Why the US Naval Academy?

 Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if  they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don’t have that problem. —Ronald Reagan

How do you precipitate from eighteen years of growing and learning that your perfect college is spelled ‘USNA’?  What should you consider to be sure this unique approach befits your future? Without a doubt, the Naval Academy sounds great:  It’s prestigious and highly competitive, putting you shoulder to shoulder with those who will decide the future. It offers undergraduates world-class, cutting edge facilities and equipment.

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Lou Holtz, the University of Notre Dame’s erudite ex-coach, entrusted with turning UND football players into graduates, once exhorted, “How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser.”High School is like the second half, and you’re about to find out if you’re a winner. At the starting line, all students are equal, crossing the freshman threshold with the same opportunities, and same possibilities for their future. The 4.0 student stands shoulder to shoulder with the star athlete, and the C student who aspires to nothing more than minimum wage work has an equal chance that inspiration will strike. Every one approaches the starting line, not knowing if the race will be won with brains, hard work, willpower, or intensity of desire.

But you’re different. You know what you want: USNA. There are five general skills you’ll have to learn over the next three years (if you don’t have them by the time applications go out, prior to senior year, it’ll be too late).

• How to solve problems
• How to manage your time
• How to prioritize
• How to get along with people
• How to think

Maybe you’re thinking, that’s easy. I do it every day. Or maybe you’re wondering: How do I make this happen? I can answer both: It’s not easy or everyone would do it. The only thing easy is the instructions for making it happen. (more…)

Can a high school freshman be goal-oriented?  Should they—or is this too early?  Though many deliberate, no one yet has invented a time machine to unring the proverbial bell. And high school requires the ringing of many academic, social and economic bells. Many future-shaping decisions become final based on these four years.

Zoe, like your sons and daughters, is thinking about which college she wants to attend. Some value just academics, and others academics and sports/fine arts/community service/a passionate involvement in something. Often contradictory, choices must be made early in the high school regarding ambitions, focus, and intents.

‘No goals’ means decisions are made for you. If you don’t commit yourself to “do” high school (work hard, take challenging classes, never never never give up even one extra-credit point on a test), then you have made a choice. It’s passive, but effective. Each time you make the decision to skip studying for one test, or make the decision to not put the extra time into one project, you shorten the height of your grasp on the future.  Too many compromises, and goals become dreams for someone ‘luckier’ than you. (more…)

If you want to join the military, you can do that by attending a four-year Service Academy or by enlisting. I discussed 11 ways to become a Navy Officer in an earlier article (click for link). Here, I’ll focus on the academics required to be accepted as an enlisted soldier or sailor.

Anyone interested in a non-four-year-degree entry into the military services must take the ASVAB– the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). It’s multiple choice test administered by United States Military Entrance Processing Command prior to enlistment. Areas of competence include: (more…)

This is a new Ask a Tech Teacher series on College and Career with a focus on military options. We’ll start with this how-to on becoming an officer and a gentleman:

As the economy gets worse, a career in the military looks better. They are the rare employer who accepts everyone qualified and doesn’t lay you off. Whether you enlist or become an officer is a personal choice. Each requires specific requirements, commitments and responsibilities. Each has its own unique skill set that either fits the prospective candidate or doesn’t. While the pay is greater, so is the stress and demands associated with the work. Me–I have a Navy Officer daughter and an Army enlisted Signal Corps son. Each picked the path that worked best for them.

If you’ve decided that you prefer the officer path to the enlisted, here are your options: (more…)