Service Academy Prep Program

JROTCSAI

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Good morning. Who has in their high school/academy a Service Academy Prep Program. I'm curious as to what it entails and on how it was run. Is it a selection process to get in? Is it looked at as a club or organization? Just looking for some better ideas. Thank you in advance.
 
I have never heard of that. Good grades in tough classes (especially STEM), sports, leadership, and community service are what you need to prepare for a service academy. So, not sure what a high school service academy “Prep Program” would be. You can design your own prep program.
 
If you go through the process of applying to a Service Academy and do not get selected, you may get chosen to attend a SA Prep school. The Academy sees potential in you, but you don't quite make the cut right out of HS.
 
Good morning. Who has in their high school/academy a Service Academy Prep Program. I'm curious as to what it entails and on how it was run. Is it a selection process to get in? Is it looked at as a club or organization? Just looking for some better ideas. Thank you in advance.
To expand a bit more, the three DOD service academies, USMA, USNA, USAFA have their own prep schools. They offer seats there to applicants they like but need some more preparation work before tackling the SA curriculum. These 3 academies also have scholarship programs for well-known college prep schools which have service academy prep programs. Same deal, the SA chooses who they want to offer a scholarship to. You can also “self-prep” at these schools, paying your own way, as a path to application to an SA. USCGA and USMMA also have some programs.

If you are just starting to think about a service academy, the best thing you can do right now is go to their sa.edu website, and read every page, hamburger menu item and link. You will find profiles for classes, recommendations for HS courses to take, etc.

Here’s an example:
 
To expand a bit more, the three DOD service academies, USMA, USNA, USAFA have their own prep schools. They offer seats there to applicants they like but need some more preparation work before tackling the SA curriculum. These 3 academies also have scholarship programs for well-known college prep schools which have service academy prep programs. Same deal, the SA chooses who they want to offer a scholarship to. You can also “self-prep” at these schools, paying your own way, as a path to application to an SA. USCGA and USMMA also have some programs.

If you are just starting to think about a service academy, the best thing you can do right now is go to their sa.edu website, and read every page, hamburger menu item and link. You will find profiles for classes, recommendations for HS courses to take, etc.

Here’s an example:
With all due respect, I don’t think that’s what OP was asking. He was asking about programs in High School.

To even qualify to get into a service Academy prep school (which are only one year programs) a candidate must have an excellent high school record that includes a strong academic foundation, sports, leadership,etc. Candidates need to start building that foundation in eighth or ninth grade or earlier.
 
With all due respect, I don’t think that’s what OP was asking. He was asking about programs in High School.

To even qualify to get into a service Academy prep school (which are only one year programs) a candidate must have an excellent high school record that includes a strong academic foundation, sports, leadership,etc. Candidates need to start building that foundation in eighth or ninth grade or earlier.
I agree as what the likely topic of the OP’s question was, but I put myself in the shoes of a high school student new to all things SA who found this site, read the title of this forum, used the exact forum title in their post and made an understandable leap to the HS context, especially if they are unaware of the service prep schools or independent prep schools. The OP joined at 10:16 this AM. If my note helps anyone new to all this, I am content.
 
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With all due respect, I don’t think that’s what OP was asking. He was asking about programs in High School.

To even qualify to get into a service Academy prep school (which are only one year programs) a candidate must have an excellent high school record that includes a strong academic foundation, sports, leadership,etc. Candidates need to start building that foundation in eighth or ninth grade or earlier.
Yes I'm speaking of Service Academy Prep Programs in Military Academies like St Johns, Valley Forge, Army Navy Academy, New Mexico Military Academy, etc. Some HS JROTC programs have them.
 
JROTC gives opportunities for leadership and in many schools the Boys State nominees come from JROTC. But for, the most part JROTC prepares students to enlist not to be officers. I think I read that only about 15% of service academy students have JROTC in their background.

Again, to prepare for a service academy you need (1) strong academics with a preference for STEM, (2) Athletic excellence, (3) demonstrated leadership, and (4) community service. You can get that prep. at almost any high school. You don’t need to go to a military-oriented high school like Valley Forge or Farragut.
 
Yes I'm speaking of Service Academy Prep Programs in Military Academies like St Johns, Valley Forge, Army Navy Academy, New Mexico Military Academy, etc. Some HS JROTC programs have them.
You are mixing apples and oranges in this question. I for one am confused.

You are asking about 3 or even 4 different types of training or schools or options in one question.

and I can’t tell why you are asking

Are you hoping to go to a SA like West Point?

If so follow the good advice given above about academics and sports etc

If you are someone that a SA really wants and you fall short a little for a direct admit they may send you to a military prep school such as NAPS (Navy) for a year or to a prep school like NMMA to be better prepared academically.

who would the military really want to see a student at a SA that falls a bit short academically and they would send them to prep school for a year.

in general

—prior enlisted coming in from the fleet for one

—highly recruited folks that play sports

—others that might be important for the military to have within their ranks.

you might get better tailored advice if people knew why you were asking
 
I agree that there seems to be some confusion. I'll try to set it straight below.

I'm not aware of any high school prep program sponsored by or endorsed by the SAs (at least none with USNA). Certain high schools may offer clubs or other programs to help those aspiring to attend a SA but those are being individually run and vary from school to school. There is Junior ROTC, but it also is not run by / sponsored by the SAs and is not directly tied to the SAs. I've seen no evidence that participation in JROTC, Sea Cadets or similar programs helps with SA appointments (at least WRT USNA) more than participation in other ECAs.

