Thanks for saying it like it is. DS is class of 2025, has NROTC 4yr as back up plan, and in the "hurry up and wait" holding pattern to know if appointed at USMMA, USMA & USNA. We have no academy connections, and few military contacts in order to get a lay of the land in terms of how covid has actually affected Academy life. I've been wondering about this A LOT, and haven't found specific information from those living in and through it. Certainly gives pause in this process to re-evaluate options and variables. Is there any sign that things will be changing for existing students? Knowing what you know, would you make a totally different decision if you were class of 2025, or do you think there will be enough covid easing, that it will return to the typical and "normal suck" levels?
1. "Is there any sign that things will be changing for existing students?"
Yes, there are some indicators but a lot of it is a BIG waiting game. A major part of sea year is meeting a minimum amount of sea days. In order to get sea days, you need to get access to a ship. There may soon be a requirement by many shipping companies to have cadets be vaccinated against covid. This raises a lot of questions that KP just can't thoroughly address at this time. But there is some progress. At this time, the Academy appears to be getting a fair amount of vaccines (if I recall correctly, 500 of Moderna), and this will certainly help the situation for those who voluntarily receive the vaccine. But there does not seem to be a long-term plan for future procurements of the vaccines for future classes for those who voluntarily receive it, or in general for those who choose not to receive it. It is still a work in progress.
At this time, zoom classes while on campus will continue until further notice. The same goes for being stuck on campus for the long haul. This could possibly change depending on the effects of many mids getting vaccinated, but this remains to be seen. Some morale is being boosted by having dedicated wi-fi servers for entertainment, while the parents association and alumni association continue their amazing support to help keep us afloat.
2. Knowing what you know, would you make a totally different decision if you were class of 2025, or do you think there will be enough covid easing, that it will return to the typical and "normal suck" levels?
Before I came, I wanted KP, even over other academies. I dreamed of going to any academy from a very young age, but KP appealed to me the most as I got into high school with its wide variety of opportunities that no other academy can match. NMMI definitely prepared me for the most miserable aspects too, so you can say I was well prepared.
Having said that, if I had known KP would be this miserable as an incoming freshman, I don't think I would attend. The biggest reason is because of grades. The strict and archaic academic standards here are no joke, but zoom classes on campus makes this even worse. This is a terrible situation for students who already have an uphill battle with academics at the academy that shows little mercy. Consider the current plebe class of 2024 which is being experimented on HEAVILY. They had record high academic issues in the first tri. And they're subject to a new curriculum that is even more fast paced than before. I don't think I would make it as a plebe now, especially if I was on the border about attending. Students now are being offered compassionate setbacks if attendance during covid proves to be too much of a burden. Interestingly, this is heavily encouraged by the staff here at KP, but it is only a band-aid solution. What if the situation doesn't get better by next year? What if they get worse? How does that affect admissions for upcoming classes? As long as classes are primarily run on zoom the way they are now, don't expect much improvement. Instead of fighting every day just to attend the academy, I would probably choose to attend any other college.
Other reasons include morale. Without going into the dark details, KP has been a very tense and toxic environment for mids, and especially for plebes. Being a plebe was hard enough during my time, but they seem to get treated significantly less fairly, with their cadre (and some staff) pushing them around whenever it is convenient for them. The academy is no longer a place for officers-in-training to learn and grow, it's just a place for maintaining a minimal standard to be able to still operate. The interests of the students who attend aren't often prioritized, and that's just the way it is.
The nice flyers and brochures provided by the academy don't show the dark side that students deal with now. The long-term earned opportunities here still exist. But they can also be earned elsewhere without giving up a disproportionate amount of freedoms. One could arguably have a better experience elsewhere and maintain a healthier life.
