Excited to start this fall, was hoping to find some other people starting or already there. Possibly looking for a roommate etc. Also what are some fun things to do in the area? And any tips before getting there or when i first get there. Thanks
Hey there Infamous, I live in traverse City and Went to GLMA. Are you Going Deck or Engine, 4 year track or 3 year track?
Hi there! I am going Engine and trying for the 3 year program. Have plenty of credits to transfer in. How do you like the area and how was the academy?
I live about 15 - 20 minutes from the Academy, out in Chums Corner. The Academy does what it says on the label, gets you your License in 2.5 - 3 years, provided you stay on track. You will mainly have 2 Instructors, Karl Schroeder and Ben Minor, for all of your maritime engineering related classes, all other classes will either be taught by Northwestern Michigan College Instructors (think welding lab, machine Shop, & electives) or GLMA deck Instructors (Medical & Misc Maritime). Never had any issues with the Academy or the “Mother College”.
The Training Ship is pretty basic, an older TAGOS Boat, she runs four CAT diesel generators to power two 500HP electric DC motors to propel the ship. GLMA doesn’t have the space or money for a new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel, so I don’t expect the academy will get a new training ship any time soon. Food underway is pretty good, we get the Culinary students to cook for us while on the cruise, so it’ll probably be the best ship food outside of a cruise-ship you’ve had.
Cadet Shipping your first year is on the training ship. Three cadets to a room, you share a head & shower with the adjoining room, and Navy style coffin bunks, its not bad, but its only for 2 months. Your next two cadet ships will be on commercial Great lakes vessels, most likely a Bulk Carrier. they are old boats (60 years for some) but the fresh water doesn’t corrode nearly as much as salt water, so the boats aren’t in that bad of a condition.
Traverse City is Nice, but its Michigan’s vacation town: aka, this means LOTS of Traffic and people in the summer, Front Street will be essentially a parking lot. Food In Traverse City is Ok, with a decent variety of places to go and eat, if not a little on the expensive side. There can be Lots of snow in the wintertime, so I do recommend a 4wd or Awd vehicle.
I’m happy to answer more questions if you have any. have you settled on any housing arrangements yet?
Thank you for one of the best posts about GLMA that I’ve seen
Used to be a great town…now tourists (fudgies/leaf-peepers/FIPs) over run the place. Get in, get your schooling, get out…unless you enjoy tourist towns.
If you hunt/fish, there are still good places but you’ll need to drive a bit.
Thank you so much! This actually answers a lot of my questions that other people on Reddit didn’t answer . I am looking at the apartments on the main campus since they are pretty reasonable price and really close/ so hopefully that works out.
Graduated from GLMA in 2023, so most of my knowledge is firsthand and pretty fresh. Happy to tell more people about this hidden gem of an academy.
Congrats @infamous!
I was at Concentra this morning, taking my USCG drug test for my MMC application (backup plan) this morning when I got an email from admissions telling me I’ll receive my acceptance information soon!
I’ll also be in the Engine 3 year program. Finishing my BS of Software Engineering this week so hopefully I’ll have all the non-maritime credits knocked out (except maybe Trig).
I should have my TWIC approval and drug test results this week to send in with my physical to get my MMC. I haven’t done the BST/VPDSD.
I’d like to get rid of my apartment now and stay at my parents to save up some money before the end of August. Anyone have thoughts on my chances of getting on a boat for longer hitches. I’m in the Cincy/Dayton area, so getting to the SIU hall in Columbus is easy but I have no idea if they would have anything that would work. I could go get my BT/VPDSD if I know that $1000ish cost can get me on a boat making money over the next 5 months. Would Interlake, Grand, ASC be good or better options? I’d be down for a tug too anywhere if the rotation makes sense and rent/travel doesn’t make it worth it.
Anyone have thoughts on that? Or maybe that should be it’s own thread?
BT (formerly BST) and other STCW courses are not required. The Great Lakes are exempt from STCW requirements, like BT, but some companies might require it. I wouldn’t know what they might require for security endorsements.
Tugs are mostly exempt from STCW, but some tug companies prefer BT. Most tugs are not going to care about an OS having security endorsements.
McAllister in New York has been posting that they are hiring for All Positions. Dann is always hiring. Vane is usually hiring.
The Pacific Northwest and Alaska companies are hiring soon for seasonal jobs starting in April or May. Long hitches required.
In general, there are plenty of tugboat jobs available in most places.