USMAPS V.S USAFAPS

Newmember17

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Mar 24, 2017
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3
Hello everyone,

I have been given the opportunity to attended both USMA and USAFA Preparatory school, and I have until April 12 to decide to either accept or decline USMA prep and April 15 to accept or decline USAFA. The problem is, I don't know which one to choose! My father, who is active duty marine Corp wants me to goAir Force route. This past summer, I attended WP's SLE and fell in love with EVERYTHING about WP but my father is just not having it. I plan to do something that involves medical if that helps! I just don't know which to choose! Any insight is helpful.
 
Take your fathers advice respectfully but remember it's your life and you earned the right to choose. Also, look beyond the prep year. 20 years from now, you'll say I graduated from the United States ________. Fill in that blank. Good luck!
 
To quote Oprah Winfrey, "Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."

The Real XMO15 has good advice - close your eyes and think about where you would like to be 10 to 20 years from now. Which option better enables that vision? Which option excites you more?
 
I would imagine that both USAFA and USMA offer similar opportunities to study medicine (I know it is very difficult to graduate USMA and immediately study medicine). I followed the AF medical career of a family member and I was extremely impressed by the quality of the medical professionals drawn to the AF.
 
Hello everyone,

I have been given the opportunity to attended both USMA and USAFA Preparatory school, and I have until April 12 to decide to either accept or decline USMA prep and April 15 to accept or decline USAFA. The problem is, I don't know which one to choose! My father, who is active duty marine Corp wants me to goAir Force route. This past summer, I attended WP's SLE and fell in love with EVERYTHING about WP but my father is just not having it. I plan to do something that involves medical if that helps! I just don't know which to choose! Any insight is helpful.

Try some reverse engineering. The Med route out of Service Academies is always a challenging one, drawing on my knowledge of the fairly narrow path out of USNA. Ensure you have done the research on both schools on their medical commissioning program so you understand the path, requirements, obligations, likelihood. If you do not get your medical branch desires, which SA has officer career paths that would be acceptable alternatives? Or, which SA has paths that you absolutely do not want and don't want to risk?

It's your path. Try to discuss specifics with your dad about why he favors AF over Army. The cultures are very different, one is not better than the other, just different - it's about where you feel your best fit.

Good luck - you are in a great position, with both schools expressing confidence you will be successful, and being willing to wait for you after a bit of prep.
 
Not trying to give you a hard time, but are you making your choice based a the summer seminar at one academy? How do you know that the AFSS would not have been the "Aha" moment too? Summer seminars are meant to recruit prospective candidates and they do a pretty good job at it. They will always try to paint their school in a better light. Have you even been to USAFA? If not, take a trip out there if you can, it might change your mind LOL.

What do you want to be after you graduate? That's where you start. Make your choice on your research. Talk to as many people in both services if you can. The end goal is becoming an officer in the US armed forces. Each service has it's own mission with it's own community.

Why is your dad pushing you towards AF? He must have a good reason to. Anyway good luck and yours is a good problem to have.
 
Not trying to give you a hard time, but are you making your choice based a the summer seminar at one academy? How do you know that the AFSS would not have been the "Aha" moment too? Summer seminars are meant to recruit prospective candidates and they do a pretty good job at it. They will always try to paint their school in a better light. Have you even been to USAFA? If not, take a trip out there if you can, it might change your mind LOL.

What do you want to be after you graduate? That's where you start. Make your choice on your research. Talk to as many people in both services if you can. The end goal is becoming an officer in the US armed forces. Each service has it's own mission with it's own community.

Why is your dad pushing you towards AF? He must have a good reason to. Anyway good luck and yours is a good problem to have.


No hard feelings taken. From my post, it can be inferred as if I am choosing WP all from my experience at SLE. SLE does play a big role in aiding me to want to go to WP but I currently have 2 mentors from WP which have also aided me in this process. I have been able to obtain much information about WP from them. They have informed me about the good, the bad, and the ugly; no sugar coating. So SLE was just the icing on the cake that top it off for me.

The reason for my dad wanting me to attended AF is from his Marine Corp background. He states that if he could do it over again, he would have went the Air Force route.
 
The number of Marines who encourage their kids to go the USAF is probably higher than anyone can imagine. It's because we know the far spectrum of the tough military lifestyle and want an easier life for those we love.

Bottom line is this is your path. Pick the path that will make you happiest. Have a long talk with your dad and be frank about it. Tell him you want his support.
 
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