USAFA vs USNA

[BBMomma]

Add Pro (or Con);

Mids’ Gangnam Style
See vid.

Oh my goodness, you just made my heart so happy and made me miss my oldest boy. I remember having a bad day once and my son came home and without even knowing I needed it or anything, he started playing this song for me and dancing to it. He left to the Navy maybe a week later... so, after getting tough news today about one of my other boys whose a soldier in the army, i needed this. So thank you

 

[St.Kath]

Oh my goodness, you just made my heart so happy and made me miss my oldest boy. I remember having a bad day once and my son came home and without even knowing I needed it or anything, he started playing this song for me and dancing to it. He left to the Navy maybe a week later... so, after getting tough news today about one of my other boys whose a soldier in the army, i needed this. So thank you

Actually we did this in the living room after Navy’s victory last December.
Go Navy. Beat Army.

 

[St.Kath]

Hi all,

I'm having a bit of trouble deciding on which SA to attend, and I just thought y'all might be able to help out. I know there have been tons of threads about this topic, but even after reading them, I haven't really been able to make a final decision yet. I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I really couldn't fall asleep since I kept thinking about which SA would be a better option. Literally any advice/insight would help a ton! Here's a (very basic) list of the pros and cons of each school, at least for me. Feel free to correct me/give your opinions on anything I list.

USNA pros:
Better location
Better weather
Swag uniforms
Army-Navy
More history/traditions? (not sure about the right term here)
Rooms have individual showers

USNA cons:
Getting sub/nuke drafted
Never been on a real ship before - not sure how I would like it

USAFA pros:
Better campus + Cadet Chapel (although it is under renovation, not sure when it'll be finished)
Closer to home
Flight suits + OCPs
AM-490
Weekday liberty

USAFA cons:
Cold weather
Location
Not too sure about how much I like cadet rooms

In terms of after graduation, I do want to go aviation, but I have heard that going aviation is pretty doable at either USAFA or USNA as long as I have decent grades. However, in the case that I do not end up going aviation, I guess I also wanted to know which SA would better prepare me for a civilian job. For USNA, I plan on going SWO, while for USAFA, I plan on going RPA. Would going SWO be more applicable to the civilian sector, or vice versa?

Hopefully that wasn't too long for y'all to read! As I said, any help or advice of any kind at all would go a long way. Thanks in advance!

Add Pro —-> U S N A

See vid.

 

[kinnem]

Be careful with that one. The vast majority of museum ship overnights are in crews quarters on older ships. Officer berthing is MUCH different and even the crew berthing on just about anything in the USN now is simply much much nicer and officers are generally in small staterooms.

Good point.

 

[dav1y]

@dav1y, I noticed in your profile that you are an appointee from Tokyo. Are you still there? If so, have you entertained the thought of visiting the Naval Base in nearby Yokosuka and the Air Force Base in Yokota? You could talk with some junior officers serving on some of the ships there and get an Air Force perspective from those serving ashore. Talking with active duty officers and seeing their work environment first hand might help you make a more informed decision. I have Navy contacts in the Tokyo area. Their network can put you in contact with the Navy and possibly the Air Force. PM me if this interests you.

Thank you for the info! Yes, I am still in Tokyo at the moment. I’ve been to both Yokota and Yokosuka, and I did love both bases. However, it would be great to talk to any AD officers - I’ll make sure to PM you

 

[dav1y]

As others have mentioned, you shouldn’t base your decision solely on the Academy pros and cons, but rather the larger “after graduation” picture. That said, I see you have the cold weather as a con for USAFA. I grew up in Maryland (about 24 years there) and I’ve lived the last 15 years in Colorado. Give me the sunny cold days in Colorado over the hot HUMID days of Maryland any time! Love, love, love Colorado weather! Definitely not a con!

From what it sounds like, Annapolis weather seems to be very similar to Tokyo weather (unbearably humid in the summer, dark and gloomy in the winter). I guess that's a good and bad thing, but definitely very helpful. Thank you!

