VMI 4 prior service
- Thread starter ber4u
- Start date
From the VMI website admissions section:
Age and Medical
Applicants are normally not less than 16 or more than 22 years old at matriculation and may not be married or a parent. A one-year age waiver may be granted for an applicant who has served on active duty in the armed forces or for other extenuating circumstances.
The wording being "normally not less than 16 or more than 22" seems like it could allow some flexibility, and the one year waiver may apply in your case, but you are a couple of years beyond that, so it seems like a long shot. Best bet is to call VMI admissions to know for sure how they would handle this.
I admire your willingness to consider a tough path like VMI, but you may need to consider other options.
Good luck.
Age and Medical
Applicants are normally not less than 16 or more than 22 years old at matriculation and may not be married or a parent. A one-year age waiver may be granted for an applicant who has served on active duty in the armed forces or for other extenuating circumstances.
The wording being "normally not less than 16 or more than 22" seems like it could allow some flexibility, and the one year waiver may apply in your case, but you are a couple of years beyond that, so it seems like a long shot. Best bet is to call VMI admissions to know for sure how they would handle this.
I admire your willingness to consider a tough path like VMI, but you may need to consider other options.
Good luck.
emwvmi01
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2012
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- 281
I completely disagree with this as a VMI alum. I can think of two VMI class presidents and a former Regimental Commander/Rhodes Scholar Superintendent who were prior service. The key is are you willing to humble yourself and go through the VMI system. If you do then you are primed for respect from classmates and upperclassmen. Just make sure this is what you really want and proactively engage with admissions.
BUT at 25 I'd assume he has several years of service - I just can't see him as viable in the 4th class system - maybe Citadel as a veteran day student would be a better fit
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2008
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- 3,059
First point- there is no Veteran's program that takes you out of the Corps of Cadets or the Ratline and you have to spend 3 years at VMI to graduate so even if you have more transfer credits than that-you are going to be in Barracks for 3 years.
As far as the major question: The last decade or so has certainly seen more than a few prior service members or current reserve component members as cadets so it's not the anomaly that it was 40 years ago by any mean. In fact one of the current 4th Classmen from New England was a SGT in the Marine Corps and ETS'd just before matriculation- he is still there so I assume it's going ok for him. But I think- at least for me- it would be somewhat challenging to be going through the Ratline at 25 with prior service. Not impossible, but kind of tough to control yourself when someone with a lot less life experience than yourself is making your life tough. On the other hand- the class president of my class was just shy of 23 when he matriculated- while the rest of us were at least 4 years younger than him. the things he had done in life till then gained him some instant (and deserved) credibility with his classmates, so being older and more experienced than the rest of your peers isn't necessarily a bad thing, and if you use it to impart some wisdom to your less experienced Brother Rats, it could be a win-win. Talk to the admissions department and see how they will view your transfer application is the best suggestion I can offer.
Personally, if I were in your shoes I would only choose VMI if you were 100% willing to humble yourself completely and embrace it fully for 3 long years. The benefits of VMI are life-long.
While your service will get you instant “street cred” from your BRs it won’t set you apart from the rest of your BRs in the eyes of upperclassmen or your cadre. Everyone is “leveled” during the ratline, and when you hear the phrase “road less travelled,” ... that definitely applies to VMI!
If you’re fully committed, then best of luck!
While your service will get you instant “street cred” from your BRs it won’t set you apart from the rest of your BRs in the eyes of upperclassmen or your cadre. Everyone is “leveled” during the ratline, and when you hear the phrase “road less travelled,” ... that definitely applies to VMI!
If you’re fully committed, then best of luck!
OldCorps_AF
New Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2020
- Messages
- 1
To echo what others have already mentioned, only pursue a cadetship if you think you can set aside (for a little bit) your prior service. Speaking from experience, it's TOUGH to be in "rat mode" when you have that prior knowledge - it's easy to get complacent and think that aspects of the system don't apply to you. BLUF it can, and has, been done, but ensure you're in the right mindset. If your goal is to commission, there are (way) more straightforward, direct paths to that goal than VMI.