USNA Curriculum - Plebe Year

[Gatordev]

Then again, I guess the Academy only takes the best and most well prepared in the country.

Eh, not necessarily. It's a little more complicated than that. The service academies also take those that are demographically convenient. Getting into the academy isn't just about getting into the school, but you also have to navigate the congressional nomination process. Depending on where you live affects how "easy" that might be.

 

[edforescas]

I get that all schools now want diversity. But, isn't the academy curriculum heavy on STEM while juggling all the other responsibilities of a midshipman? I doubt the average high school student could handle it.

 

[Gatordev]

I get that all schools now want diversity. But, isn't the academy curriculum heavy on STEM while juggling all the other responsibilities of a midshipman? I doubt the average high school student could handle it.

I'm not sure I understand your question. I never said "diversity," I said demographics. The nomination process is a relatively separate but parallel process that is also very competitive, but can be "less" competitive in some parts of the country than others. It doesn't have anything to do with diversity, just number of people interested in applying within a district or state.

 

[Faded Float Coat]

I doubt the average high school student could handle it.

Neither USNA admissions nor NRTOC scholarship selection boards are looking for average high school students.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I get that all schools now want diversity. But, isn't the academy curriculum heavy on STEM while juggling all the other responsibilities of a midshipman? I doubt the average high school student could handle it.

And I doubt the “average high school student” is applying to USNA knowing the commitment during and after the Academy.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Neither USNA admissions nor NRTOC scholarship selection boards are looking for average high school students.

And yet, there I was!

 

[edforescas]

I'm not sure I understand your question. I never said "diversity," I said demographics. The nomination process is a relatively separate but parallel process that is also very competitive, but can be "less" competitive in some parts of the country than others. It doesn't have anything to do with diversity, just number of people interested in applying within a district or state.

Well, there is also diversity in geographic diversity. I know a kid who is from Tennessee who got into Harvard. Sure, he was smart: valedictorian and perfect math SAT. But, if he had the same academic profile was from say, NY, NJ, CT, or CA, I am not so sure he would have been admitted. Maybe. Maybe not.

 

[ChuckMK23]

W

Well, there is also diversity in geographic diversity. I know a kid who is from Tennessee who got into Harvard. Sure, he was smart: valedictorian and perfect math SAT. But, if he had the same academic profile was from say, NY, NJ, CT, or CA, I am not so sure he would have been admitted. Maybe. Maybe not.

We need a replacement for diversity - call it adversity score. The vast majority of service academy selectees come from upper income, two parent families who themselves are products of upper tier colleges.

We need an adversity score as the real diversity needed is in wealth. It's relatively straightforward for a kid from a 2 parent household of upper income to compete for an Ivy or Service Academy.

We need kids from single parent household where there was no time or money to play sports, or join a club and be a leader, or have access to technology or tutors. Admit more kids from households making under $50k /year - now that's diversity.

 

[edforescas]

W

We need a replacement for diversity - call it adversity score. The vast majority of service academy selectees come from upper income, two parent families who themselves are products of upper tier colleges.

We need an adversity score as the real diversity needed is in wealth. It's relatively straightforward for a kid from a 2 parent household of upper income to compete for an Ivy or Service Academy.

We need kids from single parent household where there was no time or money to play sports, or join a club and be a leader, or have access to technology or tutors. Admit more kids from households making under $50k /year - now that's diversity.

BRAVO! The Harvard kid was also the son of college chemistry professor (he sat in one of his dad's and earned an A). While not wealthy by any means, a college professor is most certainly making a lot more than 50K a year.

 

[AIRMMCPORET]

W

We need a replacement for diversity - call it adversity score. The vast majority of service academy selectees come from upper income, two parent families who themselves are products of upper tier colleges.

We need an adversity score as the real diversity needed is in wealth. It's relatively straightforward for a kid from a 2 parent household of upper income to compete for an Ivy or Service Academy.

We need kids from single parent household where there was no time or money to play sports, or join a club and be a leader, or have access to technology or tutors. Admit more kids from households making under $50k /year - now that's diversity.

I sat on a scholarship board for a small organization in a small town, and the kids on your last paragraph that had good grades but none of the other stuff just got flat left out of the running to get a scholarship. I pointed this out to the board, well most of the board was like they don’t have the extra curricular activities so tough luck. It really annoyed me and was an eye opener as to how the system was rigged to the privileged kids. Never did it again.🤯

 

[Brett327]

The vast majority of service academy selectees come from upper income, two parent families who themselves are products of upper tier colleges.

I don’t know whether this is true or not, but considering the source, this sounds like something you pulled directly out of your own asshole. Two parent families… yeah, OK, but upper tier colleges? Where you come up with that?

 

[Gatordev]

Well, there is also diversity in geographic diversity. I know a kid who is from Tennessee who got into Harvard. Sure, he was smart: valedictorian and perfect math SAT. But, if he had the same academic profile was from say, NY, NJ, CT, or CA, I am not so sure he would have been admitted. Maybe. Maybe not.

While the reason is different, we're actually discussing similar things. I just didn't want to use the D-word to avoid confusion with the modern-day connotation.