frannierunner99
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Has anyone ever participated in West Point's SLE, complete the rest of the process, and then NOT been admitted to USMA?
SLE Affect on Application
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rwjohnson416
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Only 40% of SLE attendees were accepted last year.
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Please read this a gazillion times (from the other thread):
I've never seen so many kids try so hard to go to summer camp.
I've never seen so many kids try so hard to go to summer camp.
Dixieland
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My West Point grad had zero interest in going to SLE (SLS back then) and he certainly never thought he had harmed his chances of getting an appointment by not going. I don't remember it being such a big deal with the candidates back then.
Please read this a gazillion times (from the other thread):
I've never seen so many kids try so hard to go to summer camp.
I'm new to this having a daughter just starting the process. It troubles me when I see what appears to be a sincere question about the summer programs get shot down. Personally I've heard both ways, "you're looking at the academy, they're looking at you". To me it makes sense that admissions are taking every advantage to look at those chosen for the course. To suggest "Everyone" must attend is ridiculous, obviously that's not the case but on the other hand to suggest that students attending are simply heading off to a little summer camp is asinine. I question how these "experts" could possibly know the inner workings of admissions. How about a little honesty here. These kids are in it up to their necks, give em' a break. Don't blow smoke up their butts cause you think it will make them feel better. Be honest if you actually KNOW for a fact what your spouting off back it up with facts, something like "I'm the head of admissions or I'm in charge of cadet assessment sheets", something other than a guess.
For what it worth you young folks, try to get into the summer programs, if you don't, DONT give up hope. This from an old man with a lot of life experience. (And a dose of common sense). Good luck to all.
For what it is worth, DS attended SLE last summer and 6 of 11 members of his unit received appointments. However, another unit he had friends in only 2 received appointments. So SLE is by no means an assurance of getting an appointment.
The way I look at it is, if accepted for SLE, the candidate has something the admissions team looks favorably on, which would probably make them competitive. But the SLE decision comes so early in the process, that candidate still has much work to do and must shine in all areas before securing an appointment. I would encourage all who have the opportunity to attend SLE to do so as it give them the chance to take the CFA, befriend potential classmates and experience a slice of academy life. However, don't be discouraged if not selected, the majority of inbound classes do not attend SLE.
Best of luck to those applying for the class of 2022!
The way I look at it is, if accepted for SLE, the candidate has something the admissions team looks favorably on, which would probably make them competitive. But the SLE decision comes so early in the process, that candidate still has much work to do and must shine in all areas before securing an appointment. I would encourage all who have the opportunity to attend SLE to do so as it give them the chance to take the CFA, befriend potential classmates and experience a slice of academy life. However, don't be discouraged if not selected, the majority of inbound classes do not attend SLE.
Best of luck to those applying for the class of 2022!
Excellent points. No one on this forum knows the inner workings of admissions. But some do have knowledge of the parts of the process that can be seen from outside the "black box".Please read this a gazillion times (from the other thread):
I've never seen so many kids try so hard to go to summer camp.
I'm new to this having a daughter just starting the process. It troubles me when I see what appears to be a sincere question about the summer programs get shot down. Personally I've heard both ways, "you're looking at the academy, they're looking at you". To me it makes sense that admissions are taking every advantage to look at those chosen for the course. To suggest "Everyone" must attend is ridiculous, obviously that's not the case but on the other hand to suggest that students attending are simply heading off to a little summer camp is asinine. I question how these "experts" could possibly know the inner workings of admissions. How about a little honesty here. These kids are in it up to their necks, give em' a break. Don't blow smoke up their butts cause you think it will make them feel better. Be honest if you actually KNOW for a fact what your spouting off back it up with facts, something like "I'm the head of admissions or I'm in charge of cadet assessment sheets", something other than a guess.
For what it worth you young folks, try to get into the summer programs, if you don't, DONT give up hope. This from an old man with a lot of life experience. (And a dose of common sense). Good luck to all.
Recorded in each file is whether an applicant applied for SLE, was selected for SLE, or attended SLE. No WCS points are awarded for attending SLE (and WCS points are what counts most). The value of SLE with respect to admissions comes from the subjective aspects of evaluation - interview conducted at SLE, awards received, ability to incorporate SLE experience into the essay, etc.
What may be more beneficial is the use of SLE attendance in the nomination process. The boards selecting nominees are not confined to the same criteria as admissions officers and may place greater weight on experiences such as SLE.
As far as the experience itself SLE is not Beast Barracks, but it is no picnic. Most attendees are exhausted by the end of week, experiencing a "lite" version of cadet life.
The OP is asking is a vague question that seems to be implying you are guaranteed an appointment simply because you got accepted to SLE and that is incorrect. We can only reply based on what the OP appears to be asking. SLE is partly a promotional effort to make WP more widely known to many who might not otherwise have considered attending. As such, many attend and immediately realize WP is not for them. Most of the same topics get discussed repeatedly on here. Most regulars are more then willing to offer advice/guidance, but a large part of applying to any SA is about taking the initiative to search out the answer to the most commonly asked questions.
The reason the question was "shot down," as you put it, is because the answer to this question is readily available on already published sources (some by West Point itself!), and because it shows a lack of initiative by not doing a Google search beforehand.
As for the "heading off to a summer camp" part, it's honestly not inaccurate to say that it's just a summer camp. It mostly exists to expose Cadet Candidates to what West Point is like, and even then it's fluffed up so that people aren't turned off of the idea of West Point.
When you called for honesty, you preceded that with your belief that nobody could really know how admissions works. That's more false than true. As a Cadet, somebody who has successfully gone through the process and now goes to school with 4399 other Cadets who were also successful, I believe it is possible to have a general understanding of admissions. High grades, high test scores, high class rank, lots of extra-curricular activities, and strong athletics have a high correlation with acceptance, almost as though, perhaps, these are the very things that admissions looks for in candidates.
When you ask for something other than a guess, you're asking for too much. With that attitude you'd have maybe 3 people on this forum attempting to help. However, having gone through the process or having helped people through the process, most people here can tell you with a high degree of certainty what the answer, or even answers, to your question are.
As for trying trying to get into SLE, absolutely do it. Just don't assume you've already been accepted to West Point.
2018 did not apply for sle and made it in. 2019 was accepted to both sle and boys state but both were at the same time. His RC recommended SLE because he had very strong leadership experiences in his admissions packet and he made it in. Btw...he had a great time at SLE and it further helped him decide to choose USMA. Each candidate has their own strengths so sle may or may not be for every candidate. Overall SLE offers a great experience. Best of luck.
HallowedGround09
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My opinion.......It may help in the OVERALL admissions process. For example, in our state one of the Senators gives out extra points on his service academy application for having attended either Boys/Girls State or SLE. These individuals will receive extra points toward their whole score during his evaluation for a nomination. Remember your first order of business is to secure a nomination to be considered for an appointment to West Point. You will be competing against many other talented individuals in your district/state for a required nomination and depending upon where you live the competition may be fierce. Anything that can give you an edge during this phase may be helpful if your MOC provides the same opportunity during their nomination process. Do your homework in this regard.
bookreader
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@VelveteenR is right. SLE really is summer camp. I think that the students leave SLE tired because they aren't used to getting up so early and being that active all day long rather than because it is so physically demanding. Beast barracks is much, much more demanding. And wait til you do Sandhurst!