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clueless

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Nov 28, 2007
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Hello everyone,

I am a mom of a 2012 candidate (son). I love my son dearly so naturally, I support his decision to attend a Service Academy. However, I was not raised in a military family so I am truly clueless about the military lifestyle. The many steps to obtain an appointment to the Academy is shocking!:eek:

Thank you to all for sharing your experiences on this forum. The site has been an invaluable source of information for me and my son. My son would be on here posting questions, but he is so busy trying to keep up with his schoolwork and his pursuit for an appointment, as well as applying to colleges as a backup plan. The list goes on, but I won't bore you with the details. Hopefully, everything will fall into place for him soon so that he can relax a little and enjoy his last months of high school. I look forward to breathing easier and spending more time with him before he dashes off to become a man.

Thank you and God Bless!
 
Welcome to the forum! Glad we can help! :smile:

Don't let the application process overwhelm you. Take it one step at a time. As for the military lifestyle, please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We have lots of vets here, both Officer and Enlisted, who can whip up some awesome Sea Stories. :biggrin:
 
Welcome Aboard! We parents were all "clueless" at one point and occasionally still are!

To which SA's is your son applying?
 
Thank you!

He's applying to the USAFA and USNA. He had a MOC interview last night and came home happy. He said he really enjoyed it and thought it was... sort of fun. After everything I have read about these interviews, I don't think it was supposed to be fun. He was calm and confident when he left home and he came home in good spirits. :confused:
 
Don't worry! Sometimes MOC interviews are fun - and I think they should be. IMO they should be a tool for finding out about the candidate - not what the candidate thinks is the road to world peace, if you get my drift.
 
Hi Clueless:

I'm going through the exact process with my daughter and am the one corresponding here for the same reasons. She asks me all the time though what kind of responses I've had whenever "we" have questions which is frequently. The people here are great and so helpful and supportive. We have zero military background so this has been daunting and I keep watching my folder, file, binder, whatever you want to call it grow and grow and grow- lol.

I know this comment probably belongs under nominations but just quickly since you mentioned it- how long was your son's interview. My daughter's is a week from tomorrow and that is one question I can't seem to get a feel for- how long they spend with each candidate.

Thanks-
Kgrmom

clueless said:
Thank you!

He was calm and confident when he left home and he came home in good spirits. :confused:
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Hi kgrmom,

Based on my readings from this board as well as the College Confidential, the interview process varies greatly. In my son's case, he met with three interviewers separately for approximately 15 minutes each. It was a more relaxed setting than meeting all three in a panel format. They had his file during the interview, but he brought an updated resume and his first quarter grades with him. Before the interview, I gathered all the potential questions and advice from others on the board to give him a better idea of what he may face in the interview. I drilled him through the questions to observe his reaction. From my understanding, the best way to handle these interviews is to be genuine and to remain calm and confident. My son hardly becomes rattled and his general disposition has always been "I can only give the best of ME." Hopefully, his best is good enough.

I hope that helps. I wish your daughter well and I hope she comes home smiling, too.
 
Hope that's the case as well. Lots of stress right now with all of this.
She is not one to brag about herself or talk herself up and it sounds like she needs to do that. Good luck to you and your son and thanks for the info.

kgrmom
 
My father works in a hospital and my mother works in a public high school.

I knew NOTHING about the military until I attended Boys' State. After my contact with a leader a Boys' State, a captain in the Army, I began to consider service. Sept 11, 2001 made up my mind for me, although I have to admit I was headed in that direction already.


In my experience, parents will feed off of each other. Our Parents' Association usually knew something before the cadets did (even though the Academy rumor mill was fast). They learn from each other, research and answer questions. The "classes" never end. As I came up on mt promotion, I found out my mother had no idea what rank I was. Haha, she got some grief from my father and I, but I think she knows now.


The education never ends and it's good for you to stay excited about it. Applying to a service academy is like no other college application. If there is more than one person at your child's school going through that process, they should talk. I had a great friend in high school, he applied to USNA, VMI, and the Citadel. I applied to USCGA, USNA, and USMMA. Our common experiences only feed the friendship, especially considering we were cheering for each other to do what we could.


Good luck!
 
I agree the application process has been an education in itself. My D is applying to USNA and CGA and even if (God forbid) she does not get accepted at either one what an experience it has been.

As far as having anyone else to go through this with- that is not happening. She goes to an all-girls Catholic High School and most of her friends are still in awe of the fact that this is what she wants to do! There was a girl last year that went to CGA and the year before to USNA but her school unfortunately does not promote the military academies in any way. Even though her school is one of the best in this area, they are very conservative in many ways. If my D gets accepted I can really see the doors opening up as it will be the 3rd year in a row that someone will be attending a military academy from there. That is significant from a relatively small school and I think it is awesome. The girls need to know what a terrific and viable option it can be for some of them and seeing those before them enter is one sure way of doing it. :smile:
 
kgrmom said:
The girls need to know what a terrific and viable option it can be for some of them and seeing those before them enter is one sure way of doing it. :smile:
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Sounds like there is an opportunity for you to do some volunteer counseling on College Night!
 
Luigi:

You are so right.... IF they had one :mad: Actually- they have college "afternoons" and specific visit times only where she goes. We end up going to the mammoth college fairs downtown to see the bulk of them. That is actually where we saw USNA the first time. About 2 weeks ago someone from the academy suddenly appeared on the list to show up at my D's school :). I'd like to think it was because she was so far into the app process and because they already have someone into her 3rd year at the academy. Maybe.- My D spent about 45 minutes with him before anyone else came to chat- I think she would have sat there the entire 2 hours if they let her- hehehe.
 
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