Riverside Preparatory Academy - Review #5

Ricerside is an all-male Military Academy so there is mandatory participation in the JROTC program 24/7. So the structure and disciplinary aspects of the school certainly help graduates stand out, especially if they have any desires to go into the military.

One of the best things for me was being part of the Drill Team since we won the State Championship that year. However it was also an honor to become Flagstaff Commander and gain an officer rank in only a year. But the biggest achievement was winning the Superior Cadet award which is given to one person from each grade who has been the best cadet and impressed the military personal the most each year.

My advice would be to listen to the older kids, especially the higher ranks. But most of all do what the adults say. The first few weeks are especially tough since you are away from family and you are given 30 days without communication, but you need to integrate into the system rather than try and buck it.

I think the Campus facilities and the academics were the best part, although the campus is quite beautiful itself.

I'd say the biggest tip about the school is to make a good impression on the upperclassmen and the military staff. But other than that I'd say that life becomes a lot easier as you gain discipline and increase in rank, so do that instead of being lazy.

The academics at RMA are on par with most other private schools, that is, they are far beyond the usual public school. There are many honors and AP courses available, and RMA only hires quality instructors. There are also a diverse set of elective courses. Most of the coursework is more challenging than a normal school, and with very few exceptions the academics are the most highly celebrated aspect of the school in the eyes of the faculty and staff. Also, teachers are well respected by the students and given the authority of military officers depending on their degree, and most have at least some military experience.

RMA has plenty of sports to choose from and the facilities are extremely high quality. Participation in daily physical activity is mandatory, but if you do not want to play a sport then there is a pool and gym available many times, however if that is not the case then you will have to attend a PT session. The sports teams do find it hard to retain talent since many cadets only stay 1-2 years if they are there for disciplinary or academic reasons. But the JROTC sports such as the Drill Team, Rifle Team, and the Raiders are always in contention for championships. Oh, and since the school is on Lake Lanier there is a crew team which is pretty rare in Ga.

I did not participate in the arts program, however RMA has several different activities in this area. I remember there was a choir and men's glee style club at least, as well as a theater department. However the largest aspect is the band by far. RMA sports a large and diverse band and it is widely celebrated and has won several awards

There are plenty of volunteer activities with the Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society, and there are of course several honors societies tbat one can join. And there are also groups within the cadre specifically such as Battalion Staff and the Cadet Patrol (along with the Drill Team and Color Guard)

The dorm life was fairly militaristic. You are assigned a Company that you will live with (all band members are in Band Company, which is about 1.5-2x the size of any other) and you are given a room at random with one other person. There is a communal bathroom in each hall and the higher ranking people oversee the lower ranks cleaning it daily. There are also daily room inspections. Finally, only officers can have phones except certain times of day, so your phone will be locked in secure storage most of the day. Oh, and officers get their own bedrooms and captains and higher have more like suites with their own shower and study, etc.

The school has catered dining from companies such as Sage or Sodexo and there is a large selection and variety of food. Also plenty of drinks to choose from, however, the dining halls are only accessible duting certain hours, and you must be with your Company. Usually mealtimes are preceded by a parade from the dorms to the cafeteria and the order of eating is based on which company won the weekly "Commandant's Inspection" of the dorms. (Also that company doesn't have to do Friday PT before they go on weekend leave)

The town is Gainesville, Ga which itself has plenty of activities to do, but most students do not get to go into the town often. The school sits in the back end of really nice neighborhood and is itself fairly secluded. A vast majority of students and military staff live on campus (faculty does not, although they can, and a very small percent of the school lives within a 5 mile radius and is allowed to stay home). Students are given weekend leave as well as furlough, but spend the majority of time on site. And while on campus you cannot go to town without a supervised group.

The social interactions are mostly based on rank, but there is some informal interaction as well, usually between people of similar rank though, which usually falls to people of the same year