NASS vs SLE

[Ditka089]

USNA is my first choice for SA however I am open to others. I was accepted into SLE last month and I accepted due to the short window to accept. I just found out today I was accepted to NASS the same week. Due to final’s week and Boy’s State, I cant switch weeks. I really do not want to turn down SLE after I already committed, however I do not want to turn down NASS if it will later bite me at application time. Any advice? I realize im very lucky to have this problem—

 

[23Lt]

USNA is my first choice for SA however I am open to others. I was accepted into SLE last month and I accepted due to the short window to accept. I just found out today I was accepted to NASS the same week. Due to final’s week and Boy’s State, I cant switch weeks. I really do not want to turn down SLE after I already committed, however I do not want to turn down NASS if it will later bite me at application time. Any advice? I realize im very lucky to have this problem—

Congrats on your acceptances~

Please FOCUS ON finals and Boys' State; those should be number one priority. They will boost your Whole Candidate Score, while SLE and NASS won't.

I would suggest going to SLE if you have had less exposure to USMA, or vice versa. Use these programs to advance your knowledge about the academies, as you may face a decision between the two in the future.

I was denied to NASS, SLE, and AFASS. Do not spend too much time worrying about these camps, and instead, focus on what will boost your chances at an Appointment! (ACT/SAT, Grades/class rank, ECs, etc.)

Good luck!

 

[CallSignGaspar]

I agree with 23Lt. Focus on your Boys' State first and your finals. These are more important than attending summer seminars. It's good that you got in, but your whole candidacy is more important.

I also got rejected from NASS and SLE, and I still received an appointment to USNA.

Focus on what you can control. Make sure that your application is the best.

 

[NavyHoops]

Pick the one you want. Do well on finals. Enjoy Boys State. Knock out your CFA at which ever one you pick and evaluate if it’s the right fit. Good luck.

 

[kpmom2013]

My son attended both SLE and NASS. For him, SLE was a far better experience. They had better classes to choose from and more fun activities planned. He also thought the cadre at SLE had better leadership skills. He was leaning toward USNA before the experience due to Sea Cadets, but ended up leaning more toward USMA after the two visits. I would go to the one you know less about.

 

[GoCubbies]

USNA is my first choice for SA however I am open to others. I was accepted into SLE last month and I accepted due to the short window to accept. I just found out today I was accepted to NASS the same week. Due to final’s week and Boy’s State, I cant switch weeks. I really do not want to turn down SLE after I already committed, however I do not want to turn down NASS if it will later bite me at application time. Any advice? I realize im very lucky to have this problem—

DD got accepted to NASS but turned it down.

During the interview, her BGO asked her why she turned it down. All BGOs have a summary sheet of their candidates and it indicates if they were accepted to NASS or not and if they attended. She gave him the reason why she had to turn it down.

Between SLE, Girls State, and college visits, she just didn’t have enough bandwidth to cover down on all of them in June.

Didn’t bite her later on. She got an appointment to USNA in mid-Jan.

The one clear advantage my DD had by going to SLE was the CFA. She did well on the SLE CFA, so she was able to send the scores to the other SAs. If you do the CFA at NASS only, then you’ll have to get someone to take a video of it for you so USMA will accept it. They won’t accept unless there’s a video of it even though it was done during NASS.

 

[MidCakePa]

I suggest you choose SLE or NASS not based on which program you believe is better — whatever that means. Instead, choose based on which way you’re leaning and go the other way.

For example, if you’re leaning USNA, it’s likely because you know more about it and less about USMA. You’ve probably been so fixed on USNA that you’ve processed new information in a way that reinforces that bias. So the open-minded and enlightened thing to do would be to attend SLE and see if direct experience with USMA changes or confirms your bias.

This way, you can make the most educated decision should you be faced with dueling offers of appointment. And as has been said on SAF countless times, whether you attend SLE/NASS has zero bearing on your chances of acceptance. Zero!

 

[usna1985]

Keep in mind that you can also do a CVW at USNA (and I assume at USMA) this spring or in the fall. That can be a great option to learn more about the SA you don't choose for you summer program.

 

[Ditka089]

I suggest you choose SLE or NASS not based on which program you believe is better — whatever that means. Instead, choose based on which way you’re leaning and go the other way.

For example, if you’re leaning USNA, it’s likely because you know more about it and less about USMA. You’ve probably been so fixed on USNA that you’ve processed new information in a way that reinforces that bias. So the open-minded and enlightened thing to do would be to attend SLE and see if direct experience with USMA changes or confirms your bias.

This way, you can make the most educated decision should you be faced with dueling offers of appointment. And as has been said on SAF countless times, whether you attend SLE/NASS has zero bearing on your chances of acceptance. Zero!

Thank you for your feedback. I actually know more about West Point as I have gone for candidate for a day and have had more exposure to Army. I have only just visited USNA for a tour. Just not sure how to turn down SLE after acccepting! I will most likely honor my commitment to SLE and try to fly out to Annapolis in the fall ( I’m in Seattle area).

 

[Nautical]

As others have stated, make Boys State and studying the top priorities! They'll help you get into your dream academy no matter which you end up choosing. Over the summer, I attended Boys State, SLE, and NASS. Like you, I was leaning towards USNA before my summer experiences. However, I had the exact same impression as @kpmom2013's DS after SLE. It was a great time and I met many like-minded aspiring candidates. NASS is extremely similar, and is also a very informative and fun experience, but accepts many more candidates than SLE, so it was less personal and not as good IMO. For a very long time after that summer, I had an identity crises on whether I wanted to become a Whoop or a Squid~ both insults sounded equally appealing! SLE had basically sold me on WP, but the Navy was the service and lifestyle I desired. Plus, gosh darn those Navy uniforms are spiffy. I was in a major dilemma, in no small part due to SLE and NASS!

Fast forward to the present day: I'm going to the Naval Academy.

The reason I provided my personal experiences is that it doesn't matter which summer camp you attend. It didn't matter that SLE was a fantastic experience, as somewhere in myself there was a connection I felt towards the Navy and I couldn't be happier in my decision. Both will do all they can to sell you on their academy. Neither are the full experience of the academies- think of them as trailers for movies- they can give you a general impression of what you might like. The trailer for Forrest Gump can give any viewer an idea of what they're going to see in the movie, but its impossible for them to relate the sensations and feelings the viewer might experience. In the course of Forrest Gump (AKA your 4-years at whichever academy) you're going to laugh, cry, and frown many times- sometimes all in the same scene! The trailer is nowhere near as powerful as the movie.

At the end of the day, you should stick to where you see yourself in the future, what you want to do, and who you want to become. If you are leaning towards the Naval Academy, then go to NASS! Attending both SLE and NASS is optimal, especially if you are not entirely decided on one, but that can also give you conflicting ideas of where you want to go. Going to WP for a week and being engrossed in that Army Strong mentality may have a similar effect on you. Go with your heart and don't think twice. It is a very exciting time for you and I wish you the best of luck!