Naval Academy/Air Force Academy

All the service academies run on basically the same system and premise. You'd be well served by searching of this forum (the little magnifying glass on the "find" tab") under the term "Navy", "Army", "Air Force", "Academy" and you'll get a good primer of information.

AcademyDad has a son at Navy and another graduated Air Force, he'd be a wealth of information to you if you PM him.

My son is at Army, so I have some experience with the scenario and would be happy to answer any questions you have after your research.

Good luck to you and your son.

Chip

After reviewing everything on this message board and doing some other research, I still have a few questions. I think he will start by doing the online questionairre's for Air Force and Navy. After a few weeks he will contact the recruiting coordinator from each academy and ask where he stands. He will be at some camps this summer that these academies should be present at.

1. My son is right about the middle of the road academically (according to their student profiles)or maybe a hair below. Do baseball recruits get any help during admittance as they might at an Ivie or Stanford?

2. I see you can start the process of applying (Pre-applying) online after March 1. Should he do this concurrently with contacting the baseball coaches or wait to hear from the coaches?

3. It seems to me that the congressional recommendation is a real longshot. The website shows a standard letter to write to the representative that doesn't leave much room to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Will there be future correspondence or an interview that allows the applicant to plead their case? and what kind of things should the applicant have to distinguih themselves, academics?, Baseball?, EC's? And should this be started now or wait for the coach to show some interest?

I guess the bottom line is, should we start now, or wait for input from the academies on how to proceed? If they like him at the showcases in June, will it be too late to get started?

Blprkfrnks, I was just a couple of years ago a candidate for an appointment to West Point. Realize that this process will take time to develop and I would suggest your son get started ASAP. To be considered, you have to be a good student, but I wouldn't say you have to be an Ivy League student. The Academies are all looking for a student who is well rounded. Academics, physical fitness/athletics, and leadership.

I wouldn't see why your son shouldn't go ahead and get started on the parts of the application he can complete at this time. Other students are starting theirs for the Academies.

As far as the Congressional nomination goes, every person in Congress does theirs a little bit different. When I was doing mine, the Senators had interviews but my local Representative did not. He (or his staff most likely) looked at the applications and made a decision based on that packet.

So, not much baseball experience from me, but I hope something from my regular application experience is helpful..

Blprkfrnks,
I think we should first determine whether an academy would still be an option for your son even without baseball. The reason I ask, is that there are two different protocols for application, admissions, and appointments depending on the answer.

To answer your other question, yes, there is a great deal of latitude given recruited athletes regarding academics and admissions. There are still minimum standards, but nowhere near the scrutiny as the regular admissions student.

CPLZ-

So far, my son's choices have all been academics first. He also had looked at the ROTC college program when he got this letter of interest from the Naval Academy. So he would never go just for the baseball. His thought is that these academies would be a better choice for education than the ROTC program. But with a 10% acceptance rate and his mid level grades (for the academy standards) he is concerned that he wouldn't have a chance without the help of baseball recruitment.

I can't characterize what kind of chances your son might have without athletic help, but I might feel much like you. For my sons class there were (going from memory here) 14,000 applications for 1,200 slots. Over 80% of the applicants were either team Captains or class Presidents. My son wouldn't have come close without athletics.

Your best bet is as a recruited athlete. If that happens, then they will lay out the whole program for

I went to Annapolis and played baseball there. Yes, contact the coach and yes start the application process.

USNA (and I assume the others) have amazing athletic programs as well as solid NCAA sports....the point being he'll play as much sports as he can stand at whatever level challenges him.

The baseball program is top notch. However, make sure he reports first thing when he gets there for his "plebe summer". Worst butt chewing I ever got was when I decided to take a couple of months off of baseball to sail, then checked in for baseball fall ball when the academic season started......my Gawd I had to run.

