I feel like I’m running out of things to say now. This is probably true, seeing as I received acceptance to my first choice in September, and I received official word of my Congressional nomination in January. Basically I’ve just been receiving bits of mail here and there regarding miscellaneous paperwork. The other day I was sent a pedometer in the mail and asked to participate in a study for the Department of Physical Education, which I probably will not do. Wearing and recording steps I’ve taken for 24 hours a day, every day until R-Day—no thank you.
Travel arrangements need to be rearranged due to the bankruptcy of SkyBus. All future flights with them have been cancelled, so I should probably make booking another flight a priority. If worse came to worse, I suppose we could drive to New York.
I found a few scholarships for which I am eligible, and I have been filling those out from time to time.
Lately I feel like I’m planning for the end of my life or something. I’m savoring the time I have left with my friends, helping plan for my going away party and selling my car the week before I leave. I guess life as I know it will soon change. The first time I’ll be home after leaving on June 29 will be Thanksgiving.
Katie
- return to top -
I was watching a special on helicopters on the Military Channel the other day, and I have become infatuated with the idea of flying a fighter helicopter, specifically the Apache. The ability to fly at night, the Terminator-like headgear and the sheer power of that machine is overwhelming.
At West Point, cadets don’t automatically become commissioned in their first choice of Army branch; it is competitive. Academic, physical and military grades will be averaged into a final GPA, and the students pick their top choices for branches. Depending on the needs of the Army at the time, some branches will accept a larger number of cadets than others, so not everyone gets their branches of choice. It just so happens that aviation is among the most competitive. Not to mention that even if I do qualify for aviation, I still have to attend flight school, and the most talented there get their first choices in helicopters. I don’t think I would enjoy flying a Chinook (a cargo helicopter that doesn’t even look like it should be able to remain airborne) just because I wasn’t at the top of my flight school. Along with agreeing to branch aviation, I believe the service requirement is also longer in the aviation branch since there is so much money invested in a single pilot. Regardless, it still appears to me a promising option.
Katie
- return to top -
I officially sent in my declination of admission to The Citadel and Tulane University. Unfortunately, that leaves me without a plan should anything happen between now and June 30 which would prevent me from attending the academy. However, I feel confident that nothing will stand in my way.
About a week ago, I was sent a CD to review all the majors and academic departments the USMA has to offer. As of now, I’m unsure of what my field of study will be. I’m leaning slightly toward chemical engineering with a possible minor in political science, but this is most definitely not set in stone. Furthermore, I haven’t narrowed down my choices to what branch of the Army I would like to enter post-West Point graduation. Army Corps of Engineers, Intelligence, Medical Corps, Aviation and Military Police are all options I am considering. As for which one I end up favoring, only time will tell.
Katie
- return to top -
I spoke with a representative from Tulane Army ROTC, and my scholarship was withdrawn. It is to be given to another student actually planning on attending Tulane. If I had any idea that I was holding $280,000 from someone else I would have given it up immediately. However, ROTC doesn't award their last round of scholarships until next month I believe, so if I change my mind between now and then I am still eligible to receive it again.
In the meantime, I've been looking around for scholarships. Although tuition is free and I'll receive a stipend at West Point, I have to cover the costs of uniforms, books, etc. with the stipend, so the actual "hard cash" I'll have to myself will be minimal. But because my tuition is covered, I'm having difficulties finding scholarships where I am eligible. I suppose that's not a horrible problem, but it's still slightly frustrating.
Last week my family and I booked a flight and rental car and made hotel reservations for the night before Reception Day, the day I report. It's odd planning for this day. It's always seemed so far away, and now I realize that it's not. It's just around the corner, and every day it's becoming more and more of a reality to me.
Katie
- return to top -
Since my last entry, I received my official appointments to both West Point and USAFA. I sent in my acceptance of the West Point appointment and declined the Air Force's. My relief from receiving my acceptances was short-lived, however. With the appointments came a plethora of paperwork, including (but not limited to) travel information, (more) medical information requests, a letter of permission to buy four pairs of boots on a military base, bank information (so I may receive a monthly stipend through direct deposit) and a criminal record form to be completed by the local police station. How foolish of me to think that my work was done.
