<p>Responding to your questions …</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Insane</p></li>
<li><p>Yes.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Needs of the Navy (Academy, more specifically) drive the process, it seems. They like people from areas not often sending students to USNA; they like students of color, unusual ethnicity; they like females; they love top shelf candidates. </p>
<p>Yes, it’s very competitive, especially for those who choose not to apply. Guaranteed not to gain acceptance! Go get 'em, if you’re serious about USNA, and don’t be deluded that it will give you a true-to-TheYard Midshipmen experience. But it will give you a wonderful exposure …you to USNA; USNA to you. And the price is right. You’ll get $300 worth of sweats, gear, Blue n Gold chotchky (sp?), and your mom’s food bill will be substantially revived for a week. I suppose you can argue this fiduciary point if you have to buy round trip passage on the QE II to get there and back … ;)</p>