On the Fence About Going to USMA

Hello everybody, I've been lurking this forum for a good while now and with the help of the advice given to me, I am happy to say that I've been accepted into the class of 2026. However, the more I look into what others say about the academy experience the more negativity I come across.

For one, I've ran into a few ROTC and OCS grads calling the academy "Waste Point" and telling me that I will be a robot for 4 years and treated like garbage. I'm not afraid of a challenge, as I enlisted my junior year of high school and already went through BCT. Nonetheless, I don't want to be miserable for 47 months.
Is it as restrictive as everybody says? Even one of my sergeants (who is an OCS grad) told me how West Pointers are mostly the ones getting "wasted" on the weekends at BOLC because they can't comprehend the new freedoms given to them. I am a fairly expressive and humorous person who likes to joke around occasionally, and I just don't want my personality to be stripped away. I'm fairly confident in my ability to handle the academic portion, it's just the regulations and restrictions that have me a little concerned.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to USMA, I'm simply echoing what I've been told and I want to make sure it's the right place for me.

Thanks!

You have discovered that the absolute best place to get advice about a West Point or any SA experience is from people who never attended WP and people that may have applied to WP or other SA but never got in.

And it’s not unusual that you stating , not wanting to deal with military regulations and possible restrictions , that you may want to find a less challenging less regulation type of place for your four years.

A place you can be happier.

Nothing wrong with that

Can you visit? See for yourself?

justdoit19 said:

Can you visit? See for yourself?

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Unfortunately, all visits are booked at the moment. I'm hoping to get an overnight slot once they open back up in a few months.

Small Team Bacsi said:

You have discovered that the absolute best place to get advice about a West Point or any SA experience is from people who never attended WP and people that may have applied to WP or other SA but never got in.

And it’s not unusual that you stating , not wanting to deal with military regulations and possible restrictions , that you may want to find a less challenging less regulation type of place for your four years.

A place you can be happier.

Nothing wrong with that

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I understand your point, but another issue is that even the SA grads and cadets that I see here tend to be fairly negative about their time at the academies as well. I'm just asking if it's as bad as everyone says.

“make sure it’s the right place for me”

How would a HS student possibly know if a SA is right for them if they never attended?

That is why the SA s have a 2 for 7 option where you don’t commit until you begin your 3 rd year. After two years you kind of know if it’s for you or not and if you can handle the pressure of a SA experience. Some can’t.

One of mine hated their 4 years at a SA. All four years. Almost quit after two years. But they stuck it out and now think that being a grad is the best decision they could have made.

If you want less military regulations , more happy, no possibility of restrictions, a more civilian experience , then a SA is not for you.

And you know what many of the SA students will say after summers spent with OCS students——-they don’t know nearly as much as us. And they have it so much easier.

Some love it, some hate it. How you would experience it no one can say. It’s a sacrifice for sure, however graduates receive major rewards for undertaking the challenge and making the sacrifice. No doubt you know what those are. Congratulations on the appointment and best of luck with whatever you decide.

Personally, I think it would be tougher to enter a SA as a non-direct. You will certainly be giving up freedoms you are used to having. Is it Worth if? Only you can answer that.

But….my youngest is enjoying himself. He is a fun guy, humorous. Likes to have a good time. And does. We talked about that this was his biggest misconception about going. That he envisioned everyone as perfect studios ‘nerds’. Ya they are there but so are his people. It’s like anyplace…there are all sorts, and you find your tribe.

Candidate visit weekends are for exactly someone like you. I would suggest talking to your admissions person, or assigned rep, and express that you need to visit to decide for certain.

People don’t necessarily express fair statements in casual discussions. Puffery. Exaggerations. Woe is me. That kind of thing.

Hopefully some alumni will chime in. And? USMA certainly isn’t the only way to commission. I just get my spider hairs going when I hear people making decisions based upon ‘what they heard’. Vs their own observations.

What do you have to loose from attending the two years? Do you have other options to commission?

And this is not a reason to go as such but it is a reality.

Within my own family we had a wide range of officers and Universities. Even with an ivy league university no one really cared where anyone went to school.

Except for one. The grad of a SA.

Fair or not grads of a SA are looked at differently by the American public and by employers than most other college students are. The SA grads are seen as special people. Especially the farther away from the AD military you get.

Everyone who has never experienced the Service Academies has a strong opinion about them. It's almost like a never-ending myth that West Pointers fall apart at BOLC (or whatever follow on school) because of new found freedom. After I graduated, I had no issue with this. Some grads went crazy. Others did not. I saw just as many ROTC and OCS new officers act stupid and do stupid stuff. It is true that the commissioning source does not have a real bearing on getting to the starting line as a 2LT. But the opportunities, training, and exposure to all aspects of the military will be far greater at a SA than through any other commissioning source. I recently spoke to a USMA grad who is now an SAI at a regular college ROTC unit. She said they suffer greatly because they don't get near the resources that we got for training at West Point.

