Wow I'm really happy I was just offered and accepted admitance to the USMMA at Kings Point in NY. This is one of 5 military academies in the US. This has been years in the waiting and all year I've been stressing over whether I would get in or not.

This education is worth $200,000+ and I will be able to serve my country after I graduate.

www.usmma.edu

Congrads!! I had wanted to go either there or the Coast Guard accadamy when I was younger, but got into drinking and drugs instead. (bad frigging choice)
Still regret it in a way 20+years later. (I did end up getting my US Merchant Marine Officer License though about 10 years ago)

my brother is about a milimeter from getting in there too. congrats

Congrats!!

congrats my friends brother graduated from their not to long ago, he said it sucked that you had to do drilla and all that but now he works on tankers up in alaska and get to sit at home on his lazy *** for four months at a time and still get paid for it.

Congratulations! If you have any questions, feel free to ask away (I'm a 2009 Mid at KP).

Anyways, cherish these next two months because they'll go by fast. . . trust me.

Merchant marine, huh? What'll you be doing when you get out?

Most likely a job in the Maritime Transportation Industry although it really depends on what I major in and decide on doing. Also if I go into the Military or not after graduation.

I would stay out of the military after graduating from that school. If you're doing what I think you're doing, you'll be making about eleventy billion times than I do. And I'm enlisted. Just don't plan on having a relationship for awhile...

That's no joke right there.

They just sent me a huge packet of stuff in the mail...but I don't really wanna go that far away. I'm probably just gonna attend MSU which is 2 hours away.

Man eff MSU. Go to the Academy. You'll thank yourself down the road. If they sent you all that crap, they probably want you to attend. Do it. If you don't, I'll burn your house down.

I just got the packet....and if they wanted me to attend, I don't think they would have sent it after they suggest doing a ton of the stuff in like March/April, according to their time line to apply.

Regardless, I do know what I want to do, just not where I want to go because of some committments/obligations.

Congratulations Benbenben, what a great opportunity. I spent six years working for our Uncle's Canoe Club and spent all of them at sea on Military Sealift Command vessels. These are ships owned by the Navy, but operated by Merchant Mariners.
Most of these ships are painted white and carry no weapons, so others tend not to shoot at them. They have all the comforts of home; none of this USN three guys to a rack BS. The ship's officers have a sweet deal. While underway (this is from back in mid 70's) they stood one 8 hour watch a day (or night).
I remember one cruise where we visited Rota, Spain; Newcastle, England; Rekjavik, Iceland; Bergen, Norway; and Lisbon, Portugal; all in about 2 months. Because these are not military ships, they can dock in civilian ports, which are usually much nicer, easier to get in and out of, and generally lead to more fun.
I suggest that you check out http://www.msc.navy.mil/ for more info.

One other point -- at some time you will have to choose between Deck and Engineering. Mostly this means the Deck officers stand up on the bridge and tell the helmsman when to change course, they do the navigation, and, when in port, supervise on and off loading of cargo and equipment. They also tend to get wet and cold a lot. Engineering officers sit down in Engineering and drink a lot of coffee. When something breaks, they get it fixed. I knew a Third Assistant Engineer who figured out this other guy broke everything he touched, so he just followed him around the fleet. He stood his 8 hour watch, then spent 8 hours working on broken equipment. He made over $150k in one year, back in 1973!

The only downside is that it is really hard to have a family and this career. Most guys who make this work don't get married until later in life when they have enough seniority and salary that they can take a few months off every year to spend with their families.

Even if you don't make a career out of it, it's a great way to see a lot of the world and experience some foreign cultures, and get paid while doing it!

Best of Luck!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!