Best SA/SMC Location Opinions

bruno said:
ok- California has weighed in-so now, Where are the Texans? You have A&M and Texas Maritime- I lived in South Texas for 6 years & never ran into a Texan who was shy about enumerating the Lone Star State's charms!!
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Okay, bruno, I'll bite. College Station exists because of Texas A&M. It is in the heart of East Texas pine country. I have grown up knowing College Station all my life. My father, who graduated from A&M in 1960, and my mother retired there because they loved the town and the school so much. There are many Aggies who have done the same. It is a small but growing place. Population is about 70,000 (not counting the student body of the school which almost doubles that). There are plenty of modern conveniences and entertainment, but not to the level of say Austin or Houston. It is about an hour and a half drive to both those cities if you need the big city amenities.

The major downside to the area if you're not accustomed to it is the heat in the summer. It can get over 100 degrees and humidity can be pretty high. This year was fairly mild as far as heat, and it actually got fairly cold in the winter and even snowed a couple of times... pretty rare though.

Except for the heat, I find it a beautiful place and an easy pace of life.
 
Sprog,

Different strokes - for different folks!

Grew Up in New London - and have been hurt by some of the comments posted about my hometown - that is because the truth does hurt!

Best view of New London - from the deck of the USCGA EAGLE sailing out into Long Island Sound.

Went to Norwich. Spent most of the dreaded winters - swimming laps for the swim team.

Worked at Mass Maritime in Buzzards Bay. SUPER place to be in the summer - but - few cadets get the chance to be on campus during the summer. Winter - cadets were on Sea Term - usually Carribbean.

I think it matters less where you ARE - and matters more what you DO while you are there!

Fuji
 
Fuji said:
I think it matters less where you ARE - and matters more what you DO while you are there!

Fuji
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Certainly true. Although, at least for some people, where you are has a great impact on what you do. Everyone is different, though.
 
OK. I actually live in College Station -- the Home of Texas A&M University -- and I'm a die-hard Aggie, so I will explain my reluctance to get into this discussion.

I love CS. It is a great place to raise a family: we have great schools, great parks, wonderful neighborhoods. However, students who come to A&M from the city complain that there is nothing to do (?!?!) and those from the country complain that there are too many people.

There is no terrific scenery; no lake in town; it's 3 hours to the Gulf Coast; it's two days to the mountains. It's hot and humid in the summer; it's cool and wet in the winter; fall and spring both last about 2 days.

But it's a laid back town and lots of former students are returning to retire in Aggieland. And lots of new graduates would love to stay if they could find a job.

:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

Oh, and CS is in the "Oak Woods and Prairies", not the Piney Woods.
 
Ok - I challenge you to beat this:
http://www.lexingtonvirginia.com/
Budget Travel Magazine lists Lexington in the category:
"America's Coolest Small Towns" "Locals often describe this 19th-century hamlet between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains as "right out of a Norman Rockwell painting." Lexington is the kind of place where people are invested in making sure history is paid real respect."
http://budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2009/09/04/AR2009090402162.html
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Having said that- as a 20 year old my son is desperate to go anywhere other than Lexington when he gets out (and he was on conduct probation or confinement and walking PTs for most of the last semester so he really got to do nada:eek:) "Cool" is all pretty relative!
Bottom line everyone of these places has their own charm and their own downside too- (But what's up with USAFA- nobody has plugged them in this thread yet?!)
 
nope- just a mountain of demerits and PTs for stupid things in the first semester got him Conduct Pro. He got more Pts in one semester than my room mate and I had combined in our whole cadetship- I was just there for my 30th reunion so we had a cahnce to compare notes with him. But you know you play the game and take your chances- he came to the class bbq needing a haircut - knowing the Dep Commandant is a classmate. He was actually pretty philosophical about all the PTs - they "gave him time to think lots of random thoughts" while trudging away in front of barracks.
 
bruno said:
nope- just a mountain of demerits and PTs for stupid things in the first semester got him Conduct Pro. He got more Pts in one semester than my room mate and I had combined in our whole cadetship- I was just there for my 30th reunion so we had a cahnce to compare notes with him. But you know you play the game and take your chances- he came to the class bbq needing a haircut - knowing the Dep Commandant is a classmate. He was actually pretty philosophical about all the PTs - they "gave him time to think lots of random thoughts" while trudging away in front of barracks.
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I only had to march PTs twice, once as a Third and once as a Second. I did not enjoy the experience.
 
