How to stay determined and committed to staying in a military school?

[bubblehead]

Aren't you a prior? Are you speaking from experience here?

Yes, I am a prior and yes, I am speaking from experience. I've been working professionally since 2000-ish and only graduated from college in 2007 (attended classes at night and worked during the day).

I am of the opinion that kids should foot the bill for their own college education. They will appreciate it more and will give more thought when selecting their "major." You'll also think twice about d*cking around and will more than likely not have to worry about the "parental guilt" associated with your parents footing the bill for everything.

Don't get a degree just to get a degree. You know, is that psychology degree really going to help you?

 

[Godspeed]

Also, remember that anything worth having doesn't come easy. If you desire the sense of accomplishment that comes with graduating from a tough military school (more than a 'college' experience), then go for it.

I wouldn't enter into it undecisive though. Enter it with the 'I will complete this' mentality.

 

[lowflier03]

The best way I can ever describe VMI is with 2 quotes. The first by a good friend of mine shortly after graduation.
"It was the coolest thing I would never do again."
The second was given by BG Alan Farrell to my class at Ring Figure.
"Nothing is precisely the glory of the one who's done Right. And alone is the society of those who do it the Hard Way, alone even when they have allies like themselves in the fight."

I am glad to have done it, and it was well worth it. That being said, I never want to do it again. There will be days you will be proud to wear the grey and days where you hate the I to the very core of your being. However, when you are done you will have experiences that you could not describe to anyone nor would you want to. If you go in wanting that from the beginning and not a college drunkfest, then you'll be fine. As already said, it's a horrible place to be, but a great place to be from. Everything will seem like a vacation when you are finished.

 

[IRfly]

I didn't go to a military school and commissioned through OCS. My two cents:

1) As has been mentioned many times on this board and elsewhere--going to a military school won't necessarily make you a better officer. There are good officers and crappy officers from all three commissioning sources.

2) I don't know what your parents/anyone else has in mind when they talk about a "true college experience." I will recommend this to you, though: make sure that you take the opportunity in college to get away from the paradigm in which you've lived your whole life and see the world through someone else's eyes. I strongly recommend volunteering or an internship with some kind of international aid NGO. The perspective that you gain will be potentially priceless. I don't know how much opportunity exists for such things at military schools. At my university, there were several study-abroad type opportunities available through the university, but these mostly locked the students into American enclaves (read "ghettos") and afforded them little opportunity to get out and about. The better programs were those independent of the university. Again, I have no idea if VMI would let you go do microcredit financing in Honduras for six months.

3) If you lack self-discipline, a military school would probably be a lot better for you.

4) Military schools are 4-year sausage parties.

 

[Flash]

3) If you lack self-discipline, a military school would probably be a lot better for you.

I went to the Citadel because I needed a good, swift kick in the ass to get through college. It was probably the wisest decision I ever made in terms of 'life choices' and helped get me where I am today. Like others have already said, it really sucks sometimes but I had a blast and have never regretted going.

As for having a 'real' college experience, working summers at a pool complex with Maryland, Towson and Frostburg students definitely gave me the experience of a 'real' college life. There were goods and bads. And Navy life, especially liberty, ain't so bad either!

4) Military schools are 4-year sausage parties.

That is why you don't hang out at then on the weekend!

 

[madcatz]

I just wanted to throw in my .02 as well, from a slightly different prospective. I'm coming at this as an undergrad at a civilian college, right now in the process of applying to BDCP. Way back in the day, I got my nomination and acceptance to Canoe U, but because of an obligation to my family (had a relative who was very ill, couldn't get by on their own) and in part, this debate, chose to be where I am now.

With a few years of hindsight perspective on it, when I ask myself now if I made the right decision, the answer is that I don't know and never will. I've paid for every cent of my education, in large part because I'm enlisted in the Air Nat'l Guard (feel free to commence with the zoomie jokes) so I've gotten to work with some very good and some very bad officers from all the services and all the commissioning sources. Like several previous posters have pointed out, you can't tell just by watching who came from where unless they're wearing their ring. There are good and bad officers, period; if you have what it takes to be one of the good ones, you will no matter how you get the bars.

