Preparing for USNA

U

USNA29

NROTC(WIN) AFROTC USAFA(LOA) USNA(LOA) Applicant
Joined
Sep 30, 2024
Messages
71
Hi all,

Having received an LOA and a nomination to USNA, I feel there is a pretty high chance that I will get an appointment for the Class of 2029. On that note, what are some things I can do to prepare for USNA? Specifically, I am interested in a few things:
  1. What can I do to be the best physically prepared for USNA? I have looked at Stew Smith but am unsure as to what I should follow from his website.
  2. Does anyone have experience validating languages (Chinese) at USNA with AAPPL/Seal of Biliteracy scores?
  3. For those that took AP Chem and went to USNA, how would you say Plebe Chem compares to AP Chem?
  4. Is the Physics validation exam comparable to AP Physics C (both courses)?
I know that I am not fully appointed and still have DODMERB to go, but I would like to start as early as possible to ensure maximum preparation. The reason I ask about course validation is because I would say I am strong academically and would like to take advantage of coursework I have already completed to get ahead in the matrix. If there are minor discrepancies between what I have completed and the USNA coursework, I am willing to put in the work now so that I don't lose out on a validation opportunity because of a couple of topics.

Thanks
 
You can gain insight on validation policies at USNA.edu, both as a general validation topic, as well as department specifics. You can do an external search using Google to find those.

Also on USNA.edu, there is the copy of the Plebe Permit to Report for the Class of 2028, which is the directive for tasks related to reporting in for plebes-to-be. Includes are specifics on level of physical fitness required. The 2038 info will be updated for 2029 in the late spring of 2025, but’s it’s a good predictor.

www.usna.edu

Permit to Report

Permit to Report page for Plebe Summer at USNA.edu. Updated Fri Jun 16 11:08:38 EDT 2023.
www.usna.edu

Scour the pages and pages of appointee instructions in the PTR. There is a section for physical fitness specifics. Essentially, run, run, run plus core and upper body strength.
 
Capt MJ said:
You can gain insight on validation policies at USNA.edu, both as a general validation topic, as well as department specifics. You can do an external search using Google to find those.

Also on USNA.edu, there is the copy of the Plebe Permit to Report for the Class of 2028, which is the directive for tasks related to reporting in for plebes-to-be. Includes are specifics on level of physical fitness required. The 2038 info will be updated for 2029 in the late spring of 2025, but’s it’s a good predictor.

www.usna.edu

Permit to Report

Permit to Report page for Plebe Summer at USNA.edu. Updated Fri Jun 16 11:08:38 EDT 2023.
www.usna.edu

Scour the pages and pages of appointee instructions in the PTR. There is a section for physical fitness specifics. Essentially, run, run, run plus core and upper body strength.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
my daughter took AP Chem in high school and she was very prepared for plebe chemistry. she did well in that class. She did not take AP physics in high school just regular physics but also did well in that USNA class. She did not validate anything, in fact she said she took a little nap in some of the validation exams during plebe summer, bc she did not care about validation, but she will tell you it is a great idea to validate some classes IF you want to get ahead. She has done great at USNA academically and is a D1 athlete which takes up so much time the entire year. if you have gone to a tough high school and done well and taken AP classes or other difficult course load you will be prepared for the academics. For getting ready physcially she followed the packet and did all the recommended workouts. Bottom line is just learn to love running bc that is key! If you are a girl, get those pull ups mastered so you can do some during the CFA. Mine had a pull up bar in her room door - she did them every time she walked through her room. Started out with zero pullups completed and ended up doing 5 on the CFA. Congrats on the LOA and nomination. Get through DODMERB and you are set!!!!
 
USNAhopeful2025 said:
my daughter took AP Chem in high school and she was very prepared for plebe chemistry. she did well in that class. She did not take AP physics in high school just regular physics but also did well in that USNA class. She did not validate anything, in fact she said she took a little nap in some of the validation exams during plebe summer, bc she did not care about validation, but she will tell you it is a great idea to validate some classes IF you want to get ahead. She has done great at USNA academically and is a D1 athlete which takes up so much time the entire year. if you have gone to a tough high school and done well and taken AP classes or other difficult course load you will be prepared for the academics. For getting ready physcially she followed the packet and did all the recommended workouts. Bottom line is just learn to love running bc that is key! If you are a girl, get those pull ups mastered so you can do some during the CFA. Mine had a pull up bar in her room door - she did them every time she walked through her room. Started out with zero pullups completed and ended up doing 5 on the CFA. Congrats on the LOA and nomination. Get through DODMERB and you are set!!!!
Click to expand...
Thank you. I have already done the CFA, so I am looking for things to do after that to prepare for time at the academy.
 
