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Old 11-08-2007, 21:19 PM   #20 (permalink)
Shek
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Quote:
Originally Posted by S-2 View Post
Still, it would seem unusual to me that the expectations of young people choosing to attend U.S.M.A. would be so dramatically different in the intervening few years. Perhaps, but while the world may be different, the self-selection to a pathway as narrowly defined as West Point would suggest that these are very similar groups of young people sharing many common traits.
S-2,
The difference is huge. For many, the draw of a degree with West Point written on it without the expectation of deploying into a combat zone in the subsequent five years vs. the expectation that you WILL be deployed for 2-3 years of your 5 year commitment is a world of difference.

The quality of entering classes has remained high the past few years, but the depth of qualified candidates has shrunk, indicating that the war has weeded out a lot of potential applicants.
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