Naval Academy?

[blueraiin]

I am currently signed up to be a Nuke.  In the Navy Nuclear Power Program guide the recruiters gave me, it shows that after Nuclear Prototpye School, you can go to NROTC, Naval Academy, or BOOST.  I was wondering how hard it is to get into the Naval Academy?  How many get in out of those who apply?  Is there anything that increases one's chances of acceptance?  Thank you very much.

[DepingNuke]

I am currently signed up to be a Nuke.  In the Navy Nuclear Power Program guide the recruiters gave me, it shows that after Nuclear Prototpye School, you can go to NROTC, Naval Academy, or BOOST.  I was wondering how hard it is to get into the Naval Academy?  How many get in out of those who apply?  Is there anything that increases one's chances of acceptance?  Thank you very much.

I heard that there is always a chance to get into NAPS if you dont get accepted to the the Naval Academy, a very good friend of mine was at NAPS last year and said that many of the people there were Nukes.

I would also like to know how you go about getting accepted into the Naval Academy or any of the other Officer programs, like do they take HS GPA into concideration because i had a low high school GPA 2.1 because i was lazy, but would that matter if i finished among the top of my class in Nuclear Power school? Also i assume you need SAT scores, and so forth.

Any information on this would be a big help because the Naval Academy is one of the best colleges in the world.

[HydroDave63]

I heard that there is always a chance to get into NAPS if you dont get accepted to the the Naval Academy, a very good friend of mine was at NAPS last year and said that many of the people there were Nukes.

I would also like to know how you go about getting accepted into the Naval Academy or any of the other Officer programs, like do they take HS GPA into concideration because i had a low high school GPA 2.1 because i was lazy, but would that matter if i finished among the top of my class in Nuclear Power school? Also i assume you need SAT scores, and so forth.

Any information on this would be a big help because the Naval Academy is one of the best colleges in the world.

Apply for everything that you can, study as much as you can, but plan on spending 4+ years at sea. That's what you signed up to do. Besides, the adventure at sea and practical experience of plant operations will build your resume and knowledge for success after the Canoe Club.

Fair winds and Following seas!

[ELTsmag]

I got picked up for STA-21 out of prototype instructor duty (ELT Staff Pickup).  The biggest thing I cannot stress enough is to NEVER drink and drive.  If you get ticketed for this offense, you can kiss your officer oppurtunities good-bye.  The minimum waiting time is 2 years before you can apply for a program, but still have to explain such reckless behavior in your interviews, never a position you want to be in and extremely hurts your chances of making it.

Another thing, why the Naval Academy?  Make sure your reasons are locked on before giving up the great oppurtunity STA-21 provides you (basically ROTC but you are still active duty).  I talked to some NAPSTERS up in Rhode Island (one of which was a buddy from A-school all the way through prototype, and got picked up after he already deployed to the fleet).  If you do put in applications make sure you do it at the soonest possible time, you can put in applications starting in Power School I believe, if you wait until after your deployed your chances drop abysmally.  This is because of the support infrastructure already in place at all training facilities to help their sailors make it into these programs.  It becomes much more difficult after graduating prototype.  If you don't graduate prototype you don't get your enlistement bonus btw, keep that in mind as well.

[eric9dodge]

Hello,

First time poster, just found this site... I'll have to feel it out over the next few days.  I saw this thread and thought I should add my $.02

I was a prior SUB nuke guy, qualified on SSBN 730 Blue in '99.  My CO persuaded me to put in an application for the Naval Academy and I was accepted and left the boat in the middle of my 3rd patrol to join the class of '04. 

I can remember when I was going through nuke school that several people were seeking the carrot of officer programs.  I think the key advice for acceptance to that is to bust your butt and do as well as you can.  Take pride in your work and in your division. 

I could give a long history of my experience between the enlisted time to the Academy time but I won't.  I will say that I am glad to have graduated from the Naval Academy.  I'll also say that after I started there, I missed being with the guys on the boat and the comraderie we shared. 

I'll stop with that unless someone wants to know details..

-Eric

[Harshman]

I understand this is slightly off of the thread, but...

Eric9dodge, I am curious how you reported to the Naval Academy for class '04, and have already graduated, being that it is still '04.

Back to the thread...

