Attending USAFAss or NASS after SLE? Too Much?

S

stella

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Dec 2, 2012
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Any thoughts on heading to other summer seminars after SLE? The BGO at our daughter's school is a big believer in doing 1 summer seminar. Two, maybe. Three or Four? Too much...overkill...not needed.

Just curious as to whether any others are heading to the other summer seminars after SLE (since it is the first week only)?

Our child is undecided, but leaning now toward just 2 in June. Partly due to scheduling, partly due to cost of travel, partly due to the thought that she could visit one of the three as just a visit and release the summer spot to another. My husband thinks she should grab and go to all 3 since she has no real experiences with the SAs and what she THINKS she might like may not be the one she clicks with best.

I know...it is a good problem to have and believe me she is grateful. Still, curious as to whether others have gone to all 3 in June...and then even AIM in July. Too much?...Good experience?

S
 
I HIGHLY recommend attending every summer program that your son/daughter has been accepted to, ESPECIALLY if he/she does not know what branch they want to go into. Every SA is very different and the experience will definitely help your child narrow down which academy they want to attend, or they might realize that the academies are not for them. I did SLS last year and about half the kids there were going to multiple, if not all the summer programs.
 
Art.Perea said:
I HIGHLY recommend attending every summer program that your son/daughter has been accepted to, ESPECIALLY if he/she does not know what branch they want to go into. Every SA is very different and the experience will definitely help your child narrow down which academy they want to attend, or they might realize that the academies are not for them.
Click to expand...

As a parent, I'm agreed 100%

Yep, it's $300-400 airfare plus the seminar costs for each one. But it's worth it for many reasons discussed in detail previously.
 
I would highly recommend AIM. DS did AIM last year and found that it was much tougher than SLS at WP. It was tough enough that a couple of kids quit midweek. I can't speak to NASS but from what I've heard from him and others, AIM is much more like what she could expect to experience at any of the academies during Plebe summer. Better make sure she knows what it will be like.

The last two days of AIM were just fun according to my DS (as was SLS).
 
just my personal opinion

Hi S.-got your p.m. and havent posted in a while-but here is the answer to your ?.

Just one mom's personal opinion-free of charge and worth that much...


Apply to each summer leaderships within a couple of days of the program application opening. Apply to all of the summer leaderships, see where you get in. If you don’t get into your preferred summer leadership program there is still value in going to another. Once your acceptances come chose your favorite.

Don't worry if you dont get in. Getting into one of the summer leadership programs will not really give you much (if any) extra points on your WCS and will not be reflective of what a school year will look like.

Having said that, attending one of the summer leadership programs will help you during your interview process and essay writing. When asked a question in an interview it is nice to be able to say something like, “when I went to USMA I was impressed with all of the equipment they had –do you know they have a piece of equipment that cuts through titanium with a stream of water.…” While writing your essay you may be able to reflect on your week there. While there you will also be able to check off your CFA.

Additionally ~50% of the applicants that my son "friended" decided S.A. was not for them. The other 50% were even more motivated. This is a good way to determine if the path you are on is really indeed what you want-though a candidate visit can do that as well.

There isn’t a need to go to more than one. However, if you are undecided going to two is a good way to compare and contrast. My son went to his number one choice first, then later flew to his number two choice. The preferences flip-flopped afterwards (though he still loved both).

One is great, two also makes sense--but three? In my opinion, no.

Don’t be counter productive-don’t go to too many!!! If you are gone too much over summer you wont be able to dedicate time to finishing and improving your application. In a way much of this application is like a game of pac-man (yes I am dating myself LOL). If a Cherry is worth 100 points, dont spend too much of your time on the cherries, go straight to the Glowing Ghosts!

Summer Leaderships are the cherries. Valuable to an extent but not as much with the actual whole candidate score that you are trying to rack up.

Think of the the following as the Glowing Ghosts that you should spend the summer on: Improving ACT scores, Boys/Girls State, Essays/Personal statements, working, volunteering. Im sure there is more that others can suggest.

Good luck to all!
 
Based on my experience...

Last year, I was accepted to each the Air Force Academy, West Point, and Naval Academy summer seminars. To be honest, the only one I was even considering to attend in the long run was the Air Force Academy. But, because I thought it would be cool to visit West Point, I decided to attend that summer seminar too. I am so glad that I went to West Point's SLS! I learned so much, and now a year later I have been accepted to join the Long Grey Line.

I do regret not taking the opportunity to attend the Naval Academy's summer seminar, because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn about the Naval Academy that I turned down. That being said, I do not think it is over the top to attend three or even four summer seminars. Take me as an example. Before attending the West Point SLS I wasn't even considering West Point as an option; now, I have been accepted to West Point, and may very well be joining the Long Grey Line in three short months! Don't rob yourself of the opportunity of a lifetime. Even if you don't think that you are considering a particular academy in the long run, attending the summer seminar could easily change your mind one way or another about an academy. The summer seminars were the highlight of my summer, and I wish I had attended each one!
 
As a student, I'd HIGHLY recommend doing as many as her schedule (or budget) allows.

Personally, I did SLE, toured Colorado Springs for a little with my family, then did USAFA SS - this helped me officially decide on USMA.

And just like Soccer Guy above, I'm honored to have been given the opportunity (very recently with a BFE!) to join the Long Gray Line!

-TheChicagoan
 
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