a hard decision.. ND or Navy?

lazboardz
Fri, 09 Dec 2005 11:13:40 +0000

Hi, I actually went to the Naval Academy, so I may be able to give you a little insight on this.

If you want to be a surface warfare officer, go to the naval academy. It is the easiest service selection to get. However if you want to do anything else, go do ROTC because their placement into any warfare community is almost 100% whereas USNA is about 50% for this last year. That means only 50% got their first choice in what they want to do. And no matter what you get, you are going to have to do it for the next 5 years of your life, like it or not.

Grade deflation is actually really bad at USNA with the average GPA being a 2.8-2.9, where at Notre Dame it is about 3.3. If you are looking at grad school, that will make a huge difference. Also, USNA only allows the top 25 kids every year to go to grad school, the rest are forced into the fleet. Plus, in calling calling numerous other schools about USNA’s academic reputation, they all either had no idea, or felt that the engineering program was not very strong…(these schools were Princeton, Northwestern, Cornell, MIT, Harvard, and Dartmouth, so I think they have a pretty good handle on academics.)

But, if you are looking for comrodarie, USNA is definitely a good place. But do expect to always be outshined by the kid who’s dad is an Admiral, or who has a purple heart because that is what matters there, not that you had a 4.0 gpa and a 1600 SAT. Believe me, I had 3 800’s on my SAT’s as well as almost a perfect GPA, and while at USNA I sat at the middle of the class, under the kid who’s dad was an admiral and only had a 1100 on his SAT’s. No joke.

If I could give you any recommendation, go to Notre Dame and have a good time in college and get a good eduation.

PS-(Here is a little secret- they will not tell you this, but most kids at USNA wished that they had went to Notre Dame instead.)

Good luck with everything!