United States Military Academy Top Questions

I would tell parents to allow their children to pick a school based on the their son's or daughter's interests rather than on the fame of the institution or whether or not the parents themselves went there. As for the students, I would say to pick a college that is right for you, not your parents. You will be the one undergoing 4 years of study and thus you should have the ultimate say in what school you go to. Lastly, college is about pursuing experiences and broadening the mind in ways that you normally would not be able to out of school. Do not take your independance from friends and family as a ticket to experiment with drugs and alcohol, rather, experiment with different cultures, ideologies, and perspectives. My favorite aspect of my West Point experience is the diversity of experiences that it has granted to me. Few individuals get to speak with as diverse a spectrum of individuals as I do, from green berets to oil tycoons, neither can they fire weaponry ranging from handguns to howitzers, nor are they allowed the opportunity to visit locations as disparate as nuclear power plants to Civil War battlefields.

Determine what your child's future goals are with them first. Then determine what aspects of a secondary education are important to them and the family (location, vicinity to home, size, strength of academic progams etc) Cost should not go into this initial equation.

Pick the school that will give your children the most opportunity in what they want to do with their lives.

I would tell prospective college students to be selfish with their college selection. Put everyone else outside the equation, whether that be significant others, parents, or family. Its your future, take hold of it and make the decision that is in YOUR best interest. At the end of the day you will be at some university or institution and only you will either have to enjoy or suffer through the experience. Make the next four years of your life enjoyable, work hard and look to the future, your hard work will pay off in the long run.

Be open to different colleges and education techniques. Apply early and often. Also don't rely on getting into a certain college. Apply to many.

Beyond prestige and notoriety, find what is best for you. I didn't initially want to come to USMA, but after visiting I found that it was the place for me. Do I regret that decision? Rarely. I did my research, as I am sure most families do. I suggest finding a place that has the program you are interested in and a couple of other programs of interest. Then, decide from there if cost and location (and maybe extracurriculars are satisfactory). But don't get hooked on the cost either, if you want something bad enough, you'll figure out how to pay for it. To get the most out of the experience, YOU have to take the reins...get involved. I like to sing so I joined the Glee Club. My best friend plays volleyball and now I am their P.A. announcer. I love to meet people so now I am the personnel officer for our Student Conference on US Affairs (SCUSA). Prioritize, but don't let school wear you out. Work hard. Play hard!

Look around. Don't go to a college because of the name or because relatives attended a particular college. Visits are important. Lastly, look stay with your budget reaching for the stars is great but not at the price of students or the parents mental well being. Studying is hard enough with worrying about if you can attend the next semester.

Keep in mind the commitment involved for graduates of this school, who have to serve 5 active years as an Army officer. This college can be very frustrating and boring, but the benefits of being a graduate from West Point are well worth the miserable 4 years spent here.

Don't choose a college based soley on its academic reputation.

Come and visit the schools you are considering for at least a day or two.

Go and visit the college if you can. If you're child knows a person who goes to school there, see if your child can spend the night or a weekend at the university so that they get a real feel for what its like. The choice should be that of the student and not the parents. Apply for scholarships, every little bit helps. Go out and meet people on the weekends at your new school. Respect the rules of your dorm and the needs of your roommate. GO TO CLASS!!! Actually go to class and learn the material and take notes dont skip class to sleep or b/c you're hung over.