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I Waited…and Waited…and Waited

(Choosing the Coast Guard Academy, Class of 2013) Permanent link All Posts

As many of you read this blog and contemplate whether or not to attend the Academy or go to another university, I thought I would tell you how I came to choose the CGA.

I did not apply to the CGA until second semester of senior year and I had already been accepted to all of the colleges I had applied to. While randomly surfing the internet one day looking at college rankings and various programs, I stumbled across the CGA’s website. I had always been intrigued by military academies and admired their programs and envied the people who received appointments to attend such prestigious universities, but realized that it was too late to apply for any type of nomination, which subsequently ended the dream of attending most military academies. However, I was thrilled when I realized that the CGA did not require a congressional nomination and that, even though it was way past the deadline for early admission, I could still submit an application and see whether or not I could harness what appointments were left to the class of 2013.

I quickly filled out the preliminary application and after a few very stressful weeks of turning in and mailing off various recommendation letters from my counselors and teachers in order to meet the final deadline, I began the never-ending wait to hear back on whether I had been accepted or rejected. And so I waited….and waited…and waited…and waited.

After waiting and religiously checking the mailbox several times a day for over a month, I continued on with my original plan of attending the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin (a very good program) and subsequently enrolled as a student, paid my initial dorm and registration fees, and began the process to enroll in orientation.

However, after finalizing more paperwork for UT early one Saturday morning in April, my admissions packet containing my full appointment to the CGA arrived on my doorstep. From the moment the package landed at front of my door, I pretty much knew that I would accept the appointment and enroll at the Academy. Even though the opportunity to attend one of the best business schools in the country was very tempting, the lure and prestige of the CGA eventually drew me in. The initial decision to rule out UT and come here was not easy, but I can honestly say that attending the CGA has been the best decision of my life.

I am sure that many of you reading this blog are in the same situation that I was in and must choose between the Academy and other really prestigious programs and universities. However, I can tell you that had I chose another school, I would not have had the opportunity to travel to amazing places, meet and talk to people like Janet Napolitano and Joe Lieberman, cruise from Seattle to Honolulu on USCGC Healy, or ride out a hurricane on USCGC Eagle. I have made so many good friends here at the Academy, and I would not trade the experience I have received here for any full ride to any other university.

More about Brandi.

Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/14/2012 10:58 AM