Cadet for a Day / Bears Day / Genesis Invitational

P

ProudMom7

USCGA Mom
Joined
Sep 19, 2019
Messages
717
Any rising high school senior who wants to experience what a typical day is like at the US Coast Guard Academy should consider registering for either Bears Day, Cadet for a Day, or Genesis Invitational. There are several openings for the fall that you should be able to find in your Bears Den account. The typical Admissions Brief with Campus Tour is also available, but the other 3 give a much better feeling for what academy life is like. For those who had the opportunity to attend in-person AIM, that program gives you a feel for what swab summer will be like. These other programs give you a feel for what a typical day of a 4/c (or sometimes 3/c) will be like.

Copying from the USCGA site:

Bears Day is a program for high school Juniors and Seniors interested in learning more about the Academy experience, specifically academics, military instruction, and cadet life through an admissions brief, campus tour, lunch in the cadet wardroom, and a class audit. This is an opportunity to shadow a cadet and join other high school students to see first-hand what a typical day at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy is like. By the end of this experience, students will be well prepared to make a decision to apply and potentially attend the Academy if offered an appointment. Programming and information for parents will also be provided throughout the day including, but not limited to, informational presentations, lunch with Admissions Staff, and a Cadet-led campus tour. Please note that each student is only authorized to bring a maximum of TWO guests.

** HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ONLY ** The Cadet for a Day overnight program provides you the opportunity to join other HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS as you shadow a cadet and explore the many opportunities available at the Academy and within the Coast Guard. Attend classes and a team practice, eat in the cadet wardroom, and learn what cadet life is like first-hand. Students will also have the opportunity to complete an optional Physical Fitness Exam (PFE). By the end of this experience, students will be well prepared to make a decision to apply and potentially attend the Academy if offered an appointment. At this time, students attending the program will be housed overnight on campus in Chase Hall. However, please note that this is subject to change per the local COVID-19 environment and current Coast Guard Academy policy. Programming and information for parents will also be provided throughout the day including, but not limited to, informational presentations, meal(s) with Admissions Staff, and a Cadet-led campus tour. Parent participation is optional, and any attending parents/guests will need to make their own overnight arrangements if attending both days of the program. Please note that each student is only authorized to bring a maximum of TWO guests.

** HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ONLY ** **Specifically for students of color, women, and first generation college students** The Genesis Invitational is a two-day/overnight program for HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS and their parents or guardians. Our focus during Genesis is on the needs and interests of students of color, women, and first generation college students. Because space in this program is limited, you are guaranteed direct interaction with cadets, faculty, coaches, staff, and graduates. Students will be able to shadow a cadet, attend classes and a team practice, meet with cadet and officer panelists, eat in the cadet wardroom, and experience first-hand what it's like to be a cadet - all while learning how to make a seamless transition to college life and exploring the many opportunities available at the Academy and within the Coast Guard. Students will also have the opportunity to complete an optional Physical Fitness Exam (PFE). By the end of this experience, students will be well prepared to make a decision to apply and potentially attend the Academy if offered an appointment. At this time, students attending the program will be housed overnight on campus in Chase Hall. However, please note that this is subject to change per the local COVID-19 environment and current Coast Guard Academy policy. Programming and information for parents will also be provided throughout the day including, but not limited to, informational presentations, meal(s) with Admissions Staff, and a Cadet-led campus tour. Parent participation is optional, and any attending parents/guests will need to make their own overnight arrangements if attending both days of the program. Please note that each student is only authorized to bring a maximum of TWO guests.
 
What qualifies someone as a minority? I wanted to apply to genesis but I am of Indian/Asian descent and I know the academies may not designate us as minorites.
 
CPonn05 said:
What qualifies someone as a minority? I wanted to apply to genesis but I am of Indian/Asian descent and I know the academies may not designate us as minorites.
Click to expand...
Think Big Picture - the Coast Guard Academy delivers new officers to the entire Coast Guard. I do not believe there is an overabundance of officers with your heritage. Don’t compare the service academies to “regular” colleges and universities, who are focused on diversity in a student population.

Why not just grab your phone right now and call the program coordinator and ask, exercise your live phone communication skills? It’s a straightforward question. My bet is you will be warmly welcomed and encouraged to apply. Go right to the official source.

6A2540E2-E7E0-4F10-BD3D-5490833EB801.jpeg
 
Capt MJ said:
Why not just grab your phone right now and call the program coordinator and ask, exercise your live phone communication skills? It’s a straightforward question. My bet is you will be warmly welcomed and encouraged to apply. Go right to the official source.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your guidance. I was basing this on the diversity standards for West Point, Naval Academy, and USAFA. I just reached out. You are right, it never hurts to ask the event coordinator.
 
CPonn05 said:
Thank you for your guidance. I was basing this on the diversity standards for West Point, Naval Academy, and USAFA. I just reached out. You are right, it never hurts to ask the event coordinator.
Click to expand...
Great - did you get an answer?
 
My daughter is participating in Cadet for a Day in September-- what are recommendations for what to wear as "business casual"? Should her hair be back in a bun? We want to make sure she feels prepared when she steps onto campus for this opportunity.
 
