Yay! VMI 2012!

V

VMINROTChopeful

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
277
I got it in the mail today! My conditional appointment to the Viriginia Military Institute for the Class of 2012! :usa:

Woot! So far, I have to decide between VMI and ERAU!

(Now I just have to wait and see what happens to my NROTC Scholarship!)
 
Last edited:
VMINROTChopeful said:
I got it in the mail today! My conditional appointment to the Viriginia Military Institute for the Class of 2012! :usa:

Woot! So far, I have to decide between VMI and ERAU!

(Now I just have to wait and see what happens to my NROTC Scholarship!)
Click to expand...

Terrific! Congratulations!
 
VMINROTChopeful, Congrats!

You are amazing!!!! :rockon: Many congratulations for getting into VMI!!!
You have two excellent choices...good luck! :w00t:
 
Congratulations!
I have a couple of questions:
1) What was the application like for you?
2) Why did you decide on applying to VMI vs. a service academy?
3) What is your favorite aspect of VMI?
I am looking at applying to the USNA (class of 2013) with VMI being my second choice and I was wondering if you know anymore about the rat line other than what the website says? (i.e. what they do on a day to day basis other than going to class and their general military obligations).
 
usnahopeful said:
Congratulations!
I have a couple of questions:
1) What was the application like for you?
2) Why did you decide on applying to VMI vs. a service academy?
3) What is your favorite aspect of VMI?
I am looking at applying to the USNA (class of 2013) with VMI being my second choice and I was wondering if you know anymore about the rat line other than what the website says? (i.e. what they do on a day to day basis other than going to class and their general military obligations).
Click to expand...

1) The application is simple. Long area for listing sports, activities and leadership roles. There is an optional essay for which I reused one I'd written for the NROTC scholarship application. (I told them that) There are also a couple recommendations needed, including they ask your counselor if they think you will have trouble meeting and living under an honor code. SATs. Transcripts. In-state, out-of-state tuition declaration. I think that was it.

2) Lack of confidence. I didn't think my GPA and SAT would be good enough for the USNA. However, if I were to do it over again, I would apply to the USNA. I do plan on applying for the USNA in the fall though and I will see if I can't get a NROTC Commander nomination. That is if I have the energy to start over after I make it through the ratline.

3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SpaKWHaxBE :worship:

I've been told on the Internet that I can't possibly know what the ratline is like unless I go there and experience it. That said, I've found some youtube videos of ratline related stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICqi0gD10iE (funny soviet(?) music! :yllol: )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5mcykIQT2U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9ynJ9Hj3qc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjw-a31BdkI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VUTeIdtqb0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIPB-1JQTjI (it's a commercial for a razor! :biglaugh: )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI69wxp1f1M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUDaPVzFHO4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl4bAVnivLs

And here is the VMI official position on the ratline:
http://www.vmi.edu/Admissions.aspx?id=12547

Here is VMI's viewbook and catalog:
http://www.vmi.edu/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=13525
http://www.vmi.edu/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=2048

When I got accepted, I got a booklet yesterday on "VMI 2039", but it is all this visionary, transformation stuff about a VMI of the future.

By the way, this is a funny picture involving a VMI cheerleader. No disrespect to Citadel intended (I've applied there too!):
http://op-for.com/2006/11/owned.html
 
Last edited:
I just got back from an open house / overnight visit event at VMI. Among tons of stuff, I got to see a parade and a cadet march to breakfast. Very intense but awesome!

What was also cool was meeting some of the other potential cadets. This one girl was a former goth. She cut off her mohawk and is going to come to military college. Another girl wouldn't talk much and when she did, she said that it was because she realized she had an attitude. lol. This is going to be pretty interesting!

(I was there only one night, and I even managed to almost kill someone by accidentally dropping a mattress down the stairs! Fortunately someone caught the runaway mattress before it clobbered someone. yow!)
 
I have a friend from my school going to VMI NROTC Marine Corps Option. Congrats by the way.
 
So- have you decided- are you going to VMI? And if so are you going to the Summer Transition Program? I have a couple of classmates teaching there now and their recommendation was for my son to definitely take advantage of the STP. It sounds like a very good program which should allow you to knock off a first semester class (you can't overestimate how strapped for time you will be your Rat year- so getting rid of a semester of Calculus would be a real stress reliever I think!) , let you get to know the faculty some and meet a number of your future classmates. I wish that they had had this program 33 years ago!
My son will be one of your brother rats- Good luck - do your PT now (you also can not underestimate how miserable you can be if you are out of shape and standing out in the crowd because of it!) and enjoy your last semester of HS!
 
bruno said:
So- have you decided- are you going to VMI? And if so are you going to the Summer Transition Program? I have a couple of classmates teaching there now and their recommendation was for my son to definitely take advantage of the STP. It sounds like a very good program which should allow you to knock off a first semester class (you can't overestimate how strapped for time you will be your Rat year- so getting rid of a semester of Calculus would be a real stress reliever I think!) , let you get to know the faculty some and meet a number of your future classmates. I wish that they had had this program 33 years ago!
My son will be one of your brother rats- Good luck - do your PT now (you also can not underestimate how miserable you can be if you are out of shape and standing out in the crowd because of it!) and enjoy your last semester of HS!
Click to expand...

thanks. i've met a bunch of people already headed for vmi. there is a facebook group for the incoming ratmass '09+3, if your son is interested in joining us on that.

vmi is definitely my top choice. so far, i've been accepted to vmi, embry-riddle, the citadel, north georgia state college and university, virginia tech, norwich university, and towson university. i think i will take a look around to make sure i am sure about my choice, but so far, vmi is still top choice.

there are some people from vmi trying to dissuade me from going there though, for example here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4SpaKWHaxBE

but i am certainly not going to be dissuaded by a bunch of "haters". lol.

i've been working out a lot. i run cross-country, so the running will be a piece of cake. do about 200 situps a day. and work out in the gym on pullups. this will be the challenge. i'm up to.... ZERO right now and 6 to go! lol.
 
