Should I report USNA applicant's behavior?

Question

I know it looks long, but it's really important that I get some advice here!

My best friend is applying to the Naval Academy at Annapolis. She only became interested in being a military pilot very recently, as she changes her mind often. For example, just this past May she was dead-set on becoming a doctor, but then she realized that she "doesn't like people" (her words). So, for whatever reason, she switched immediately to the military.

While I support her striving for her goals, I have reason to believe she should not be considered for admission. As the USNA admissions website states, "[the] Naval Academy is seeking highly motivated, well-rounded applicants who excel not only academically, but also in athletics, leadership and service." 

My friend fits none of these things; in fact, she is quite the opposite. She is not academically excellent, as she falls in the bottom 40 percent of our senior class. To make up for this shortcoming, she has become even more notorious among our friends for cheating on tests and papers. She is not naturally athletic--rather than exercise, she depends on restriction of food to keep herself thin, and she has only recently started exercising because she thinks passing the USNA fitness test will guarantee her admission. Service is a foreign concept to her; I don't believe she's ever done any sort of philanthropy work in her entire life, simply because she thinks poor people are disgusting. She has had an entitlement complex her entire life and believes that just because her parents are successful, she will inherently be successful too; she has never worked for anything except drug money. In addition, she is not a leader in the very lowest sense of the word. She thinks nothing of being a role model to others, and instead brags about how wasted she got over the weekend or shares her senior year "bucket list" of guys she wants to have sex with and drugs she wants to try. She told our entire lunch table today that "when" she gets to USNA, all she wants to do is hook up with hot Navy guys. She is only quitting smoking and drinking long enough to pass her physical sometime in the next month--she has no intent to stop drinking and smoking altogether.

Despite all the negative things about her, this is my best friend and I love her to bits, however I don't believe that she has the qualities needed for USNA. This wouldn't be a problem--I would just wait for her to get her declination letter and then let things be--but she is lying in her application. She pretends she doesn't have a severely injured knee, lies about her vision (she wants to be a Naval pilot, but her vision in her right eye is starting to go), cheats at school to raise her grades, and writing that she is exactly what USNA is looking for.

I feel guilty letting my friend apply to the Naval Academy while the school remains oblivious to her lies and shortcomings. It hurts me to even think about it, but I feel morally obligated to write to their admissions office and inform them that all is not as it seems and that they should look deeper into the situation. Am I correct in this thought? Should I tell USNA admissions everything, remain vague, or say nothing at all? What would you do in my place?

Thank you so much for your time and advice!!

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

If she falls in the bottom 40% of the class and has no extra-curricular activities, she WILL be denied. Aside from that, she can lie on her application, but USNA checks with the guidance department of you school for transcript`s. She also will have a physical, and they`ll check her vision and if she lies, and is found out, no way. I truly wouldn`t worry, because people have to be extremely motivated to attend. They sometimes don`t take people with 4.0 GPAs, 7 AP classes, and 3 Varsity sports. 

And for some odd reason she got there, she`d most definitely quit because freshmen (known as Plebes) go through some training over the summer that she probably wouldn`t like. She won`t be hooking up with the male midshipmen, they have a strict dating policy, and no sex. 

If you look at their catalogs: http://usna.edu/Catalog/, you`ll see they have EXTREMELY high standards. If she has an injured knee, she won`t do well on her fitness test.

I assure you, she won`t be getting in. 

Also, you might want to tell someone about all of her lies, because that`s illegal to write on a federal application, and cheating`s bad too. Honestly, if this is how she is, she is NOT your friend. You see very nice and caring. 

But I assure you, without good grades, rigorous classes, athletics, and leadership, she won`t be getting in. If you really want to write them, *If* she even gets to being an official candidate, she`ll be assigned a Blue Gold Officer (BGO) that will help her through the process, and you can tell him/her.

 And she won`t be drinking or smoking at USNA either. She sounds quite ludicrous, and I suggest you find better friends. People work very hard to go to USNA, and while she won`t be getting in, it`s still wrong, and I`d tell your principal, just because she`s cheating. She can also get in trouble for lying. It`s illegal. But don`t feel like you have to; she won`t be getting in.

Good luck. I suggest you find better friends.

? · Answer

Practically speaking, don't worry about it. Your friend won't make the gates. She won't make it on the academic testing, school records, physically with a knee injury, she might make the vision test for ground duties, maybe not for flight. She probably doesn't have the strength and endurance for the physical training test. Probably doesn't have the experience in public service that they are always pushing.

A lot of the other posters said it, the people on the admissions board aren't dummies, they have seen a lot of fakes  BTW, what makes you think that a Senator or Congress person is going to nominate her? Is her family politically well connected?

Anonymous · Answer

The USNA is a premier military academy.  They have very high enrollment standards and a long wait list.  In order to even be considered for enrollment, an applicant has to stand apart through a combination of academic achievement, extra curricular activity, community service and recommendations.  

The Academy has it's own programs to deal with thinning out the heard of applicants.  If your description of your friend is accurate, then she does not have a chance in hell of getting in anyhow.  Save your friendship and let her figure this out on her own.  Carry On!

Anonymous · Answer

My first thought was that the two of you deserve one another. You are not the paragon of moral virtue. By your own admission, your best friend whom you "love to bits" is little more than a lying narcissistic flaky sociopath. Since birds a feather flock together and one is known by the company she keeps, I already have a basis to form a decidedly negative opinion about you. But then you claim to feel guilty and have the sense of moral obligation to take the sneaky and back biting route of anonymously sabotage your so-called best friend? Jeez. With friends like you, there is no need for enemies. How about you try to act like someone who IS actually a moral person. Why don't you tell her that if she lies to try to enlist in the Navy you will feel a moral obligation to tell the Navy the truth? What would I do in your place? I wouldn't be in your place. Even as a teenager, I had enough pride and self respect to select better friends rather than those I would describe in such hateful terms. And even as a teenager I wasn't this passive aggressive and never would have considered trying to sabotage someone I considered to be a friend.

thomas · Answer

There is a face to face interview before you can go to the Academy and they will see just by talking to her that she is not the right person.  As far as her grades are, she doesn't have a chance in getting in.  There are thousands of kids wanting to go to the academy and are the top 1% of their class and fail to get in.  I wouldn't worry about telling anyone about her.  They have seen people like her and they know what to look for.  I doubt that she will even get an invitation to see the school.  She will not get in because of her grades.

? · Answer

Who gives a f*ck, leave her alone, don't be so slack. I can't believe you'd stoop so low as to try and undermine your best mate's career, that's a bastard act. The military will decide if they want her or not. YOU'RE not a recruitment officer, you don't know what makes a soldier, YOU are learning yourself.
One thing a potential soldier shows is TRUST for their mates. And I can hardly believe anybody would trust someone as kniving as you.

Marine5 · Answer

She will never make it into the Naval Academy...EVER...

They can pick out a "Middle School Drama Queen" in a heart beat...
She will hang herself...

kemperk · Answer

people are flip, mind changers and people often seeking COOL things to do.  i would not be whatever
concerned; the Navy and AF know how to screen for pilots

wish her luck..  remember, we all change a bit every day of our lives!

conranger1 · Answer

Sounds like a bad case of sad sack sour grapes to me, 

leave well enough alone, its none of your business.

Wesley · Answer

They will do there job to make sure if she is suppose to be there or not. Leave it alone they will kick her out if they think she can't hang.

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Should I report USNA applicant's behavior?

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