US Merchant Marine Academy?

Question

is it hard to get in? what do they look at ?

Answer 1

You'll need a "sponsor" to attend. That means you need to contact your local senator and see if they have already nominated their quota yet. Have your transcripts ready, a letter of why you want to attend the Academy, and a brief bio (no more than one page) that shows your strengths, academically and socially.

If you are unable to get accepted into the US MMA, you can always attend one of the State MMAs. They offer fully accredited degrees and do not have as many strings attached.

For example, if you "drop out" of the USMMA, you'll have to do some time in the US Navy to fulfill your obligation. Whereas if you attend a State Academy you don't have this requirement.

The downside to the state academies is that you have to pay your way, versus the free ride at the USMMA. This can be overcome with student loans, student work programs, etc.

The upside to the State Academies is that you can simply transfer to another university if you decide it's not for you, you will get (in many cases) a better "hands on" experience from them as a few of them have training ships that allow you to actually "do the work" instead of just sailing on a commercial ship, and the lifestyle is more like a regular university instead of a military academy.

If you have specific questions regarding the industry, feel free to ask at: [e-mail]