Ultimately, you need to decide what matters to you and how you get to your goals. Yes, West Point will be much more restrictive than going to a regular college. If that is something you care about, then do not waste a slot by going to USMA. But if getting the full immersion experience is something you are interested in, you will not regret it. I know far more grads who are happy at the choice they made by going and graduating than those who regret graduating from West Point.

My son is a plebe now. His exact words are "yes it sucks, but I would not change my decision at all. I do not regret choosing this path." It is not for everyone. If you can get an overnight visit, I think you will benefit. West Point benefits from soldiers with real experience among their ranks.

SAFSurfer3000 said:

Hello everybody, I've been lurking this forum for a good while now and with the help of the advice given to me, I am happy to say that I've been accepted into the class of 2026. However, the more I look into what others say about the academy experience the more negativity I come across.

For one, I've ran into a few ROTC and OCS grads calling the academy "Waste Point" and telling me that I will be a robot for 4 years and treated like garbage. I'm not afraid of a challenge, as I enlisted my junior year of high school and already went through BCT. Nonetheless, I don't want to be miserable for 47 months.
Is it as restrictive as everybody says? Even one of my sergeants (who is an OCS grad) told me how West Pointers are mostly the ones getting "wasted" on the weekends at BOLC because they can't comprehend the new freedoms given to them. I am a fairly expressive and humorous person who likes to joke around occasionally, and I just don't want my personality to be stripped away. I'm fairly confident in my ability to handle the academic portion, it's just the regulations and restrictions that have me a little concerned.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to USMA, I'm simply echoing what I've been told and I want to make sure it's the right place for me.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Was it hard? Yes. Was I treated like I would at a regular college? No. Was I treated with respect and supported / encouraged to do my best. Almost always. Granted, I graduated over 20 years ago (GASP) but I will forever be grateful for my time at the Academy. If you were to ask me while I was there if I absolutely loved it, I’d probably tell you no. But I never wanted to leave to go somewhere else. I loved my experience. Only you will be able to determine what is the right fit for you. Sometimes you won’t know until you are already there but don’t let other people’s experiences and opinions affect how you make your own choices.

SAFSurfer3000 said:

Hello everybody, I've been lurking this forum for a good while now and with the help of the advice given to me, I am happy to say that I've been accepted into the class of 2026. However, the more I look into what others say about the academy experience the more negativity I come across.

For one, I've ran into a few ROTC and OCS grads calling the academy "Waste Point" and telling me that I will be a robot for 4 years and treated like garbage. I'm not afraid of a challenge, as I enlisted my junior year of high school and already went through BCT. Nonetheless, I don't want to be miserable for 47 months.
Is it as restrictive as everybody says? Even one of my sergeants (who is an OCS grad) told me how West Pointers are mostly the ones getting "wasted" on the weekends at BOLC because they can't comprehend the new freedoms given to them. I am a fairly expressive and humorous person who likes to joke around occasionally, and I just don't want my personality to be stripped away. I'm fairly confident in my ability to handle the academic portion, it's just the regulations and restrictions that have me a little concerned.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to USMA, I'm simply echoing what I've been told and I want to make sure it's the right place for me.

Click to expand...

I think that you should especially listen to the input from the Sergeant who is an OCS grad for advice. He is probably a great source of info on being an officer and commissioning through a Service Academy.

My DS (USNA) is currently home with a few buds and he loves it! Says it hard work but he also realizes what a great opportunity it is. The only complaint I’ve heard from any of them is those that complain and take for granted the opportunity they have. I think it’s all about perspective one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Funny thing: On SAF we “hear stories” about outsiders (OCS and ROTC grads, plus civilians) saying negative things about the SA experience. But I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard — or heard about — SA grads saying negative things about the OCS or ROTC experience. Never anything like: “ROTC is such a waste of time. No discipline. No challenge. Can’t do anything right militarily. Bunch of slackers. OCS is so much easier. Just a few weeks. The candidates are always joking around, not taking things seriously.”

I wonder why that is. Could it be that non-SA grads (especially those who didn’t receive offer of appointment) carry a bit of resentment? Could it be that outsiders really don’t know much about SAs and have let the mythology of the place rule their opinion? Could it be that a few anecdotes have become gospel in absence of better and more information? I honestly don’t know.

I do know that one kid is at USNA and another kid is in ROTC. Each chose the fit best for them. Each one is very happy.

@SAFSurfer3000, decisions such as this are all about trade-offs. Whether considering SAs or ROTC or OCS, there’ll be both negatives and positives. You just need to figure out which ones matter most to you. In the end, you’ll be a 2LT and no one on AD will give a diddly how you got those butter bars. Go where you fit best, plain and simple.

