Reader says, “a school also significantly influences (more than we’d like to admit) a student’s priorities. This is where Ridgewood falls down significantly”

Selection to go to a military academy DOES have A LOT to do with internal desire. No argument there.

HOWEVER, a school IS also one of the MAJOR contributors to shaping a student into a successful military academy candidate.

Obviously the emphasis on stingent academics is a part of it, but there are many schools with sringent academics (and for the sake of this discussion will allow that Ridgewoods academics are stringent – even though I beleive they can be significantly improved).
BUT, a school also significantly influences (more than we’d like to admit) a student’s priorities. This is where Ridgewood falls down significantly.
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A school DOES have a lot to do with producing attractive candidates for military academies.
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So:
1) if a student DOES NOT have drive, ambition, persistence and leadership qualities EVEN if they attend a school that prepares them for a military academy, they will never get into one.
and
2) if a student DOES have drive, ambition, persistence and leadership qualities and attend a school that DOES NOT prepare them for a military academy, they will never get into one.
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Obviously there are other factors (parents, etc.) that are also critical to being a successful candidate, but I am limiting my comments to “school” and “internal desire”.