usna1985 said:
However, it's not fair to suggest that those who are triple Q'ed and don't get an appointment or those at the "bottom" of the admitted applicant pool are universally less deserving or motivated than those at the "top" of the appointment pool and/or those who go to NAPS. Sometimes true, but not universally so.
I never intended to make a “universally less deserving” statement and in fact only stated “that at least some” fit my definition. However we cannot forget that they are at the bottom of the list.
USNA69 said:
I hate to generalize, but the attributes that place at least some of the 3Qed at the bottom of the list were correctly assessed by the board the first time around. Remembering that these candidates by nature of their qualification, are capable of handling the academics, an extra year of government sponsored taxpayer paid education is not what they need. Let them prove themselves on their own.
Fairfax and Montgomery county Math/Verbal SAT averages are more than 100 points over the national average. NC averages are substantially below the national average and my local high school is more than 100 points below the national average.
Fairfax and Montgomery both have some of the best high schools in the United States. Do candidates of second and third generation college-graduate affluent parents lucky enough to be born in this environment deserve a greater chance of a service academy appointment? My thoughts, as a taxpaying citizen of rural America, would be to penalize them 100 points instead. They have more available opportunities. They should take advantage of them and be held to a higher accountability.
What are some of the other reasons for a SAT disparity from area to area. SAT scores will gravitate to the level necessary for college admissions for each particular demographic group. Even if SAT prep schools were available on every corner as they are in the DC suburbs, NC students would not take advantage of them. I just had this conservation with our local principal right before Christmas. UNC, it's branches, and NCSU all know the local high schools. The even recognize individual teachers in critical classes. They look at course load and class standing and rely very little on SATs. Hence, no emphasis on SAT scores.
These are the candidates that thrive in the prep program. In the past two years alone, I have had seven candidates, each with a superb package, but all with sub 1200 SATs, placed in the prep program. All are doing extremely well.
USNA is a taxpayer institution. Federal law ensures somewhat of a demographic mix. The prep program augments that mix. Farmers in North Dakota pay taxes just like the government employees of northern Virginia. Each deserves an equal opportunity if their son or daughter wants to serve their country.
Like I have stated before, wardrooms and ready rooms would be boring places if they were only inhabited by super smart bookworm liberals from northern Virginia.
OBTW, I read somewhere where you were a member of a rather large ready room. The only ones I have ever seen that large were HC. HC-2, HC-4, and HC-6 here.
Most kids get a chance at pre-calc or calc in H.S.
