Just_A_Mom
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2006
- Messages
- 4,774
My daughter recently visited West Point as a candidate for an appointment. Our visit was very similar to the experience posted by The Commissioner - I will try not to be redundant.
She was scheduled for a Day visit with a plebe to attend a class, get a tour and eat lunch in Washington Hall.
Parents were afforded a group briefing with an admissions officer and a cadet - separately, and a tour.
From my daughter's perspective - she and her Plebe really hit it off. She is 21 yrs old and was admitted from enlisted. Her story is kind of neat:
she took college courses in high school her senior year and was kind of sick of school so she enlisted after graduating - never thought of applying to West Point. She became a medic and graduated #1 in her class. She was then Posted to West Point. When she arrived she thought - wow I could go to school her and applied and was accepted.
Her plebe took her to her Chemistry class - where another plebe fell asleep and had to stand the rest of the class. They went on a tour - visited the barracks and spent time in her plebes room talking.
They went to lunch in Washington Hall - food was good. Her table was pretty relaxed because her plebe is on a club team and they don't "haze".
She learned that one of the best things a Plebe can do is join an Athletic team - either Varsity or Club. You are able to get off Post- her plebe got to go to Phoenix and has only spent about 3 weekends at West Point. You also get out of duties and get to eat meals with your team.
When we met back at admissions she met with an RO who talked to her about her options - mostly the if an appointment doesn't come this year scenario.
The conversation went very well and she has already decided to go to college for a year with her AROTC scholarship and reapply.
Parental Perspective:
Our admissions briefing was very informative - our Officer also encouraged graduating seniors to reapply if they are not appointed. He was a Major and a 1995 grad who talked about his career - he went Armor and participated in the Liberation of Iraq and also earned his MBA from Texas A & M courtesy of the Army. Very interesting speaker.
Our cadet - he is a 3rd year. He was very frank with us - even closing the door at one point to answer a question. However, his love for West Point definitely shone though. He and another cadet gave us an extensive tour - no shopping - but we saw the classrooms - only hold 18 at the most, the library (yep rubbed Abe Lincoln's shiny head), the fitness center (wow), the square where cadets march "hours" and toured Washinton Hall as they were setting up lunch. We stood on the sidewalk for the call to lunch - pretty amazing.
I agree with The Commissioner - it is apparant that fitness is a part of everyday life - many officers were out jogging (we had snow flurries).
If anyone has any questions - ask away.
She was scheduled for a Day visit with a plebe to attend a class, get a tour and eat lunch in Washington Hall.
Parents were afforded a group briefing with an admissions officer and a cadet - separately, and a tour.
From my daughter's perspective - she and her Plebe really hit it off. She is 21 yrs old and was admitted from enlisted. Her story is kind of neat:
she took college courses in high school her senior year and was kind of sick of school so she enlisted after graduating - never thought of applying to West Point. She became a medic and graduated #1 in her class. She was then Posted to West Point. When she arrived she thought - wow I could go to school her and applied and was accepted.
Her plebe took her to her Chemistry class - where another plebe fell asleep and had to stand the rest of the class. They went on a tour - visited the barracks and spent time in her plebes room talking.
They went to lunch in Washington Hall - food was good. Her table was pretty relaxed because her plebe is on a club team and they don't "haze".
She learned that one of the best things a Plebe can do is join an Athletic team - either Varsity or Club. You are able to get off Post- her plebe got to go to Phoenix and has only spent about 3 weekends at West Point. You also get out of duties and get to eat meals with your team.
When we met back at admissions she met with an RO who talked to her about her options - mostly the if an appointment doesn't come this year scenario.
The conversation went very well and she has already decided to go to college for a year with her AROTC scholarship and reapply.
Parental Perspective:
Our admissions briefing was very informative - our Officer also encouraged graduating seniors to reapply if they are not appointed. He was a Major and a 1995 grad who talked about his career - he went Armor and participated in the Liberation of Iraq and also earned his MBA from Texas A & M courtesy of the Army. Very interesting speaker.
Our cadet - he is a 3rd year. He was very frank with us - even closing the door at one point to answer a question. However, his love for West Point definitely shone though. He and another cadet gave us an extensive tour - no shopping - but we saw the classrooms - only hold 18 at the most, the library (yep rubbed Abe Lincoln's shiny head), the fitness center (wow), the square where cadets march "hours" and toured Washinton Hall as they were setting up lunch. We stood on the sidewalk for the call to lunch - pretty amazing.
I agree with The Commissioner - it is apparant that fitness is a part of everyday life - many officers were out jogging (we had snow flurries).
If anyone has any questions - ask away.
