Why Did You Choose USMMA?

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kpgirl22

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Jan 31, 2018
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Like I said in another recent thread, I was 3Q'd to USMMA, all I need to do is sent in my grades and I'll receive an appointment! So I'm USMMA bound, class of 2022.
I was wondering why everyone here, yourself, your kids, nieces, cousins, etc, chose KP. I have my own reasons, but sometimes (usually if I'm not thinking too hard about it) I find it hard to put into words why I want to go there. It's not that I'm unsure of my reasoning, or that my motives are in the wrong place, but sometimes it's just a feeling... Like an I HAVE TO GO THERE NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS kind of feeling.
To put it in short... whenever someone asks "why?" I say stuff along the lines of:
-overcoming challenges
-close friendships
-great academics, interesting major(s)
-honor and pride
-life at sea, whether it be DOD or DOT
 
When I speak to folks that chose KP over other academies, the reason I always hear is the sheer number of options available upon graduation. They like not having to lock into any single service, and being able to choose either any DOD branch or making good money as a civilian. There certainly is ample opportunity, and you'll enjoy it.
 
@golfindad I know, I got an LOA earlier in the year as a recruited athlete. Now I'm 3Q'd and all that's left is sending in my Senior Grades.
 
@golfindad Hahah.. I feel like to uphold the anonymity of the site I'd be better off not saying. But know that there are only 7 women's athletic teams offered at KP! Hope that helps you narrow it down (:
 
@MMA19kid How'd you come to narrow it down to those two specifically? :eek:
Good guesses, but not quite. While we’re on this topic though, and kind of off the original, do certain sports teams have certain reputations within the regiment?
 
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I had no other way to pay for college without going deep in debt. Even with this opportunity, I graduated with about $15k in loans from Kings Point. My father suffered though unemployment during my time at the academy.
 
I joined the Army looking for a way to pay for the rest of school. As I was looking at jobs, I wanted to do something around water like I did at my old boy scout job so I asked my recruiter if there were any slots for watercraft engineer/operator available. There weren't so I settled for vehicle mechanic. A year later a bunch of people were encouraging me to get a commission so I decided to research my options. I ran into a Military Academy Liason Officer who told me about this school based on my interests and decided that helping me apply here would be a great first course of action towards doing what I like and getting a commission.
 
Actually, KP was not my first choice way back then. In High School, I was very much gung ho on getting into the Air Force Academy. . .once I saw the options available to me when petitioning my MOC for a nomination, I also opted for the Naval Academy and USMMA. As I was spending more time around the Air Force Bases getting through my physical medical testing, my 17 year old mind was having some issues in getting around a 10 year military life. . . and sailing as a merchant seaman was getting more and more attractive. Come appointment time, once I heard from USMMA, I really didn't care about the others (good thing, as I did not get any other appointments). I had a fall back plan, but cancelled all of those arrangements once I was accepted. The maritime industry is different now. In addition, after having been around this business for some 40 years now, I look at things differently, too.
 
kpgirl22 said:
@MMA19kid How'd you come to narrow it down to those two specifically? :eek:
Good guesses, but not quite. While we’re on this topic though, and kind of off the original, do certain sports teams have certain reputations within the regiment?
Click to expand...

Uhm, no. Not really. People say the football team, but the football players at KP usually aren't bad guys. I would say band has the worst reputation, a disproportionate amount of pretentiousness.

Also another tip for indoc is you'll find out who went to NMMI pretty quick, and they'll be better than you at almost everything indoc related. I would do whatever they do, they're also less nervous since they've been through that before. Just do what they do.
 
There is a large difference between why I wanted to go to KP and in hindsight, why I'm glad I did.

I knew I wanted a Maritime career but didn't know much about how to go about it. When I started looking at maritime schools my first choice was SUNY simply because my mom was from the Bronx and the proximity to NYC seemed cool. Once I learned about sate vs. federal schools specific to school ship vs. commercial ship, I switched my attention to KP and never wavered after that.

As an alumni ... the education is better than I thought, the alumni network and lifetime friends/family.
 
KP was my first choice. According to my parents I saw a Great Lakes ore boat on the Detroit river at age 4 and pointed at it and said I wanted to be on a ship. I wanted to go to Great Lakes Maritime until I learned about KP and then that was it. Been a great ride ever since sailing on some great ships with some great crews and even spending a decade back at KP. One bit of advice for the original poster- you say you want a life at sea- skip the recruited sport and head to the waterfront and start you life at sea on day one.
 
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