What Makes Military School Different

How is Military School Different?

Military schools have earned the reputation of being places to send adolescents who were having problems at home or in school. It was widely believed that the structure and discipline prevalent at military boarding schools or military day schools would help any young person experiencing difficulties at traditional schools. Today, more students and parents are choosing military education for the exceptional education received in these schools, along with the characteristics of instilling extra values like discipline, honor and cooperation.

Turning Young People Into Future Leaders

Today military institutions are regarded as places to develop young people into citizens who have great character. They also develop traits like outstanding leadership skills. While military schools were traditionally a place to send kids who were having trouble, today they are so much more.

Many military school students find that the experience broadens their learning opportunities and their skills. For many, it’s their first time being away from home for an extended period. Still others find that adhering to a strict, regimented routine helps them to stay more focused on their studies. With other very good students around them who are focused on getting a good education and achieving high grades, this inspires them to do the same. Positive peer pressure is one exceptional benefit of a military education.

Routines And Great Expectations Come Standard

An important part of military school education is expectations that are placed on students. For many, they are expected to keep a clean room, have exceptional personal cleanliness, earn good grades in classes and to take part in physical activities. This leaves little time for things like hanging out with friends or playing video games. For many students and parents, this is seen as a good thing.

Structure and focus are important for fostering an environment rich in qualities that help students to develop into the leaders they know they can become. Military cadets are expected to keep their shoes shining and to take exceptional care of their clothing. Sloppiness has no place in a great military education. Many students find this to be difficult to adjust to. Once they’ve successfully adjusted, they find that it is a wonderfully organized way of life that helps them achieve more.

An Exceptional Focus On Academics

Many students in military academies find that for the first time they are expected to devote a certain amount of time every day to studies and academics. The idea of scholarly achievement is instilled in them in a way that most traditional schools cannot accomplish. Once great study habits are developed, these habits become second nature to students. Feelings students may have had previously that they are somehow entitled to good grades fall by the wayside once they realize that scholastic achievements must be earned.

Some military schools also feature special training like drill training. This helps to foster the skills of cooperation and teamwork. These skills are so important in good leaders. There is also a great emphasis on recognizing and praising good achievements, which helps create a drive in students to continue to do well in school. In addition to rewarding accomplishments, students also experience punishment if standards are not followed and rules are not adhered to. This balance between reward and punishment helps to create a well-rounded and a more disciplined person.

Military Academies Foster Honor And Integrity

The majority of students who have gone through military school graduate knowing what it is to be a person of honor and integrity. They understand the importance of following through on something they have promised to do. They have learned how to make it through when they have experienced failure and they have developed good coping skills. They learn respect for themselves and for other cadets and for their leaders.

These skills are all so important in developing young people who know that they are the ones who are responsible for their success or failure in life. They have come to gain a knowledge, many times well beyond their years, of the things that are required to experience success. The friendships they have made, companionship and camaraderie among fellow students becomes a very important thing that is cherished long into the future.

Military Schools Help Turn Kids Around

Sometimes a parent finds that the best decision they ever made was to have their child attend a military school or even a school with a military focus. They find that their child has become a very self confident person, athletically strong and has turned into a trustworthy young adult with an exemplary character. It is often not an easy choice to make to send a young person to a military school. It is also sometimes difficult for a young person to decide for themselves that they want to experience a military education. For many students, however, it turns out to be a great decision.

Investing in one’s future is the best investment a person can ever make. Growing into a responsible adult who is fully equipped to face any challenges that come along in life is a wonderful achievement. Military schools offer many outstanding opportunities.

Choosing A Great School

Choices of military schools are based on many things. One important consideration is cost. This is why some students hope to gain admittance into competitive academies that only take the best students. Education is then paid for by the government in exchange for military service after graduation. Acceptance qualifications are often hard to meet.

Only students with the best grades, highest SAT scores and lists of outstanding achievements are considered. A letter of recommendation from a congressman is usually needed, too. Schools to choose from are the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Another outstanding school is the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London. When applying for acceptance into the Coast Guard academy, students will need all of these qualifications except for a letter from their congressman.