Naval Academy Prep School

[bigspy007]

I'm doing the Foundation because I want to go to the Academy....basically thats it. I know the extra year of basically high school will suck, but I got my first choice school and I know the extra year will only help. Plus I like A&M but....I want the academy experience and I could have gotten that I know, at Kings Point or West Point....but I have wanted to go to the Naval Academy for so long anything else just seems like I'm settling.
What school did the Foundation give you?

 

[etnuclearsailor]

What is this foundation, and how does it work? Does it guarantee USNA acceptance like NAPS does?

 

[DanMa1156]

Foundation

The United States Naval Academy Foundation is an organization supported mostly by alumni of the Academy as far as I know. Basically, each year they pick about 80 to give a scholarship to go to a year at a civilian prep school (although some are military oriented, most are just richy private boarding high schools). It basically provides an extra year for prep in calc and chem -- a big help for plebe year. About 94% of those who do Foundation end up at the academy. The Foundation participants don't need to reapply or anything, they are kept "in the system" so to speak so if they keep A's and B's they basically get in. The remaining 6% are people who dropped out of the program or were found medically d'qed. On the downside it's an extra year of high school in all reality. On the upside, it does nearly guarantee admission if you keep A's and B's.

The problem I face is that I got an NROTC scholarship to Penn State, and I don't know if I want to do a year of prep school. It's a rough choice. I'm still waiting to see if I got selected for the class of '09, since they told me I haven't been automatically denied for being selected by Foundation, but my chances are looking slimmer as time passes. But I think whatever I do, I'll be happy and do my best. If I go Foundation, I'll just work my ass off and look at it like a year to learn calc and chem better.

For who asked (sorry forgot your name): I got selected for Peddie School in Princeton, NJ. How about you?

 

[bigspy007]

New Mexico Military Institute....It tends to have the largest number of Foundation kids (about 10) and their academy prep program is sponored by all five service academies and its a Junior college to, so if for some reason I don't get in, (which really only happens if you drop out) I'll still have a year of college credit.

 

[etnuclearsailor]

Unless you're completely, 100% without a doubt die hard wanna-go-to-the-Academy, go to Penn State. It's an outstanding school with an outstanding (and large) NROTC batallion. You'll love it there, plenty of parties if that's your thing. If you think you might ever regret not taking the NROTC scholarship while at the Academy, take the scholarship.

 

[keithga1983]

I went to college for a year, enlisted for a bout 2 years, then came here to the Academy, so I've been around and know what its like. Dont come to the Academy if you arent committed 100%. This place is not fun, trust me. Occasionally you have a good time, but you dont come to the Academy to party. I knew coming into it that I was going to hate it at times.. and I've questioned why I came here vice the STA-21 program a few times.. but I would never leave here, its whats best for me. Make sure you know what you are getting into and why.

 

[etnuclearsailor]

I passed on applying to the Academy my first opportunity while enlisted, and by doing so I became too old to ever go to the Academy. I was holding out for STA21. I'm glad I got it.

 

[NateUSMC]

What is the workload there like?

 

[etnuclearsailor]

Are you asking about NAPS or NSI?

 

[NateUSMC]

Naps

 

[DanMa1156]

OK since no one else answered here and I know a bit about NAPS (my BGO went there, and we discussed it quite a bit and I've done some research on it), it is a very challenging program. Although you need only a 2.0 to get into USNA, that 2.0 is difficult to achieve. There is a Plebe Summer there, you are led by Marine Corps DI's, and you have classes on Saturdays often. You take your core plebe-year courses (Calc, Chemistry, etc, etc...) and you basically are busy night and day.

 

[etnuclearsailor]

Well, I wasn't about to reply just to say "I don't know". I don't ever talk to NAPS people, we keep a strict separation.

 

[DanMa1156]

O no, I wasn't implying that you don't know or anything, or ripping on anyone who didn't, but I just figured I'd answer the guy's question.

 

[etnuclearsailor]

But I don't know anything!

 

[usunkmybship]

Indoc was three weeks long. Leadership came from upcoming seniors at USNA and Coast Guard Academy, a few juniors too. There is one Gunnery Sergeant to train the battalion in drill and for inspections. Indoc consisted mostly of team building exercises and briefs. There wasn't much Navy training like semaphore and marlinspike, etc. The academic year is all about time management. It's not so much that the material is complex, well it is at times, but they throw everything at you at once. You get used to it and learn to deal with it later on. What was hard for me is that the instructors quiz you before teaching you the material. They give you the reading assignment ahead and you have to teach yourself. Plus sometimes they assign homework but it is not mandatory to do it so you tend to put that aside to do other work. When we take exams the battalion takes it on the same day. Whatever subject that exam is you don't have to go to that class day. For example we have a Physics exam Thursday so after the test we go on with our regular schedule except we can go back to Nimitz hall during our Physics period. Mandatory study period starts at 1900 and no one is allowed to talk. Group study period starts at 2030. Personal time is at 2130. Last formation is at 2220 before taps.