USNA: Blue and Gold Interview

The B&G (Blue and Gold) Interview allows the Naval Academy one more opportunity to insure that they appoint

Areas B&G Officer will rank you

candidates who will make it through the next nine years. Few other colleges invest the time and money in a personal in-home interview (except for recruited athletes) and the follow-up that the Service Academies do. But then, they’re spending taxpayer money and want to be sure to get it right.

For the Naval Academy, it’s a mandatory step, and an important nod in the approval process. By this point in the interview process, the B&G officer knows you better than any other person involved in the selection. His/Her opinion of you will weigh heavily as the admissions personnel review your application.

Be sure to create a good rapport with your B&G officer. Chat with her/him at any Academy Nights you attend. Email him with updates in your application process. Ask his help if you’re stuck on anything.

Sometime after you’ve been named a Candidate, probably after your DoDMERB physical, and when s/he’s sure you’re a viable candidate–that you have the stamina and commitment for a Naval Academy adventure,–s/he’ll arrange a formal interview  (‘formal’ may vary, depending upon the person). Wear something casual, but not sloppy–khaki pants and a collared shirt—conservative, respectful. His/her questions might sound similar to the Congressional Interview—why do you want to attend the Naval Academy? What will you do if they don’t select you? Nothing tricky. S/he must write up her/his recommendation to the USNA admissions, so her/his goal is to have one last conversation to determine the level of fit between you and a Navy life.

S/he may have suggestions about becoming more competitive among the applicant pool, or getting your self in shape for the rigors of USNA life. S/he may want you to start winnowing out unnecessary activities from your schedule and concentrate on physical and academic areas.

All in all, it should be a stress-free interview that helps you understand better what your chances are and what the future will be if you are selected. Don’t be surprised if you leave it wanting to study harder!

Send a thank-you note to him/her. Check the CIS Candidate website to see when the section alluding to ‘B&G Interview’ shows up as completed.

–from Building a Midshipman 2008

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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. She is webmaster for six blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a tech columnist for TeachHUB and Examiner.com, Editorial Review Board member for ISTE’s Journal for Computing Teachers, and freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Currently, she’s editing a thriller for her agent that should be out to publishers this summer.

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