DS had his heart set on West Point but did not receive a medical waiver.
Fortunately, AROTC did issue him a medical waiver.

Two years later he spent two weeks at West Point with West Point cadets attending Air Assault Training.

After comparing his ROTC/college experiences with the West Point cadets he is glad he is in ROTC.

But that is just one example.
Each year plenty of ROTC cadets reapply to SAs.

I've read about several young people on here either directly or in so many words talk about how important it is to be a graduate of a service academy. Some it seems, being an academy grad is more important than getting a commission.

Although the OP has odd reasons for questioning their matriculation to WP, the pause to make the right decision vs. blind forward movement to get there makes sense.

My son didn't get in and didn't even have to go through the ROTC experience. He literally graduated from a mid-ranked state school and showed up at OCS. A 90 day wonder. Twelve weeks of misery and bam, a newly minted second lieutenant. There's no way of truly knowing if he would be a better officer today if he had the academy or ROTC experience. He's doing pretty good regardless.

I believe there are those people whose character flaws or insecurities prompt them to denigrate others’ choices, to shore up themselves. These are people, who, if at a SA, would talk smack about OCS or NROTC grads, or if at OCS or NROTC, would belittle the SA experience.

Being "on the fence" means you really don't know what you want to do with your life yet - a common situation for young people. A few things to consider:

• +1 to all the comments about the value of the opinions of those looking in from the outside.
• I have met many who turned down an appointment that questioned that choice. Each experienced the nagging question, "What if?"
• Most of those I know that left West Point after finding out it was not for them were glad for the experience.
• Turning down an appointment is a one way street. Turn it down and there will not be another appointment at some later time.
• Accepting an appointment is a two way street. Find out it's not for you and return to your previous path a bit wiser. The time lost is minimal -academic credits are transferable. Plus, there will undoubtedly be some great stories to tell.

SAFSurfer3000 said:

Hello everybody, I've been lurking this forum for a good while now and with the help of the advice given to me, I am happy to say that I've been accepted into the class of 2026. However, the more I look into what others say about the academy experience the more negativity I come across.

For one, I've ran into a few ROTC and OCS grads calling the academy "Waste Point" and telling me that I will be a robot for 4 years and treated like garbage. I'm not afraid of a challenge, as I enlisted my junior year of high school and already went through BCT. Nonetheless, I don't want to be miserable for 47 months.
Is it as restrictive as everybody says? Even one of my sergeants (who is an OCS grad) told me how West Pointers are mostly the ones getting "wasted" on the weekends at BOLC because they can't comprehend the new freedoms given to them. I am a fairly expressive and humorous person who likes to joke around occasionally, and I just don't want my personality to be stripped away. I'm fairly confident in my ability to handle the academic portion, it's just the regulations and restrictions that have me a little concerned.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to USMA, I'm simply echoing what I've been told and I want to make sure it's the right place for me.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

You might consider adding yourself to the appointment list. Nothing official involved.

Just a thought.

SAFSurfer3000 said:

Hello everybody, I've been lurking this forum for a good while now and with the help of the advice given to me, I am happy to say that I've been accepted into the class of 2026. However, the more I look into what others say about the academy experience the more negativity I come across.

For one, I've ran into a few ROTC and OCS grads calling the academy "Waste Point" and telling me that I will be a robot for 4 years and treated like garbage. I'm not afraid of a challenge, as I enlisted my junior year of high school and already went through BCT. Nonetheless, I don't want to be miserable for 47 months.
Is it as restrictive as everybody says? Even one of my sergeants (who is an OCS grad) told me how West Pointers are mostly the ones getting "wasted" on the weekends at BOLC because they can't comprehend the new freedoms given to them. I am a fairly expressive and humorous person who likes to joke around occasionally, and I just don't want my personality to be stripped away. I'm fairly confident in my ability to handle the academic portion, it's just the regulations and restrictions that have me a little concerned.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to USMA, I'm simply echoing what I've been told and I want to make sure it's the right place for me.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

As they say..... "The worst place to be, the best place to be from."

My son wanted a military-immersion experience for college, so WP was a good fit for him. Plan B was to attend a senior military college. That said, he was plenty miserable at WP at times, but even when he was at his most miserable, he knew that he wanted to remain at WP. He had opportunities at WP that would have been completely unavailable to him at a 'regular' college. So there were some big ups and downs but frankly there will be miserable moments at any college. There is a reason for the common view: WP is a great school to be *from*.

Yes, during BOLC the SA grads did party hard after classes (something they couldn't do much of at WP), but they were also the ones who were often far more prepared that the ROTC/OCS officers when it came to military preparedness. They'd learned most of that while at WP. And they'd already done many of the things that were new and/or completely unfamiliar to the ROTC/OCS officers. Trade offs. Lots of trade offs.