Application Advice
If I were to give high school applicants advice when applying to the Academy, I would tell them to continue to be highly involved in their high school activities and schoolwork. The Academy is an extremely busy place and everyone has clubs and sports they are involved with, in addition to military and academic obligations. […]
Time Management
Being a cadet, student, and a collegiate athlete can be difficult to balance at times. In order to balance all of these, it requires intense planning, dedication, and persistence. Careful planning is necessary to meet all the deadlines required by the Academy. I always keep a detailed planner and write down every deadline I must […]
How to be Successful at the Coast Guard Academy
Because of how much structure there is in your schedule at the Coast Guard Academy, life for me at the Academy is just like high school…on steroids! Since you are a full-time college student, while also being a full-time member of the military, also most likely an athlete or musician of some sort, also someone […]
Post-Swab Summer Transition
As I made the transition from Swab Summer to the academic year, I realized that I needed to undergo a very significant mental shift of focus in order to be successful in a new environment. There was no longer a need to be on hyper alert to external stimuli like yelling from the cadre – […]
Football and Friends
Sports at the Academy is a large part of the cadet training process. I am a part of the football team and have found it to be one of my favorite things about the Academy. The stresses of the Academy can be cumulative at times and when I get to go to practice between 1600-1800 […]
Be a Bear!
Firstly, the Coast Guard Academy’s mission resonated with me. As an institution focused on serving the country, the Academy’s focus on leadership, teamwork, and service to others aligns with my values. I wanted to attend a college that not only provides me with an excellent education but also helps me grow as a person and […]
Furling
Reminiscing on my time as a swab, there is one instant I will never forget. During my time on Barque Eagle (a three-masted training ship), I was given one of the coolest opportunities and experiences of my life. For context, during our weeklong voyage from New London, CT to New York, the swabs including myself […]
Your Mindset in Swab Summer is Key!
Months before I reported to the Academy, I thought I had a clear understanding and image in my head of what Swab Summer was going to be like. I thought I knew how it was going to feel physically, mentally, and spiritually. Bad news though … I was wrong. Naturally, I was a ball of […]
Tips for Swab Summer
I feel like a lot of incoming swabs have a lot of questions that may not always be answered or can be difficult to find an answer to. Luckily, I have an older brother who went through the Academy and was able to answer all my questions. However, I recognize that not everyone has that […]
Swabs and Sailing – My Cadre Summer
Cadre Summer was a really exciting time for my class, marking the transition from being a follower and underclassman to a leader. Our summer started out with MCTC, Mid-grade Cadet Training Course, where we got to work with our cadre sections, learning about leadership theories as we developed our own leadership styles. We also had […]
