AIM 2021

Congrats to those who got in AIM!! Curious how many of you want to go to the in-person one? We wanted to go in person, but also having some potential conflict...
 
One thing that my DD's been told several times while getting her 2025 application processed is that the Coast Guard loves people that love them, that have a particular affinity for that specific service. Go back up to where @sanman twice asked Why the USCG? My DD only applied to one summer program, and told them that. She only applied to one academy, and told them that. Many, maybe most, of the people applying are trying for multiple academies, it's pretty standard, but you need a good answer to Why USCGA beyond "service is service" or "It'll work if I can't get into Annapolis."
 
StPaulDad said:
One thing that my DD's been told several times while getting her 2025 application processed is that the Coast Guard loves people that love them, that have a particular affinity for that specific service. Go back up to where @sanman twice asked Why the USCG? My DD only applied to one summer program, and told them that. She only applied to one academy, and told them that. Many, maybe most, of the people applying are trying for multiple academies, it's pretty standard, but you need a good answer to Why USCGA beyond "service is service" or "It'll work if I can't get into Annapolis."
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My DS did exactly the same. He only applied to USCGA and made sure he stressed that and reason why he only applied to USCGA.
 
StPaulDad said:
One thing that my DD's been told several times while getting her 2025 application processed is that the Coast Guard loves people that love them, that have a particular affinity for that specific service. Go back up to where @sanman twice asked Why the USCG? My DD only applied to one summer program, and told them that. She only applied to one academy, and told them that. Many, maybe most, of the people applying are trying for multiple academies, it's pretty standard, but you need a good answer to Why USCGA beyond "service is service" or "It'll work if I can't get into Annapolis."
Click to expand...
This! My cousin is an Academy Admissions Partner and he told my now cadet the same thing when he started looking at CGA. He didn't get accepted to AIM, but still went to a Cadet for a Day program, and went to any local admissions events that were offered in our area. If travel is a problem, I believe there are opportunities to engage online right now.
 
All the academies are like this, which is why reapplicants do so well.

Regarding the topic of AIM admissions, there's a real gap between the goals of AIM and the regular academy admissions processes. The I in AIM stands for Introductory, and their goal is to expose students who might not have a real grasp of the Coast Guard mission and culture to the USCGA campus and community. In a discussion of this program from some prior year I recall reading that locals who have had ample opportunities to visit might not do as well as someone from Atlanta or Minneapolis, where there's less exposure to the service. That may no longer apply, as needs change over time, but it's something to consider. Regular admission is a new game.
 
For those of you that CAN do in person, I highly recommend it. You will learn about USCGA either way, but you will get a taste of what SWAB summer will be like if you can attend the in person one. USCGA knows that they are not a good fit for everyone. They know that the military is not a good fit for everyone. They would rather potential candidates figure that out during AIM rather than during SWAB summer or after. When my daughter attended AIM, there were quite a few kids who ended that week deciding, "Nope. The military is not for me after all."
 
I think one of the advantages for both applicants and the academy of attending AIM is to identify if they can manage the academy (especially SWAB summer) experience. When DS attended AIM there were Aimsters that didn’t even last one day before leaving! I am sure many of these were pushed into attending by their parents and it wasn’t their dream. The academy certainly doesn’t want the same happening during SWAB summer!
 
I don't want to bother anyone but dose anyone know when the waitlisted people find out.
 
I'm interested! Even though I could only register for week 2 of the in-person session.
 
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