HopefulBearMom27 said:
My daughter is participating in Cadet for a Day in September-- what are recommendations for what to wear as "business casual"? Should her hair be back in a bun? We want to make sure she feels prepared when she steps onto campus for this opportunity.
Click to expand...
They will not expect her hair to be in a bun, but if she feels comfortable with wearing it that way, it would be fine. Also, it won't apply to her as a visitor, but the rules for women's hair were loosened last year, so females can wear a ponytail or braid as long as it does not fall below their shoulder blades.
The campus is hilly, so comfortable shoes are important. I think my daughter wore dress slacks and a button down shirt. She took athletic gear to work out with the team and to wear overnight.
 
HopefulBearMom27 said:
My daughter is participating in Cadet for a Day in September-- what are recommendations for what to wear as "business casual"? Should her hair be back in a bun? We want to make sure she feels prepared when she steps onto campus for this opportunity.
Click to expand...
The above poster provided great advice in regards to wardrobe. In preparing for a campus visit it may be helpful to have her generate some questions she has about academy life , life after the academy , admissions questions etc sometimes when put on the spot it’s hard to remember those things and you leave and then remember what you would’ve liked to ask. Depending on what colleges she is considering make sure she compares and contrasts USCGA to her other choices etc. If she is considering other service academies have her compare not only academy life but also what life looks like after the academy… and the differences in the missions of the services. These are the things that led my kids to apply to USCGA. I hope your DD learns a lot and comes away with a clear picture of whether this is something she wants to pursue!
 
HopefulBearMom27 said:
My daughter is participating in Cadet for a Day in September-- what are recommendations for what to wear as "business casual"? Should her hair be back in a bun? We want to make sure she feels prepared when she steps onto campus for this opportunity.
Click to expand...
How was her experience? Any advice for other participants? Our daughter is going this weekend.
 
My son is going next week for the overnight and as far as i know, he has not received anything about what to pack. Does anyone have any info on this? And i know there are some things for the parents like tours and presentations but i have not seen a schedule for this either.
 
#14mom said:
My son is going next week for the overnight and as far as i know, he has not received anything about what to pack. Does anyone have any info on this? And i know there are some things for the parents like tours and presentations but i have not seen a schedule for this either.
Click to expand...
My son did the overnight. I would say they need to wear business casual - my son wore long pants and a polo. They want to be neat and present themselves well. Bring fitness gear because they will have the opportunity to take the PFE (and if they are happy with the score they can use it on their application). If he plays a sport he might have the opportunity to meet the coach and attend a practice. They try to pair them with a cadet that plays their sport. If I remember correctly, there is a session with you and your son in the morning you arrive, then they go off with their host. They will have a session with just the parents after that, maybe a tour, and then you are free until you come back the next day to pick up your son. The last thing we did was a Q&A with our admissions officer for all the prospective cadets in that region, which was optional.
 
The visiting students also may request meeting a faculty member in a major of interest, an advisor for an affinity group, chaplain, etc. Most ask the cadet they are shadowing to arrange this, while some make arrangements in advance.
 
Hopefully your son/daughter are prepared with any questions for both those giving briefs, as well as for the cadet they are paired with and any faculty they meet with. As others have said, they should be paired with someone in their sport and in the major they are most interested in, but sometimes if that person has duty or some commitment where it isn't appropriate to bring their visitor, another cadet might take over briefly. The student should just take that as an opportunity to get another viewpoint. My daughter has had a few people paired with her. She says sometimes there is a visiting student who not only doesn't have questions, but who doesn't even respond her info at all. She tries to tell them about all aspects of the academy and to ask them questions, and sometimes she gets someone who just is super quiet and doesn't say anything. She wonders why they even bother to come. But other times her and the student she is paired with get along really well and stay in touch afterward. She says it is a great feeling when someone she thought was a great candidate sends her a text to let her know that they were accepted.

Anyway...business casual with comfortable shoes for the day time, athletic gear for if they go to practice with the team (or if they take the opportunity to take the PFE) and something comfortable to sleep in (most cadets sleep in athletic gear).
 
Suggest you recommend your child try to "connect" with their assigned cadet during the visit. The cadets who volunteer to take visiting HS kids are interested in doing a good job and representing the academy well. The sponsor cadet has a lot of freedom to show the visiting HS kid pretty much whatever they want to see while there, but your kid has to make their wishes know to the host cadet.

Also, most cadets will offer to exchange phone numbers/email with the HS kid so they can ask follow up questions once they get back home. This can be very valuable to get your questions answered as the application process is long and involved.

Bottom line, the visit is pretty much what the HS kid makes of it. Many cadets and "bean sprouts" (what visiting HS kids are called) from a casual bond and keep in touch.

Great program to see if the Academy is a fit for you, take full advantage.
 
That's very true. The cadets want to show sprouts the things that are relevant, so if you don't care about watching rowing practice you could end up handed off to a baseball playing cadet in the same company (for example.) The clearer you are about declaring your interests the more likely you are to learn about them.
 
#14mom said:
My son is going next week for the overnight and as far as i know, he has not received anything about what to pack. Does anyone have any info on this? And i know there are some things for the parents like tours and presentations but i have not seen a schedule for this either.
Click to expand...
Packing list: Students will be in college classes throughout the day, please dress appropriately (Comfortable, Presentable). You will be staying overnight in Chase Hall (Barracks/Dorm), you are encouraged to bring an additional change of clothes for the evening along with clothes for Tuesday. In addition to toiletry items, please bring a change of athletic clothes. A cot will be provided, we ask you bring a pillow, top sheet for the cot, and a sleeping bag or bed sheets & blanket. Luggage can be left in your sponsors room following Cadet pairing. Please wear shoes that are comfortable as you will be walking throughout the day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top