Do the female plebes seem to be well integrated with the males (vs.sticking together?). I haven’t found much to read about the female experience?
I have had very few issues with sexism in general here. It does exist, but those who contribute are in the minority. I'd say the vast majority of male cadets are more supportive of female's success than those outside of West Point. Female cadets do tend to bond especially well since we are few in numbers, however I have many male friends. You will be led by male and female cadets and will ultimately lead male and female cadets & soldiers, and everyone is accepting of that. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about the female experience; it isn't that different.
How easy was it to make friends/establish relationships with people?
Beast is very conducive to close relationships just because of the environment. I feel like I know a lot of my friends that I've had since R-Day longer than a lot of my friends from back home. After Beast joining clubs is the best way to do it.
What is are the best clubs for mountaineering or outdoor survival types?
I know we have a mountaineering club, climbing club, fishing, hunting, lots of shooting, etc. You can find the full list here:
https://www.westpoint.edu/military/directorate-of-cadet-activities/clubs
Are cadets allowed to wear costumes on Halloween?
This is a very specific question, haha. This is largely company-dependent--in my company we were allowed to wear costumes for our Halloween Party (but not to class, or anything like that).
How much of an influence or mentor do the prior-enlisted cadets act to you?
It depends a lot. I do not have any prior plebes in my company, however I do have upperclassmen who make good resources when talking about leadership perspectives. They also help structure training. A prior enlisted cadet helped me a lot during CBT with some tasks that were menial to her, and offered some guidance about the Army in general. A lot depends on the company, and a lot depends on the individual prior. From my perspective they can make the best or worst cadets depending on their attitude. When you come in, make sure you have the right mindset, others will have great respect for your background so long as you don't try to make others seem inferior because their path was different; this goes both ways.
What do you know about the combative and martial arts clubs, are they competitive to enter in?
We have a combatives club that is easy to get involved in if you like early wakeups, along with boxing, judo, fencing, kendo, taekwondo, and karate/martial arts. Boxing and judo are more competitive to enter into but they all offer tryouts. Here is the full list of clubs:
https://www.westpoint.edu/military/directorate-of-cadet-activities/clubs