Also, with my appointments came the date of my departure. R-Day, which is short for Reception Day, is set for June 30. This day is meant to be complete culture shock, the day where you transition from civilian to soldier. It’s not uncommon for it to be the worst day for many. I'll have three weeks after the date I graduate to enjoy summer, and then the rest will be spent in Beast, which is the nickname for basic training at West Point.
Katie
- return to top -
I have a lot to report since my last entry. I had my interview with Senator Sherrod Brown's three-man panel at the end of December. This interview resembled my second in the sense that it was somewhat casual. By the time I sat down and began responding to the first questions, my butterflies had completely dissipated. In fifteen minutes the session had concluded, and I spent the next three hours driving home. It seems odd how much time, effort and money went into these interviews, interviews that lasted half an hour at most.
Right before Christmas, I received a letter in the mail announcing my nomination from Representative Jim Jordan, the second interview. Rushing around later that week, I answered my home phone to, "Hello, may I speak to Katherine Miller?" I knew who it was immediately. It was the Congressman. He informed me that I had been awarded nominations for both service academies and that I should be receiving the official appointments in the mail any day now. So here I wait.
Meanwhile, a four-year ROTC scholarship offer came in the mail from Boston University a few days ago. I've never had to turn down a full ride. And let me assure you, it feels horrible. It makes me feel disrespectful that someone put enough time and energy into convincing the Army to pay for my education, and then I so thoughtlessly turned it down. But I suppose I just have to choose what's right for me.
Katie
- return to top -
I have nothing new to report as far as college applications go. But this past Saturday, I had my second congressional interview with Representative Jim Jordan's panel. The senatorial interviews involve all the service academy applicants in the state, whereas the representative interview only deals with applicants in my congressional district. So the pool of candidates is much smaller and less competitive, which was probably the reason my nerves were calmed slightly. That and the fact that I knew what to expect.
Well, I thought I did. As I was waiting in the candidates' lounge, a man approached me about a half an hour before I was scheduled be interviewed. He informed me that I was to prepare an introductory speech to present to the panel. It could be about anything I wanted and for however long I pleased. This set off my nerves a bit, but I mentally prepared a few points in my head that I wanted to present. It wasn't until my mom took away my water bottle (I guess I drink lots of water when under stress) that I realized how nervous I was. I took a few deep breaths to slow my pulse, and then I was escorted to the conference room.
Inside, eight tables were arranged in a square, and four people were sitting on each of the three sides. This was a 12 person panel. Wow, I definitely wasn't expecting that. On the fourth side of the table was a lonely blue chair. That was my side of the square and that was my blue chair. I chose to stand when introducing myself in order to appear a little more professional and a little more confident. Because I had to memorize my speech, I kept it simple. I told them my three reasons for wanting to go to West Point. I highlighted the fact that I felt I had a duty and that the Army would be a perfect match for my interests. But, I think it was my quote from General MacArthur that impressed them the most. It explained the lifestyle that I wanted to enter upon attending USMA.
"Duty-Honor-Country. These three words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be." I knew from there that the interview would go smoothly. I could feel that my posture, eye contact and hand gestures were good. And although I could feel my heart pounding in my throat, I felt confident in my ability to present myself well in the next half hour.
Katie
- return to top -
This past Saturday I had my congressional interview in Columbus, which was conducted by a panel of people appointed by Senator Voinovich. I arrived around 4:10 or 4:15 pm, roughly half an hour before the interview was scheduled to begin. I had to buzz the front desk to let me in the initially locked doors. Inside, the suited man at the front desk led me across the marble floor and escorted me to the third floor.
When I walked into the waiting room, I noticed that there were two other boys dressed very professionally. I thought I would be overdressed in a blouse, blazer, dress pants, and loafers, but I was most definitely not. My attire was simply appropriate for the occasion. Unfortunately, interviews were running about 45 minutes behind, so I had another hour before I was to be called. In that hour, my stomach was absolutely miserable. Before a sporting event I may get the occasional flittering of butterflies but this was so much worse. The uncomfortable tension in my abdomen was relentless. My hands were cold and wet with perspiration, and I felt like I had swallowed a handful of cotton because my mouth and throat were so dry. After the waiting room had dwindled down to only my father, my aunt, and me, my name was finally called. An older gentleman led me to a small room with a conference table and three other men seated around it. I introduced myself and shook hands with each in turn.
