Mid willing to answer questions

Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
161
Hi everyone I'm a current 3/C Midshipmen (USNA '22). With the extra time of being home, I thought I would return to here to answer any questions candidates may have about academy life or the application process. Everything is fair game so ask away!
 
Man, this is awesome for you do do this!My question is admissions:
I know we have approx 2 weeks left in when they let us know of appointments...So I’m currently CPR with a DoDMERB DQ (labrum tear surgery, no issues anymore, in fact Was playing baseball again) so I’m still “under waiver review”; this late in the game in waiting for a hopeful waiver and still CPR is this a good thing or bad?
I know this would only be an opinion but I’m sure you have heard stories of your fellow midshipmen maybe with same scenario. This seems to be the hot topic everyone is asking for us still waiting.
And if you don’t mind me asking, when did you hear of your appointment?
 
Hi, thanks a lot for doing this! I have an LOA pending an eyesight waiver(only correctable to 20/25 in one eye) and was curious if you knew current midshipmen with eyesight waivers or if you knew how common these were? Thanks
 
Man, this is awesome for you do do this!My question is admissions:
I know we have approx 2 weeks left in when they let us know of appointments...So I’m currently CPR with a DoDMERB DQ (labrum tear surgery, no issues anymore, in fact Was playing baseball again) so I’m still “under waiver review”; this late in the game in waiting for a hopeful waiver and still CPR is this a good thing or bad?
I know this would only be an opinion but I’m sure you have heard stories of your fellow midshipmen maybe with same scenario. This seems to be the hot topic everyone is asking for us still waiting.
And if you don’t mind me asking, when did you hear of your appointment?
I was in the exact same boat two years ago. I was DoDMERB DQed and my wavier didn't get processed until mid-April. Once my waiver was in I got my appointment about a week after that. So while I can't answer if you'll get in, as everyone says here no news is good news. So long as you don't get the TWE you still have a chance.
 
What was the biggest culture shock for you?
Definitely the biggest culture shock for me personally was the ability to perform under pressure. While it's known that you're going to get yelled at, you don't really know how you're going to react to it and it was something I struggled with for the first few days. That combined with the long days took a while for me personally to get used to.
 
Can I ask whether you applied to any other service academy (specifically USAFA?) If you got accepted to more than one, how did you end up deciding where to go?
 
What was the transition like for you academically/how did you decide on your major?

Thank you!
 
Hi, thanks a lot for doing this! I have an LOA pending an eyesight waiver(only correctable to 20/25 in one eye) and was curious if you knew current midshipmen with eyesight waivers or if you knew how common these were? Thanks
Waivers for eyesight are probably the most common from what I know. My roommate had to get a wavier for that and he said it was simple it just took a while for it to process.
 
Can I ask whether you applied to any other service academy (specifically USAFA?) If you got accepted to more than one, how did you end up deciding where to go?
During my senior year of high school, I applied to 6 schools among them was USAFA and USNA. I was fortunate enough to get into both, so I really chose USNA after visiting both schools. I went on a CVW at USNA and on an FVE visit to USAFA. What really stood out on my USNA visit is really the culture here and how the Mids interact with each other. Another reason is service selection, I REALLY want to fly. But, if that doesn't work out for some reason, there is a lot of other warfare communities that I would like to commission into in the Navy, and I couldn't say the same about Air Force if I didn't get pilot. So those are my reasons, everyone has their different reasons for choosing one SA over another. I would just recommend visiting the schools and see which one you could see yourself spending the next 4 years at, and look at life beyond graduation and see which service is more appealing to you.
 
What was the transition like for you academically/how did you decide on your major?

Thank you!
I took a lot of APs in high school so the transition for me personally wasn't that bad. It just a matter of finding out how to manage your time well. There is also a lot of chances to get help in every class you take here as well. When it came to choosing a major I took to asking upperclassmen in the major about their experiences and talked to professors in the majors that I was interested in. When it came time to choose my major I felt confident in what I was choosing. I also looked at my life outside of the military and what I wanted to do when I get out because it's important to note that your major doesn't impact service selection (except in a few cases).
 
During my senior year of high school, I applied to 6 schools among them was USAFA and USNA. I was fortunate enough to get into both, so I really chose USNA after visiting both schools. I went on a CVW at USNA and on an FVE visit to USAFA. What really stood out on my USNA visit is really the culture here and how the Mids interact with each other. Another reason is service selection, I REALLY want to fly. But, if that doesn't work out for some reason, there is a lot of other warfare communities that I would like to commission into in the Navy, and I couldn't say the same about Air Force if I didn't get pilot. So those are my reasons, everyone has their different reasons for choosing one SA over another. I would just recommend visiting the schools and see which one you could see yourself spending the next 4 years at, and look at life beyond graduation and see which service is more appealing to you.
Wow, thank you for that in-depth reply! That's very helpful. Unfortunately with this virus going around I haven't been able to visit the USAFA, but I've visited the USNA.
 
If I want to branch Aviation, but my eyesight is currently not great (I am correctable to 20/20 though), can I get surgery before branch selection so my eyesight won't DQ me?
 
If I want to branch Aviation, but my eyesight is currently not great (I am correctable to 20/20 though), can I get surgery before branch selection so my eyesight won't DQ me?
I had PRK performed on my eyes (at $0 cost) at the USAFA hospital -- but after graduation. I think my timing was more of a function of technology availability and not a regulation (it was long ago). Here is another post - based on input from others, it sounds like corrective procedures are quite normal for students who would like to undergo them.

 
I had PRK performed on my eyes (at $0 cost) at the USAFA hospital -- but after graduation. I think my timing was more of a function of technology availability and not a regulation (it was long ago). Here is another post - based on input from others, it sounds like corrective procedures are quite normal for students who would like to undergo them.

Ah, okay. Thanks
 
Hi there! Have you ever heard of anyone receiving a "turn down" and then receive an appointment later on?
 
Hello,
My question relates to plebe summer and sport selection. Do you recommend doing boxing or wrestling to validate?
This is all assuming i receive a BFE not a TWE... Fingers crossed.
Thanks.
 
Hello!
Thank you for taking the time to do this. Going to USNA has been my dream (and a major driving point in my life) since 4th grade! A quick question—what is your #1 piece of advice for applicants, especially relating the the application process itself?
 
Hi, so I've recently been appointed to USNA (and USMA, I'm deciding between the two still) with hopes of branching Naval Aviation to be a helicopter pilot. Do you know how difficult it is to branch Aviation at USNA? Also, what is the political science like program at USNA? That's what I would like to major in, and was wondering if you had any insight about it.
 
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