College Review:
United States Coast Guard Academy
Written by Stephanie Danning
New London, CT: What would you think about trading your college
experience for something unique? That is what I was looking for, and I figured
there is nothing more unique than attending a service academy. That is why
the United States Coast Guard Academy is my top choice and the first school I
visited.
Believe it or not, the USCGA has nearly 1,000 cadets (students). In addition to
the four-year college, the campus houses the Officer Candidate School for men
and women who already have a college degree and wish to become
commissioned officers.
USCGA is a small school, and is extremely challenging. After four years, a
student is expected to graduate with a degree in the sciences. This is
considered especially hard today because it usually takes five years to earn an
engineering degree, while USCGA students finish in four. Although the school
is challenging, the teachers will help after class.
In addition to stringent academics, cadets are required to participate in a sport.
This may seem like a drag to many, especially if you do not like sports, but the