As far as the actual interview goes, I don't really remember a whole lot about it. I can recall a few of the general questions that were asked, but the entire thing was a flash in time to me (which I’ve heard is not uncommon in stressful situations). Twenty-five minutes later, I exited the room to meet my family. They smiled as if to ask, "How did it go?" Not feeling like talking anymore, I shrugged my shoulders to honestly imply, "I have no idea." My head was pounding, and I wouldn't have been surprised if I had gotten sick right then and there.
It's a good thing I have two more chances to get a nomination. My next interviews are in December. At the very least, from my first interview I have gained a better idea of what to expect from the two more to come.
Katie
- return to top -
Last week I was finally qualified medically for USMA/USAFA/ROTC. I was fully expecting to be disqualified because of foot problems I've had in the past, which would mean I would have to apply for a waiver to each school. Fortunately, I was just "straight-up" cleared and don't have to worry about that. My teacher evaluation was filled out and received by West Point this week as well, so my application is only missing the Congressional nomination.
This Saturday, I'll meet with a panel of Senator Voinovich's and undergo an interview. Some panels conduct a really laid back interview while others may have a candidate think on his/her feet. I've heard of the panel quizzing on current events knowledge and putting candidates on the spot by asking questions like, "What would you do if one of your soldiers was killed during battle?" To prepare for the possible current events questioning, I'm meeting with my American Political Systems teacher after school one day this week to review what may come up. In addition, I went shopping for a nice blazer last weekend. Talking to my local liaison, she advised that I dress very professional because many girls go into the interviews revealing too much skin, which may be acceptable for some formal occasions but not this one. Finally, in the past few weeks I've become very aware of grammar mistakes I make when speaking. When talking to my friends, I tend to end sentences with prepositions and throw around "good" in instances when "well" should have been used. Although it's hard to break oral habits, I've been making a conscious effort to improve, and I am thus far satisfied with my progress.
On a different Army note, I accepted the 4 year scholarship to Tulane. I signed an agreement that basically said that should I choose to enroll at Tulane University come next fall, I will be accepting the ROTC scholarship (and not the 20K/year offered to me by the school itself). Should I decide over the next few months that a service academy is not the path I wish to take, I have another school waiting to give me an education free of cost. And that, my friends, is a very comforting thought.
The SAT and ACT are coming up this winter, and I was unsure at first if I wanted to retake them. I'm not happy with my scores, but I've already gotten into my first choice college. I decided not to waste the time and money for the pride of getting a higher score.
Katie
- return to top -
So it took me a few weeks, but today I finally got hold of another teacher evaluation sheet. It's odd really, asking a teacher to write me a letter of recommendation when I've already gotten into West Point. But I'm not complaining. It was actually starting to worry me that it took so long to obtain another evaluation sheet since my letter of acceptance (LOA) could have been withdrawn if I didn't complete the application within another month.
On that same note, I received my letter of acceptance to the U.S. Air Force Academy today as well. To summarize, that means I've been accepted to four colleges (USAFA, USMA, The Citadel, and Tulane University). Tulane actually submitted my name already to the Army for the 4-year ROTC scholarship, and the actual university offered me a considerable academic scholarship. However, I would not be able to take both scholarships – it’s one or the other.
As far as becoming medically qualified goes, the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB) is painfully slow. I've been sent forms called "remedials" that request more medical information in order to help them render a decision of whether or not I am qualified. After sending the requested materials, they decided that they still did not have enough information and are requiring me to send more. Little things such as being knocked out by a softball sophomore year and having a history of plantar warts are of great interest and concern to DoDMERB. And keep in mind that everything is done through the mail. Ugh. Maybe I'm a typical technology-dependent teenager, but sending papers via the postal service seems so obsolete nowadays.
Katie
- return to top -
Good news for this month. I received an LOA (Letter of Assurance) from West Point about a week ago! In short, that means I have USMA's stamp of approval, but I still need to get a medical and congressional stamp as well. The funny thing is that they hadn't even received all my application materials on the date they sent out my acceptance letter. But from what I hear, this is not uncommon. Nevertheless, it was still a huge surprise for me to come home to a "Congratulations!" at the end of September.