That being said their is something special about the service academies; there is a pride and a bond that gets forged their that you can hear in the grads, and that I won't ever fully understand. Is that trade-off worth the real-world experiences I've had? Impossible to tell, but I know that paying for school, living and providing for yourself, deployments, all of the experiences (other than frat parties) that you can get outside an academy that you can't get there are surely going to make me a better officer someday as well.

Bottom line, I'm just repeating what the others have said: it won't make or break you as an officer, but if you feel like it's something you need to do, then you don't need us to encourage you. Good luck whatever path you choose!

 

[CWJones411]

Here's a flowchart to help you decide.

 

[Ventilee]

I graduated High School 2006, played two years of Junior Hockey(awesome experience, which I would suggest to anybody), injured my shoulder, I am currently a freshman at a small liberal arts college, where I will hopefully pledge one of the fraternities this semester. I am applying for the Naval Academy for the Class of 2013 because I want four-years in a 'sandbox' environment where I can learn how to be a great officer.

I had doubts about going to the Academy(if I got in) until I was informed that I do not meet DoDMERB's medical standards and I require a waiver from the Academy itself. I have since gone into battle mode and am currently taking steps in order to help my odds of getting a waiver.

There are some days I love the 'normal college experience', mainly Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday mornings are fun when I get to tell/hear all of the stories from the weekend. But I miss having people who were more like brothers then friends, like my teammates have been. Also, there are days where I feel like I am wasting my life and accomplishing nothing with my time.

I'm not sure if this post will help you, but I thought you might like to hear from someone who is trying to go the Academy route after the college experience

Of course, if I don't get into the Academy, PLC is going to be my next attempt so I can collect a paycheck that will go towards beer and good food every month :icon_smil

 

[FlyinRock]

Amos
YOU are the one to make the decision. YOU are the one who is going to have to motivate yourself when you think the world sucks. YOU are the one who is going to gete up at zerodarkthirty and say "I'm gonna prevail..."
It sounds like you are the one who wants to do this so GO DO IT! AT some point in all our lives we are faced with tough decisions that only WE can make and live with.
If this is what you want. go for it with heart mind and body. Don't get part way in and decide this isn't what you want. Now is the time to make that decision. How you handle it will in part determine who you are later in life. Tough to be young and a whole life ahead of you. How many times have I wished I could go back and redo some of the poor decisions I made but it all adds up to who I am today - warts and all.
Just when it seems you can't go any farther, ask yourself, "Just how good am I really?" Might surprise you at how much depth you have and can continue when everything around you seems to be going to a shit sandwich. That in part is what leadership is all about. When things are the worst is when those less strong than you, are asking YOU, what do we do now SIR?
Good luck with your decisons.
Semper Fi
Rocky

 

[AlphaTango]

Bro, I would go to UVA and drink as much beer and get with as many girls as possible. There will be plenty of time down the road to make amazing friends and go through shitty experiences. Learn to communicate/interact with others outside the military world...it will pay off down the road as you'll have to deal with service members, civilians, gov't contractors ect...

 

[scoolbubba]

On the negative side, I have noticed that many of them are acting the way I did when I was 18-19 years old re: drinking and partying.

Nerd. There's a reason you weren't invited. :icon_tong

 

[DocT]

I went to a big school and had an incredible experience there. Life was good in school. 3.5 hours of class a day is full time! I took my Marine Corps commission and now I'm in the same place as my peers who took the academy/VMI/elCid/Aggie route.

You can get your military experience in the military. College is an experience that will never be available again.

 

[scoolbubba]

Just keep telling yourself that whilst in the Rat Line and I'm sure you will stay plenty motivated. Hell, one Tuesday morning at zero-dark-thirty while getting crushed by upperclassmen n the cold, pouring rain you may even believe it for a few brief seconds.

That moment is your first sip of the kool aid. Enjoy it.

 

[bubblehead]

That moment is your first sip of the kool aid. Enjoy it.

love thine bug juice...

 

[DSL1990]

Here's a flowchart to help you decide.

u know, i realized this diagram applies even if u are a woman! thanks for that. LOL...

(just met a highschool friend today at the movie theatre in my hometown and asked her how her all-girls school is. she said there's a lot of drama. so i said that it's good that i only have to worry about my 3 roommates then at my school! LOL )