First, apologies for "replying to myself." However, the issues were so disparate, they didn't seem to fit in the same post.
But I have to show my ignorance here. What is CVW? I'm guessing an official visit for potential candidates of some sort?
CVW stands for Candidate Visitation Weekend and is an official visit, of a sort. USNA invites a number of well-qualified candidates to spend Thurs afternoon through Saturday morning at USNA. The candidate shadows a current plebe (lives in his/her room, attends classes and company events, etc.) It's different than NASS b/c you see the actual brigade in action, so to speak. You do pay your own way to/from.
CVW is typically offered only to well-qualified candidates. Thus, getting a CVW is a good sign. It does NOT mean you will definitely get an appointment and CVWs are often offered to those who already have an appointment or LOA. Also, as with NASS, there are far more candidates who want to do it then there are slots so not being offered CVW isn't a bad sign.
I understand that not being accepted to NASS doesn't mean the dream dies, but I think he wants the experience.
So do many. It's simply a numbers game -- way more applicants than slots -- and a desire to spread the wealth geographically to the greatest extent possible.
If you don't mind, please explain why USCG would have been a better career choice for you.
Has to do with my gender and timing. When I graduated, women weren't allowed in combat. Thus, going SWO meant ships that never left port (literally) and pilot/NFO meant flying aggressor squadrons. Most of the women went into some admin-type job. I went Intel, which was considered a primo slot for women. However, I couldn't be assigned to a carrier or carrier-based squadron. I had some REALLY great jobs, but not the same opportunities as men going forward. Things finally opened up around 1992, but I'd already made the decision to leave.
The USCG was under the DoT and none of its jobs was considered "combat," even though they were arguably at least as dangerous as USN combat jobs. Also, most of their ships are smaller than the USN's, thus offering command when you're more junior. Thus, any job in the USCG would have been open to me, including command at sea at an early age. And, in retrospect, I think my personality would have suited some of the roles the USCG performs, such as drug interdiction, rescue, etc.
BTW, I don't regret my decision at all. And, things have changed for both the USN and USCG, including what women can and must do. I'm only saying that, in hindsight, my career as a USCG officer might have been more fulfilling in some ways -- probably not in others.
Finally, my reply was to the question posed and reflects my choice of many years ago. PLEASE let's not start a debate as to which service is better. One isn't better. One is probably better for each individual based on his/her desires, goals, skills, etc. And those from a perspective of a 17-yr-old may be very different from what they look like 30 yrs later.
More just curious when it began. I tried to do a quick internet search but could not find the actual name for it back then at Navy - I knew WP's since my husband worked it as cadre a few years later and I was more exposed to it there, and it was actually called IAW until a few years ago. But I don't know Navy's official name for it so can't go back and look! I know I have some pics from it up in the attic, but doubt that would help much! I don't know how I found out about Navy's, but I had started writing West Point admission/coaches, etc. in 8th grade and wrote regularly so I'm sure that's how I learned about IAW. I know I tried to find out about AF's summer program then and was told I was not eligible for it due to location (lived in MI then). Just interesting to learn about these things many years later!