anyone familiar with UVA?

[Lori4629]

Now that our daughter is nearly 1/2 way through her 4c year @ Auburn, it's time to start working on our son's NROTC app. He's working on picking his top 3 schools and narrowing that 1st choice. He's interested in the U. of Virginia, but can't go visit right now. He emailed the unit there and got a response that didn't answer the 3 direct questions he posed. That is so frustrating to me! 

Anybody have a MID @ UVA and would like to answer a few questions??

[Lori4629]

I hope we can take him to visit this summer, but he'll already have submitted his picks (I know they can change-especially if they get picked up in an early BOR). In my perfect world he gets accepted to the USNA summer seminar & makes a stop off to visit UVA along the way. Of course, my perfect world has him being accepted @ USNA & then he won't need his top 5 ROTC schools. But...We really thought Texas A & M would be his perfect ROTC choice but after he visited he said, "no way, Jose!" I'd reeeeeaaaly like him to find a school offering room & board- or at least some good academic scholarships to help w/ what the Navy doesn't cover. UVA is 1 of only a few schools where he could minor in Arabic or Middle Eastern Studies but their website is crazy hard to find specific info re scholarships & such. It could cost us a large fortune to have him visit schools out west or up north. I hate to limit his choices this way but what's a mom to do? thanks, ladies!

[VTnavymom]

Our son was accepted to UVA and VT - first choice had been USNA also, but no - anyway, we visited both schools/NROTC units over Spring Break of his senior year. When we got to UVA, it was a beautiful day, so we walked around the campus - sun was shining, the white trim on the buildings was bright, there were co-eds lounging on the beautiful green lawns. We visited the unit and the LT there told J that they only had to wear uniforms once a week, PT was 3 days a week, they could live on or off campus, he could be in the marching band... all sounded great to J. (I had heard it was a party school, but never got first hand info.) Day two, we woke up in Blacksburg to a foggy, damp day. We drove through the campus, checked out the book store, and then started to head home. We stopped at an intersection and my husband asked J if he wanted to see anything else. He shrugged and said, well, I guess I should go by the unit and talk to someone there. So we did. The LT there at the time was amazing! (too bad he was transferred!) Told J about how the cadets all live together on campus (Corps of Cadets like Texas A&M) they wear uniforms almost every day, navy uniforms once a week, PT together, study together, etc. When J asked about the university marching band, the LT said they had the best marching band in the country as part of the Corps of Cadets - the regimental band. J also said he had wanted to go to Navy, and the LT said that he would be so much better off at Tech, where he would get a taste of the military lifestyle and spend some time with civilian students as well - a more rounded experience overall. One of the cadets took him around to show him a dorm room, the dining hall, etc. (That cadet ended up being a mentor to J, and a good friend.) J graduated in May, a year after most of his high school classmates, with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering plus a minor in music and another minor in leadership. He did really well at Tech and enjoyed his experience there. What about Texas A&M did your son object to?

[VTnavymom]

Oh, and they do offer Arabic classes at Tech (not sure if there's a minor or a major) and.... War Eagle! (class of 84 and 90!)

[Lori4629]

Beth,

Thanks for that info. He didn't care for the corps of cadets style @ Tx A&M. He saw upperclassmen tormenting the 4Cs while they were in civis and en route to classes and said he thought they were trying too hard to be like the Academy and he didn't want to put up with that unless he was actually @ the Academy. The corps dorms are old style too and he'd just been @ Auburn in his sister's 4 bedroom/ 2 bath, suite-style dorm. They just didn't leave him w/ a real good impression.

The UVa email sounded like they were too laid back and not military enough for his taste. He loves to wear his uniform and do PT (hence we thought Tx A&M). I know he wants to be able to go to football games & such, but he's not the 'party' crowd type. He's an early riser for morning PT, but likes to go to sleep by 10. That might explain his lack of enthusiasm for staying up until after midnight @ TAMU for 'midnight yell'. He'd like to play baseball or football if he can (again why we thought Tx A&M -LOL!).

[alabamaspitfire]

Lori,

I think the "feel" that you get from the email is huge, especially since the questions were not answered.  We had a similar situation with our son, and it was a major turnoff.  Sadly, we wasted time and money to visit this university (not UVA) and the feeling was still the same....something was just not right.  Our son felt like they did not have time for him, and it turned out that those feelings applied to several departments he visited.  That school got a no vote from him very quickly. 

 

One thing that led to him choosing his top schools was how he was responded to when he called the schools, the navy ROTC units, etc.  Looking back we realized that the schools that took the time to return phone calls, and took the time to answer all of his questions, etc, ended up ALSO being the ones with the most positive visits.  You might try phone calls from your son and from you if you have further questions. I will say, that schools where working adults answered the phone (and not students who were either working or volunteering) did 1000% better.  

So maybe start with some phone calls, and if you get consistantly bad gut feelings, your visit may be the same, and not worth the trip.  That held true for our son. 

Good luck with number two! 

Cyndi

[snpatrick]

Two of our sons went NROTC at UVA. Its the very best. Our daughter did not do NROTC but loved UVA. Charlottesville is great. So, a terrific NROTC unit and one of the best universities in the nation.

[alabamaspitfire]

UVA is a great school.  Our experience did not involve UVA.  My post is to point out the importance of initial contact with schools and how it is important to pay attention.  Some schools are great for some and not so great for others. 

[JB]

Another important thing to remember as those already w/ sons & daughters in NROTC units know is the Chain of Command changes. So if it's the good or not so great feeling you get from the LT or Unit that influences a decision...they'll be gone at some point w/in the 4 years of college. Also, don't look at the visits that turned out badly as a waste of time or $$. That's why you make the visit...to confirm and/or narrow the ultimate choice. If the son or daughter has a bad feeling and goes somewhere else & is happy...that trip to the other school was well worth it. it's about making an 'educated' choice! Hang in there & be patient...the student will find their way. It's just not as direct a route as we parents w/ the checkbook would always like. From a mom whose son coulda chosen USNA, did a year of NROTC, but wound up doing BDCP instead, Varsity distance swimmer, a part time life guard on campus, a double major w/ Honors, plus a minor AND the full support of the NROTC Captain, Unit & Mids. As an LTJG on his 2nd destroyer w/ 2 Deployments under his belt...he's happy w/ the way he did college. Trust me...as a parent it was stressful during those 5 years wondering how it would turn out. FYI...at the university my son decided to attend...they didn't answer the phone, nor return emails from the Unit. Turned out it was a budget thing & my son kept hitting them at the wrong time. When he visited...they were extremely helpful. Ultimately, the most important person at the Unit as the Command was turning over & Sean was switching to BDCP was the Admin Assistant. She is a constant and made sure that the in-coming Captain & LT understood the circumstances re my son. Stay positive and be patient...

[JB]

Oh yeah & by the way, for those of you w/ sons or daughters who wind up as SWOs...if you ever have the chance to go on a Tiger Cruise...GO! Just GO! Did my first one this past December as they were returning from Deployment. OMG! It was a blast. The opportunity to live on the ship for a few days (I would have stayed longer, but after 7 months, 'they' wanted to get home) and see your sailor in their 'natural habitat' is an incredible experience. I was put in an Enlisted berthing w/ 36 Sailors & 4 Tigers. Yes, it was cozy, but amazing. The LTJG in charge of the Tigers had a full slate of activities to keep us busy w/ tours & learning about the ship. I took over 1000 pix during the 3 days at sea. Can't wait for the next opportunity!