<p>I have read these posts with much interest. Many points cross my mind and I have been unsure what I want to say or how.
I will start with, Good Luck to geoffa. Please take your time in thinking this through. It took a very long time to get in, it sounds as if you are someone we want on our side. Give yourself ample time to decide the end of your path. I am sure you will succeed whatever you choose.</p>
<p>I think the attitudes you are perceiving from the forum responses to your thoughts are not so much condemnations or criticisms but mature voices trying to explain that the grass is always greener and that outside looking is always different than inside looking out. But that shouldnt invalidate your feelings and thoughts and I too welcome your opinions and would like to hear more as you sort this out. Please do not stop sharing.</p>
<p>My cadet is a plebe and we are not military so I know little but have asked a lot. This was not my choice for him. I would not call his time there a honeymoon by any stretch of the imagination. I know grads, old and recent whose response when I tell them my son says WP sucks is yeah, itll suck all four years but then you are glad you stuck it out. I only know of one grad who does not consider ring-knockers an asset to their lives or their careers. I know MANY civilians who wish they had any sort of ring-knocker to ease their careers. I went to college and have no contact with anyone from my time there, which is sad.</p>
<p>I do think the WP view of civilian colleges can seem mighty attractive to cadets. That said, my cadet and his friend visited freshman friends at a large state university a few weekends ago on a spirit pass. They came home saying they could never go to a school like that or live in the dorm situations they saw in one 24 hour period. You want to talk about alcohol & drug issues and lack of maturity - let alone lack of leadership? </p>
<p>My son too has the fear of losing ones self and ones identity at WP. Yet I met many grads as professors last weekend at PPW and all were refreshingly different but still confident and poised.
My sons sponsor is hardly the stereotypical WP leader, yet he has advanced nicely in the Army.</p>
<p>College is very difficult path and one can never be sure they made the right decision, only time will tell. My advice to geoffa is the same as to my son, listen carefully to your gut, then follow that path, regardless of what your head is trying to tell you. You cant go wrong if you trust yourself first.</p>