Quick Annapolis Visit - need suggestions

[anne99]

My son is a re-applicant and we want to take him to Annapolis before he heads off to his freshman year at college. Although he has been set on the Academy, he has yet to make an actual visit and Monday, August 8 is a convenient time for him.

What activities do you suggest besides the Admissions Briefing (which I assume will be nothing new for him) and the public tour? We will arrive Sunday evening and stay through until Tuesday evening. I know the plebes will be in their last week or so of summer and he is wondering if he will be able to get a glimpse or two of them in action.

 

[NavyHoops]

He will get to see lots of Plebes. They have parents weekend a few days after that so the yard will be alive with Plebes who know they have made it and happy to see the Parents soon! Football season will be in full swing with 2 a days so you might catch a glimpse of the team coming and going. Admissions and a tour are a good start. Tour the visitors center. Walk around the Yard some on your own. Visit the sea wall and look out at Annapolis from the yard, visit the cemetery (not meant to be creepy, but as a place of the grads who have sacrificed so much for this country), and walk around down town. Get some crab dip, see the shops, walk around the water front. If you decide to do more than just Annapolis check out Baltimore water front or take in an Os game.

 

[brovol]

My kids at West Point, but I admit, Annapolis is a really cool place. I would be sure to visit the cathedral, and then visit the crypt of John Paul Jones beneath the cathedral. USNA also has a couple good places to grab a meal right on campus. One is a casual deli, which is quite good, and reasonably priced. It's in a cool building too. The other I think is the officers club, which has a great daily buffet. Hoops can probably give you better detail on that. For sure visit Bancroft. It is nothing short of spectacular. They have an example room that you can walk through.

USNA is arguably the second best campus in America. Of course nothing compares to USMA (sorry, I couldn't help myself, particularly because it is the truth).

When you are there I would meet your admissions officer. In our experience the USNA admissions officers were less available than the other academies, but if you specifically ask, they will meet with you and answer questions. I would ask where I stood, and what I should do to improve my chance at admission.

 

[MammaMia]

Drydock is the casual eatery Brovol referred to - it's in Dahlgren. I'd recommend peeking into Wesley Brown field house if you get a chance - great athletic facility that's open to anyone when teams don't have scheduled practices. Walk from Glenn Warner (soccer facility) to Farragut Field and the sea wall beyond it...you'll pass the magnificent sailboats, Wes B, and you're likely to see plebes and mids running or practicing their sports. Hit the gift shop in the Visitor's Center, pay your respects in Memorial Hall and the Chapel, stop into the Naval Academy Museum (especially the top floor, where the French prisoners' models are...you'll see). And be sure to sample some DTA eateries. Enjoy your visit.

 

[anne99]

Great information!!! Thanks SO much!