Any experiences with VMI?

[retiredHSmom]

My son wants a military experience for college and beyond.  He is planning on applying to USNA, West Point , Texas A&M and VA Tech.  I just scheduled a tour of VATech with the Corps of Cadets and their email confirmation mentioned VMI. I checked and they have an overnight visit planned that would perfectly follow our scheduled visit at VA Tech. We could roll right from one to the other.  So we scheduled a visit at VMI too.  Does anyone have a child who is going/went there?  Feedback on it?

[bibsandmegs]

You might also look into Norwich University.  They have a full military school with ROTC, etc.  I got my degree there and would be happy to answer any questions.  Sorry I don't know anything about VMI, but I know when I was in school, I heard they were all very similar (VMI, The Citadel, Norwich, etc.)

 

-Lisa

[creekland]

VT Corps of Cadets alum here and we did a couple of things on VMI's campus back in my day (eons ago).  I can say either will work just fine if he wants a military career.  The two schools are quite different, but overnights at each should let him know which one "feels" better for him.  Same thing with the Academies.  Norwich and The Citadel are other options as previously mentioned.  Texas A & M too if looking for more of a VT type experience (Corps within a large civilian U).

[Homeschoolmom3]

FWIW, my younger brother went and graduated about 6 yrs. ago and it was brutal.  He was not "into" a military academy but went for a scholarship playing ball.  :001_rolleyes:  Anyway, the one thing I can tell you is that after he graduated he had NO trouble getting a job. He had people at his door!  He majored in business and minored in psychology nothing special about that but it was because he graduated from VMI. 

[lllll]

nm

Edited March 2, 2017 by --Kathy--

[Faithr]

I think I know of someone (online friend for years) whose son is there now and who loves it.  

[AFwife Claire]

We have quite a few AF friends who are VMI grads.  I can say that all of them are phenomenal men, men of integrity, and excellent leaders.  I'm sure there are bad apples (there always are, human nature being what it is!), but in general, VMI produces excellent people and military officers.  

 

They also will pretty much all say that while it is an excellent place to be from, it can be a miserable place to be, lol.  It is tough, and I think kids need to really be prepared for that going in.  I think it can be more difficult, psychologically, than the military academies are *right now*, because it seems from what I've been reading/seeing that (some of) the academies have swung to the less intense end of the spectrum currently.  DS#1 got an appointment to VMI and turned it down because he couldn't see going there and paying for the privilege, lol.  (Also he thought the food was terrible, and that really made a strong negative impression, lol. He also did an overnight both at VT and at VMI.)) But a good friend of his from CAP (a female) is there at VMI right now, and she is thriving.

 

I think that visiting all the schools, but especially the military ones, is the best way to make sure what your son is getting into is really what he wants.  It takes a lot of internal motivation to make it through, and for some kids, it really isn't worth it.  

Edited February 26, 2017 by AFwife Claire