Attending great lakes

Hello everyone I have been reading everyone’s posts for a while now and have a few questions. I will be attending the Great Lakes academy for the engineering side and was wondering how difficult is the four year schooling. Did you guys see alot of people struggle and pass or did alot of people fail out?

so you’ve decided to attend a four year academy in which you have to complete a business degree and write for your engineers license and you don’t have a clue as to if it will be difficult or not? We find that most students here that don’t make it have no idea what they are getting in to and have done no prior research into the industry. But to answer your question, no it’s not hard, they hold your hand for four years then give you all the answers to the tests at the end, I’m sure you’ll be fine.

It is a good school. You will do as well as you want to. What really matters is that you understand the industry that you will be getting into.

It is basically a factory job and you don’t get to go home at night.

On the other hand you could have 5 months or so off a year and decent pay. If your wife hasn’t spent it all.

Engineering is a good choice. There are a lot of job opportunities out there, and regardless of what happens on the Lakes you can work anywhere and still live where you choose.

Young man, I was a young man also (kindly read my profile). If I had the opportunity, if Great Lakes were an option back then, I certainly hope I would have applied, if accepted, graduate. Today, when my opinion is requested, I tell young folks (interested in going to sea) to apply to Great Lakes Maritime Academy. There will be forum posters who may disagree with me, after all we are Merchant Seaman.
My suggestion to you, apply, if accepted, do your best. It will not be easy.

I’m sorry I guess I should have given a little history about my sel before posting that question. I just got out the navy as an engine men working on emd 645 in reactor auxiliary in reactor department. I know that the merchants marines and navy are different but at least I have sea time to fall back on so I’m not completely clueless out there. But that you for all your fees back I really do appreciate it.

[QUOTE=drod2214;103293]I’m sorry I guess I should have given a little history about my sel before posting that question. I just got out the navy as an engine men working on emd 645 in reactor auxiliary in reactor department. I know that the merchants marines and navy are different but at least I have sea time to fall back on so I’m not completely clueless out there. But that you for all your fees back I really do appreciate it.[/QUOTE]

I assume you have an Honorable Discharge, check-out the GI Bill, visit your nearest VA, with your DD214 in hand, and get signed-up. Make inquires of what is out there for you. I’m not at all sure but it is possible Great Lakes will accept GI Bill students. That would be nice for you. Obviously you have grit, get going and get it done. I send you my very best.

http://www.gibill.va.gov/

[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;103256]My suggestion to you, apply, if accepted, do your best. It will not be easy.[/QUOTE]

Very few things that are worthwhile ever are. . . . and that includes women. . . .

A colleague of mine was a Great Lakes grad and sailed on the lakes for a few years before moving on. He is very sharp and has his act together. He saw the school as a positive experience. Sounds like a terrific opportunity! Keep your nose to the grindstone and you’ll be fine. Good luck to you.

[QUOTE=cmakin;103313]Very few things that are worthwhile ever are. . . . and that includes women. . . .[/QUOTE]

Aw, you’ve been reading Groucho, ain’t ja.

[QUOTE=drod2214;103214] Did you guys see alot of people struggle and pass or did alot of people fail out?[/QUOTE]

Like Capt.J said most people don’t fail they drop out because they don’t have the slightest clue what working on a ship is all about. They hear large salary numbers and flock to the school, after they are out to sea they decide its not for them, or often times their significant other makes up their mind that its not for them.

The school is good,it is in an absolutely beautiful town, no regimental bullshit, great instructors, we sail with all the big name companies except anything in GOM. We only have around 175 Cadets TOTAL and almost 30% of our Cadets are veterans and are using the GI Bill. The local VA is really good at working with the school to cover all costs down to the penny. The small class sizes means you get a lot of attention in class and hands on experience. Our training ship is probably the nicest with an automated diesel electric platform running (4) CAT D398’s generators. When you cadet ship usually one project is on the lakes where you can usually get some steam time which is nice.

The biggest drawback to the program in my opinion for the engineers is the lack of math and physics. All the other Academies programs are focused on marine, mechanical, or electrical engineering curriculum and just have license tracks attached. The GLMA program is a business degree, an entry level physics, pre calc algebra, pre calc trig, and intro chemistry. NO calculus 1, 2, or 3. With your Navy back ground your probably light years ahead of most guys coming in.

