A parent's perspective!
DD received invitation via email 08/28/2019. She was able to chose from 3 weekends (although I think there was one in September): 10/21-22, 11/04-05, and 11/18-19 all Mon to Tues, and she selected through Bear's Den. We chose 11/04-05 even though it was after EA 10/15. Since USCGA is one of her top 3 choices, it was important for her to know the order #1, #2, and #3 SAs.
USCGA provides shuttle service from PVD (and ONLY PVD) to Hilton Mystic (20 Coogen), to/from USCGA, and from USCGA directly to PVD. The shuttles were 2pm and 6pm on Sunday, and one shuttle from USCGA to PVD at 11:30am on Tuesday. We chose NOT to use the shuttle on the way there, because DD wanted to have private time with mom - a real treat to travel and spend time alone. She also had a tough draw on all other SA trips - having to wait for the second shuttle/wait for hours to fill the shuttle, so we splurged and used Lyft. With tip, it was about $63. Caution: Use Lyft, NOT Uber, because Uber you have to walk to Parking Garage 3 and it's far, outside, who knows, we got confused, canceled that car, and saw that Lyft was right there, just outside baggage claim on the 2nd row, as expected for ride sharing. I do not think a rental car is necessary unless you are planning side trips. I reserved one from National; it was more than 2 x $63 base price, and about $200 with taxes even with every coupon I could tack on plus the Mouseforless group rate.
I could never get the website to work and take the USCGA group rate for the Hilton. Instead of making a simple phone call, I used my AARP rate, which was likely about the same. $75/night before taxes.
DD was emailed just a few days before for incoming flight info and if she needed the shuttle. Another email with a waiver for the PFE. However, if you don't fill out the waiver before arriving, YOUR PARENT IF THEY ATTEND can fill it out when you check in. It's a parent permission form. Day 1 Monday, wee didn't get instructions when to meet the shuttle or if we should eat breakfast. The itinerary came with the initial confirmation email on 08/29, and said the program started at 8:30am. We worked backwards and decided to do it Hobbit style and eat 1st breakfast, room service for 6-6:30 (we didn't want to look silly eating breakfast downstairs, in case it was later provided for free - it is NOT), and went down at 7am. Front desk said we weren't the first, and that pickup would be 7:45. Ok!
Monday, Day 1
8-8:40 Registration and check-in
8:45-9:45 Welcome & Admissions Brief
10:00-10:15 Athletics Overview
10:15-10:30 Cadet Music Programs Overview
10:30-10:40 Break
10:40-10:55 Military Brief
10:55-11:10 Academic Support
11:10-11:20 Religious Programs
11:20-11:45 Officer Panel
STUDENTS AND PARENTS SPLIT NOW
Noon - Students pair with hosts; lunch in cadet wardroom
Noon - Parents lunch in Alumni Center (pay $10)
1300 - 1415 Parents campus tour with Cadets then Exchange time (gift shop)
1500 Parents Charter bus leaves for hotel
1730-1930 Parents dinner with USCGA staff (optional) at Mystic Hilton Hotel
Admissions: Once your application is complete, it is reviewed by your Regional Admissions person and one other who is "CCEB qualified" (Cadet Candidate Evaluation Board trained). If you get 2 thumbs up, you move on to the final round of Cadet Candidate Evaluation Board. If you get 1 or 2 thumbs down, it goes before 1 high up person for a second look. This year, they have approx 900 EA. They intend to split into groups of 150 applications in rounds. Sorry, I cannot get more specific, such as which round you are in, what day they meet, who is that higher up person, etc. At some point I was just thinking What's for Lunch? and Will I have enough time in the gift shop? Do I want long or short sleeve? Because all this is interesting, but I have no control over it. DD is in line. That's all I need to know for now. By 12/24, yup. Do I have enough room in luggage for a sweatshirt?
Athletics overview: the big takeaway was the 3 categories of athletes, 1/2/3 with 3 being top recruit. Here is how I interpreted what they said:
1: Like a walk on: Thanks for your interest, IF you get in, come back to try out for the team!
2: Modest recruit: Hey! You'd be a nice addition to the team! I'll put some notes in your file. Good luck, and IF you get in, come down and we'll suit you up!
3: Top recruit: We will write a good letter, no guarantees, but we also don't do this for everyone. We want you. Our expectation is you commit to at least the first year. Can we get a positive confirmation on that? Thank you.
Officer Panel: One of the best sessions. 3 recent grads, 2017 2017 2015 discuss their experiences. Although not many questions from the crowd, this captivated everyone. We just wanted them to continue telling us short vignettes about their experiences, not that we had questions in particular.
