Roller coaster I: Get Us (The Parents) Through Plebe Year - Class of ‘26 🎢

Class of 2025 had 16,265 applications, while Class of 2026 was only 12,927. That is a 20% drop.


 
Since we're talking numbers, roughly 85% of those offered an appointment to USNA accept that offer.

I know it's hard to believe, but 15% of USNA candidates have so many good offers from other places (not just Service Academies), it's hard to choose one over the other.
 
Class of 2025 had 16,265 applications, while Class of 2026 was only 12,927. That is a 20% drop.


Good point. 20% drop is significant, especially, after almost 10 years or increasing applications.
 
Picking my kid up in a few hours! He should have finished his last exam, and has a watch to cover for a companymate, then he's off. Wonder if I should take my wife's car, as it is bigger, to bring everything home. :p
 
Picked up Daughter end of Plebe Year with full years worth of issued gear. SUV with roof carrier and still could not see out the rear window.:) Once they get seasonal uniforms straightened out not so bad.
 
I took a few sets of uniforms home already after visiting this past Saturday. May have to take some today, and the rest after Herndon, if that much space is needed!

Also, I'll be picking up a Blue Angels flight suit for the littlest dude while I'm there today. :bleh2:
 
I'm coming to the Yard during Commissioning Week to help bring things to storage and attend the Glee Concert. When do they HAVE to be out of their rooms? Am I too late? 1st Block PROTRAMID
 
DS almost cleared his room today... we're picking the rest after Herndon. Roommate stayed due to watch Saturday. Conversation switched to foreign language next semester. He is taking Russian. He also said that when a firstie barks at him, he hears this in melodic tone, "blah, blah, blah, and blah.
 
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Dude is sitting in his room relaxing after being smothered by his littlest bro for an hour (in his Blue Angel flight suit).

Seems there is a lot of giveaway at the end of the year! He brought home a mini fridge and a slightly small Hawaiin shirt that he definitely didn't leave home with! :p
 
Good point. 20% drop is significant, especially, after almost 10 years or increasing applications.
It’s not out of the question that a drop is a good thing. It’s not like the SAs lack over all quality or are not turning HS super stars away.

It “could” mean that those who really had no business considering the military or a SA are less likely to go thru the long process of an application.
 
I know the percent acceptance stat is a big deal but it’s sort of like looking at RBIs or OBP when WOR is a better stat. Many very smart high schoolers who apply to very selective schools never even start a USNA application because:

- bias against military
- not athletic
- didn’t consider it soon enough
- don’t want the service obligation
- know they are probably medically DQ
- have zero exposure to military (and Navy in particular)
- scared off by the reputation that it’s too constraining, demanding etc.
- already planning to go to another college (legacy etc)
- too selective -why try?
- got a girlfriend/boyfriend who doesn’t want them to go
- watched the movie Annapolis and they don’t box

Point being, SA applicants self-select before starting an application. In some ways, it’s amazing that 12,000-16,000 applications are even opened. Those that start it need resources (like this forum) to push forward but for many (maybe the majority), the application process appears very daunting. And then there’s the MOC nomination process.
 
I know the percent acceptance stat is a big deal but it’s sort of like looking at RBIs or OBP when WOR is a better stat. Many very smart high schoolers who apply to very selective schools never even start a USNA application because:

- bias against military
- not athletic
- didn’t consider it soon enough
- don’t want the service obligation
- know they are probably medically DQ
- have zero exposure to military (and Navy in particular)
- scared off by the reputation that it’s too constraining, demanding etc.
- already planning to go to another college (legacy etc)
- too selective -why try?
- got a girlfriend/boyfriend who doesn’t want them to go
- watched the movie Annapolis and they don’t box

Point being, SA applicants self-select before starting an application. In some ways, it’s amazing that 12,000-16,000 applications are even opened. Those that start it need resources (like this forum) to push forward but for many (maybe the majority), the application process appears very daunting. And then there’s the MOC nomination process.
"But he gets on base." Name that movie!

I like your argument re: RBI/OBP vs. WAR. I'd argue that OPS+ could also be used. While WAR is a holistic metric, OPS+ accounts for park the player plays in. In unadjusted OPS, the power hitter playing at Coors Field will most likely have a better OPS than a similar hitter playing at Dodger Stadium. Coors is a hitter's paradise and Dodger Stadium is usually pretty pitcher-friendly. OPS+ invalidates that. SAs, the Ivies, and competitive public and private schools all look slightly different. SAs have the military attached to it, the Ivies have legacies, etc. OPS+ in theory could account for those differences.

But I will readily concede that there is no one accepted way to judge competitiveness. In baseball, it's all runs, wins, and championships. College success might be getting a dream job (this college has a very competitive accounting program), getting the highest paid job (that college has the highest average starting salary after graduation), going back to school to change careers, etc.

For the non-baseball fans:
RBI=Run(s) Batted In (How many people cross home plate off something you did as a hitter)
OBP= On Base Percentage (Ratio between amount of times on base compared to number of at bats)
WAR= Wins Above Replacement (A theoretical calculation of how many additional wins your team gets compared to if they put a replacement player in your position.)
OPS= On-base plus slugging (A metric that totalizes offensive production for a hitter)
Slugging= Average amount of bases per at bat (If you have a 2.000 slugging percentage, you average a double per at bat)
OPS+=OPS that takes into account the park a player plays at. (Some parks are easier than others)
Coors Field= Colorado Rockies' stadium. (Usually the best hitters park since the altitude results in less friction as the ball moves thru the air and that means more home runs)
Dodger Stadium= LA Dodger's stadium (Known as a pitcher's park since it is more difficult to hit home runs there compared to other parks)
 
Class of 2025 had 16,265 applications, while Class of 2026 was only 12,927. That is a 20% drop.


I think the class of 2026 will have a COVID asterisk. This class was significantly impacted by the pandemic, restrictions, and shutdowns. The world closed at the end of their sophomore year. My son was left teaching himself at home with a school that did not have virtual capabilities. He was teaching himself precalculus with just a textbook. They were locked out of their SATs/ACTs, greeted with cancelled signs on the doors when they arrived. Many were at home their junior years. We scrambled that next year to find our son a new high school (a privilege not all have) and piece together all the parts required to continue his path to USNA.

For over a year kids nationwide were scrambling for testing spots and driving to other states for openings. Many high schoolers were providing full time care for younger siblings during virtual school. Etc, etc…

The SA application process is intense under the best circumstances. These kids were on their own to navigate it. They lost access to guidance counselors, teachers, coaches. Most lost academic support, entire sports seasons, activities, work opportunities, etc. Summer seminars were virtual. The SA application gauntlet is a big hill to climb for all applicants, but for the 2026 class that hill was definitely steeper and a solo expedition.

**I say all this to explain the reality, but in no way want to imply that the SAs (and colleges in general) did not make certain allowances for this. They definitely took the circumstances into consideration, but for many kids it just wasn’t possible to complete.
 
Hard to believe it started with the C/O ‘24! Their senior year was shut down basically during their spring break.

Of course, applications would have already been completed. But my point, is that it lasted for a LONG time. And affected several classes.
 
c/o '25 session was much higher applicants as noted. My son missed out on 1/2 his junior and ALL of his senior year, which was the '25 application cycle. He did his BGO interview with COVID hair on the computer. You'd think anecdotally that the '25 class would have been affected more. But the residual certainly seems to be showing up later.
 
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