a part of a corps of cadets. If this is what your son wants, then I would suggest he just apply to all the military schools possible. If USNA is your sons top choice and he gets denied the first time around, going to one of these above schools and reapplying the next year looks great on a resume because it shows that you want the military whether or not you go to a SA. Also, apply for an ROTC scholarship to these schools. If you're a national winner to even one of the schools you applied to it looks really good on an application the second time around. I hope this was helpful.
 
Swag said:
Congratulations to you all. I have a few questions for you. My DS is a jr in high school and just came back from a CVW at USNA. He loved the experience however needs to look at all the different military college options.
Did you visit Citadel prior to applying? If so tell me about your experience.
What other colleges did you apply to? He's just starting the process so any information you can provide will be helpful.
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Is he wanting to go to a military college? Or are you making him look?
 
laker7745 said:
Is he wanting to go to a military college? Or are you making him look?
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It's his dream to serve in the military. He's only visited USNA but is also interested in a SMC like Citadel. They visited his school college fair and he liked what he heard. This is all new to me so I'm trying to get as much info as possible.
 
Swag said:
It's his dream to serve in the military. He's only visited USNA but is also interested in a SMC like Citadel. They visited his school college fair and he liked what he heard. This is all new to me so I'm trying to get as much info as possible.
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Tell him to keep an open mind.. This is a big thing the SMC's offer that the Naval Academy cannot. A great education without being locked into any particular branch(until the end of your sophomore year).. Make sure he keeps an open mind.
 
Swag said:
It's his dream to serve in the military. He's only visited USNA but is also interested in a SMC like Citadel. They visited his school college fair and he liked what he heard. This is all new to me so I'm trying to get as much info as possible.
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SWAG - Been volunteering with Citadel Admissions in the mid-atlantic area for 25 years. The best advice for someone considering a federal service academy is to keep all options open. The federal academies are higly selective - typically less than 9% at USMA and less than 7% at USNA per most recent public data. This should not discourage him, but being aware of this challenge is important, as is making sure he completes all required steps in the nomination and application process - which needs to begin at latest during his Junior year in HS. Besides service academies, he should also apply for the four year scholarship each service offers. Army has the most scholarships to award, but again these are highly selective. There is a fairly good video on the Army ROTC web site - have him view this for the process of applying. Junior year in HS is when he needs to start getting his application ready. This is important - as there are 3 boards and the first one meets in October of the senior year. But even if he does not achieve a 4 year award, the fact he applied and completed all the requirements for the application is helpful should he continue to be interested in an ROTC scholarship after he arrives at college. In talking with ROTC recruiters and recent alumni of my college, those students who had applied for a 4 year scholarship while in HS, are ahead of the game when they apply for the 2 year scholarship - assuming they keep up their grades and ROTC performance in college.

As for the SMCs - as mentioned, a trip to visit the particular college or university should be on your list to do in the summer of either sophomore or junior year of HS. Once the Fall Semester begins, any applicant to The Citadel can request a weekend stay in the barracks. This is free - just need to pay for travel to and from the college. In the second semester weekend visits are reserved for HS seniors who have applied and been accepted to the college. If your son absolutely cannot do this for economic reasons, then he should go to the web sites and look over them carefully for both academic as well as the military programs. Frankly - if the desire is to win a scholarship, and the SATs/ACT scores are not fantastic - a technical major will be more attractive to the ROTC boards than a liberal arts major. Just saying and of course he needs to be able to get good grades in whatever he takes up. Next - contact the school's Admission Office and get acquainted with the counselor for your area. The Citadel assigns Admissions counselors by region (e.g. Mid-Atlantic area), and the more interest you show - the more interested they will be in working with you - just human nature. The counselor should be able to arrange for a current first year Cadet to call your son and discuss their experience. If for some reason he requests a contact and this falls through the crack - PM me on this forum and I will make this happen.
 
