nosmileysforme
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2006
- Messages
- 106
From USNA69 "...I don't know their motives...."
Finally, something we can all agree upon.
Finally, something we can all agree upon.
As we speak, the forums are replete with young men and women being offered LOAs to West Point. Offers to young men and women who have not yet completed the application. Offers to young men and women who have only completed a very basic preliminary application. Offers to young men and women who in no way, shape, or form have indicated to anyone why they completed the preliminary application. We have no clue as to why they did the initial application. All we know is that they will show up next summer as members of the Class of 2012. They were able to "fog" an academic mirror. No more. No less. West Point is doing a disservice to those who have diligently gone through all the admittance procedures by throwing these unknowns, these potentially bad apples, into the class. You don't know their motives, I don't know their motives, and of the greatest concern, West Point doesn't know their motives. This has been going on way to long for way too many cadets.
Does that **** really matter in the long run?
...................................it amazes me that admissions can think that a couple years running track really makes a difference.
The Naval Academy has the highest graduation rate of the academies. For the Class of 2011, it was 85%.
"The Naval Academy has the highest graduation rate of the academies. For the Class of 2007, it was 85%."
Let's see.....17/20....=.....0.85. Hmmm; that's the same graduation rate as my wife's kindergarten class.
"Looks like there will be 3 less applicants to West Point hehe, sorry, couldn't resist."
Hmmm; is it wise to mock a "Super Moderator".....hmmmmmm?
Fighting it off.....fighting......FIGHTING!!!...........uh oh.......wavering......wavering........caaaaannnn't reeeeesssssiiiiiissssssttttttt.....
ahhh, what the hell......
Hey, but let's look at it from the bright side; there will be three more applicants for the Merchant Marine Academy!
Haha, not bad, not bad at all.
I believe that the completion of a SA application not only requires perseverance, but also brings out the optimism, enthusiasm, pragmatism, activism, and industrialism in the candidate. All are attributes of a good officer and leader. An optimistic point of view allows the candidate to approach the goal positively, searching for the best solutions to each hurdle. Enthusiasm keeps him going when times get rough.. Being realistic and pragmatic allows him to disregard the hyperbole and concentrate on the real, always keeping one foot on the ground. An outstanding candidate is an activist. He does what has to be done. And when he does it, he is an industrialist, he rolls up his sleeves and works hard.Nothing is worth the making if it does not make the man.
And your response has certainly taught me the hazards of begging. I have learned my lesson.I can't stand it when a grown man begs....
As for the why, here's my completely unsupported and unsubstantiated, but yet curiously brilliant, speculation:
Now the ROTC students and the OCS candidates have just finished four or five years of this grand and almost never ending party before they enter the Army. They've experienced the parties, the booze, the debauchery, the absolute freedom, until they've puked; both literally and figuratively.
So when their service obligation is up, perhaps that same West Point graduate that entered the Army as a 18 year old, and nine years later is now a 27 year old and knocking on the door of old age (from their perspective), is curious as to whether there really is something to all of the excitement about civilian colleges. Perhaps those junior officers just want to experience something they've been thinking about for the last ten or fifteen years. ............................................a reconnection - if even only for a short time - with their civilian peers at a fun and stimulating non-military environment
Now the ROTC students and the OCS candidates have just finished four or five years of this grand and almost never ending party before they enter the Army. They've experienced the parties, the booze, the debauchery, the absolute freedom, until they've puked; both literally and figuratively. So when they enter the service they're starting right out of civilian life
Okay, let's try this one more time:
Agree or disagree? The generic service academy degree requires more demands on the graduate than the generic civilian college degree.
Agree or disagree? The generic service academy educational experience is unique compared to the generic civilian college experience.
Agree or disagree? The average service academy student has a higher potential of graduating from nearly any civilian college than his/her civilian college student counterpart has of graduating from any service academy.
Agree or disagree? The effort required to graduate from a service academy is greater than the effort required for a ROTC student to graduate from nearly any civilian college.
Someone doing ROTC and taking a double-engineering major at MIT will most likely have a harder time than a guy doing history at USxA.