Running for an Academy

chair force?

The admissions are highly selective for all the academies, so to get admitted to one is a big achievement. Not sure about West Point (or the Air Force Academy) but the most popular majors at the Naval Academy are science and engineering. You should expect to serve as an officer on a ship for a substantial amount of time in your commitment after graduating. College life for all is likely similar--highly structured as you are in the military.

You can get a lot of the same benefits by getting into an ROTC program, where you would have many more choices on where you go to college, and then you are a regular college student with a regular extra-curricular activity and a summer commitment and a similar commitment to serve after graduating.

If he/she is asking on Letsrun then clearly he/she is not right for an academy.

Hasn't anyone here either run for the USNA or West Point?

The coaches at the USNA contacted me so I'm going to look into it further and I figured that I should look into West Point too. I'm not interested in the Air Force.

I know that the head coach at the USNA threw the javelin in the 1960 Olympics and was considered at one time to be the best in the world.

I ran for Air Force...and while coaching (new coach since I left) and elevation may differ, the life styles of the service academies are similar.

At Navy or West Point you can look forward too track programs that are well funded and supported and athletes that are highly motivated. These things seem like common sense but a lot of my high school teammates did not have similar experiences in college. Also, doing sports while at an Academy is a great way to have a "life" outside of being Cadet or Midshipman.

The best thing about the service academies is the cost. Money is not an issue so school and running are the focus.

Some drawbacks (big and small)...

1) No red shirting, you get four years to compete, even if you spend a year on the bench.

2) Time management is tough, the academies are designed to stress you out with parades, room inspections, non academic courses and classes, and war games. None of these things are that hard, but between them you also have to find time to do homework, train and potentially do your "military job." Only true task masters will excel at everything, everyone else learns to prioritize.

3) It is not a normal college experience. I never experienced frat parties, binge drinking and general college non sense (I don't really regret that). I would have liked to have dated more, gotten more sleep, and spent less time changing uniforms.

The service academies have great XC teams (Navy and AF had teams make nationals last year) and they are all recognized as great academic schools, whatever the major. But, and this is a big but, unless you want to be an officer in the military (first and fore most, before any "job") they are not worth it.

Once your military service is done, it does not really matter which one you went to, you will likely be just fine. Instead of trying to figure out which school has better post military opportunities, you should be thinking about what you might like to do in the military (and if you did not say infantry right away then stay away from West Point). If the thought of putting on your nation's uniform for 9+ years does not make the 17 year old you giddy, then you are not going to make it through the four years of cynicism and futility that ultimately defines cadet life.

So math and science aren't your strong suits? Clearly language isn't either. The application process is highly competitive. Your 17:30 5k and 1400 SAT won't impress anyone.

Given your brojo-esque grammar, I recommend the Ivies instead.

Not Academy Material wrote:

So math and science aren't your strong suits? Clearly language isn't either. The application process is highly competitive. Your 17:30 5k and 1400 SAT won't impress anyone.

Given your brojo-esque grammar, I recommend the Ivies instead.

I don't feel that it's necessary to discuss my qualifications but I feel very confident that I would be accepted. I'm not trying to impress posters like you that are living in their parents bedroom.

Where's Jim? wrote:

If the thought of putting on your nation's uniform for 9+ years does not make the 17 year old you giddy, then you are not going to make it through the four years of cynicism and futility that ultimately defines cadet life.

Thanks for your insight and detailed post. Missing much of the typical college life doesn't concern me. I would be very proud to serve our country but being locked in for 5+ years is a little unsettling and obviously something I will give much thought.

i don't know if this is true for air force, but I believe army and navy have prep schools where they send some of their athletes to develop further (likely academically and athletically).

I also believe that there is a form of service deferment for additional schooling (thus letting you complete a redshirt year), but i am not positive. Christopher Galvin was a recent example that I believe graduated from Navy and then did a redshirt year at texas.

navy, army, and air force are all highly competitive d1 schools on the front end, but they are large teams. going to any of the three would be a privilege academically and athletically.

Sergeant wrote:

Does anyone here have insight into what running and college life is like at West Point or the Naval Academy? How where the coaches?

Which do you think offer better opportunities for someone after the academy and after military service? I'm not sure what field I want to go into but I'm not into math or science and I know that limits me more if I go into the Navy.

Other advice?

What makes you think you could get into any of the academies?

Sergeant wrote:

Where's Jim? wrote:

If the thought of putting on your nation's uniform for 9+ years does not make the 17 year old you giddy, then you are not going to make it through the four years of cynicism and futility that ultimately defines cadet life.

Thanks for your insight and detailed post. Missing much of the typical college life doesn't concern me. I would be very proud to serve our country but being locked in for 5+ years is a little unsettling and obviously something I will give much thought.

My concern is that as a non-STEM major, you would alienated and out to pasture. The academies attract ruthlessly conformist right-brained types. Not lateral thinkers, creatives, or contrarians, even if they do produce some good runners.

john utah wrote:

Sergeant wrote:

Does anyone here have insight into what running and college life is like at West Point or the Naval Academy? How where the coaches?

Which do you think offer better opportunities for someone after the academy and after military service? I'm not sure what field I want to go into but I'm not into math or science and I know that limits me more if I go into the Navy.

Other advice?

What makes you think you could get into any of the academies?

