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Mon 13 Jul, 2015 08:49 pm
Please tell us why you are interested in attending the United States Coast Guard Academy and What expectations you have for your time as a cadet.
I am interested in attending the U.S. Coast Guard Academy because I want to train hard and become the best cadet I possibly can be. I am interested in helping others and serving in the Coast Guard. I want to sail on a cutter to travel the world. I expect to be a better individual and to gain more knowledge about my classes and more about the nautical sciences. Also, I want to go to school where I get a STEM based education and a school where I do not have to pay alot of tuition. Also, I want to save people and be a responsible shipmate for all of humanity. I also want to attend the United States Coast Guard Academy so after fourth class year, I can sail on the Barque Eagle. My expectations I have for my time there as a cadet at the Coast Guard Academy is get a preferable service selection on the “dream sheet’ and also learn more about the military bearings and learn more about the traditions and rituals of the Coast Guard Academy. I know about the coast guard academy because I researched it online and I found out I wanted to be apart of the Coast Guard Academy community. I did not do a recruit/mailing list for USCGA. The fact that a small percentage of applicants applying to the USCGA actually get admitted, does not deter me. I like Connecticut and the town of New London and the river beside it. The Northeast is for me.
Reflect back on your entire AIM experience. Discuss: expectations, future plans, what you liked/disliked, how were you challenged, leadership opportunities, and anything you learned.
During my AIM experience, the cadre pushed me to my limits and I really appreciated it. I learned a lot and the experience was worth the while even though I hated squaring meals I still did it and I will do it for my swab year. Also, I gained more leadership potential by taking charge and calling out important people (the cadets of USCGA) when necessary. I hated when I called a female cadre a male but I could not see the cadre very well (my glasses were off.) I feel the USCGA gave me a lot of opportunities that I could go here ( if I get accepted), but this will be a hard decision to make just because of the many options I have. Plus, I gained a lot of experience from this program, and this gave me a realistic approach (appeal) of Swab Summer and the USCGA. I enjoyed the intensity and the toughness of the cadre, because it feels like Swab Summer. The email came. It said, “ Coast Guard AIM. Come to us in July.” Then I say, “ What is the Coast Guard AIM? AIM stood for Academy Introduction Mission. I was like I will apply and try it out. Eventually later on in the middle of the application for AIM, I was like no, way, but then my guidance counselor (GC) already submitted my letter of recommendation for USCGA, so I could not back down, from the challenge. When I first arrived on campus, I was nervous, but it looked like a good school that I could make better with my diversity and enthusiasm. The cadre were amazing. The Coast Guard Academy is my primary choice for college right after high school because of its excellence in higher education. If accepted into the Academy, I expect the four years of being a cadet to be very rigorous and challenging. When I heard about the Coast Guard Academy, all I could think about was what I could do to increase my chances of getting in. I’ve constantly been on the Coast Guard Academy website going through things over and over again. I’ve been through the entire website countless of times learning things each and every time. During the summer, I had the privilege of being able to attend the AIM program and I can say it was worth the experience. At first it seemed very difficult because of the Cadres, but after getting to know each and every one of them, they turned out to be really amazing people and after just one week, I knew that the program had only made me want to attend the Academy even more. After coming back from AIM, I studied the bowsprit we were given, day and night memorizing everything in it. Ever since then, I’ve had the Mission of the United States Coast Guard Academy engraved in my heart and mind. After coming back from AIM, I also learned how very physically demanding it was.