Parent lunch and dinner - these were AWESOME! I suggest you lurk back a bit, then sit at the 1/2 filled tables. That way, you get 2X the opportunities to ask questions to the USCGA that sit at that table!!! At lunch, get a 1 super big plate of food so you don't have to get up again and miss anything exciting discussed at your table. When another parent asks a question you aren't interested in, that's when you make your move and scramble up to the dessert/coffee table. At dinner, you should go and get multiple plates of food and move tables to visit with more USCGA people!
Tuesday, Day 2
Ate buffet breakfast at hotel, which was quite good, but a bit expensive. $16 plus tip. I suggest really filling up. It's a long time until you can eat lunch at PVD!
0715 Students PFE (you don't see this, but of course are mentally channeling your energy to them!)
0845 Parent Charter bus to USCGA - check out and bring your bags. You will NOT come back to the Hotel.
0930 Parents and Students meet up again!
1000-1030 Cadet Panel
1030-1045 Q&A with Admissions Partner & Parent
1045-1115 Q&A with the Operations Division
1130 Charter bus leaves for PVD
Lunch is not provided. Eat at PVD!
Student PFE: DD took serious advantage of this, and improved from AIM 226 to 269. Even thought many were EA applicants, they replaced their scores with the Genesis ones if they were better. DO THIS, you have nothing to lose!
Cadet Panel - 3 current cadets - again, this was one of the best sessions - just listening to them talk about major, school, sport, and summer experiences on Eagle! So much stood out here - again, very few questions, but the feel in the room was everyone on the edge of their seats just wanting to hear everything about their experiences.
I don't remember the 2 Q&A - I think they replaced that with a Diversity session which was actually REALLY GOOD. I was all prepared to mentally buy-in but zone out, but the speakers TIED it into real examples of how this is applicable, and immediately, to your DD/DS. For example (sorry, I may not be using the right terms), you may be in Sector in Southern US and have an African American under you, and the fisherman may not speak or listen to him based on his race. Ice breaking in Nome, Alaska and the Russian ships would not follow because the commanding officer was a female.
About 23 candidates at Genesis #3. For parents - absolutely worth it! You get lots of time with admissions, some upperclass cadets, faculty, diversity group, really everyone and anyone you speak with is a positive and insightful experience. Don't speak with only your regional admission rep, speak with any and all. They will all have relevant and insightful things to share. For candidates - I say go if you aren't sure about USCGA or don't know exactly your order of interest. If you are 100% sure, hands down, right now, then no need to go. But also - you have worked so hard to get here, get invited to these special programs. While it's difficult to miss school - the whole reason you are doing well in school is to get these opportunities.
DD received invitation via email 08/28/2019. She was able to chose from 3 weekends (although I think there was one in September): 10/21-22, 11/04-05, and 11/18-19 all Mon to Tues, and she selected through Bear's Den. We chose 11/04-05 even though it was after EA 10/15. Since USCGA is one of her top 3 choices, it was important for her to know the order #1, #2, and #3 SAs.
USCGA provides shuttle service from PVD (and ONLY PVD) to Hilton Mystic (20 Coogen), to/from USCGA, and from USCGA directly to PVD. The shuttles were 2pm and 6pm on Sunday, and one shuttle from USCGA to PVD at 11:30am on Tuesday. We chose NOT to use the shuttle on the way there, because DD wanted to have private time with mom - a real treat to travel and spend time alone. She also had a tough draw on all other SA trips - having to wait for the second shuttle/wait for hours to fill the shuttle, so we splurged and used Lyft. With tip, it was about $63. Caution: Use Lyft, NOT Uber, because Uber you have to walk to Parking Garage 3 and it's far, outside, who knows, we got confused, canceled that car, and saw that Lyft was right there, just outside baggage claim on the 2nd row, as expected for ride sharing. I do not think a rental car is necessary unless you are planning side trips. I reserved one from National; it was more than 2 x $63 base price, and about $200 with taxes even with every coupon I could tack on plus the Mouseforless group rate.
I could never get the website to work and take the USCGA group rate for the Hilton. Instead of making a simple phone call, I used my AARP rate, which was likely about the same. $75/night before taxes.
DD was emailed just a few days before for incoming flight info and if she needed the shuttle. Another email with a waiver for the PFE. However, if you don't fill out the waiver before arriving, YOUR PARENT IF THEY ATTEND can fill it out when you check in. It's a parent permission form. Day 1 Monday, wee didn't get instructions when to meet the shuttle or if we should eat breakfast. The itinerary came with the initial confirmation email on 08/29, and said the program started at 8:30am. We worked backwards and decided to do it Hobbit style and eat 1st breakfast, room service for 6-6:30 (we didn't want to look silly eating breakfast downstairs, in case it was later provided for free - it is NOT), and went down at 7am. Front desk said we weren't the first, and that pickup would be 7:45. Ok!
