Great thread, great advice--would perhaps suggest the specific pieces of advice of how to handle the academics and unique pressures/expectations be considered for a sticky. There are lots of questions on the forum about how to get into USNA, but not a lot of what to expect once the candidate has been accepted. My son is Mech E--has done very well academically, because he's done what many of you cited was important for success. LongAgoPlebe, Capt MJ and Nuensis have encapsulated the criteria for success well--appreciate the objectivity and insights of your experiences.