Kings Point Overview

C

candidate3256

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2019
Messages
48
Happy to say I received my appointment to KP earlier this month. However, I want to know more about the school and what Kings Point is like vs the other academies. Im not interested in the maritime industry and plan on being a naval aviator. Applied to USNA but want to focus on my plan B until I hear a word back. I’d also be playing hockey there which is a pretty cool opportunity and something that would give me a different experience in some regard.

Thank you and all the best
 
So you're not interested in the maritime industry but you guess you'll go to KP if you can't get in to Annapolis. How magnanimous of you to grace the campus with your presence.

I hear indoc starts on July 3. Your drill instructor will answer all your questions when you get there. All the best with that.
 
KPEngineer said:
So you're not interested in the maritime industry but you guess you'll go to KP if you can't get in to Annapolis. How magnanimous of you to grace the campus with your presence.

I hear indoc starts on July 3. Your drill instructor will answer all your questions when you get there. All the best with that.
Click to expand...
It’s a solid option and gets me to where I want to be, that being a Naval Aviator. The reason I applied in the first place was because of grads who suggested the option as a backup to Annapolis. Don’t see the issue but thanks for the comment...
 
Have you read every page and every drop down menu on USMMA.edu? After you have done that and have some specific questions, I will be glad to try to answer them. I will say that if, before you know anything about the school or the maritime industry, you have already made up your mind that you have absolutely no interest in anything maritime, then I would sincerely recommend you look elsewhere for your plan B. Although many mids from KP go active duty upon graduation, those who accept an appointment to USMMA only because they didn't get into the school they really wanted tend to be miserable while they are there. They are resented by many of their classmates. Many do not last there very long. If on the other hand, you dream of being a naval aviator, but also are at least curious about the maritime industry and want to find out more about it, then come to Kings Point with an open mind and you will be welcomed. You might be surprised to find out during sea year that working in the maritime industry can be just as exciting and rewarding as naval aviation. Good luck with your decision.
 
The KP bloggers sure don't sugar coat their disdain. Visiting the campus was central to my DS acceptance decision. Recommend you visit and arrange to attend a couple of classes with a current MIDN. Eye-opening. IMO it's a great program but you need to get a taste of the academy before diving in.
 
@DAB42 is spot on with the suggestion for a campus visit. I was an appointee, but did not attend. In round 2, my DS is very passionate about the Maritime industry and I know much more today about KP then when I was applying. We did a campus visit over Thanksgiving and found it helpful. I've heard KP Liaison Officers encourage candidates who want to fly Navy to apply because of the success rate of those getting a Navy flight school option out of KP. I don't think your career ambition is bad at all. However, your thoughts on the maritime industry will hopefully change should you attend KP. Many on this forum have commented that USMMA is the easiest to get into of the 5 SA, but it is the hardest to graduate. Like @kpmom2013 suggested - read as much as you can now. I truly think that is the impetus of your putting the question out there - good on you - you are absolutely doing the right thing in learning more about the school.

Why do people on this forum suggest it is the hardest to graduate from? The two that stand out to me will be your 12 months on a vessel at sea, and the remaining 6 semesters spent trying to do 8 semesters of class work.

If you strongly dislike maritime things.... that 12 months could do you in. I'm going to guess you have never done that before, so it could be an amazing life experience, or.... it could be one of your worst life experiences. Mindset is EVERYTHING - so have a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA).
 
KPEngineer said:
So you're not interested in the maritime industry but you guess you'll go to KP if you can't get in to Annapolis. How magnanimous of you to grace the campus with your presence.

I hear indoc starts on July 3. Your drill instructor will answer all your questions when you get there. All the best with that.
Click to expand...
My point exactly. My son's first and only choice is a maritime career and he gets put in the Hold bucket for the second year!!!! Again, I feel its who you know and how good you can bu......
!
 
DAB42 said:
The KP bloggers sure don't sugar coat their disdain.
Click to expand...

You’re right. There is a reason for it too. When you spend 4 years trying to kick ass and become one of the sharpest mariners in the country, having that toxic guy in your section who doesn’t care about it is a huge drain.

OP.. KP isn’t for you. Go do ROTC at a state school and surround yourself with other people who want to be military officers.
 