My son will be starting at the Air Force Academy in June. He was recruited for baseball and this did help a bit in admissions. While he had good grades and test scores, the involvement of the baseball staff may have helped in the appointment process. His desires heading into last summer were to play baseball at just about any college. He was aware of the Academies, but didn't seem that interested until both West Point and Air Force got interested in him. He went on visits to both locations and eventually chose AF.

It is never too early to start the application process with the academies. You will need to start those letters to your congressmen (both senators and your local representative). Check their websites as they have information on what they want included in the nomination package. Be sure to get in touch with the recruiting coordinators for the Academies. They will be at many of the big summer tourneys and showcases. Good luck to you and your son.

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A bit of a different perspective...but one that might be of help...

Big Pictue: Keep all doors open as long as you can. You never know what is going to happen having options open is always a good idea.

Small picture: Apply, get started. You can always decide not to continue wth the process but you cannot get started late. IMO, Mine was a good fit for the Academies...began the process...got quite a ways in and on track, then then universe changed and he decided on a different course. I still think it is/was time and energy well spent. Get started.

44
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Listen to the old sage from the Mid Coast... 44...

One of the best bits of experience for a young person is for them to go through the almost gruelling applications, interviews, meetings, academy nights, et al. Life experiences, interviews... all things that are intimidating... until you've done so many that they are just routine. Not entirely different from going to countless Showcases and camps... just that these experiences will pay back in all business and school situations for life.

Look'em in the eye and shake their hand in such a way that they will remember you.

cadDAD

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Blprkfrnks, I'm in a similar situation. My 2010 is very interested, and we plan to begin the application process. I do, however, have one specific question maybe an academy dad can answer. Understanding that the application process is lengthy, what happens if a D1 makes an offer November during early signing peroid well before the academy application has been approved or rejected? I know the D1 won't wait around for us to hear from the academy. How have others handled that situation?

There is no reason to think that the academy won't offer admission by the November early signing period.

If the academy is strongly interested in your son, and you have begun the recruiting process early enough, the coach should be able to give you a reasonable estimation of your chance of admission by the November signing period.

It has been my experience that the academies differ greatly from normal universities in the way they recruit. They tend not to leave prospects hanging in limbo while they tender offers to more lucrative prospects. I'm not saying that our recruiting experience was typical, but just that our recruiting experience was very straightforward. The coaches knew exactly what scores and grades my son needed for admission. They asked him to increase his English ACT score by taking the test again, and once he did, gave us a high degree of certainty that he was going to be offered admission.

I suppose one of the keys was that he was very high on their list of candidates, which could have skewed the process and greased the skids some.

If it were me, I would be talking to the coaches and asking them what they wanted me to be doing with admissions and applications. In our case, the coach was the one that directed all our actions and guided us through the process.

Best of luck to your son.

CPLZ,
Thanks for the advice. I e-mailed the coach today asking for direction. It's too early to know what their level of interest is, having just received one letter expressing interest. I do know that my son will likely prefer Navy over his other college offers. Tough decisions are in our future.

Wayne,
I would disagree with your statement that it is too early to know their level of interest. Army has already received one verbal from a 2010 and is expecting another shortly. Both of these have been told they will be accepted.

The recruited athlete comes in on a different path than regular admissions.

It would be telling to you if they are unwilling to express their level of interest.

This is from a direct, in person conversation with a Head coach at one of the Academies. If they really want you, you will get in. Period. (as long as you are at least somewhat respectable academically) And they do not beat around the bush when they really want you. Dont forget, all the players are on full rides, so there is no reason to try to save scholarship $. Like what was said earlier, atheletes are on a different admissions path then others. Personally, I would love son to attend, just a tough choice for a young kid to make, especially with no history of service in the family. Kids think short term (which seems long term to them), and at 16-17, that 5 years sounds like a lifetime. If you attend one of these schools, you are basically set for life.

My brother is a 1979 graduate of the Naval Acadamy. He was the last class (I think) without women and is now a retired Navy Captain (after 25 years) working in corporate America. He has a son playing high school baseball. He did not play baseball, himself, but he ran cross country and was very, very good.

