USCGA 2020 appointments

My daughter is getting notification from Dodmerb to schedule appointments a good sign for appointment or do all applicants go thru that process?
 
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and so the wait is on.... for all of our kids and for us!! ugh!!
 
academyorbust2020 said:
He has a choice to make now, USNA Foundation school (then matriculate class of 2021) or USCGA direct appointment class of 2020. Oh what a great problem to have!
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My son had a full appointment to the USNA as well as CGA. He chose CGA. It was all in his desire to serve the homeland. Ask him what his definition of service is. It might help the decision process.
 
Exactly what Proudofmyboy wrote. The missions are totally different.

USNA is large, so the choice of majors is large. It is limited at CGA.

I spoke with an exchange mid at CGA Parent's Weekend. I asked her for her opinion on the differences. She said CGA is like a family, as everyone knows everyone. She also said that USNA is so large that you can stay under the radar and get out of stuff. She said that doesn't happen at CGA.

That said, I think LITS has noted that at least some mids have said CGA is tougher. My son spoke with a USMA exchanger, who said at least 4/C year at CGA is tougher than WP.

On a further thought (as a parent who has been around CG for a while), a career in the Coast Guard requires a person with a bit more flexibility than perhaps in the other services. I think this is true for both enlisted and officers. Generally once you start a career in the other services you have something you "specialize" in, and while there is variability within a field, you tend to stay in that field. The CG is smaller, and has to make its budget stretch. That requires out of the box thinking sometimes, along with a "can-do" attitude. All Coasties, enlisted and officer, do collaterals well outside their training. Of course, this isn't a hard rule, so don't hit me up too hard here.
 
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proudofmyboy said:
My son had a full appointment to the USNA as well as CGA. He chose CGA. It was all in his desire to serve the homeland. Ask him what his definition of service is. It might help the decision process.
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I know for years it was all about wanting to be a SEAL and the USNA, that is until he went to AIM last summer, then he said he really liked the USCGA. I do think the size appealed to him. He is really going to have to think it through. So tough to turn down either!
 
academyorbust2020 said:
I know for years it was all about wanting to be a SEAL and the USNA, that is until he went to AIM last summer, then he said he really liked the USCGA. I do think the size appealed to him. He is really going to have to think it through. So tough to turn down either!
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I agree. AIM helped to seal the deal with the CGA. They made him feel as though he was already part of the family. Wanting to be a Seal is a great goal. Not a sure thing though. Make sure he chooses for the big picture of the school and service mission, rather than a specific job. Trust me, I love the Navy. My husband and I both are retired Navy. Just the thoughts of a retiree with a son that recently made the choice.
 
I've said this before in another post, but my son too had a choice between appointments at USNA, USCGA and the NROTC scholarship. It wasn't until after he visited an active duty Coast Guard unit and air station, and spoke with recent academy grads that he changed from being all in for Navy to accepting his USCGA Appointment. CGA is less than half the size of his high school, and he will be the first to say that you simply can't fly under the radar at CGA. You will know everyone in your class, and likely most from the classes above and below your class.

Congrats to your son "academyorbust2020"! He has two great choices. Only he can choose what is best for him. Just make sure he has all of the facts to make the best choice. One thing to consider.... Obviously, USNA felt that he would be better off with another year of high level math and such, thus the offer to the Foundation program. If he thinks his Calc and Chem are weak and could benefit, that may be the route to take. Many high performing high school kids find out (sometimes too late) that they didn't have the study habits or proficiency in in those tough subjects to successfully navigate freshman year and any academy. While the thought of an extra year in school may not be appealing to your son, it is something he should consider. It could set the tone for the rest of his academic career.

While we'd hate to lose a good candidate to another service academy, your son has great options to consider. I tell kids all the time to never ever consider an offer to Prep or a Foundations program as being "second best" It can be a real gift in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes the extra year of academics is HUGE!

Just food for thought.
 
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