What most surprised you about West Point?

While many of my peers match the description of @dutydidnotwait98, I was shocked at a large portion that did not. There are a lot of flaws here that you will only fully understand once you are a cadet. There are a lot of New Cadets that show up for the wrong reasons, didn't do their research, etc. If you are on this forum odds are you are not in that crowd. I absolutely love it here precisely because I knew what I was getting into and came anyways. A lot of cadets get extremely cynical and do not engage in the many many opportunities presented here. Do not be that cadet. Make the most of your experience. Follow the honor code. Live the cadet creed and drink a bit of the Kool-Aid.

Some of my closest friends in the Class of 2022 are going to MIT for graduate studies, are interning at SpaceX before their BOLC, or are dead-set on earning a Green Beret. I knew others who got kicked out for sexual assault, tried to cheat their way to success, or simply were consensually mediocre. If West Point is your path, go all in and own it. If it's not, that's okay too. But don't half-ass your way to 2LT bars.
 
While many of my peers match the description of @dutydidnotwait98, I was shocked at a large portion that did not. There are a lot of flaws here that you will only fully understand once you are a cadet. There are a lot of New Cadets that show up for the wrong reasons, didn't do their research, etc. If you are on this forum odds are you are not in that crowd. I absolutely love it here precisely because I knew what I was getting into and came anyways. A lot of cadets get extremely cynical and do not engage in the many many opportunities presented here. Do not be that cadet. Make the most of your experience. Follow the honor code. Live the cadet creed and drink a bit of the Kool-Aid.

Some of my closest friends in the Class of 2022 are going to MIT for graduate studies, are interning at SpaceX before their BOLC, or are dead-set on earning a Green Beret. I knew others who got kicked out for sexual assault, tried to cheat their way to success, or simply were consensually mediocre. If West Point is your path, go all in and own it. If it's not, that's okay too. But don't half-*** your way to 2LT bars.

I have to say when I first read dutydidnotwait98's post, I thought it was trolling or joking around. Prospective2019's post is spot onto what my cadets would say about their biggest surprise.
 
I have to say when I first read dutydidnotwait98's post, I thought it was trolling or joking around. Prospective2019's post is spot onto what my cadets would say about their biggest surprise.
Cadets and midshipmen reflect the society from which they are drawn. Many attend for different reasons, not all of which are shiny and video-worthy. Some will have successfully buffaloed interviewers and flown different colors in their essays. This is expected. Eventually, at some point along the way, these folks are weeded out. The service and SAs build in attrition factors at every step of a military member’s career. Sometimes these folks are late bloomers. Sometimes they slither their way through the SA but hit it hard and seriously once they are commissioned.
 
I would hesitate to make judgements today on where the class of 2022 will be in the future.
Service academies do their best to shape future officers. For some, the lessons seem to bear fruition immediately. For others, it may take time for those lessons to sink in.
Thirty-five years from now when you gather as a class and look back on the combined careers of the class of 2022, some outcomes will shock you. Some of your guesses will pan out. That hard charger will indeed make General. Some of the weak Cadets will make weak officers. But then, some Cadets you thought would be generals will stumble or do “5 and dive”. Some of those cynical Cadets who proclaimed they were “5 and dive” since R-day will decide they love the Army and stay in for 20-30+ years. Cadets who seemed to stumble through USMA and barely graduate, or graduate late, will defy expectations and turn into outstanding officers.
It’s often interesting how life pans out.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top