High School Straight to Academy or Civilian College First

[gradynyc]

Hi,

I am a high school student who interested in becoming a commissioned officer in either the Marine Corps or Navy. I have above average grad and participate in sports. I will be taking pre-calculus during my upcoming senior year.

Assuming that I could get into USNA straight from high school, is it better to go right after high school or spend a year at a civilian college first take calculus 1 and 2 as well as other classes since USNA is very STEM heavy?

Also, are midshipman allowed to attend airborne school even if they don't choose to go Marines?

Thanks.

 

[Gonzo08]

The Naval Academy is designed as an all-encompassing 4-year college program. There is no point in spending time/money at a civilian institution if you are interested in attending USNA, especially if you are already performing well academically.

The only advantage you would gain by spending time at a civilian university is the possibility, and I mean extreme possibility, of testing out of having to take calculus plebe year, but IMO opinion, that's not worth the year lost when you could just be taking Calc I at the Academy with everyone else in your year group.

If your academic performance is a concern, the Naval Academy Prep School (NAPS) is specifically designed to give you an intro year to all the STEM classes while guaranteeing a spot at USNA the following year. NAPS would be offered to you if the USNA admissions department sees an academic weakness in your application.

IIRC, there are very limited slots to attend airborne school while you are a midshipman. Unless things have changed, attending airborne school is a rarity regardless of your desired commissioning destination, and only a few opportunities are offered each summer.

 

[AllAmerican75]

Hi,

I am a high school student who interested in becoming a commissioned officer in either the Marine Corps or Navy. I have above average grad and participate in sports. I will be taking pre-calculus during my upcoming senior year.

Assuming that I could get into USNA straight from high school, is it better to go right after high school or spend a year at a civilian college first take calculus 1 and 2 as well as other classes since USNA is very STEM heavy?

Also, are midshipman allowed to attend airborne school even if they don't choose to go Marines?

Thanks.

The academy is a four year university and they will teach you Calculus and all of the courses you need. If you want the civilian college experience, then just apply for an NROTC scholarship at your school of choice.

And yes, Midshipman are able to go to airborne school but there are very few slots and it's very competitive to get one.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Get to the Academy summer seminar if you can, while in HS.

 

[insanebikerboy]

The Naval Academy is designed as an all-encompassing 4-year college program. There is no point in spending time/money at a civilian institution if you are interested in attending USNA, especially if you are already performing well academically.

The only advantage you would gain by spending time at a civilian university is the possibility, and I mean extreme possibility, of testing out of having to take calculus plebe year, but IMO opinion, that's not worth the year lost when you could just be taking Calc I at the Academy with everyone else in your year group.

If your academic performance is a concern, the Naval Academy Prep School (NAPS) is specifically designed to give you an intro year to all the STEM classes while guaranteeing a spot at USNA the following year. NAPS would be offered to you if the USNA admissions department sees an academic weakness in your application.

IIRC, there are very limited slots to attend airborne school while you are a midshipman. Unless things have changed, attending airborne school is a rarity regardless of your desired commissioning destination, and only a few opportunities are offered each summer.

A guy in my company tested out of calc, chem, and physics. Tough but doable.

 

[sevenhelmet]

All the most important things in my life required applying more than once. My advice is apply and seek an academy appointment during your senior year. You always have the option of going to civilian college (you should apply to those too) or a vocational school (another great option), and trying for the academy again if things don’t work out.

 

[mad dog]

Do not go to the USNA!

Go to a civilian college, join a frat and party your ass off [like me]…and do [very] poorly in calculus 1 and 2 [like me]…and then go to AOCS which is now OCS [like me].

And when you’re old [like me], invade the USNA proudly wearing your OCS shirt and [attempt to] climb the Herndon Monument announcing that OCS football is UNDEFEATED [like me]!



Seriously, though…just do what’s been recommended prior to this post.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

If you don’t end up going to USNA, you can still try for a NROTC scholarship or go the PLC / OCS route.

I wouldn’t make the jump to USNA and start over if you’re already taking college courses elsewhere.

 

[gradynyc]

Thanks, all, for the advice and perspectives. I want to do well in college, academically, whether it is as service academy or at a civilian college. My rationale was that I went to community college or a 4 year for one year and busted my ass to get the best grades possible, I could then be a better position to deal with the stress of USNA (should I get in).