Didn’t go to USNA, but course validation is an interesting topic. Sometimes, it can be easier to not validate college courses and start in a level you’ve already “taken” (like if you got a 5 on AP Calculus BC, you technically could start with Calculus 3, but instead you choose to repeat Calculus 2). College courses are often run and formatted differently from what you’re used to in high school and that takes adjusting. Not to mention the grading style can differ too (curves…)

I placed into higher math and physics courses for my freshman year at my school and took them (Calc 3 and an advanced physics). If I could do it over again, I would’ve started with Calc 2 first semester even though I got a 5 on the Calc BC exam. Would’ve gotten better grades probably.

For fitness, it’s my understanding they do a lot of running. So start running regularly if you’re not already. And get fitted for running shoes to make it less painful. Pushups would be good to practice too, that’s often used for punishments. And not just pushups, but also the “forward leaning rest” position, aka the up position, for longish periods of time
 
Ivy22 said:
Didn’t go to USNA, but course validation is an interesting topic. Sometimes, it can be easier to not validate college courses and start in a level you’ve already “taken” (like if you got a 5 on AP Calculus BC, you technically could start with Calculus 3, but instead you choose to repeat Calculus 2). College courses are often run and formatted differently from what you’re used to in high school and that takes adjusting. Not to mention the grading style can differ too (curves…)

I placed into higher math and physics courses for my freshman year at my school and took them (Calc 3 and an advanced physics). If I could do it over again, I would’ve started with Calc 2 first semester even though I got a 5 on the Calc BC exam. Would’ve gotten better grades probably.

For fitness, it’s my understanding they do a lot of running. So start running regularly if you’re not already. And get fitted for running shoes to make it less painful. Pushups would be good to practice too, that’s often used for punishments. And not just pushups, but also the “forward leaning rest” position, aka the up position, for longish periods of time
Click to expand...
Ivy makes a really great point about opting to take collegiate level xxx course, instead of validating. It’s a choice of course, but there are valid reasons to ‘retake’ xxx class instead of not. One being that you will gain an understanding of the foundational coursework a school teaches. Solid building blocks.

College is way different than high school.

Whatever you decide, you will do it with an academic advisors advice. You don’t have to decide prior to attending.

Good luck on the appointment!
 
Learn to study. No matter how good your grades were in high school, that's not necessarily an indication that you know how to study. College covers a greater volume of material at a faster pace. Many students got by in high school with memorization. That's much less effective in college, where there's greater stress on analysis and problem solving. Go online and read up on study techniques that work in college.
 
Capt MJ said:
You can gain insight on validation policies at USNA.edu, both as a general validation topic, as well as department specifics. You can do an external search using Google to find those.

Also on USNA.edu, there is the copy of the Plebe Permit to Report for the Class of 2028, which is the directive for tasks related to reporting in for plebes-to-be. Includes are specifics on level of physical fitness required. The 2038 info will be updated for 2029 in the late spring of 2025, but’s it’s a good predictor.

www.usna.edu

Permit to Report

Permit to Report page for Plebe Summer at USNA.edu. Updated Fri Jun 16 11:08:38 EDT 2023.
www.usna.edu

Scour the pages and pages of appointee instructions in the PTR. There is a section for physical fitness specifics. Essentially, run, run, run plus core and upper body strength.
Click to expand...
2028 info, not 2038.
 
MidCakePa said:
It's pretty timeless advice. Half life of 10 years, at the least. 😉
Click to expand...
Anyone else do the math, and figure out how old they will be in 2038? Ponder life a little bit? Shocked that we are almost there? And that it rounds to 2040, which is close to 2050? And think about the fact that’s halfway through the century? Calculate how old the grandkids will be?

