Finding out about SAs

U

USNAredrock

Class of 2021
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
49
Hi all, I am an appointee to the class of 2021 and I'm trying to help spread the word about academies to younger generations at my school. I was not aware of USNA until I was invited to NASS last summer, where I fell in love with it. I am also the first kid in many years to even apply to any academy. What I'm asking is how other people became aware of service academies and how I could help my school be more informed? Thanks!
 
USNAredrock said:
Hi all, I am an appointee to the class of 2021 and I'm trying to help spread the word about academies to younger generations at my school. I was not aware of USNA until I was invited to NASS last summer, where I fell in love with it. I am also the first kid in many years to even apply to any academy. What I'm asking is how other people became aware of service academies and how I could help my school be more informed? Thanks!
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DD will be doing the same thing at her school IF she gets an appointment. No family history of SA's and no one at her school for decades, at least. She went to our MOC's Service Academy Open House a couple years ago and heard about STEM camp, applied and was turned down so she set her jaw and applied to NASS and was accepted. LOVED everything about it and totally drank the Kool-aid. She only applied to USNA.
 
Thanks for the response! I don't believe my congressman host an academy day, and if so it isn't advertised very well. I'm praying for your DD!
 
One big key is to make your school counselor aware of the Service Academies and what they are and how it works. That way they can make kids who might be a good fit aware of them. I have found that some school counselors are really clueless about the academies and don't even know the difference between them and regular enlistment. Recruiters who visit High Schools don't usually even mention academies. Not sure if an academy placement gets them any quota credit or not. At our tiny rural Texas school, someone put out a small stack of USNA pamphlets that have been there for 3-4 years. My DS older brother was interested but chose to attend a full ride offer he got from Baylor. My younger son found out about USNA from older brothers interest. He was the first ever appointment to any S.A. from our school. I think a lot of kids who might do well at an S.A. don't find out in time especially because the process starts so much earlier than "regular college" applications
 
I wasn't not aware of the service academies until I watched the 2015 Army Navy football game with my family. I started researching the academies and immediately fell in love with USNA. I did not apply to NASS because our soccer season runs through late June, yet I was still able to go visit later in the summer. It seems that with each passing day my desire to attend USNA triples. I guess you could say that I've got the bug :). I am still CPR but I have faith in the system ;).
 
Brawny77 said:
One big key is to make your school counselor aware of the Service Academies and what they are and how it works. That way they can make kids who might be a good fit aware of them. I have found that some school counselors are really clueless about the academies and don't even know the difference between them and regular enlistment. Recruiters who visit High Schools don't usually even mention academies. Not sure if an academy placement gets them any quota credit or not. At our tiny rural Texas school, someone put out a small stack of USNA pamphlets that have been there for 3-4 years. My DS older brother was interested but chose to attend a full ride offer he got from Baylor. My younger son found out about USNA from older brothers interest. He was the first ever appointment to any S.A. from our school. I think a lot of kids who might do well at an S.A. don't find out in time especially because the process starts so much earlier than "regular college" applications
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Thank you for your reply! We have been cycling through a lot of counselors in the past few years and just got a new one this year. Hopefully he sticks around long enough to let other kids know now that he's aware!
 
thenextTopGun said:
I wasn't not aware of the service academies until I watched the 2015 Army Navy football game with my family. I started researching the academies and immediately fell in love with USNA. I did not apply to NASS because our soccer season runs through late June, yet I was still able to go visit later in the summer. It seems that with each passing day my desire to attend USNA triples. I guess you could say that I've got the bug :). I am still CPR but I have faith in the system ;).
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Thanks and good luck on your appointment!
 
USNA has a program called OPINFO. They allow selected upper class Midshipman (not plebes) to come home early for Thanksgiving (leave Saturday the week before instead of Wednesday) for the purpose of outreach and PR. Its a good deal for the Midshipman if he/she can get selected, and good for Admissions, particularly in places where there isn't much Navy presence.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
USNA has a program called OPINFO. They allow selected upper class Midshipman (not plebes) to come home early for Thanksgiving (leave Saturday the week before instead of Wednesday) for the purpose of outreach and PR. Its a good deal for the Midshipman if he/she can get selected, and good for Admissions, particularly in places where there isn't much Navy presence.
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Thank you, I will definitely look into this on the future!
 
