USMMA - A split vs B split

sunny_dreamer

sunny_dreamer

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Jan 31, 2019
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Hi all,
My DS will be swimming @ USMMA, class of 2023. The swimming season is from September to March.
Do you know what split he will be in - A or B split?
Do the plebes have a choice what split they fall in or they are assigned to it?
Any advantages of A vs. B split for example?
 
I was on quarters so the A and B split dates were much better defined and the relation to sports and overstays was different so I wont comment on that. I was B split so I went to sea right after graduation and came back right after Christmas break.

I liked B Split because I got to see the practical application before trying to learn it in the classroom ... others are the opposite so that is a personal preference thing. I also liked being out of NY for the worst of the summer heat/humidity. I front loaded my sea days into sea year 1 so I could be home as early as possible in sea year 2. My first sea year I went straight from my ship to the airport and got back to school 3 days late (with a full beard and drastically in need of a haircut). My second sea year I was home and done with my internship before Thanksgiving.
 
The plebes indicate which split they want. The coach will advise which split to choose. Some sports have "set" choices already made for them.

A splits miss New York winters
 
My DS will be B split. He will miss NY summer. Going to sea during term 4 (Jun to Oct) and terms 6 & 7 (Mar to Oct). Makes sense. Thank you @ kpengineer
 
sunny_dreamer said:
My DS will be B split. He will miss NY summer. Going to sea during term 4 (Jun to Oct) and terms 6 & 7 (Mar to Oct). Makes sense. Thank you @ kpengineer
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He'll be whatever he gets assigned. It could be a or it could be b... Varsity athletes get first dibs usually, and they use narps to balance the rest, but you will find quickly at KP that almost nothing is guaranteed. A swimmer though would usually be a B splitter.
 
Everyone on the swimming and diving team is B split in recent history. From a selfish mom viewpoint, the good news for B split families is that your plebe/mid can be home for Christmas every year. A splitters will miss 2 Christmases in a row.
 
KPEngineer said:
I was on quarters so the A and B split dates were much better defined and the relation to sports and overstays was different so I wont comment on that. I was B split so I went to sea right after graduation and came back right after Christmas break.

I liked B Split because I got to see the practical application before trying to learn it in the classroom ... others are the opposite so that is a personal preference thing. I also liked being out of NY for the worst of the summer heat/humidity. I front loaded my sea days into sea year 1 so I could be home as early as possible in sea year 2. My first sea year I went straight from my ship to the airport and got back to school 3 days late (with a full beard and drastically in need of a haircut). My second sea year I was home and done with my internship before Thanksgiving.
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I was a B split also, and largely for the same reason. I just wanted to get out of their and then out to sea. The final year and a half at school were a slog, but there was a big prize waiting at the end. . . I was also lucky to be on ships that had engineers willing to put up with a punk kid cadet and teach him the ropes.
 
sunny_dreamer said:
Hi all,
My DS will be swimming @ USMMA, class of 2023. The swimming season is from September to March.
Do you know what split he will be in - A or B split?
Do the plebes have a choice what split they fall in or they are assigned to it?
Any advantages of A vs. B split for example?
Click to expand...
Our DS (2021) does not play any sports, but chose B split in order to be home for the holidays. We're from NJ, so he was home for the holidays without too much trouble. Also keep in mind that after plebe year, many upperclassman are assigned to work Indoc for incoming plebes, so not much of a summer vacation either....
 
My son is A-Split; he wanted the 3 weeks after final trimester to come home and visit his parents in Arkansas for a week and spend some time with his friends. The downside is that he won't be home for the next 2 Christmases. I personally would have preferred he be come for Christmas but this is what he wanted.
 
joriebelle said:
My son is A-Split; he wanted the 3 weeks after final trimester to come home and visit his parents in Arkansas for a week and spend some time with his friends. The downside is that he won't be home for the next 2 Christmases. I personally would have preferred he be come for Christmas but this is what he wanted.
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We were on the quarter system when I went. B-splits rarely were home for the holidays. Something that carried on after I got out, so I didn't mind. To be honest, I wanted to get to sea more than I wanted to go home.
 
KP_KRegister said:
Does anyone know what split the baseball players normally get?
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It used to be B Split.
cmakin said:
I was a B split also, and largely for the same reason. I just wanted to get out of their and then out to sea. The final year and a half at school were a slog, but there was a big prize waiting at the end. . . I was also lucky to be on ships that had engineers willing to put up with a punk kid cadet and teach him the ropes.
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My other thought was if you have to do a year and a half straight would you rather do it as Plebe and 3/C or as 2/C and 1/C. By the time Plebe year was over I was ready for the break and the privileges are better as 2/C than 3/C.
 
easy way to determine things, if you are a fall sport, you are likely A. If you are a spring sport, you are likely B. If you are a winter sport, you are likely B. If the sport has 2 seasons, then the league play season will likely control.
 
My other thought was if you have to do a year and a half straight would you rather do it as Plebe and 3/C or as 2/C and 1/C. By the time Plebe year was over I was ready for the break and the privileges are better as 2/C than 3/C.[/QUOTE said:
Yeah, that also factored into the equation.
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There's a pretty good reason to go B Split that I found out later:

If you get the boot for sea projects (2nd sailing, the sailing with extensive projects) and you are B Split, your obligation hasn't attached yet and you can walk away free and clear. If you are an A split who has successfully passed the 1st trimester of your 2/C year, then your obligation has technically attached and you are possibly liable to the government if you fail 2nd sailing projects. This was motivation to do as well as possible on projects, but if I had known this I would go B split.
 
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