I am a Firstie (Class of 2020) -- Ask Me Anything

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Tripster202

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Jan 24, 2018
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Anything West Point Related
I might not be helpful regarding specifics of the admissions process because it was a few years ago but I will try to answer your questions
 
What do you think differentiated you from all the other great candidates out there who you were competing against.
 
^^
I made it clear in every interview that I went to that I wanted to be at West Point. In all of your applications and interviews, those reviewing your packet want to see a candidate who will become a successful cadet and eventually a successful officer. There will be a lot of money spent developing, training and educating you and they want to ensure that the money is put to good use.
 
1) This is a copy and paste of the same questions to another cadet who just offered to answer. Thank you for your service.
2) Where are you from?
3) Did you apply to the other SA's or ROTC programs? If so, to which other programs were you accepted and why did you choose USMA?
4) How have you enjoyed the experience thus far?
5) What surprised you the most?
6) What is your academic major?
7) Do you play a D-1 or competitive club sport?
8) What's been your favorite summer training or other extra training / activity?
9) What do you think you'll branch into and why?
 
Another current cadet just posted that he was surprised Cadets weren’t more motivated to be there. Is that what you’ve found and if so, why do you think that is?
 
^^
There is a significant decline in motivation after the first few 'honeymoon' months have gone by. The novelty of being at West Point fades into normalcy. Life at West Point is designed to be difficult and this turns many people off. There are many arbitrary rules combined with a demanding schedule and mandatory events meant to take away cadets' free time. Sometimes it's just corruption or unequal treatment or bad leadership that turns cadets off. Cadets have very little power to make changes when changes are necessary so you more or less just accept the treatment and move on.
 
Thanks.
the unequal treatment thing must really bother some cadets who are highly idealistic to start. If my DS attends, I know this would be hard for him. I imagine even this is good training for the “real world” though, inside the Army after commissioning and beyond.
 
Tripster202 said:
^^
There is a significant decline in motivation after the first few 'honeymoon' months have gone by. The novelty of being at West Point fades into normalcy. Life at West Point is designed to be difficult and this turns many people off. There are many arbitrary rules combined with a demanding schedule and mandatory events meant to take away cadets' free time. Sometimes it's just corruption or unequal treatment or bad leadership that turns cadets off. Cadets have very little power to make changes when changes are necessary so you more or less just accept the treatment and move on.
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Thanks for sharing.
Would you be able to provide more specific examples if you can for each of the situations. ?
 
With a good class rank and a combat arms branch choice, the new branching system doesn't really affect you. But what do you think of the new system overall - Detailing? BRADSO? Branch Ratings?
 
jl123 said:
With a good class rank and a combat arms branch choice, the new branching system doesn't really affect you. But what do you think of the new system overall - Detailing? BRADSO? Branch Ratings?
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Great question. I am a fan of the new branching system overall. From what I have observed the new branching system works with far less regard to class rank and therefore disadvantages those who have worked hard to achieve a desirable class rank.

Me for example: I am looking to branch Armor as my first choice out of the seventeen total choices. For the first time this year, there was an official branching simulation run by the academy for all West Point Cadets and I was assigned to Armor for the simulation. Ideally, this means that both I want Armor and Armor wants me. Considering that I have a decent class rank and other favorable marks, I should be able to get my top choice, especially if my top choice has many slots available to cadets. If Armor decides that I am not the right fit for them then I will not be assigned to Armor. However, if Armor wants me but I do not prefer Armor, I could still be slotted to go Armor, depending on how the math works out.

Bottom Line: Class Rank (Objective Merit List -- OML) plays a LOT less into branching decisions this year compared to past years. Now there is a greater focus on skillsets, ability, and desire to lead in a certain branch. With the old method, branches were strictly handed out according to OML and preference selection. If the top cadet wanted Aviation, he/she got Aviation. First come, first serve.
 
BRADSO (Branch Additional Service Obligation) is a whole other conversation. It messes with the math even more than what was already going on. There is a big gamble among cadets with whether or not they think they need to BRADSO to get the branch they want.
 
Tripster202 said:
Bottom Line: Class Rank (Objective Merit List -- OML) plays a LOT less into branching decisions this year compared to past years.
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... and this is why my DS thinks the new system is unfair. If you bust your a$$ and rank high, those who have put forth less effort can leapfrog you.
 
Thank you for the response. It is interesting to hear opinions from various corners.

By the way, it is not the first time a simulation was done - 30+ years ago it was done for both branching and post selection. o_O
 
Jarhead713 said:
What are cadets most unprepared for when they enter West Point?
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From what I have seen as a cadet, those who first enter West Point are most unprepared for the experience of no longer being the highest-achieving or highest-performing person in their peer group. Beast is when this experience first sets in. All of the new cadets mess up at some point during Beast and it is an embarrassing and humbling experience. Not only did I see and experience this when I went through Beast as a new cadet, but I also was a Beast cadre member and got to see the same things happen all over again except from a leadership perspective.
 
Objective said:
... and this is why my DS thinks the new system is unfair. If you bust your a$$ and rank high, those who have put forth less effort can leapfrog you.
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I wouldn't exactly say that the new system is unfair. I think that the new system does a good job of giving cadets real expectations of what they can branch based on feedback from the branch commandants. If your first choice branch doesn't look too fondly upon your branching packet but your second and third choice branches do, you are more likely to readjust your focus and expectations towards branching into those other two options before you make your final decision. Just because you have a good class rank does not mean that you will be a good fit for your number one choice. Nobody can predict the future of your career but through interviews and the branch application system, there seems to be a better fit of certain branches to certain cadets.

Nonetheless, there are still a lot of surprises when it comes to branching.
 
Tripster202 said:
I wouldn't exactly say that the new system is unfair. I think that the new system does a good job of giving cadets real expectations of what they can branch based on feedback from the branch commandants. If your first choice branch doesn't look too fondly upon your branching packet but your second and third choice branches do, you are more likely to readjust your focus and expectations towards branching into those other two options before you make your final decision. Just because you have a good class rank does not mean that you will be a good fit for your number one choice. Nobody can predict the future of your career but through interviews and the branch application system, there seems to be a better fit of certain branches to certain cadets.

Nonetheless, there are still a lot of surprises when it comes to branching.
Click to expand...

A relatively short interview hardly provides the proper insight - especially given the number of cadets being sorted. Moreover, the purpose of the change is to reduce the instances of "5 and fly". You shouldn't get to leapfrog me simply because you agree to a longer initial commitment- especially if I worked twice as hard as you as a cadet. Work ethic is a trait. If you don't have it as a cadet you wont just miraculously develop it as an officer. Just my opinion. I respect yours
 
In fairness to the process, I am going to reserve comment on the branching system until after Branch Night.

However, I believe retention issues have more to do with things other than branch selection. In the 1980's a Branch Commandant conducted "exit interviews" to try to understand why so many top performers were leaving. Clearly, it wasn't lack of "fit".

Life in the Army is much different than life as a Cadet, irrespective of branch. Affinity with Army life will determine length of service. Opportunities outside the Army are also a factor - a struggling economy magically improves retention.
 
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