United States Naval Academy Report

AVID Period 6
Mrs. Jara
26 September 2016

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Anna Swartz
AVID Period 6
Mrs. Jara
26 September 2016
United States Naval Academy Report
The United States Naval Academy is a unique academy where only the most
committed and hard-working individuals can thrive. Four years at the Naval Academy
will change the student from a civilian into a professional officer serving in either the
Marine Corps or the Navy; leading the future of the United States Military. All
midshipmen that attend the United States Naval Academy are on active duty in the United
States Navy. I have chosen to research this college because I have always wanted to join
the military, and the Marine Corps and Navy have always stood out to me. I have always
had extreme respect for those in uniform and ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to
make a difference in the world by helping our country. What better way to make an
impact by joining the military and becoming a commanding officer myself? My uncle
was in the USMC and my father trained for the Army, so both of them are ones who
really inspired me to look into the Naval Academy as an option. The Naval Academy is
an advanced school that only accepts the most daring, hard-working, and highly
recommended individuals that are willing to serve our United States of America.
Since the Naval Academy is a military academy, the tuition is paid for entirely by
the Navy. All midshipmen that attend the United States Naval Academy are considered
to be on active duty in the United States Navy. On top of the free room and board, full
ride tuition, and other benefits, a midshipmans base monthly salary is $1,027.20.

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(USNA) However out of that money, the cost of laundry, the cobbler, activity fees, and
fees of the like, a midshipmans pay per month is about $100. In exchange for the tuition
at the school, you are expected to actively serve for five years in either the Marine Corps
or the Navy after graduation as an officer. The United States Naval Academy is not a
simple school to get into, as only eight percent of applicants are admitted each year.
(Niche) In order to be considered for a spot in the Naval Academy, you must receive a
nomination from the Congressman in charge of your state, plus submit a physical
assessment to determine whether you are physically ready to attend the academy. Since
the acceptance rate is so miniscule, the faculty to student ratio is approximately eight to
one, and 69.5% of the time; all classes have fewer than 20 students. (USNA) All
midshipmen that attend the Naval Academy are required to live on the grounds.
Midshipmen eat, sleep, drill, play, and compete with their brigade throughout their time
at the academy. A total of twenty-five majors are offered on campus, and there are no
online classes available because everyone lives on campus. Midshipmen graduate with a
Bachelor in Science, regardless of their major. The Nimitz Library on campus is open to
all midshipmen, residents of the community, and authorized researchers. The United
States Naval Academy has no student union on campus nor is there individual colleges on
campus for different majors.
The United States Naval Academy does not release a campus security report to
the public. Their campus is closed to the general public unless valid identification, such
as a driver's license, is given. The United States Naval Academy also has its own police,
the Navy police, that patrol the area. There is also no student affirmative action or EOP
programs within the Naval Academy. At the Naval Academy campus, there are no career

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planning centers on campus- however there are counseling services available; however,
summers at the academy are made for you to explore career choices. Scholarships are not
available at the Naval Academy because tuition is already paid in full by the Navy.
Along with a fully paid tuition, the Navy pays for health, dental care, and other benefits.
Some of the services for health on campus include orthopedic medicine, podiatry, and
physical therapy. (USNA)
Student life at the United States Naval Academy is much different than the life at
a normal civilian college. All midshipmen are required to live on campus and share a
room with people from their brigade. Midshipmen, regardless of rank and gender, live in
Bancroft Hall, a large dormitory complex. Since all Midshipmen live in the same
complex, both they and their roommates live close to about 150 other midshipmen within
their company. (USNA) All midshipmen must abide by the schedule of sleeping at
midnight and rising in the morning at 6:30. Between those set times, there is set meal
times, class times, and free time for extracurriculars and sports. As a midshipman, the
restraints on your time are great, so you must learn to plan out your life accordingly.
Since all midshipmen live on the campus of the Naval Academy, they are only
permitted to leave campus during specific times. Some of these allotted times include
thanksgiving, end-of-semester leave, and couple short breaks over the spring and
summer. As for the weekends, plebes (freshmen) can have town liberty on Saturdays
from noon to midnight and yard liberty within the Naval Academy on Sundays. (USNA)
After freshman year in the Naval Academy, some overnight weekends are granted as well
as some more town liberties on the weekends- based off class weekends. (USNA) During
the weekends, midshipmen can travel to the movie theater through an eleven to twenty-