I get that USNA is an all encompassing 4 year college. But, aren't all midshipmen required to take 6 classes per semester (usually STEM heavy) rather than the usual 5 at a civilian college? And, you have to deal with hazing on top of all that? Don't get me wrong: I would think all that effort and struggle would be more than worth it in the end for having USNA on the resume and getting a leg up on a naval career over ROTC or OCS.

 

[Gatordev]

Don't get me wrong: I would think all that effort and struggle would be more than worth it in the end for having USNA on the resume and getting a leg up on a naval career over ROTC or OCS.

Personally, I don't think it's worth it. Others do. Neither of us is wrong.

As for getting a leg up on ROTC or OCS people...that's not really a thing anymore. Academy guys have the benefit of knowing somebody where ever they go, but beyond that, commissioning source becomes pretty irrelevant once you hit the fleet (and even sooner if you go to flight school).

 

[AllAmerican75]

Thanks, all, for the advice and perspectives. I want to do well in college, academically, whether it is as service academy or at a civilian college. My rationale was that I went to community college or a 4 year for one year and busted my ass to get the best grades possible, I could then be a better position to deal with the stress of USNA (should I get in).

I get that USNA is an all encompassing 4 year college. But, aren't all midshipmen required to take 6 classes per semester (usually STEM heavy) rather than the usual 5 at a civilian college? And, you have to deal with hazing on top of all that? Don't get me wrong: I would think all that effort and struggle would be more than worth it in the end for having USNA on the resume and getting a leg up on a naval career over ROTC or OCS.

Class load depends on your academic major. If you're planning on majoring in a STEM field then you will have a heavier class load than someone on the humanities. Also, if you are at the academy or ROTC, you will have to take Naval Science courses which will always add a class to your workload.

If you're at a 4 year university already, then don't switch unless you absolutely want your diploma to say USNA. It all depends on what you find important. If you just want to be a Naval Officer, then take the first path that gets you there and work hard at it. If you want to graduate from the academy first and foremost then pursue that and that only. If you're just looking to knock out some general education courses, then take some community college classes while you're still in high school.

Figure out what you are really trying to achieve, then do what it takes to get there.

 

[gradynyc]

Thanks, All American. I would like to serve as a commissioned officer. But, getting the best grades possible in a useful degree is probably most important to me as I want to keep my options open in the future for grad school and possible civilian employment after the service.

 

[Waveoff]

IDGAF where someone went to college if at all... In the P-8 if you can't track a submarine (NFO) or lead a cockpit of 3 aviators (pilot) then you're sent somewhere else. Plus, a good majority of the enlisted in today's Navy have college degrees across all fields of study, and a bunch are more academically qualified than I am. The goal is to get to the fleet, and a degree gets you the ticket. Irrelevant if its ROTC, OCS, or USNA. If ROTC and OCS were inferior sources, then they would not exist. I've met as many immature and unprofessional academy blowhards as I have mid 20s OCS grads who were already adults in the real world (or priors). There is a certain level of "prestige" in going to an institution like the academy I will acknowledge when talking to your non-military friends much like the civilian world with ivy leagues, etc. It's just deciding the route you want to take to get to the golden bars.

In my eyes, I wish I looked at more ROTC schools when I was applying for college. Granted I grew up next to the Academy so I was surrounded by its presence 24/7. Comically, I did not get in and ended up doing ROTC and had an amazing time, played club sports when I never would have made the USNA varsity team, and met my wife.

 

[AllAmerican75]

Thanks, All American. I would like to serve as a commissioned officer. But, getting the best grades possible in a useful degree is probably most important to me as I want to keep my options open in the future for grad school and possible civilian employment after the service.

I'm not sure I understand. Do you believe working towards a commission in NROTC or at the academy is incompatible with getting good grades in a useful degree? What is a "useful degree"? What do YOU want to study? What do YOU want to do with the degree?

Getting a degree isn't enough these days, especially if it's a humanities or pure science (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, etc.) degree. You need to have a plan for that degree UNLESS your plan is to get a piece of paper so you can commission. While not the most optimal choice, it works. I've known guys with music degrees working in cybersecurity for the Navy. That said, if you want to go into a specific field or job track or prepare for a specific graduate education program (Never go into grad school without a plan to use the degree) then your undergraduate degree selection is important. So what's YOUR plan?

 

[wink]

OP: Contact the Blue amd Gold Officer for your High School. It is on the USNA web site. BGOs are the source for almost all answers.