The Naval Academy is a place to go for an education. The baseball (and other sports) can be great, but they come second. As has been said, they do give preference to athletes, but many of them must go to the Prep School first.

Most of what has been posted here is very good. One item I will disagree with strongly is the one that says that if you go to one of these schools you will be set for life. That is not close to true.

Many of these guys who stay in earn far, far less than would have been the case otherwise. It is a great opportunity, but independent thinking is not encouraged and often discouraged. Many are drummed out, and many later fail in the ranks of the real Navy.

Some leave the Navy and are later lost in real life. Some die in service to their country.

What you have is an opportunity at a great education -- as is the case at many, many schools. What you do with that opportunity is up to you, but there are no guarantees.

quote:

Originally posted by HighCheese:
just a tough choice for a young kid to make, especially with no history of service in the family. Kids think short term (which seems long term to them), and at 16-17, that 5 years sounds like a lifetime.

Although I am ex military, one term, you would never know that in our family, it wasn't part of the family culture. So my son was much like any other, no exposure to military culture, it isn't talked about in our house..no reason to bring it up.

I agree wholeheartedly that young men have a difficult time thinking of a 5 year hitch. The good news, is that you can attend a service academy for two years with no obligation. You can leave the academy any time, up until the first day of classes your junior year, and you owe the military and the government nothing. It's not the scary commitment it appears to be. The good news is, that although some credits, i.e. history of battle, won't transfer, many of the other credits transfer at a higher rate and the GPA is added to, if the cadet does decide to leave the academy.

quote:

Originally posted by HighCheese:
If they really want you, you will get in. Period. (as long as you are at least somewhat respectable academically)

There is a lot of truth to that, and also a great deal of ambiguity that creates wiggle room for the coach.

I agree with jemaz, that you aren't set for life coming out, but...you are probably better armed for success than most. Again, it's all about what you do with it.

CPLZ: My son has recieved information from Army for baseball. Has your son found it to be a good situation for him? All the different viewpoints for the Academy's are very informative. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by baseballnut2:
CPLZ: My son has recieved information from Army for baseball. Has your son found it to be a good situation for him? All the different viewpoints for the Academy's are very informative. Thanks.

Just finished his sophomore year, so this is when students weigh their options on returning or not...not a single baseball player is planning on leaving, they all stay. Since the beginning of freshman year, three players have left. One couldn't hack it academically and left early frosh year, two others left after their freshman year, neither wanted to be in the Army.

It is the greatest place in the world for the people it fits, and the worst place in the world for the people it doesn't. That being said, a class will typically lose about 20% of its original size from day one to graduation.

I've sent you a PM to discuss further.

I meant what you guys were able to say better than I. Of course you are not set for life, what I was trying to say is that a degree from navy or west point goes a long way towards future sucess. I dont think that even in todays economy, there are a lot of companies saying No, we have far too many people from West Point here already, plus lets face it, youve got quite the impressive alumni network going for you. Same thing with a drgree from a place like Yale, for example. First, you were doing something right to get through there in the first place, and second, if you are interviewing against the guy from eastern middle out-of-the-way state tech college, youve probably got the upper hand. I have strongly encouraged my son to seriously consider the academy that is interested in him. It is a wonderful opportunity, if it fits you, I think.

high cheese - I too would have loved to see my son accept an offer to play baseball at a service academy, however, I really took to heart the advice that was passed on to me by Academy Dad, CPLZ, and others when my son was being recruited by the service academies....

1. Make sure you are not going just for baseball...you need to go because you want to be in a service academy (and the military), not because you want to play baseball.

2. As a parent, step back and let them decide on their own....do not sway their opinion because at the end of the day it is your son who will be serving his country.

I too would have liked to strongly encourage him to consider the opportunity but as parents we bit our tongue and did not sway him. He went through the entire application process and was triple qualified with a congressional nomination but in the end he declined the opportunity. I was sad that he did not wish to purse the academy but I was glad we did not sway his decision.