At least my brain hamster didn’t do that after a 3am bathroom break 🙄😂
 
My two cents:

If I were to do USNA over again, I would validate classes, but only if you feel solid about them. Validation opens up a lot of cool opportunities, like exchanges, research programs, and potentially postgraduate education. For fitness, I would start practicing for the USNA PRT and shoot to get consistently above the minimums. The PRT is not pass/fail like it is for the CFA and the Fleet PRT (even though the Navy has different gradations for the Fleet PRT). The PRT is letter graded, and it factors into your overall PE grade. Hitting the minimums earns you a D for the PRT. Running is the biggest source of failures for the PRT, so focus on distance running in any prep program you do. I only saw one person fail for strength (back in the sit-up era).
 
USNA29 said:
Hi all,

Having received an LOA and a nomination to USNA, I feel there is a pretty high chance that I will get an appointment for the Class of 2029. On that note, what are some things I can do to prepare for USNA? Specifically, I am interested in a few things:
  1. What can I do to be the best physically prepared for USNA? I have looked at Stew Smith but am unsure as to what I should follow from his website.
  2. Does anyone have experience validating languages (Chinese) at USNA with AAPPL/Seal of Biliteracy scores?
  3. For those that took AP Chem and went to USNA, how would you say Plebe Chem compares to AP Chem?
  4. Is the Physics validation exam comparable to AP R UC (both courses)?
I know that I am not fully appointed and still have DODMERB to go, but I would like to start as early as possible to ensure maximum preparation. The reason I ask about course validation is because I would say I am strong academically and would like to take advantage of coursework I have already completed to get ahead in the matrix. If there are minor discrepancies between what I have completed and the USNA coursework, I am willing to put in the work now so that I don't lose out on a validation opportunity because of a couple of topics.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Run and swim a lot. I've learned that USNA is MUCH easier for endurance athletes (runners, soccer players, swimmers, etc.) than it is for bigger muscular people. Yeah muscle and strength is important but you need to have endurance and be a good runner and swimmer if you want to do well here.
 
USNA29 said:
Hi all,

Having received an LOA and a nomination to USNA, I feel there is a pretty high chance that I will get an appointment for the Class of 2029. On that note, what are some things I can do to prepare for USNA? Specifically, I am interested in a few things:
  1. What can I do to be the best physically prepared for USNA? I have looked at Stew Smith but am unsure as to what I should follow from his website.
  2. Does anyone have experience validating languages (Chinese) at USNA with AAPPL/Seal of Biliteracy scores?
Click to expand...
Hello USNA29,
From what my daughter has relayed, as far as the physical: RUN, RUN & RUN, practice push ups, sit ups etc. My plebe was able to validate Spanish I&II and calculus I&II during plebe summer. Can't speak of the APChem comparison, but she did take APCalc BC in HS, and got a 5 in AP exam. Good luck!
 
Honestly, this question comes up every year and I bet the advice hasn't changed since the salty old grads were baby plebes themselves. Have fun but don't do anything illegal. Eat mom's or dad's cooking. Play with your sibs, enjoy your sport, hang out with your mates, run consistently and in good shoes. And search these forums too, there's a ton of good advice!
 
Join high school track team even if it is your first time and you are the only senior on the JV squad.
 
USNA29 said:
Hi all,

Having received an LOA and a nomination to USNA, I feel there is a pretty high chance that I will get an appointment for the Class of 2029. On that note, what are some things I can do to prepare for USNA? Specifically, I am interested in a few things:
  1. What can I do to be the best physically prepared for USNA? I have looked at Stew Smith but am unsure as to what I should follow from his website.
  2. Does anyone have experience validating languages (Chinese) at USNA with AAPPL/Seal of Biliteracy scores?
  3. For those that took AP Chem and went to USNA, how would you say Plebe Chem compares to AP Chem?
  4. Is the Physics validation exam comparable to AP Physics C (both courses)?
I know that I am not fully appointed and still have DODMERB to go, but I would like to start as early as possible to ensure maximum preparation. The reason I ask about course validation is because I would say I am strong academically and would like to take advantage of coursework I have already completed to get ahead in the matrix. If there are minor discrepancies between what I have completed and the USNA coursework, I am willing to put in the work now so that I don't lose out on a validation opportunity because of a couple of topics.

Thanks
Click to expand...
1. Run, run, and run some more. If you start working out now, you will be more than prepared for the academy. It pays to be physically fit.
2. I validated multiple Chinese courses. The exam will be taken over plebe summer. Includes reading, listening, and speaking. Don't over think it, it is easier than the AP Chinese exam.
3. Most people who took AP Chem are breezing through plebe chem. Try to validate if possible.
 
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