Monday, Day 1
8-8:40 Registration and check-in
8:45-9:45 Welcome & Admissions Brief
10:00-10:15 Athletics Overview
10:15-10:30 Cadet Music Programs Overview
10:30-10:40 Break
10:40-10:55 Military Brief
10:55-11:10 Academic Support
11:10-11:20 Religious Programs
11:20-11:45 Officer Panel
STUDENTS AND PARENTS SPLIT NOW
Noon - Students pair with hosts; lunch in cadet wardroom
Noon - Parents lunch in Alumni Center (pay $10)
1300 - 1415 Parents campus tour with Cadets then Exchange time (gift shop)
1500 Parents Charter bus leaves for hotel
1730-1930 Parents dinner with USCGA staff (optional) at Mystic Hilton Hotel
Admissions: Once your application is complete, it is reviewed by your Regional Admissions person and one other who is "CCEB qualified" (Cadet Candidate Evaluation Board trained). If you get 2 thumbs up, you move on to the final round of Cadet Candidate Evaluation Board. If you get 1 or 2 thumbs down, it goes before 1 high up person for a second look. This year, they have approx 900 EA. They intend to split into groups of 150 applications in rounds. Sorry, I cannot get more specific, such as which round you are in, what day they meet, who is that higher up person, etc. At some point I was just thinking What's for Lunch? and Will I have enough time in the gift shop? Do I want long or short sleeve? Because all this is interesting, but I have no control over it. DD is in line. That's all I need to know for now. By 12/24, yup. Do I have enough room in luggage for a sweatshirt?
Athletics overview: the big takeaway was the 3 categories of athletes, 1/2/3 with 3 being top recruit. Here is how I interpreted what they said:
1: Like a walk on: Thanks for your interest, IF you get in, come back to try out for the team!
2: Modest recruit: Hey! You'd be a nice addition to the team! I'll put some notes in your file. Good luck, and IF you get in, come down and we'll suit you up!
3: Top recruit: We will write a good letter, no guarantees, but we also don't do this for everyone. We want you. Our expectation is you commit to at least the first year. Can we get a positive confirmation on that? Thank you.
Officer Panel: One of the best sessions. 3 recent grads, 2017 2017 2015 discuss their experiences. Although not many questions from the crowd, this captivated everyone. We just wanted them to continue telling us short vignettes about their experiences, not that we had questions in particular.
Parent lunch and dinner - these were AWESOME! I suggest you lurk back a bit, then sit at the 1/2 filled tables. That way, you get 2X the opportunities to ask questions to the USCGA that sit at that table!!! At lunch, get a 1 super big plate of food so you don't have to get up again and miss anything exciting discussed at your table. When another parent asks a question you aren't interested in, that's when you make your move and scramble up to the dessert/coffee table. At dinner, you should go and get multiple plates of food and move tables to visit with more USCGA people!
Tuesday, Day 2
Ate buffet breakfast at hotel, which was quite good, but a bit expensive. $16 plus tip. I suggest really filling up. It's a long time until you can eat lunch at PVD!
0715 Students PFE (you don't see this, but of course are mentally channeling your energy to them!)
0845 Parent Charter bus to USCGA - check out and bring your bags. You will NOT come back to the Hotel.
0930 Parents and Students meet up again!
1000-1030 Cadet Panel
1030-1045 Q&A with Admissions Partner & Parent
1045-1115 Q&A with the Operations Division
1130 Charter bus leaves for PVD
Lunch is not provided. Eat at PVD!
Student PFE: DD took serious advantage of this, and improved from AIM 226 to 269. Even thought many were EA applicants, they replaced their scores with the Genesis ones if they were better. DO THIS, you have nothing to lose!
Cadet Panel - 3 current cadets - again, this was one of the best sessions - just listening to them talk about major, school, sport, and summer experiences on Eagle! So much stood out here - again, very few questions, but the feel in the room was everyone on the edge of their seats just wanting to hear everything about their experiences.
I don't remember the 2 Q&A - I think they replaced that with a Diversity session which was actually REALLY GOOD. I was all prepared to mentally buy-in but zone out, but the speakers TIED it into real examples of how this is applicable, and immediately, to your DD/DS. For example (sorry, I may not be using the right terms), you may be in Sector in Southern US and have an African American under you, and the fisherman may not speak or listen to him based on his race. Ice breaking in Nome, Alaska and the Russian ships would not follow because the commanding officer was a female.
About 23 candidates at Genesis #3. For parents - absolutely worth it! You get lots of time with admissions, some upperclass cadets, faculty, diversity group, really everyone and anyone you speak with is a positive and insightful experience. Don't speak with only your regional admission rep, speak with any and all. They will all have relevant and insightful things to share. For candidates - I say go if you aren't sure about USCGA or don't know exactly your order of interest. If you are 100% sure, hands down, right now, then no need to go. But also - you have worked so hard to get here, get invited to these special programs. While it's difficult to miss school - the whole reason you are doing well in school is to get these opportunities.
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