The LOA informed me that I have two months to send in all the missing materials. I sent them all in, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say one of my teacher evaluations was lost in the mail. Instead of just being able to print off a copy online or have another copy mailed to me, I have to contact an officer assigned to my region of the country to obtain another. It's a bit of a hassle really, but it's a good trade off for having the huge burden of awaiting the college decision lifted off me so early on in the year.
As far as school goes, I'll be honest and say that senior year definitely carries the largest workload. Last year my classes worked out in such a way that I didn't have lunch twice or study hall twice a week. Too avoid that same fate, I decided not take a few electives in order to have study hall and lunch everyday. As it turns out, the homework of AP chemistry and (what should be at the honors level) physics easily fills my study hall and lunch periods easily. So what I thought would be a mildly relaxing year is just the opposite in all reality.
I don't know if I stated this in past entries, but I applied for an Army ROTC scholarship a few months ago. My application must have just been sent out to all the schools I requested because I'm getting phone calls from multiple colleges regarding four year scholarships. Tulane, who talked to my mother while I was at cross country practice, went so far as to offer me the full ride as long as I pass a medical examination and physical fitness test. Needless to say, I was ecstatic despite the fact that my first choice remains the United States Military Academy. It's very reassuring to know that I probably won't have to pay for college.
Katie
- return to top -
I actually started my college application experience for West Point and the United States Air Force Academy back in December of 2006 when I applied to both of their Summer Leadership Seminars. I was accepted to and attended both of them this past June. The SLS program allowed me to spend one week at each of the academies, interact with the cadets and gain a perspective of what life was like at these unusual colleges. Needless to say, I loved it. And it is definitely a "foot in the door" when it comes to getting in.
For the actual application, the requirements of the three main service academies require me to be medically qualified, nominated by a member of Congress, be in good physical condition and then be academically accepted in order to enroll.
Returning home from the Summer Seminars, DoDMERB (Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board) had sent me a letter requesting that I receive a vision, hearing, and general physical. I scheduled the exams, attended them, and followed up to make sure the review board received them. As it turned out, one of the physical forms was lost in the mail, delaying the process for about a month and I am still waiting on a qualification decision. Many "candidates", as they call us, are rejected from the academies for various medical conditions. Of course those with obvious impairing disorders will inevitably be disqualified, but some those will minor medical conditions such as asthma or in my case plantar warts could face the same disappointing fate. I will most certainly be keeping you updated on this.
The Congressional nomination process started back in March when I wrote to my two state Senators, Representative, and the Vice President requesting to be considered for their appointments. Later that spring I was mailed application packets which asked for general and personal information, a wallet size picture of myself, 2-3 letters of recommendation, high school transcripts, senior year schedule and several essays. In short, it was just like applying to college multiple times. Since the due date for all materials is October, I jumped on these during summer. I called each Congressional office to verify that they had indeed received a completed file from me, and sure enough they had. So right now I am simply waiting to hear back from each of the Congressmen to schedule an interview in November. I will know of my nomination status around December.
Physically, all applicants must pass the CFA (Candidate Fitness Assessment - oh how the military loves acronyms) and submit it to the academies. This includes in order: a kneeling basketball throw, pull-ups, shuttle runs, sit-ups, push-ups and a mile run. All the SLS kids had an opportunity to take this at each academy, but I was not satisfied with my scores from either. I went to the seminars after being on crutches for three months, so I was not in the best of shape and the thin air of Colorado Springs most certainly did not help. To train quickly in a short amount of time, I joined the cross country team. Best decision of my life. When I retook the CFA come September I threw the basketball 49 feet, did 3 pull ups, ran a 120 foot shuttle run in 9.4 seconds, completed 83 sit-ups in two minutes, gave 50 push-ups in two minutes and ran a 6:50 mile. Cross country helped me improve in each of these areas, even push-ups. I am confident that I passed the CFA.
