NAPS

I am a little confused on how the process of being selected for NAPS works. What type of candidate would be selected for NAPS?

Hopeful, if you do a search for NAPS on this forum, you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know! The short answer is that the process is handled by USNA -- that's the only way to "apply".

The candidates I met when my son was @ NAPS ran the gamut:
*Prior enlisted who needed academic refreshers (though @ graduation, a LOT of the academic awards went to priors w/ nuke backgrounds)
*Athletes who needed academic prep
*H.S. grads w/ high test scores but not-quite-there GPAs
*H.S. grads w/ high GPAs but not-quite-there test scores
*I also once read a post by a girl who said she got NAPS because her physical fitness was lacking, though the rest of her app was stellar.

Among the NAPSters I met, about all they had in common was an intense desire to be @ the Academy.

It's a mystery how some triple qualified USNA applicants get a flat 'no' and some applicants described above get NAPS, which is essentially 2.0-and-go as long as your conduct is good. NAPSters seem to have something that USNA wants, though I don't know what that is; I suspect the Foundation prep school students are similar.

If you think you are a candidate for NAPS or Foundation prep school, be sure those interviewing you know your feelings.

Hope this helps.

NorthernCalMother said:

*H.S. grads w/ high GPAs but not-quite-there test scores

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My bud went to NAPS because his math SAT wasn't 'high enough'.
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I'm pretty sure you don't apply directly to NAPS, you apply to the Academy and they'll offer you admission to NAPS if you don't meet the 'academic requirements'


Check the Preparatory school schools sub-forum though

Hopeful MDN said:

I am a little confused on how the process of being selected for NAPS works. What type of candidate would be selected for NAPS?

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As a '98 NAPS grad and '02 USNA grad I think I can answer your question

You do not apply to NAPS - you apply to USNA. From there you be given an appoinment to NAPS.

As NorthernCalMother stated it runs the gambet of folks. To be honest with you when I went through many of my classmates and I noticed that our class primarily consisted of sports jockies (this is the Navy's way of being able to "red shirt" a player) and minorities. As a minority we honestly felt like the majority.

In all serious though - there are two primary reason why you would get selected to go to NAPS.

- They feel you need a little more time to focus on academics or you might need some academic refreshers (i.e. for some of the enlisted folks going back to school after being away from that type of environment for at least 2-3yrs)
- A way for the academy to "red shirt" some varsity athletes

Once your "midshipmen candidate summer (indoc)" is over (3 wks long at NAPS) you are left alone - no upperclassmen yelling at you, no other silly "plebe" games. You are their to focus on academics and hopefully increase your knowlege as well as gain/learn some good studying habits. All you need to do is graduate and pass your PRTs. Following graduation you are guaranteed an appoinment into the Naval Academy.

If you are willing to put in an extra year to get an appointment to the Naval Academy I would highly recommend you accept the appointment if it was offered to you (provided you get passed over for direct appointment into the Naval Academy)

USNA'02 said:

Once your "midshipmen candidate summer (indoc)" is over (3 wks long at NAPS) you are left alone - no upperclassmen yelling at you, no other silly "plebe" games.

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Since there are no upperclassmen who runs indoc?

Upperclassmen from Naval Academy and Coast Guard Academy. So, just like plebe summer at the Naval Academy you'll have 2/c and 1/c detailers. Once they leave your own classmates will fill the roles as Company Commanders, Platoon Commanders, etc.

I forgot to mention that NAPS is also for Coasties and Merchant Marine cadets

I forgot to mention that NAPS is also for Coasties and Merchant Marine cadets

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Used to be sir/maam, it's now only for USNA.

pknguyen44 - thanks for the new info! wow - how small are the NAPS classes now?

NAPS Class of 2009 that just graduated started with 284 at beginning of Indoc.