However at GLMA I would say 99% of the students attending plan to sail for an entire career compared to the other academies that many go work shoreside. All the engine guys I have talked to said that when they commercial sailed, the A/E’s were impressed with the knowledge and hands on skills our Cadets had, and the desire to learn the most on their sea project instead of going up the street and getting shit faced. So overall the Cadets that are here are passionate about learning and being successful as sailing Mates and Engineers. Also the average age is around 28, you get a few kids right out of high school but most have worked jobs, gone to SIU piney point, veterans, or 2nd career people. You don’t get that freshly unleashed from parents, drunken party mentality I experienced the first time I went to college. We do like to have fun and enjoy a few drinks but we behave ourselves and take a great deal of pride in our education. 98% of our cadets that sit for license pass their exams first try! Deck guys have to write all of the Pilotage as well!

So if you want to live in a great place, go to school in an amazing new building, drive to class from either a nice beach house, a cheap apartment, or a nice house, no regiment or physical fitness BS, and your serious about making a career out of sailing as an A/E I would say come on up.

Im a deck guy graduating this coming December. It’s been the best decision of my life! After working in a factory making crappy pay and benefits for 5 years I came across GLMA after a friend attended. After 3 years I’ve learned a ton, done sea projects with MSC and on the Lakes, worked a part time job to help pay my way through, met some of the best friends I’ll probably ever have, and had a lot of fun while getting good grades.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

I live 2 blocks away from east bay, the school is a 8 min drive and located on west bay.

Our building built in 2004

Our training ship the State of Michigan

1 Like

GLMASailor, allow me to express my thanks for your well crafted post. It is most informative. That was very kind of you and I will add, professional, you covered a lot of bases. You will do fine in your chosen career at sea.
Well, drod2214, it’s up to you, keep us informed of your progress, OK, we are on your side.

I do have to apologize for my harsh post. Myself and GLMAsailor were bombarded with a fair amount of uninformed questions that day from fellow classmates who have been in the program for a while. Everything he says is true and having attended Maine maritime before GLMA I can say that it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. After going to MMA right out of h/s and dropping out a year later because I wasnt sure if i wanted to make a career out of sailing, I decided to visit GLMA after figuring out “real college” sucked. I immediately fell in love with TC and the people living there. It is a very mid-west town with very hospitable people and a fairly large population of merchant mariners. After being in the Navy i’m sure you dont want to have to deal with the regimental stuff. The only major rules we have to follow is wearing a uniform and being clean shaven. I am also a deck guy graduating in the fall and cant really speak for the engine guys too much but they all know their stuff and are all very driven hard working guys. After seeing more of your posts I see you have been putting in time to learn about the industry. Don’t worry about the difficulty or classes, if you love doing it and want it bad enough it becomes much easier. Good luck to you and hope to see you in the fall.

[QUOTE=captJsomeday;103364]I do have to apologize for my harsh post. Myself and GLMAsailor were bombarded with a fair amount of uninformed questions that day from fellow classmates who have been in the program for a while. Everything he says is true and having attended Maine maritime before GLMA I can say that it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. After going to MMA right out of h/s and dropping out a year later because I wasnt sure if i wanted to make a career out of sailing, I decided to visit GLMA after figuring out “real college” sucked. I immediately fell in love with TC and the people living there. It is a very mid-west town with very hospitable people and a fairly large population of merchant mariners. After being in the Navy i’m sure you dont want to have to deal with the regimental stuff. The only major rules we have to follow is wearing a uniform and being clean shaven. I am also a deck guy graduating in the fall and cant really speak for the engine guys too much but they all know their stuff and are all very driven hard working guys. After seeing more of your posts I see you have been putting in time to learn about the industry. Don’t worry about the difficulty or classes, if you love doing it and want it bad enough it becomes much easier. Good luck to you and hope to see you in the fall.[/QUOTE]

Well OK, anything more? :smiley:

Hey drod2214 I will also be attending GLMA in the fall, though I’ll be in the deck program. Good things don’t come easy in life and are meant to be worked hard for, so I’m positive if we all work and study hard in all of our classes and sea projects we will all do just fine! Good luck and see you in the fall ! :slight_smile:

Just an FYI, there are several alumni working in the GoM as Masters, C/E, mates, and A/E’s. Also, deck grads are working as state and federal pilots across the country.

Drod,

I did some time on the 635 as an ELT MM back in early 2000s and am enrolled at GLM “sister” school north of the border. The GLM is a beautiful campus. With your training class will be a breeze, just hunker down for tests.

good luck as I have no doubt you’ll be tops in the class

Tchalla ,

What is GLMA’s sister school … Where is that at?? What r u studying there??