 

[dav1y]

From what y'all have mentioned, visiting campus can help a ton. I've only been able to do the virtual tours, which helps a bit, but is definitely nowhere near what the real experience is like. As much as I would like to visit, I'm just not sure if I have the time to visit (especially combined with quarantine measures in Japan, and the cost of flying), which really does suck.

 

[justdoit19]

Sometimes we have to go with our gut. Or heart. Jump in with the info we have and make the best choice. Honestly, I don’t think you could go wrong with either place. Or service branch. If you are as you seem in your posts.

One thing, would be to look around each area on Google earth and get a feel for how each SA interacts geographically within their locations. That’s pretty different. USNA literally is part of Annapolis. Integrated. Walking distance to crepes, ice cream, the Bay, etc. A quaint seaside town. USAFA is very different in that sense. More removed. More isolated. Not within walking distance of town and it’s action. USNA is rich in history. Close to DC. On the eastern coast and all it’s early American history. It’s amazing. USAFA is the newest of the SA’s. Doesn’t have the rich history (USNA is a top historical destination).

Again, none of that should be a reason to select. But since you cannot visit, trying to help you get a feel for each local.

 

[Fmbr]

I did a lot of debating on this as well—the type of thinking in this post was a big part of my decision. One thing that also influenced me was the perceived “divide” in the Air Force between pilots and non-pilots vs the different warfare communities in the Navy. Just some of my thoughts.

 

[Anonymous121]

I personally thoroughly enjoyed the area just outside USNA. McGarveys, Pussers, and I love seafood. You can't get much better than that. Never been to Colorado Springs/USAFA though.

 

[Colorado2026]

Definitely no decent seafood anywhere near USAFA . But it is a beautiful campus as well.

 

[St.Kath]

I personally thoroughly enjoyed the area just outside USNA. McGarveys, Pussers, and I love seafood. You can't get much better than that. Never been to Colorado Springs/USAFA though.

Recommendations for the classic fish and chips?

 

[dav1y]

Is there any significant difference between UPT and Navy flight school (other than location)?

 

[justdoit19]

Found it. The words of “Bob Norris” were presented to DS when he inquired about ‘the difference’ between AF and Navy. A Navy Captain looked up and shared his post on DS’s admissions tour with a local unit (and was our introduction to the SAF ).

I got back to this via a quick Google search of ‘difference between navy and Air Force service academy forum’, easily. Tonsssss of discussion about your query.

USAFA vs. USNA

I can not decide between USNA and USAFA as my first choice. If anybody could share specific reasons why they would prefer one to the other, please let me know. Thank you.

www.serviceacademyforums.com

 

[usna1985]

The biggest difference is that USNA and the USN / USMC are sea-going services. USAFA and USAF are not. At USNA, you start Plebe Summer learning to sail small sailboats. You take courses in Navigation. During your 4 years, you'll spend time on Yard Patrol Craft (tiny ships that teach mids the basics of navigation, etc.). You'll almost certainly spend at least a month on a real Navy ship. Almost all of your career choices (including aviation) will include some ship time (there are some land-based aircraft).

I don't know how you decide if you'll like being on a ship but I would guess that most people who enter USNA (myself included) had never been on a ship at all or never been on one larger than a family's / friend's weekend sailboat or powerboat. Or maybe they've been on a cruise ship. But, they all think they want to be in a sea-going service. If that's not your thing, you're better off in the USAF.

There is obviously more "history" at USNA because it's been around a lot longer. But USAFA has been around for a good while and no doubt has its own traditions.

I wouldn't worry about the potential for a sub draft. It's rare that someone actually is drafted (forced) to go into subs; rather, there is a lot of "encouragement" in years where they need a few more folks. Keep in mind that a lot of people really want to go subs -- I know many of them. And some who want to go subs aren't strong enough academically to handle the program. Moreover, I'm pretty sure that the USAF has its share of billets that, for whatever reason, sometimes go unfilled with eager volunteers.

The Springs is a lovely place, but USAFA isn't near any major cities. It's a HUGE campus. USNA is a very small "campus" (Yard) but seems larger because it borders the water. It's easy to reach Baltimore and DC for weekends as upperclass.