There are high school programs that are quasi-military and are not in any way associated with any SAs. I'm not aware of any advantage a candidate gains by attending one of these schools vs. any other h.s. in terms of SA appointments. Thus, if a young man or woman wants to attend such a school for its discipline, academics, exposure to a military-type lifestyle, that's great. But do it for those reasons, not b/c you think it will in and of itself help with SA applications.

There are other h.s. or even college programs that are affiliated with one or more SAs. Examples are New Mexico Military Institute and Greystone -- among many others. There are two types of students who attend these schools vis-a-vis SAs. First are those who attend for 4 years of h.s. for the reasons stated above and hope that the caliber of the school will help them with SA admissions. Second, are those who attend a "prep" year AFTER graduating h.s. This group is further broken down into "sponsored prep" and "self prep."

Sponsored prep are candidates selected by a SA to attend a "civilian" prep school for a year prior to attending the SA. You cannot apply for this program (at least WRT USNA). If selected for this program by the SA, you get to choose the school. Some have a military slant and others don't. Most of the tuition / R&B is covered by the SA, but parents typically are expected to contribute based on their ability to pay. Sponsored prepsters who successfully complete the program are virtually guaranteed an appointment.

Self prep are students who attend the same prep year, but do it on their own -- they are NOT selected by a SA to attend. The candidate / parents pay the entire cost. There are no guarantees of admission to a SA. Most candidates are probably better off attending college vs. prep (there is a discussion of this in the Reapplying sticky on the USNA thread). Some schools tout their success in getting self-prep students admitted to SAs and some probably do a decent job. However, when evaluating this, it's important to ask about self-prep vs. sponsored prep, because sometimes schools group them together to make their numbers look better.

FINALLY, there are candidates selected for a year at MAPS / NAPS / AFAPS. I'll describe NAPS (Naval Academy Prep School) because I know most about it but the others operate generally similarly. NAPS was originally designed for enlisted personnel attending USNA who needed a year of academic prep. However, today, only about 1/6 of those at NAPs are prior enlisted. Like with civilian prep, candidates cannot apply to NAPS but can be offered the opportunity to attend NAPS by USNA Admissions. NAPS is free to the candidate. The candidate enlists in the Navy for the year attending NAPS and is paid as a junior enlisted. If they successfully complete NAPS, they are virtually guaranteed an appointment. No one outside of Admissions is quite clear on why someone is offered NAPS vs. civilian prep other than football, basketball and lacrosse recruits seem to end up at NAPS.

Hope the above helps.
 
FYI to the above poster... my son was offered USNA civilian prep (school of his choice) due to a torn ACL prior to plebe summer 2021.
 
Was scrolling on Facebook and came across a video of Citadel never hearing of it before. Is it a SA prep program too or a private military college?
 
Was scrolling on Facebook and came across a video of Citadel never hearing of it before. Is it a SA prep program too or a private military college?
If you dive into The Citadel’s website, you will find all your answers. It has a long and rich history as a degree-granting institution.

While you’re doing the legwork, Google “senior military colleges.” There are a number of public and private colleges which have a Corps of Cadets model and thriving ROTC programs.

All 5 Federal Academies often have re-applicants who didn’t get in on their first or subsequent tries. Many choose to go to a military college or regular college to lay the groundwork to re-apply.

Each of the DoD service academies has its own prep school, with plenty of info available on their websites. There are also civilian prep schools; the service academies have scholarship foundations for promising candidates not quite ready for the service academy and who may be offered a prep school scholarship.

If you are interested in a service academy, go to their websites and read every page link and menu item.
 
Good morning. Who has in their high school/academy a Service Academy Prep Program. I'm curious as to what it entails and on how it was run. Is it a selection process to get in? Is it looked at as a club or organization? Just looking for some better ideas. Thank you in advance.
Are you inquiring on the US Naval Academy Foundation Scholarship?
 
Yes I'm speaking of Service Academy Prep Programs in Military Academies like St Johns, Valley Forge, Army Navy Academy, New Mexico Military Academy, etc. Some HS JROTC programs have them.
Assuming you’re inquiring on USNA Alumni Association & Foundation Scholarship, see attached participating schools. USNA Admissions offered DS the Foundation Scholarship last cycle. He accepted. Then we signed a contract with Foundation. We have to pay 20% of the cost. The Foundation and sponsored school covered the rest. Total Tuition-Room-Board (TRB): $60K+
DS received his marching orders: pass the PRT fitness test and receive at least all Bs. So far, his exceeding all expectations.
 

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If you dive into The Citadel’s website, you will find all your answers. It has a long and rich history as a degree-granting institution.

While you’re doing the legwork, Google “senior military colleges.” There are a number of public and private colleges which have a Corps of Cadets model and thriving ROTC programs.

All 5 Federal Academies often have re-applicants who didn’t get in on their first or subsequent tries. Many choose to go to a military college or regular college to lay the groundwork to re-apply.

Each of the DoD service academies has its own prep school, with plenty of info available on their websites. There are also civilian prep schools; the service academies have scholarship foundations for promising candidates not quite ready for the service academy and who may be offered a prep school scholarship.

If you are interested in a service academy, go to their websites and read every page link and menu item.
Many thanks sir!
 
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