And finally there is the traditional college application for both USAFA and USMA. The Air Force Academy, being as technologically advanced as they are, has the entire process online. Shortly after, I sent my hardcopy application to West Point in the mail. Since all the service academies accept on a rolling admissions basis, it was important that I sent those completed forms in as soon as possible. And now I am again just waiting for a decision. (Are you sensing the common theme here?)
As for other military colleges, I applied to The Citadel of Charleston, South Carolina during mid-August and received word of academic acceptance the first week of September. All of the cadets there are required to participate in an ROTC program of their choice and may or may not be required to serve a commitment to the military post-graduation. The Citadel just started accepting women in 1996 and they haven't been, by reputation, the best at appreciating diversity. This causes slight concern for me. However, I believe it is a work in progress and I am keeping an open mind when it comes to my back-up plans.
I have a few other college applications in the works via the common application. But I'll save some of that for next month.
Katie
- return to top -
Hey there! My name is Katie and just like everyone else my age, I'm your typical super-busy, super-stressed teenager. And also like everyone else, I am undergoing the infamously painful college application process. I've actually already jumped onto The Common Application and applied to a few schools, but I'll talk about that in my next entry. =)
Some background information. I live in the small city of Findlay, Ohio. It's one of those towns that parents look for to "settle down" in, but it's a not exactly a teenager's dream. On the up side, it is, using slang terms, exceptionally clean. There are no ghettos. The crime rate is relatively low. But on the down side, there is little to do for recreation and entertainment. Oh, a fun fact about Findlay, Ohio is that we were recently featured on CNN and FOX News for our severe flooding disaster at the end of August. The losses were unbelievable, but I was fortunate enough not to be affected nearly as badly as many of the other residents here. The only setback for me was that the first day of school was pushed back from September 4 to September 10 because of the damage inflicted on some of city schools.
My household consists of my mother Lisa and my twin brother Thomas. My father Bob also lives in town, as well as my older sister Elizabeth and her daughter (my niece!) Isabella. Everyone in the family has played a sport at one time or another in their lives and I am no exception. I've participated in high school soccer and basketball at a junior varsity level and softball, golf, and cross country at the varsity level. Although I float around from sport to sport as you can see, softball has definitely been my focus the past few years. I hope to continue on to be a three year letter winner and two year captain by the end of this coming season.
As far as academics go, I'm a bit of a science nerd. (There, I admitted it.) My favorite class of all time would have to be AP Biology and this year I'll be taking AP Chemistry to complement that. In general, I actually enjoy school. I love learning and broadening my intellectual horizons every single day. And the social aspect of school only makes the experience that much richer. I'm involved in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Junior Classical League Latin Honor Society, Junior Scholars and Honors Career Mentorship (where I shadowed in a genetics clinic in a Toledo hospital).
Outside of school I am the Vice President of The Mayor's Teen Advisory Council and a Youth Board Representative for Hancock Youth Leadership, a program designed to develop potential leaders around the county. In addition, I used to be somewhat of a workaholic but I've toned that down for my senior year. This freed up a lot of time for volunteer work this summer, which I also take part in. I would have to say that the highlight of my summer though was attending the United States Air Force Academy's Summer Leaders Seminar and then West Point's Summer Leaders Seminar. Both of the programs were designed to help prospective candidates get a better idea of what the service academies were about.
It is with utmost certainty that I declare the United States Military Academy my absolute, without a doubt, hands down first choice for college.
West Point is an undergraduate school, but it also very much the Army. Cadets must complete military training in the summer prior to every academic year and then attend the school in a strict military environment. Also, a five year active duty and three year reserve commitment is required post-graduation. To put it simply, it's designed to build leaders with character in preparation for the military and it does exactly that.
And it's not easy to get in. The application process with any service academy is extensive. Not only must I fill out the application (complete with transcript requests, teacher recommendations, activity lists and essays), but I also have to pass a physical fitness test, undergo an in-depth physical and acquire a nomination from a member of Congress, which is remarkably like applying to college all over again. People get rejected for all kinds of reasons, such as poor performance on the fitness assessment, low ACT/SAT scores (the average is around a 29/1300), medical conditions such as asthma and even poor character.
So as you can see, my journey has just begun. I look forward to keeping you updated on my progress and sharing my college application experiences via Eye on Apply.
Katherine
- return to top -
Quick Facts
