Annapolis

[OORAH]

Dear all,

I plan on becoming a Marine officer when I get out of high school. I'm a junior now, and wonder if anybody here has any experience with the naval academy. I've kinda got my sights set on going there, but would like to know what to expect. I read that if you go to West Point, as long as your grades are good, you can choose what branch you want to go in. I that true? Is it also the case with Annapolis. I figure, since the Marines are part of the Navy, as long as you graduate, you can choose Navy or Marines. Any info would be great


-OORAH

 

[MilidarUSMC]

my good friend goes there any i have a few pilots that went there, as you go through the school and depending on how well your doing you may apply for green side and get accepted. but not everyone gets what they want.

 

[chronoserpent]

I am seriously considering going there and am currently in the application process now.

If you're interested at all you DEFINITELY should try to attend the Summer Seminar. It's a one week taste of what life at the Academy will be like. Go here for more info: http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/nass.htm

I went last Summer, and I had a blast! NASS was the one thing that really made me seriously consider going to the Naval Academy. The Midshipmen told me that after going through NASS, you'll know for sure whether you want to continue pursuing the Academy or another military option, or if you want to completely give it up.

Since you're a Junior, I'd suggest going to NASS this summer (applications for it start in the Spring) to see if you want to go any further. Yes, you can choose to be a Marine officer (if I remember correctly, it's a choice you have to make from the start; you'll be doing some different things during your summer cruises but otherwise your classes should be the same; then again, I wasn't really listening because I want to be a Navy officer!).

Remember that you must be well qualified physically as well as mentally. Get involved in sports and keep your grades up!


If you REALLY want to be a Marine officer, also consider a Marine option NROTC scholarship: https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/


I know there's some real Navy & Marine officers around here, so ask some more questions and they'll try to answer them. Good luck!

 

[istealfreefood]

I am also a Junior in High School, and am trying to go to Annapolis. One thing that you should do is go there sometime and talk to some people that work there and went there. If you know of anyone near where you are that graduated from USNA talk to them. Also, there are admissions presentations that are held most days. you should definitely go to on eof those. go to this website to learn more about that. http://www.usna.edu/visit.htm

I have talked to a guy that graduated from USNA and worked inthe admissions department for a little bit. he gave me some very helpful information on filling out the apps. if you hae any questions when you do them, just PM me and i will try to get an answer or good advice.

By the way, sign up to go to the Summer Seminar. There are 3 different week long sessions. you can go to any one of them. It shows to school that you are serious, and it gives them a chance to evaluate you before hand, which is very helpful for admission. You can sign up for it starting February. you want to sign up for it as soon as possible. They always have alot of people on there the minute the app becomes available. Three years ago the server crahsed because too many people were trying to do the summer seminar application at once.

 

[OORAH]

thanks for the info guys. I definately want to be a Marine officer, and that summer program sounds sweet. Sure sounds like it beats the hell oughta boy scout summer camp!

 

[AJChenMPH]

I read that if you go to West Point, as long as your grades are good, you can choose what branch you want to go in. I that true?

It's an Army terminology thing -- if you go to West Point, you'll serve in the Army, period. The term "branching" comes from determining which branch of the Army you'll go into: Infantry, Armor (i.e., tanks), Artillery, etc. There have been instances where a graduate from one service academy wound up in another branch of service (I think one of the current or recent US Navy Blue Angel pilots actually graduated from the US Air Force Academy), but it's very, very rare.

Regardless of where you go to school (Naval Academy, another service academy, or civilian college as a Marine-option Navy ROTC midshipman), you should be striving to get great grades, be a leader in your extracurricular activities (i.e., team captain of your sports teams, etc.) and participate in different activities (as long as you like doing them -- don't just do something for the sake of doing it).