United States Naval Academy Top Questions

DO YOUR RESEARCH!! Just because it sounds good at the time, doesn't necessarily make it so. Being naive is part of being young; but when you're talking about your future, you want to be as informed as you possibly can. Those college reps that come to your high school get paid to make it sound like their school "is everything you've ever been looking for". That's their job and they get paid because they're good at it! So do your homework. Research the program, the school, the instructors. Learn everything you possibly can and make the decision that feels right for you!

Stay focused. Going ROTC would be easier than this but you wouldn't have the same satisfaction. Its worth it.

Take high school classes more seriously and learn as much as you can, because college is no cake walk! But don't take high school life too seriously, enjoy it while you can, because you will grow up and things will change. Being an adult is usually not as much fun as being a kid!

Before graduation, I would focus on finding myself and becoming confident that I can do anything I put myself up against. At the Naval Academy, you have no time to waver and be vulnerable because the upperclass are constantly throwing many changes, rules, and regulations at you trying to influence you. Even though it is a military school, the Naval Academy is a place where people have to be individuals and still obey the military codes. My overall advice would be to find yourself before you enroll here so that you can be strong to accept the changes of becoming a service member but still be a real person inside.

Do not pick the school you will attend based on prestige or financial restrictions. The most important aspect of choosing the college that is right for you is focusing on a school that will maximize your potential to succeed both while you attend the university and after you graduate. The future is a very uncertain thing. The best way to prepare for it is to attend a school that will challenge you significantly, but also one that allows for even greater levels of achievement should you choose to push yourself to those new heights. Despite what you may think, no matter how challenging a university may appear to be you will be able to slide by without much effort if you choose to. What you need to look for in a school is a place where you will be able to push yourself to maximize your potential, not a school that will try to do this for you. Do not sell yourself short by going to a school that will ask little of you and to which you will give little in return. In short, you only have a short time to prepare for tomorrow. Don?t waste it.

Don't expect it to be easy, BUT know that you can do it. Every year almost 1000 people finish their four years at USNA and recieve commissions. It is completely doable. Don't be worried about water polo or swimming owning your life, it is very possible to succeed academically while competing to at the highest levels for your school. Enjoy the little things in life, because you will be so busy at times that those are the only things you'll get. While other times you'll get to experience some really unique things that the Navy does. Be open to making friends immediately. From I-Day onwards, your classmates will be your path to success. The friends you make here and the bonds you form will be the strongest ones in your life and will last forever. That said, if you have found the right person already and they are willing to spend time away from you, it is possible to keep a significant other all four years. Its called the 2{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} club, its hard, but like anything here, its possible. That phrase sums up the Naval Academy: if you want it enough, anything is possible here.

Students need to pick the college best fit for them. It shouldn't matter where a student's parents want him to go, it should be up to the student. If the parents pick for him, the student will always be asking what if and never be truly happy. Once a student gets to college, he needs to find his niche and stick with it. Regardless of whether the student is attending a party school or a military school, life is definitely going to be different than anything he has ever experienced. The student needs to not get caught up in all of college's extracurricular activities. Sure he should be able to go out and have fun, but he should always remember the reason he is attending college, to get an education.

Finding the ?right college? is a clandestine term; for some right may mean affordable and for others it may mean carrying on a family legacy. I offer my advice coming from someone who made their own decision against their parents. I attend the United States Naval Academy and chose to transfer from another university. My parents enjoyed the fact that I was close to home and relatively safe. My dream, ever since I was in 8th grade, was to attend the Naval Academy. I was denied the first time I applied, but I chose to reapply my freshman year in college in 2007. I was accepted in 2008 and finished my first year in 2009. Coming from a very liberal family, the military holds a negative stigma in my house. My parents were unsure as to why I made this decision and disagreed, but I have never felt better about myself. Following my own heart and mind was the best thing I ever did and I would suggest that to any student. To the parents: let your children decide for themselves, it is the first major step in their lives and they should make it on their own.

When choosing the college, focus on the atmosphere. How do the students interact with each other? How are the classes structured? I like organization and structure, so I chose the Naval Academy. I like how people here depend on each other and I like how working this way will make me a better person. When at college, your attitude will determine your experience. Make the most of every opportunity and dont let yourself become frustrated with anything. I'm in an environment in which I have very little control, but I make the most of everything with a smile on my face. It is because of this that I loved my experience thus far in a college that I easily could've become cynical and unhappy with my life. Attitude is everything.

The best way for me to figure out what I thought of the campus I was visiting was to pay attention to how people interacted with each other. Admissions will give you a planned and rehearsed presentation. That is all well and good, but does not always give the true feeling of the school. Take the time to wander around campus and just observe how people treat each other, are they happy, are they talking or are they walking with their head down and Ipod in? All of these things reflect the atmosphere of the school. Lastly, Do Not go to a school to please anyone but yourself. Otherwise, you will not do well and probably wont last.