glen said:
SWAG - Been volunteering with Citadel Admissions in the mid-atlantic area for 25 years. The best advice for someone considering a federal service academy is to keep all options open. The federal academies are higly selective - typically less than 9% at USMA and less than 7% at USNA per most recent public data. This should not discourage him, but being aware of this challenge is important, as is making sure he completes all required steps in the nomination and application process - which needs to begin at latest during his Junior year in HS. Besides service academies, he should also apply for the four year scholarship each service offers. Army has the most scholarships to award, but again these are highly selective. There is a fairly good video on the Army ROTC web site - have him view this for the process of applying. Junior year in HS is when he needs to start getting his application ready. This is important - as there are 3 boards and the first one meets in October of the senior year. But even if he does not achieve a 4 year award, the fact he applied and completed all the requirements for the application is helpful should he continue to be interested in an ROTC scholarship after he arrives at college. In talking with ROTC recruiters and recent alumni of my college, those students who had applied for a 4 year scholarship while in HS, are ahead of the game when they apply for the 2 year scholarship - assuming they keep up their grades and ROTC performance in college.

As for the SMCs - as mentioned, a trip to visit the particular college or university should be on your list to do in the summer of either sophomore or junior year of HS. Once the Fall Semester begins, any applicant to The Citadel can request a weekend stay in the barracks. This is free - just need to pay for travel to and from the college. In the second semester weekend visits are reserved for HS seniors who have applied and been accepted to the college. If your son absolutely cannot do this for economic reasons, then he should go to the web sites and look over them carefully for both academic as well as the military programs. Frankly - if the desire is to win a scholarship, and the SATs/ACT scores are not fantastic - a technical major will be more attractive to the ROTC boards than a liberal arts major. Just saying and of course he needs to be able to get good grades in whatever he takes up. Next - contact the school's Admission Office and get acquainted with the counselor for your area. The Citadel assigns Admissions counselors by region (e.g. Mid-Atlantic area), and the more interest you show - the more interested they will be in working with you - just human nature. The counselor should be able to arrange for a current first year Cadet to call your son and discuss their experience. If for some reason he requests a contact and this falls through the crack - PM me on this forum and I will make this happen.
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Thank you all so much for the great suggestions and PM's that I have received on this topic. I will be reaching out to all of you if I haven't already!
I truly can't say enough about the wonderful people on this forum that I have encountered. It amazes me every time I see someone go out of their way to answer my questions, offer advice, and genuinely want to help.
Glen: Thanks so much...I'm sure I'll have many questions and will be reaching out to you. My DS contacted admissions yesterday and I'll be looking at our calendar to plan a visit before Summer. We live in South Florida so the drive is not terrible. I will send you a PM.
Many thanks to you all!
 
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laker7745 said:
Hey everyone!

I was recently accepted to The Citadel and would love to hear from any other members of the Class of 2020!! Send me a DM or reply!
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Hey I'm accepted for the Class of 2020! I'm also planning on doing CSI. Anyoen else also going? Send me a DM
 
Hey, I'm also entering for the class of 2020! Won't be Corps of Cadets, but will be majoring in Business Admin. If anyone has "other than Corps" info or advice, please let me know. Obviously not doing CSI, but will be in Charleston and on El Cid campus all summer and full-time in Aug!
 
LarrayV! said:
Hey, I'm also entering for the class of 2020! Won't be Corps of Cadets, but will be majoring in Business Admin. If anyone has "other than Corps" info or advice, please let me know. Obviously not doing CSI, but will be in Charleston and on El Cid campus all summer and full-time in Aug!
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LarrayV!, perhaps I misunderstand your comment, but if you will be attending the Citadel as an undergraduate, then you will be in the Corps of Cadets. ROTC is required of all underclassmen; however, you do not have to commission into the service after graduation unless you have accepted an ROTC scholarship.
 
Hopeful, thanks for your concern, but no, I will not be in the Cadet Corps and will be full-time Bachelor student. Some call it Citadel Grad College, Night Undergraduate, or 2+2, but my schedule will be full-time mostly during the day as I will be working nights. I begin in august & will graduate (fingers crossed) in 2020!
There is more to The Citadel than just Cadets!
 
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