Based on my posting it may be hard to believe but I have high SAT scores and grades that the coaches have said make me a good fit. Plus I will get a bump from by admissions from the coaches.

limeinmydrink wrote:

Sergeant wrote:

Thanks for your insight and detailed post. Missing much of the typical college life doesn't concern me. I would be very proud to serve our country but being locked in for 5+ years is a little unsettling and obviously something I will give much thought.

My concern is that as a non-STEM major, you would alienated and out to pasture. The academies attract ruthlessly conformist right-brained types. Not lateral thinkers, creatives, or contrarians, even if they do produce some good runners.

Thanks for the feedback. I will look further into possible separation from STEM majors. I don't know any midshipmen myself but I have contacts that do.

The prep school for the USNA is called NAPS but the coaches haven't mentioned that as something they would like me to do..

Recent graduate of USNA, ran for the XC and track teams all four years. Being a varsity athlete at a service academy is both a privilege and intense challenge. It's nothing like being an athlete at a "normal" university. The above posts are true that you will not have a typical college experience. Patience, determination, and time management are major components of the process. Training and competing at a D1 level along with training to be an officer in the U.S. military felt like a conflict my four years at Annapolis. Now that I've graduated I realize it wasn't a conflict, but rather a blessing. I know I am a better person for meeting all of the countless challenges that were thrown at me athletically, academically, and professionally. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything else.

The head XC coach has been coaching at USNA since 1963. He knows a thing or two about coaching midshipmen and the unique challenges they face on a daily basis. However, he can be a rather enigmatic person. He forces the athlete to look within themselves and find internal motivation rather than rely on him for guidance at every turn (he knows what to say when you need to hear though). The actual training is flexible since your schedule is very rigid but constantly changing on a daily basis. It's as high mileage a program as you want it to be. Coach stresses finding what works for you when it comes to volume. As for workouts, it's classic intervals, tempo runs, fartleks, strides. What you would expect of a good D1 program. If you love competing, challenging yourself, and don't need feedback from others to fuel you passion for running, then you will be successful running at a service academy.

Academics are a high priority at all of the service academies. At USNA specifically, I took classes ranging from poetry to thermodynamics. You spend your plebe (freshman) year learning the basics of chemistry, calculus, writing, and computer sciences. Then you move on to subjects such as advanced physics and electrical engineering sophomore and junior years, respectively. To be frank, the course load will feel like too much and will be overwhelming. That is by design. It's another challenge to test your determination and ability to manage your time effectively. For me personally, I was greatly challenged all four years and had to put in a lot of effort to keep up academically. So if I could survive the academics, I believe nearly anyone can.

Finally, the military commitment after graduation is actually a blessing for athletes. It provides an outlet and easy transition for life after athletics. Having a new challenge to meet and something to pour your energy into is invaluable post graduation. Learning to fly military aircraft, operate submarines and warships, and leading marines into battle will keep you busy. It's also a guaranteed job that provides a good living, and you get to live in some great places (everyone has their opinions of course, but each duty station is great in its own way). With that said, nothing in the military is set in stone. There are exceptions to every situation. I would never say never if there is something you want to do with your time in service. I've yet to see what life has in store after the military, but I know the possibilities are truly endless after experiencing everything I have in the last 7 years.

Oh, and Beat Army.

Sergeant wrote:

john utah wrote:

What makes you think you could get into any of the academies?

Based on my posting it may be hard to believe but I have high SAT scores and grades that the coaches have said make me a good fit. Plus I will get a bump from by admissions from the coaches.

Dude, it appears you have no concept of what it takes to get into the academies. Do some homework. You will be amazed at what it takes.

john utah wrote:

Sergeant wrote:

Based on my posting it may be hard to believe but I have high SAT scores and grades that the coaches have said make me a good fit. Plus I will get a bump from by admissions from the coaches.

Dude, it appears you have no concept of what it takes to get into the academies. Do some homework. You will be amazed at what it takes.

I'm sure I don't know everything but I have done research. In addition to the aforementioned, I know that I need to pass a medical test, a fitness test and get a recommendation from a congressman. I believe I will be able to take care of these also. What else am I missing? Please add something that will help me and not something like Dude, you have no idea...

If you have to ask "is an Academy right for me?" then it probably isn't. You have to really want to serve in the military.

These schools are filled with military brats who often attended military-style boarding schools. These kids are brainwashed since youth to think spending hours folding hospital corners on a bed is a good and valid use of time.

No doubt you will get a good education at an Academy, and a 'guaranteed job', but it's not worth going unless you really buy into the military hoo-ra 'die for my country' mentality and culture. If you are a free thinking in any way, you will absolutely hate it.

If you can get into an Academy you can also probably get into a plethora of good non-military schools where you will have a more balanced social, academic, and athletic experience. In the school of life, this isn't the worst thing.

hair force wrote:

These kids are brainwashed since youth to think spending hours folding hospital corners on a bed is a good and valid use of time.

Haha, as a grad I can say no one is brain washed at the academies, and everyone recognizes the utter lack of utility associated with hospital corners on beds and folding t shirts into perfect 6x6 squares.

This is why cadets are cynical, and why you have to be really motivated to stick with a service academy for four years; a lot of ridiculous things go on.

You do a lot of time wasting stuff that is simply designed to be an additional stressor in the cadet life.

Hospital corners are dumb, and I have not done one in over a decade, but stuff like this is effective at weeding people out. It is why why the academies have a 33% attrition rate, and are unashamed of that fact.