USNAredrock said:
Hi all, I am an appointee to the class of 2021 and I'm trying to help spread the word about academies to younger generations at my school. I was not aware of USNA until I was invited to NASS last summer, where I fell in love with it. I am also the first kid in many years to even apply to any academy. What I'm asking is how other people became aware of service academies and how I could help my school be more informed? Thanks!
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RedRock, like you I never heard of the Naval Academy until last June, when I received an email from them and I checked off some activities and gave them test schores. I live in an area that is somewhat affluent(Westchester County, NY) where many of the parents/kids only care about Ivy Leagues and the big name schools. I was asked by the college career counselor to explain to her the process of applying to a WP, USNA, etc. I thought that was her job since she gets paid for it. Anyway, try and have the college counselor invite a BGO to your school to speak with students.
 
Trackgirl1999 said:
USNAredrock said:
Hi all, I am an appointee to the class of 2021 and I'm trying to help spread the word about academies to younger generations at my school. I was not aware of USNA until I was invited to NASS last summer, where I fell in love with it. I am also the first kid in many years to even apply to any academy. What I'm asking is how other people became aware of service academies and how I could help my school be more informed? Thanks!
Click to expand...

RedRock, like you I never heard of the Naval Academy until last June, when I received an email from them and I checked off some activities and gave them test schores. I live in an area that is somewhat affluent(Westchester County, NY) where many of the parents/kids only care about Ivy Leagues and the big name schools. I was asked by the college career counselor to explain to her the process of applying to a WP, USNA, etc. I thought that was her job since she gets paid for it. Anyway, try and have the college counselor invite a BGO to your school to speak with students.
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Thanks for the advice! I will definitely talk to my counselor, but my BGO lives 3 hours away so that is probably out. I will talk to my counselor and make sure he is on the loop though!
 
USNAredrock said:
Hi all, I am an appointee to the class of 2021 and I'm trying to help spread the word about academies to younger generations at my school. I was not aware of USNA until I was invited to NASS last summer, where I fell in love with it. I am also the first kid in many years to even apply to any academy. What I'm asking is how other people became aware of service academies and how I could help my school be more informed? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I am in the exact same situation, except I did not attend NASS. I found it online.
 
J4ke said:
USNAredrock said:
Hi all, I am an appointee to the class of 2021 and I'm trying to help spread the word about academies to younger generations at my school. I was not aware of USNA until I was invited to NASS last summer, where I fell in love with it. I am also the first kid in many years to even apply to any academy. What I'm asking is how other people became aware of service academies and how I could help my school be more informed? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I am in the exact same situation, except I did not attend NASS. I found it online.
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Glad to know I'm not the only one! It's a little intimidating to read about all these kids whose lifetime goal it is to attend the academy when I've only known about it for less than a year!
 
USNAredrock said:
Glad to know I'm not the only one! It's a little intimidating to read about all these kids whose lifetime goal it is to attend the academy when I've only known about it for less than a year!
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That's what I've been thinking as well! My counselor had no about about the SA's, the BGO, or how any of it worked. I'm trying to get some younger friends to think about it, as the last person to attend before me was in 2002. Hope to see you on USNA Induction day!
 
USNAredrock said:
Glad to know I'm not the only one! It's a little intimidating to read about all these kids whose lifetime goal it is to attend the academy when I've only known about it for less than a year!
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Same here. I definitely know that feeling. I actually didn't know about USNA until around September.

I'm planning on doing some outreach as well. My school usually has one or two going to an SA (last two were USAFA and West Point). Navy's the better choice obviously ;)
 
No one from my DS's little private high school, 275 students total, had ever applied to the USNA before. His guidance counselor was totally uninformed about SA'S in general. We did all of our own research, starting when my DS was in 8th grade. E was rejected from USNA Stem 2x, went to a USNA baseball leadership camp as a junior, and attended NASS. He is now a senior and still CPR with USNA. This forum has been an enormous help. Also reading that book The Building of a Midshipman" was extremely informative.
 
MichUSNA2021hopefulparent said:
No one from my DS's little private high school, 275 students total, had ever applied to the USNA before. His guidance counselor was totally uninformed about SA'S in general. We did all of our own research, starting when my DS was in 8th grade. E was rejected from USNA Stem 2x, went to a USNA baseball leadership camp as a junior, and attended NASS. He is now a senior and still CPR with USNA. This forum has been an enormous help. Also reading that book The Building of a Midshipman" was extremely informative.
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Good luck to your DS!
 
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