VMINROTChopeful said:
thanks. i've met a bunch of people already headed for vmi. there is a facebook group for the incoming ratmass '09+3, if your son is interested in joining us on that.

vmi is definitely my top choice. so far, i've been accepted to vmi, embry-riddle, the citadel, north georgia state college and university, virginia tech, norwich university, and towson university. i think i will take a look around to make sure i am sure about my choice, but so far, vmi is still top choice.

there are some people from vmi trying to dissuade me from going there though, for example here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4SpaKWHaxBE

but i am certainly not going to be dissuaded by a bunch of "haters". lol.

i've been working out a lot. i run cross-country, so the running will be a piece of cake. do about 200 situps a day. and work out in the gym on pullups. this will be the challenge. i'm up to.... ZERO right now and 6 to go! lol.
Click to expand...

Good for you- you have a lot of choices - I'm familiar with several on your list as I had younger brothers who graduated from Norwich and Va Tech- both going into the Army afterwards. Both good schools - pretty different from VMI. I know several Cid grads- I think your experience there would be very similar to VMI (I'm sure the Alumni Association just experienced a minor earthquake at a VMI alumnus saying this- but they truly are pretty similar to each other. I think we're better but would gladly sip a beer with a Cid Grad while we debated the point!)
I saw the comments on one of the youtube sites and all I can say is there are boneheads everywhere and these idiots clearly fit that description. The downside of the Internet- plenty of fools get to anonymously say whatever they feel like saying, but they don't represent VMI anymore than the comments of a drunk at a bar represents the town the bar is in. That having been said- I'm sure that you will do great should you go there- and having been associated with VMI for 32 years, a soldier for 21 and married to a soldier in her 27th year of service- I think I have some idea of what I'm talking about. Stay pumped up and excited- VMI is a fantastic school and for every knot head there - there are 100 you would throw yourself on a grenade for!

Hit the weight room as hard as you can- 6 pullups isn't insurmountable in 4 months by any means and if you are a cross country runner you probably aren't trying to coax a lot of body mass over that bar- so developing your upper body strength to get you past this hurdle will come faster than you think . Is there a strength and conditioning coach at your HS? I'm sure they could put you on a program that will develop your upper body strength pretty rapidly to hit that target.

It will be worth it!! Best of Luck-
Bruno
 
bruno said:
Good for you- you have a lot of choices - I'm familiar with several on your list as I had younger brothers who graduated from Norwich and Va Tech- both going into the Army afterwards. Both good schools - pretty different from VMI. I know several Cid grads- I think your experience there would be very similar to VMI (I'm sure the Alumni Association just experienced a minor earthquake at a VMI alumnus saying this- but they truly are pretty similar to each other. I think we're better but would gladly sip a beer with a Cid Grad while we debated the point!)
I saw the comments on one of the youtube sites and all I can say is there are boneheads everywhere and these idiots clearly fit that description. The downside of the Internet- plenty of fools get to anonymously say whatever they feel like saying, but they don't represent VMI anymore than the comments of a drunk at a bar represents the town the bar is in. That having been said- I'm sure that you will do great should you go there- and having been associated with VMI for 32 years, a soldier for 21 and married to a soldier in her 27th year of service- I think I have some idea of what I'm talking about. Stay pumped up and excited- VMI is a fantastic school and for every knot head there - there are 100 you would throw yourself on a grenade for!

Hit the weight room as hard as you can- 6 pullups isn't insurmountable in 4 months by any means and if you are a cross country runner you probably aren't trying to coax a lot of body mass over that bar- so developing your upper body strength to get you past this hurdle will come faster than you think . Is there a strength and conditioning coach at your HS? I'm sure they could put you on a program that will develop your upper body strength pretty rapidly to hit that target.

It will be worth it!! Best of Luck-
Bruno
Click to expand...

thanks for the advice. my highschool has a weightlifting teacher, i took weightlifting class in 9th grade, but i don't think just anyone can do it. i'd have to take the class. but i am working out at a gym with weights and trying to do pullups every day with a spotter. i've been told by a professional trainer that i can probably get to 3 by the start of STP, but it will be doubtful to get to 6. i'll try as hard as i can though.

i will go to STP if it doesn't conflict with the start of cross-country training at VMI. maybe they will let us do both at vmi. i know that football practice starts halfway through STP. i don't know if this is true for cross-country too.

i'm taking calculus now, but it is my worst class. so i'm glad i'm going to take it over again at STP- or at least a part of it.

i know that guy was just being a hater. but because the internet is anonymous, i think it allows them to just say their worst knowing that their neonazi feelings will never be punished. but it just means that there are really those types of feelings going around- i knew that of course. "haters" isn't my word. during the vmi weekend i was at, the 4/c girls told me that's what they call guys that are mysoginists at vmi. but the new commodant is supposed to be a "hater hater" and that is very good. i know that vmi has some goals to increase the percentage of girls, but i'm sure these "haters" make it tough... :rolleyes:

anyways, let me know if your son wants in on the facebook group for ratmass '09+3. i'll hook him up.
 
I am not even from VMI and I can tell you there is no such thing as VMI Class of 2012, you would do well by remembering it class of 2009+3
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top