Hello! I applaud you on looking into all your options (Academy wise). You ask a very good question. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is located in Kings Point, NY. It's informally called Kings Point as USMA is called West Point and USNA is called Annapolis. It is also called "America's Best Kept Secret."
The mission for Kings Point is train midshipmen to become licensed deck or engine officers in the United States Merchant Marine. The U.S. Merchant Marine is not the Marine Corps. (People think USMMA is the academy for the Marines all the time) The U.S. Merchant Marine consists of government (Besides Navy, Coast Guard, and NOAA) and merchant ships that deliver goods and passengers. Since the school has a maritime focus, its curriculum is closely tied to the sea and shipping.
Kings Point has five majors and two disciplines. Disciplines are what really set people apart. You are either an Engineer or a Deckie. Deckies navigate, manage cargo, anchor the ship, and pretty much everything else that is not in the Engine Room. Engineers are responsible for the engines, Engine Room, generators, and repairing the engines. Deck majors also learn about intermodal transportation, business, and law. Throughout Plebe Year, you take the same classes as your shipmates and other Cadets/Midshipman. Some examples are Chemistry, Calculus, PE, and Physics. The academic year is almost year-round because of Sea Year.
Sea Year is actually two training periods between your Sophomore and Junior Years. You go to sea on actual working vessels in the United States. You function as a Cadet learning how to be a Deck or Engine Officer. You get paid a little over $1000 a month during Sea Year. You will ravel the world and the average Midshipman will see around 18 countries. You will move around from different types of ships so you get exposed to everything. Through Sea Year, you will accumulate upwards of 300 days at sea. Also, you have a Sea Project while on Sea Year. Even though you are not at school, your mission is to learn all you can. It is sort of like a distance-learning course. During your Second Training Period (which is longer than the first), you can request to go onto a military ship for a few weeks if that is the avenue you want to take. You also have to do an internship to see what the onshore maritime industry is like. Some people intern with units in the Armed Forces. Your class is split between A Split and B Split. This means half of your class goes to sea, while the other half stays at USMMA. A Splits go to sea in the winter and B Splits go to sea in the Winter. You are only with your entire class during Plebe and Senior Year. Sea Year is one the many unique things about Kings Point!
Now... another very unique thing. At Kings Point, the midshipman have a different service obligation. The Midshipmen are part of the Navy Reserve. This is similar to Coast Guard cadets being part of the Coast Guard, West Point Cadets in the Army, etc. Every midshipman graduates with three things. They graduate with a B.S. in Deck or Engineering, a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Officer License, and a commission in ANY of the Armed Forces. You heard me right. ANY of the Armed Forces. Not only can you choose the branch you commission into, but you can choose your component. You can go into Active Duty, the Reserves, or in the Army National/Air National Guard. You can even get commissioned as an officer in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Kings Point has produces Army Blackhawk Pilots, Marine Infantry Officers, Coast Guard Law Enforcement Officers, Nuclear Navy Surface Warfare Officers, even Air Force Pilots. The opportunities are endless. Each branch has a liaison officer. They can arrange for Midshipman to training in the summer. For example, one Midshipman can go to Army Air Assault School, another to a Navy Fighter Squadron, and another Midshipman could get freefall qualified through the Air Force. MOS slots are also easier to get. You only have around 200-225 people needing a job. Keep in mind, not everybody is going to be trying for those spots too. Sometimes, branches will hand out certain jobs like candy if they are need of that job.
Kings Point gives you so many options that the other Academies don't. Statistically speaking, usually around 1/3 of the class will go to sea, another 1/3 will work in the shore-side part of the maritime industry, and the other 1/3 will enter Active Duty. Earlier, I said that not everybody is competing for the Active Duty slots. The reason this happens is because nobody is obligated to go Active Duty. It is a choice and as stated above, only 1/3 of the class chooses that route. The obligation is serve the maritime industry for 5 years, be a Navy Reserve Officer for 8 years, and keep your license for 6 years. 5 years Active Duty is a substitute for the Maritime Industry Service. The Navy Reserve is a good gig too. You don't have to do the one weekend a month type deal as mariners are gone many months out of the year. You are only on Active Duty for two weeks a year for training. You would have to do the one weekend a month deal if you went Guard or Reserve in another branch though.
I will tell you that Kings Point, like the other Academies is tough. It is a very specialized Academy. You have to have an interest in the sea, ships, and commercial shipping to like Kings Point. You need to also have interest in ships to do well. A lot of people come to here with a desire to go Active Duty. Most graduate and sail on their license. The Academy will expose you to so many different avenues. You will probably change your mind a lot if you come to Kings Point. Many of those people wanting Active Duty become attracted to sailing because of the money. Starting is $70-80k plus. Plus, throughout your 4 years, commercial shipping is in your face constantly. It is really appealing to most Seniors and they have to decide between going to sea and going into the military. Having an open mind is a great thing to have. I am a 2019 applicant and Kings Point is my #1. The reason being is that ships fascinate me and I want to go into the military. I have tossed up the Navy, Coast Guard, and the Air Force (I want to be a pilot). Since I don't know yet, why lock myself down to one branch. At Kings Point, I could try out all three and see what I like.
Just apply here for the right reasons. USMMA is not a back-up. It is a great school that gives a lot of options. I think everyone on the USMMA forum will agree with me.
Best of luck!
