The B&G (Blue and Gold) Interview allows the Naval Academy one more opportunity to insure that they appoint candidates who will make it through the next nine years.
Few colleges invest the time and money in a personal in-home interview. For the Naval Academy, it’s a mandatory step, and an important nod in the approval process. The B&G officer knows you better than any other person involved in the selection process. His/Her opinion of you will weigh heavily as they review your application. You enjoy a good rapport with Gus Laney. You chatted with him at several Academy Nights, emailed him at critical junctures in the application process, and updated him on your progress during Summer Seminar, the PAE test and the DoDMERB exam.
He arranges a coffee meeting at a local restaurant. You decide to wear khaki pants and a collared shirt—conservative, respectful, but not a tie-and-jacket-pretentiousness. His questions remind you of those at the Congressional Interview—why do you want to attend the Naval Academy? What will you do if they don’t select you? Nothing tricky. By now, you’ve passed the PAE, so he commends you on that. His lone suggestion reminds you to continue increasing your SAT scores, currently at 1350. He suggests a review course. Your time restraints make this difficult: Although it’s senior year, you have eight classes (including four APs). You’ve dropped the violin lessons, practice time reserved for Orchestra at school and the PSYO Sunday sessions. You know yourself, and if you overload your schedule, you implode. You’ve learned from Freshman Year! You do commit to taking advantage of the free Princeton Review SAT course offered at school for IB applicants.
All in all, a stress-free interview. It ends with you returning home to study Calculus. You send a thank-you note to Mr. Laney, and sign it “Go Navy Beat Army!” You start checking the CIS website to see when it shows up as completed. Not yet, but it’s only been six hours….
–Taken from Building a Midshipman pg. 96
Jacqui Murray is the author of Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman. She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, Editorial Review Board member SIGCT, a USNA columnist for Examiner.com, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything and Technology in Education. Currently, she’s working on a techno-thriller that should be ready this summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by USNAorBust, USNAorBust. USNAorBust said: Here's What You Should Know About the Blue and Gold Interview: http://wp.me/pyy57-C0 […]
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By: Tweets that mention Here’s What You Should Know About the Blue and Gold Interview « USNA or Bust! -- Topsy.com on 09/08/2010
at 01:39
[…] B&G (Blue and Gold) Interview allows the Naval Academy one more opportunity to insure that they appoint candidates who will make […]
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By: October To Do List for USNA Applicants « USNA or Bust! on 10/11/2010
at 23:46
[…] B&G (Blue and Gold) Interview allows the Naval Academy one more opportunity to insure that they appoint candidates who will make […]
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By: November To Do List for USNA Applicants « USNA or Bust! on 11/08/2010
at 15:36
[…] B&G (Blue and Gold) Interview allows the Naval Academy one more opportunity to insure that they appoint candidates who will make […]
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By: December To Do List for USNA Applicants « USNA or Bust! on 12/10/2010
at 19:49
[…] Admissions doesn’t take for granted that you can collaborate with others. They assign you a Blue and Gold officer who conducts a formal interview which is graded and reported to the Admissions […]
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By: How to Get Along (Critical Skill #4 for Future USNA Applicants) « USNA or Bust! on 01/12/2011
at 15:43
It makes sense for yet another interview – I guess when you’re looking at taking on someone for 9 years, you want to make sure as much as possible that they seem like they understand what that kind of commitment entails. I imagine it’s still nerve-wracking for candidates though, even though so many hoops have already been jumped through by now.
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By: BioScientific on 10/31/2011
at 11:36
This is the B&G chance to sum everything up, clear up any unknowns. USNA doesn’t like losing Mids because they didn’t know what they were in store for. Plebe Summer is another vetting experience. The Marine Crucible Lite, it annually drives any with doubts out.
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By: Jacqui Murray on 10/31/2011
at 14:12
[…] Admissions doesn’t take for granted that you can collaborate with others. They assign you a Blue and Gold officer who conducts a formal interview which is graded and reported to the Admissions Board. (More info on […]
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By: How to Get Along (Critical Skill #4 for Future USNA Applicants) « USNA or Bust! on 10/11/2012
at 02:53
[…] Here’s What You Should Know About the Blue and Gold Interview–the second-most important interview in the process […]
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By: 10 Hits and Misses for 2012 « USNA or Bust! on 01/10/2013
at 00:44
[…] Here’s What You Should Know About the Blue and Gold Interview–besides the Congressional interview, this is hugely important and can make up for a variety of shortfalls. […]
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By: 10 Hits and Misses for 2013 | USNA or Bust! on 01/06/2014
at 00:58
[…] Here’s What You Should Know About the Blue and Gold Interview–besides the Congressional interview, this is hugely important and can make up for a variety of shortfalls. […]
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By: 10 Hits and Misses for 2014 | USNA or Bust! on 01/09/2015
at 00:56
[…] Here’s What You Should Know About the Blue and Gold Interview […]
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By: What’s Happening in September at USNA | USNA or Bust! on 09/06/2017
at 00:12