I've only been to West Point, Annapolis and most recently Charleston but I have to say that Charleston is probably the most awesome city that I've been to. Not only is the city (and the female population) beautiful, but everyone there is genuinely kind and there is always something to do down there. Annapolis is pretty nice too, but as a history nut and all I really did love Charleston.
 
There are a few nice places in New London that I did not discover until I was a senior. I've been to USCGA, USMMA, USNA, USMA, USAFA, VMI, Norwich, and the Citadel. While I agree Charleston is nice, and Kings Point is a fine area on Long Island, I have to say Annapolis was the nicest location of the eight I listed. Nice, historic small feel to it. I get the feeling, in general, that the people of Annapolis like the midshipmen. The city has certainly bought into it.
 
My thoughts on what I have seen in the order that I saw them:

USNA: nice campus, decent town
USAFA: serene mountain view, impersonal campus feel
USMA: most natural beauty, deserted town

Never did get around to visiting USCGA or USMMA before turning down my appointments, but a friend of mine just visited USCGA and was very impressed by the brick architecture, which does sound lovely.

I am someone who prefers a good nook in a tree with PB and J to a padded seat in a nice restaurant any day, so my vote is USMA.
 
Although Lexington is a nice, quaint town, VMI, well, my first impression rounding the corner was, it looks like a prison!! I think I was in shock when I first saw it and tried not to look it but my son could tell. At least he was smart enough to know not to let the looks of it be deceiving. We did go talk to an admissions counselor and tour the grounds. It was his #1 school for a long time until we visited North Georgia College in Dahlonega, GA (about an hour north of Atlanta). It's located in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, nice quiet town. #1 ROTC program, admitted him on the spot, and offered him money. It was hard to say no. :biggrin:
 
bruno said:
Well that's certainly true- the inside of VMI barracks has all the ambience of the state pen:eek:

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/photoplog/index.php?n=62
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So does West Point. When I was at VMI, the International Studies department sent me to a conference there right before Thanksgiving senior year. The cold, dark late autumn light and the deep grey of USMA's architecture certainly reminded me of a prison. VMI might have them beat, though. The inside of Barracks looks like cell tiers.
 
sprog said:
So does West Point. When I was at VMI, the International Studies department sent me to a conference there right before Thanksgiving senior year. The cold, dark late autumn light and the deep grey of USMA's architecture certainly reminded me of a prison. VMI might have them beat, though. The inside of Barracks looks like cell tiers.
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Princeton Review College Rankings

Dorms Most Like Dungeons

1. Hampton University
2. United States Merchant Marine Academy
3. United States Coast Guard Academy
18. United States Military Academy

http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings.aspx

:cool:
 
Luigi59 said:
Princeton Review College Rankings

Dorms Most Like Dungeons

1. Hampton University
2. United States Merchant Marine Academy
3. United States Coast Guard Academy
18. United States Military Academy

http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings.aspx

:cool:
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Man, the mid's at Kings Point must really vote over and over again when it comes to these Princeton Review rankings. I would hardly call my barracks room there a "dungeon" and I was there pre-renovation. I kinda liked my room overlooking Long Island Sound. But then again I guess cinder block walls, tile floors, and steam radiators due make for a dungeon feel.
 
bruno said:
Well that's certainly true- the inside of VMI barracks has all the ambience of the state pen:eek:

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/photoplog/index.php?n=62
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Our first visit to VMI last summer, we pulled into the driveway and saw shaded, ivy covered Washington and Lee to the left, and the stark fortresses of VMI to the right. When we went back this past April, and I realized that the architect of the VMI Old Barracks was one of my favorites of the 19th century, I had a whole new appreciation for the "look." It is, after all, a military college.

The only other campus on which I can comment is West Point - I lived for many years directly across the Hudson River, facing Eisenhower Hall. It really is such a picturesque setting. We used to enjoy going to the restaurant at the Hotel Thayer for Sunday brunch and special occasions.
 
My DSs friend went to visit VMI with his parents. He wanted to know why his parents kept calling it "Stratego." :shake:
 
OBXmom said:
My DSs friend went to visit VMI with his parents. He wanted to know why his parents kept calling it "Stratego." :shake:
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This should answer that question. Actually it sort of looks like Hogwarts

vmi.jpg
 
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