February 3, 2018

Building a Midshipman

by Jacqui Murray

The most dependable plan for getting into the United States Naval Academy anywhere

Summary

This is the true story of Maggie Schmidt, an All-American kid who dreamt of attending the Naval Academy when her research into the typical Midshipman uncovered a profile alarmingly like herself. This book describes her background and academic interests, her focus, as well as her struggle to put together a winning admissions package.

Long summary

You don’t have to be a miracle-worker to the 10% of applicants accepted to a military academy, but you do need a plan. For the thousands of students who apply every year–and slog through the numbing concatenation of decisions preceding a nomination–there is no greater discouragement than the likely event that they will fail.

This, though, is the Board’s peek into an applicant’s moral fiber and an important ingredient to the go/no-go decision. In the words of James Stockdale, USNA ’46 and Medal of Honor Winner: “The test of character is not ‘hanging in there’ when you expect a light at the end of the tunnel, but performance of duty and persistence of example when you know that no light is coming.”

Along the way, you gain insight into the moral fiber that grounds everything she does and the decisions she must make that some consider impossible for an adolescent, but are achievable for thousands of like-minded teens. This workbook walks you through the long process, provides checklists of everything required, decision making matrices, goal-setting exercises to determine if USNA is a good fit for you, and a mix of motivation and academic advice to balance a decision that rightfully might be the biggest one most teens have ever made.

Comments:

I stumbled upon Jacqui’s book about four years ago. My son showed interest in the military, having gone on a Coast Guard Academy visit with his older brother. We followed the book, set goals each year and followed the plan making positive changes as we went along. Fast forward, he is now a senior, received two nominations to the Naval Academy and his LOA. What we learned is to follow Jacqui’s plan, thoroughly pour over the website of the Academy, visit if possible and talk to other HS students in the area who have gone before them. Carefully look at the class profile, apply to Summer STEM and Summer Seminar. Start a resume freshman year and keep it current. It will help when applying to ensure you don’t forget things that are not on a HS transcript. In closing, I have to say, we can attribute my son’s success in his goal to become a Midshipmen because of Jacqui’s book. Go Navy!

Excellent guide

Purchased this for a young man considering the naval academy. It is a workbook to prep someone for the process. He liked it.

First off I need to say, this is a biography, BUT if you read it (all of it) it truly shows you how to prepare!! It’s spectacular and very motivating and very thorough! It really made the entire process very clear! I recommend to anyone that is striving for a prestige school!!

Absolute best guide to getting into USNA!

I bought the item as a gift and received rave reviews from the recipient’s parents. The book has a very detailed strategy and timeline for specific actions to increase the probability for entry into the academy.