As I've said elsewhere, KPmom2013 is a great source of insight. Also, as I've said elsewhere, the education + experiences garnered at KP will serve you well no matter what you do later. And I wonder what are the statistics of a KPer applying to naval air and a USNA grad applying to same. Or NROTC or OCS. No matter where you attend the next four years, I recommend a positive attitude and 100% effort. IF you don't, you won't be a naval aviator, ever. Sharp eyes will be watching.
 
kpmom2013 said:
Have you read every page and every drop down menu on USMMA.edu? After you have done that and have some specific questions, I will be glad to try to answer them. I will say that if, before you know anything about the school or the maritime industry, you have already made up your mind that you have absolutely no interest in anything maritime, then I would sincerely recommend you look elsewhere for your plan B. Although many mids from KP go active duty upon graduation, those who accept an appointment to USMMA only because they didn't get into the school they really wanted tend to be miserable while they are there. They are resented by many of their classmates. Many do not last there very long. If on the other hand, you dream of being a naval aviator, but also are at least curious about the maritime industry and want to find out more about it, then come to Kings Point with an open mind and you will be welcomed. You might be surprised to find out during sea year that working in the maritime industry can be just as exciting and rewarding as naval aviation. Good luck with your decision.
Click to expand...
You’re right. I’ll do more research on a maritime industry career. I was only curious about the option since it was something that my MOC board suggested to all USNA applicants. It sparked my interest so I applied and got the nomination. With that being said, I appreciate you giving me another side of things regarding the school.
 
DAB42 said:
The KP bloggers sure don't sugar coat their disdain. Visiting the campus was central to my DS acceptance decision. Recommend you visit and arrange to attend a couple of classes with a current MIDN. Eye-opening. IMO it's a great program but you need to get a taste of the academy before diving in.
Click to expand...
I was actually scheduled for a visit over spring break, but with everything going on in the world right now that was unfortunately cancelled...
 
shiner said:
@DAB42 is spot on with the suggestion for a campus visit. I was an appointee, but did not attend. In round 2, my DS is very passionate about the Maritime industry and I know much more today about KP then when I was applying. We did a campus visit over Thanksgiving and found it helpful. I've heard KP Liaison Officers encourage candidates who want to fly Navy to apply because of the success rate of those getting a Navy flight school option out of KP. I don't think your career ambition is bad at all. However, your thoughts on the maritime industry will hopefully change should you attend KP. Many on this forum have commented that USMMA is the easiest to get into of the 5 SA, but it is the hardest to graduate. Like @kpmom2013 suggested - read as much as you can now. I truly think that is the impetus of your putting the question out there - good on you - you are absolutely doing the right thing in learning more about the school.

Why do people on this forum suggest it is the hardest to graduate from? The two that stand out to me will be your 12 months on a vessel at sea, and the remaining 6 semesters spent trying to do 8 semesters of class work.

If you strongly dislike maritime things.... that 12 months could do you in. I'm going to guess you have never done that before, so it could be an amazing life experience, or.... it could be one of your worst life experiences. Mindset is EVERYTHING - so have a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA).
Click to expand...
Thank you for the response. I realized that I need to do more research on a maritime career and what that entails. Considering Navy is my #1 interest as of now, maritime things in general do not deter me. The thought of sea year excites me. I have just never been exposed nor done enough research on a maritime career over going active duty.
 
This post makes it sound like you have an open-minded attitude which is much better than the time of your earlier post. There are lots of opportunities in your future out of USMMA, one of which is active duty. Read up on the maritime industry before you report for INDOC and prepare to broaden your horizons.
 
Some alumni get worked up over anyone attending KP who is not planning on sailing for a living. There are some even more unvarnished and cantankerous opinions in our closed FB group than you will find here.

Me personally, I don't care if you want to go Active Duty from KP. The mission has changed over the years, I am sure at least in part due to the shrinking of the US flagged deep sea fleet so that is just today's reality. Can't fight City Hall and you can't fight Wiley Hall.

I thought about AD myself 1/C year and in hindsight very glad I chose another path for me personally. What I do take umbrage at are those projecting an attitude that KP is somehow second rate or barely worthy of their attending who haven't done a modicum of research to understand what they will be studying or the role it plays. That strikes me as selfish and elitist.
 
Last edited:
75% of the people at KP these days don’t want to sail. My roommate and I talked about getting an EDR or waiver for sailing our senior year all the time. He got one. I sail on my license now and I love my job even though I didn’t want to sail. Your situation is very common.
 
shiner said:
@DAB42 is spot on with the suggestion for a campus visit. I was an appointee, but did not attend. In round 2, my DS is very passionate about the Maritime industry and I know much more today about KP then when I was applying. We did a campus visit over Thanksgiving and found it helpful. I've heard KP Liaison Officers encourage candidates who want to fly Navy to apply because of the success rate of those getting a Navy flight school option out of KP. I don't think your career ambition is bad at all. However, your thoughts on the maritime industry will hopefully change should you attend KP. Many on this forum have commented that USMMA is the easiest to get into of the 5 SA, but it is the hardest to graduate. Like @kpmom2013 suggested - read as much as you can now. I truly think that is the impetus of your putting the question out there - good on you - you are absolutely doing the right thing in learning more about the school.