Since you are outside of the country, you might contact Admissions for both schools and ask if there are current mids / cadets with whom you could text, email, FaceTime, whatever to get answers to your questions and provide more info.

 

[MCG USNA1994]

My wife and I are both USNA 94. I did the Service Academy exchange program and spent a semester at USAFA.
My best friend growing up is USMA 94.
She and I still keep in touch with many SA grads from each SA, have a son in the USCG, and we are both Blue & Gold Officers as well as members of our Representatives Nominating Committee. Having said all of that, some food for thought...

1) The most important consideration is the time after the 4 years. You will have a unique and fulfilling journey at any SA - but the services themselves are very different.
2) You cannot get "drafted" into nuke power or subs - you must volunteer and get selected. It is very competitive.
3) If for some reason you lose your physical ability to go aviation, consider what the options in that service will be as a non-aviation officer. USN and USMC have a much broader range of alternatives.
4) Not many people mention this distinction, but USNA has the largest % of civilian professors of any of the 3, by a large margin. I visited USMA and USNA, and did Summer Seminar at USAFA, and that element carried a lot of weight for me. There is considerably more diversity of opinion and discussion at USNA as a result, imho.
5) The location provides opportunities that do not exist at the other schools - having Baltimore and DC so close is a tremendous plus.
6) I concur with the suggestion to talk to young USAF and USN or USMC officers in Tokyo if you are still there. Fresh opinions are usually better.
7) Major choice is a factor - if cyber is one of your areas of interest, USNA is the clear choice.

Good luck and Congratulations!
Thank you for your commitment and desire to serve.

GO NAVY!

MG

 

[Stealth_81]

Is there any significant difference between UPT and Navy flight school (other than location)?

Very generally:

UPT is structured and scheduled. You progress with your class and graduate on time for the most part. Holdbacks to the next class happen, but are rare for non-foreign students. You know your schedule and grad dates and it is accurate.

Naval Flight School you have more freedom and progress at your own pace. This does lead to NFS taking longer on average than UPT.

Stealth_81

 

[cluelesscandidateparents]

My wife and I are both USNA 94. I did the Service Academy exchange program and spent a semester at USAFA.
My best friend growing up is USMA 94.
She and I still keep in touch with many SA grads from each SA, have a son in the USCG, and we are both Blue & Gold Officers as well as members of our Representatives Nominating Committee. Having said all of that, some food for thought...

1) The most important consideration is the time after the 4 years. You will have a unique and fulfilling journey at any SA - but the services themselves are very different.
2) You cannot get "drafted" into nuke power or subs - you must volunteer and get selected. It is very competitive.
3) If for some reason you lose your physical ability to go aviation, consider what the options in that service will be as a non-aviation officer. USN and USMC have a much broader range of alternatives.
4) Not many people mention this distinction, but USNA has the largest % of civilian professors of any of the 3, by a large margin. I visited USMA and USNA, and did Summer Seminar at USAFA, and that element carried a lot of weight for me. There is considerably more diversity of opinion and discussion at USNA as a result, imho.
5) The location provides opportunities that do not exist at the other schools - having Baltimore and DC so close is a tremendous plus.
6) I concur with the suggestion to talk to young USAF and USN or USMC officers in Tokyo if you are still there. Fresh opinions are usually better.
7) Major choice is a factor - if cyber is one of your areas of interest, USNA is the clear choice.

Good luck and Congratulations!
Thank you for your commitment and desire to serve.

GO NAVY!

MG

what would be your take for someone who would like to fly but also into computational mathematics and artificial intelligence

 

[Heatherg21]

what would be your take for someone who would like to fly but also into computational mathematics and artificial intelligence

Speaking for USNA, if you are medically qualified for aviation, your major has no bearing. Our DS has upperclassmen who are English and political science majors who have service-selected aviation.

Hopper Hall is amazing and is state of the art for cyber.

 

[cluelesscandidateparents]

Speaking for USNA, if you are medically qualified for aviation, your major has no bearing. Our DS has upperclassmen who are English and political science majors who have service-selected aviation.

Hopper Hall is amazing and is state of the art for cyber.

I was wondering which school offers stronger computational mathematics and AI program

Flying is a goal but not the only one