While I was in the pipeline, I followed all (well, almost) of the advice found here about officeer programs. I was not an unlucky one, a close friend was. He was picked up to become a pilot. Fighter planes were his dream. Mail planes were the reality. The one piece of advice that I followed with no conscience effort, was to go to to the fleet to experience it before saying I was a lifer. Now, that is good advice. The fleet is beyond what you are told. Each person handles it differently. The job and (most) of the people are the greatest you may ever experience. The disappearances, falling off the face of the Earth every three months, well... that sucks. If you can't tell from this description, short though it is, I was on a boomer. It happened to be the only Trident not named after a state. I don't regret one minute of my time in the canoe club, I learned many things about nuclear power, ships, and maybe the most important of all, life. I echo the sentiments here that you should apply for anything that attracts you, however, plan on going to the fleet.

Best of Luck

[Roll Tide]

Hello,

First time poster, just found this site... I'll have to feel it out over the next few days.  I saw this thread and thought I should add my $.02



I'll stop with that unless someone wants to know details..

-Eric

Welcome to the site. Look around, then give us more of those details. It is always a subject with much speculation and little fact for Officer programs. First-hand knowledge is the best.

[Roll Tide]

I understand this is slightly off of the thread, but...

Eric9dodge, I am curious how you reported to the Naval Academy for class '04, and have already graduated, being that it is still '04.

I believe the class of '04 graduated in June.
Each class has graduated in May or June, unless schedule changed due to war.

[mattrev]

I understand this is slightly off of the thread, but...

Eric9dodge, I am curious how you reported to the Naval Academy for class '04, and have already graduated, being that it is still '04.

I'm pretty sure he's saying 4 years ago he reported for the class of '04. Like, this year my daughter reported to her college class of '08. 

[jeepgirl1]

I believe the class of '04 graduated in June.
Each class has graduated in May or June, unless schedule changed due to war.

Yep, class of 2004 graduated May 28, 2004.  Yes, I know, I have way too much free time on my hands .

[Roll Tide]

I believe the class of '04 graduated in June.
Each class has graduated in May or June, unless schedule changed due to war.

I had a friend that was in the USNA class of 1942. Graduation date was Dec. 12, 1941; they continued straight through classes rather than go on Midshipman cruises in the summers during WWII.

(He had orders to the USS Arizona, and their was no public news or change of orders based on it being sunk Dec. 7 1941!)

Yeah, I know this is off-topic of the question, but on the topic of the title Naval Academy.

[eric9dodge]

Harshman--  2 things:

1.  Graduation for 2004 was in May, although I was a delayed grad and graduated in August if this year.  I could not get a medical waivor and return back to the fleet in any sort of duty, which really disappointed me... I enjoyed my days on the Jackson.  (turns out a great deal of Ensigns are being let go this past year or so because there are too many J.O's!!!  Can you believe that?)

2.  Apparently you and I were on the same boat at one time... I was on the Jackson Dec '98 and got off in June 2000.  MM2(SS) Eric Jones...  CDR Ims was the CO...

-Eric

[eric9dodge]

As far as USNA is concerned, there is  ~10% of the class each year which comes from the enlisted ranks of the Navy and Marine Corps.  A great majority of the Navy folks who are 'priors' entering the Academy are nukes.  A great majority of the nuke 'priors' entering the Academy come straight from NPS.  Many priors are not directly sent to USNA, they are sent to NAPS for a year, where they brush up on Math and Science.  However, not all 'NAPSTERS' are priors.  Many folks who were not accepted to the Academy are accepted to NAPS to brush up and have a legit shot the next year.  That all being said, it is much easier to get into USNA BEFORE one joines the Navy.  90% >> 10%  Also, consider that the 10% come from the enlisted ranks and it is highly competitve amongst those who are qualified to go there.  Once one does finish NPS/Prototype and goes to the fleet there is MUCH less time to be spent on officer programs and Much more time to be spent on qualifying, maintenance and drinking beer with your division...

-Eric

[Harshman]

Sorry about the misunderstanding. Only so many neurons left for memory. I was remembering that my pipeline classes were numbered from when you started. Bad assumption on my part.

eric9dodge,

We missed each other by a bit, I left the blue crew in June '94. Don't 'meet' too many who were on the Jackson.

[eric9dodge]

Hey harshman, not a problem.  That was a few years before I was on, but what I do remember(sort of), that there was one guy who spent most of his career on the jackson... seems like that was a true story!  I can't remember for sure, but one of the guys who was a chief, started out there as a nub and then he would go to shore duty and get sent back to the jackson each time... sounds like the detailors had fun with him.  If I remember that guys name, i'll have to bring it up because he would have been on when you were. 

-Eric