Why do people on this forum suggest it is the hardest to graduate from? The two that stand out to me will be your 12 months on a vessel at sea, and the remaining 6 semesters spent trying to do 8 semesters of class work.

If you strongly dislike maritime things.... that 12 months could do you in. I'm going to guess you have never done that before, so it could be an amazing life experience, or.... it could be one of your worst life experiences. Mindset is EVERYTHING - so have a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA).
Click to expand...


KP is the "easiest to get in, toughest to graduate from". It is a common statement, and likely true. First, the course load is all science/engineering. There is no liberal art degrees, history degrees, etc. Second, the course load requires the student to take classes nearly equal in hours to that of a masters degree in a four year time frame. Third, during that four year time frame, 12 months is spent at sea. Fourth, the course load is such that each trimester commonly requires course loads of 20-24 hours. Fourth, each student needs to pass the licensing exam to graduate. Fifth, Kp has raw chicken on their menu.

No academy is easy to graduate from. I believe the feeling is because of the extra requirements, extra classes, condensed time, and science only degrees, Kp ranks as the most difficult to graduate from.

To the OP. Go AD if that is your goal. It does not matter if the school is a Maritime school. All that matters is that Congress says AD is an option. I too, do not understand the Go to sea or go elsewhere snobbery, especially when the US flag is dwindling, the Navy needs officers who actually know how to sail, (or fly) and the bs you will put up with at KP will go a long way in handling adversity in any career that you decide to follow.

Finally, it has been said many times that KP graduates have a better chance, statistically at Navy flight than does USNA grads. I don't know if this is still the case, but for quite some time, that statistical advantage was being used by admissions as a selling pint.
 
golfindad said:
Finally, it has been said many times that KP graduates have a better chance, statistically at Navy flight than does USNA grads. I don't know if this is still the case, but for quite some time, that statistical advantage was being used by admissions as a selling pint.
Click to expand...

Hearsay, and probably not true.

golfindad said:
I too, do not understand the Go to sea or go elsewhere snobbery, especially when the US flag is dwindling, the Navy needs officers who actually know how to sail, (or fly) and the bs you will put up with at KP will go a long way in handling adversity in any career that you decide to follow.
Click to expand...

Using KP as a backdoor into the Navy because you weren't accepted to annapolis and have zero interest in maritime is true snobbery and elitism, as was said earlier.
 
I don’t get it. If 75% (or some majority) of those attending a maritime academy don’t want to sail why are the doors still open? It seems to me the taxpayers could save over $100mm/year by very slightly expanding the classes at the DOD academies. Those few students that wish to sail would be very welcome at our thriving state maritime academies. If one says it’s economically advantageous to attend KP rather than a state school they haven’t done their homework.

What am I missing?
 
GratefulDad said:
I don’t get it. If 75% (or some majority) of those attending a maritime academy don’t want to sail why are the doors still open? It seems to me the taxpayers could save over $100mm/year by very slightly expanding the classes at the DOD academies. Those few students that wish to sail would be very welcome at our thriving state maritime academies. If one says it’s economically advantageous to attend KP rather than a state school they haven’t done their homework.

What am I missing?
Click to expand...

You're not missing anything. Half the people I know are working in 9-5 office jobs and got cleared to do so by the administration. It's stupid hard to find a 3rd Mate job where you can actually advance your license. I got lucky with one or two of those but it took a long time and a lot of effort. There are certainly more people in my class on AD in one of the services than there are sailing on licenses. These things take time though. At some point the data on what the graduates are doing will come out and embarrass everyone and the school will be closed.
 
I retired from Military Sealift Command not too long ago and almost had a post-retirement job without even leaving the building or putting on a suit. I would have traveled the world doing threat assessments against our ships and properties. Well you say, how is a corpsman qualified to do that. I was a program manager just like the senior officers, as the HQ senior enlisted I new the building, I knew budgets, and billets I guess is the other B. I had also been the senior corpsman at the Marine Corps' Chemical Biological Incident Response Force. I knew a little counter terrorism and knew about WMD and whatnot. I was also available due to the pending retirement.

Also, the ABC contractor wanted somebody to be the traveling partner for a brand new graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy. She went from graduation to a GS job at MSC and doing threat assessments was her job. I don't how or why. Anyway, I didn't take the job for a few reasons, one of which had to do with her. The other was I would be working between a GS 15 and an army colonel, both who thought they were in charge.

I will also add that the handful of KP grads I knew on a couple of four ships were fine ship drivers and excellent DIV Os and Dept Heads.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top