SLE or Boys' State

If you believe you need more to your WCS, go to Boy's State instead of SLE. Boy's State is a big-ticket item for appointees, not just for service academies but for ROTC Scholarships as well. As others have mentions it directly helps from candidate review as opposed to a good experience like SLE.
 
I went to TN boys state last year and really enjoyed it. You will meet a lot of people, many of whom would like to go to a service academy as well. The governor spoke, a state senator, a national senator, the adjutant general of the TN, national guard, and more. It has its lows, some people hate the marching. You will meet a lot of people and it's military structured. TN has the #1 ranked boys state program also. It is completely what you make of it. You have to make your room a specific way (hospital corners, drawers for specific items, hangers 3 fingers apart) and you will compete with "cities" (40-50 people who are a team) on athletics, marching, and more. And if you go, Run for office! Run for governor more importantly because the worst thing that can happen is you lose. Last years governor wanted to go to West Point but I'm unsure if he got in. If you want bonuses get a high ranking office like the senator or Supreme Court. While you are at it go for boys nation ( same thing but national level). Some of it will be boring, but that stuff is over fast. The staff of the program are awesome people as well. Most chaperones are in the ROTC program or are cadre for the ROTC program. The good is good too, lots of dessert foods. Every day you have formations and will eventually have a mayor of the town similar to a platoon leader. You will learn cadence and have a structured lifestyle. I say go for boys state and get the WCS points.


2019 WestPoint class appointee

Recipient of 4 year army rotc scholarship.
 
My son's RC told him that Boys' State was more important for admissions than SLE, and that if there was a conflict, he should choose Boys' State. (He is fortunate enough to be able to attend both, with a one day break in between.)
 
@iMom, I think that what you were told in the standard advice that is given.
However, I offered my son's experience as evidence that you can choose SLE over Boys' State and still be accepted to USMA. However, it seems to me that you must fulfill the leadership requirement in other ways for this to be acceptable.
 
Can anyone shed light on something I read on a post about an interview at SLE ? Is this considered a pre-admission interview or did I just misinterpret something I read on another post. DS is attending boys state and SLE
 
@iMom if RC said go to Boys State over SLE, then go to Boys State. The RC isn't giving "standard" advice*. They are doing it looking at the candidate AND their competitions' file. They see where there is benefit if needed. If anyone else says it, then it is just standard/template advice based on personal experience or generalities that may or may not hold true for that specific candidate. *if you catch RC in person and ask for that advice on a specific candidate when they don't have access to their file, then it becomes general advice.

@dcmom3 it is the same standard interview that any FFR would give to your son/daughter that is an optional part of the application. I wouldn't refuse it as a candidate, but if no one offers, it is not required for admission.
 
hawk said:
DS is headed for Ranger School in a bit. One of the coachings his mentors have provided is that the people who finish RS are largely the ones that decided they would before they showed up.
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True enough. I told myself before I started Ranger school the only way I leave Ranger school was either graduation or medical drop. So easy to rationalize why you don't need to be at Ranger school - who you are matters more than the tab, I am an non-Infantyr officer, I am not going to be a career Army officer, the school is not teaching me anything other than how to suck it up . . . ,
 
dcmom3 said:
Can anyone shed light on something I read on a post about an interview at SLE ? Is this considered a pre-admission interview or did I just misinterpret something I read on another post. DS is attending boys state and SLE
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It used to be the same candidate interview as a Field Force interview. I don't think it has changed. It won't get you in, but it could hurt your chances.
 
Depends on the need for the candidate - my DS was accepted to West Point this year and was offered both SLE and Boys State last summer. His RC recommended him to take SLE over Boys State and it worked out well for him and he had a fantastic experience at SLE. My advice would be to talk with the RC and get his opinion.
 
@dcmom3 - it might have been my post where you read about the interview during SLE as I did write about it as a positive opportunity during SLE. We didn't know about it in advance. The cadet who oversees your child's group is the one who gives the interview. He/she has a list of questions to ask and the answers will be written down and placed in that person's file. It won't get you admitted, but it can enhance your application as it's an opportunity to make yourself more 'three-dimensional' than your transcript/test scores will allow.

I read another person mention that when he went for an overnight visit, the cadet who hosted him made mention of this interview (he'd evidently read the contents of the interview) and said some positive things based on that interview report.

My son mentioned that he really connected with the cadet who interviewed him and felt that his report from the interview would add positively to his application. He is going for an overnight visit tomorrow and I'll be interested to hear if his interview comes up in conversation.
 
MemberLG said:
It used to be the same candidate interview as a Field Force interview. I don't think it has changed. It won't get you in, but it could hurt your chances.
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It's a bit scary when other candidates are being interviewed and the MALO never schedules one for you. Turns out the SLS one satisfied the need, but DS did not know that until after a call to USMA. But it showed blank on the portal if I recall.

The good news is that the RC was certainly aware of the interview contents, etc.
 
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