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five-minute bus ride, or tour around the city of Annapolis. Along with weekend
privileges, there are a variety of clubs offered on campus. Some of my favorites include;
the Combat Arms Team, the Cannoneers, the Semper Fidelis Society, the Silent Drill
Team, and the Special Operations Team. Every day, midshipmen meet in their clubs,
have free time, and compete in athletics from 3:45-6:00 p.m.
Summer training is also mandatory for all midshipmen, regardless of rank and
class. Third class summer involves cruising onboard a surface ship or submarine and
becoming part of the crew, participating in operations, drills, and watches. (USNA)
Second class summer is when you complete Professional Training of Midshipmen
(PROTRAMID), which is a program that introduces you to the missions, equipment, and
the people of the Navy and Marine Corps. Over second class summer, you fly in a Navy
aircraft, dive in a submarine, drive ships, and participate in Marine Corps combat
training. (USNA) First class summer, the final summer at the Naval Academy, gives the
midshipmen the opportunity to act as a division officer in training. Warfare cruise
options includes surface, submarine, aviation, Special Warfare (SEAL), Explosive
Ordinance Disposal (EOD), and Marine Corps training (Leatherneck and Marine AirGround Force). This summer is designed in order to help you decide on the role you
prefer to be playing in the warfare community before your final fall semester at the Naval
Academy. (USNA)
At the United States Naval Academy, athletics and sports are an important part of
student life and culture. Sports offered on campus include the normal sports offered at
civilian colleges- such as football, soccer, and track and field events. However, there are
co-ed sports as well as club sports offered at the Naval Academy. Co-ed sports that are

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offered at the Naval Academy include the rifle team and sailing teams. Club sports
include boxing, co-ed judo, co-ed powerlifting, pistol, and more. None of the students at
the Naval Academy receive a scholarship from athletics since a full ride scholarship is
already given to the applicants.
The United States Naval Academy is overall a unique school guaranteed to give
the daring student a chance to become the best of the best. By attending the Naval
Academy, a student will learn the moral values of compassion, character, and
competence. The academy will also teach midshipmen the core values of the military, as
well as useful life skills- they even have an Honor Concept stating their guidelines for
midshipmen: Midshipmen are persons of integrity: They stand for that which is right.
They tell the truth and ensure that the truth is known. They do not lie. They embrace
fairness in all actions. They ensure that work submitted as their own is their own, and
that assistance received from any source is authorized and properly documented. They
do not cheat. They respect the property of others and ensure that others are able to
benefit from the use of their own property. They do not steal. (USNA) As their mission
statement says, their goal is: To develop Midshipmen morally, mentally and physically
and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate
leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future
development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command,
citizenship and government. (USNA) After the four mandatory years on active duty at
the Naval Academy, midshipmen serve in the United States Navy or the United States
Marine Corps as officers, a useful application of all their hard work during their time in
the Naval Academy. After graduating from the Naval Academy, midshipmen will receive

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a Bachelor in Sciences degree and have a guaranteed job as an officer for at least the next
five years. However, life at the Naval Academy is demanding and not for the faint of
heart; you may not leave campus at your own leisure, there are limited breaks, and your
days follow a strict routine. Attending an academy such as this one is something that not
just any normal student is capable of- so one should think wisely before taking on the
challenge.

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Works Cited
Explore United States Naval Academy." Niche. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
"How Does Naval Academy Rank Among America's Best Colleges?" United States
Naval Academy. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
"U.S. Naval Academy." About USNA. U.S. Navy, n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.