Tips for POST academy?

[CAglock20c]

Hi all. I will be starting POST academy in July and I was wondering if any of you could give me some insights/pointers on preparing and getting through...I want to go in with the goal of graduating #1 in my class. Thank you in advance for anything you all can share, I really appreciate it!

[Samuelx]

Self-sponsor or is an agency footing the bill?

[Notorious]

You want to be #1 in the class?

Which area? In my academy, there were spots for most athletic, best academic, best shooter, most improved, and best overall cadet.

Not one cadet won more than one spot.

[mixicus]

I wrote this a few years ago to some recruit getting ready to go through the same academy I did. Not sure how much will cross over to your academy but, it may give you some insight. Beyond what is below, the days are planned out in advanced and you will be given a schedule. The quick break down...when I went: mornings tend to be classroom (with hourly breaks complete with discipline), two or three afternoons per week are PT (~1300-1600 0r 1400-1600 hrs), the other afternoons are classroom instruction. You will also get blocks of instruction in ACT/DT and scenarios, time at the range for shooting, and later other stuff like EVOC (fun!!!). As you get to the later weeks, PT tends to drop off and you spend more time off site.

Your PT sessions will typically be 2-3 hours 2-3 days a week in the afternoon until you are well into the academy. You will attempt to get through the 5 daily stretches and the daily dozen. In between each of the exercises you will work off 1 set of the "national debt". But if the Class Sgt. or who ever is leading the exercise makes a
mistake (and they will), you get a set of discipline. After completing the exercises or when the tac staff gets tried of standing around you get a run, o-course or sprint 25's. Sets start at 10 reps then each week you add 5 until you get to 25 reps/set. In pt, your
discipline sets are push-ups, squat thrusts, sit-ups and mountian climbers but you can expect other little surprises too.

Discipline happens throughout the day. Every break or time you report to the tac office expect to get hit. Breaks will see sets for mistakes by the class or class sgt. An easy break was 1 cycle (1 set of each of the 4 exercises) but 2 or 3 sets wasn't unheard of when you guys are "soup sandwiches". There are breaks about every hour except
for during pt. You can expect 200-400 push-ups and squat thrusts as a class each day not including pt or individual lovin'.

Runs will become a welcome break for you. There is a lot less to mess up so discipline is not as often. On day 1, if you can bang out 3 miles at a 9min/mile pace, you will be at a good starting point. Remember you are running in formation, setting road guards and singing cadence. It is very different than any individual running you may have done. Go to a running shoe store and get fitted for the correct shoe for you. Snail's Pace (several locations).

To physically prepare with the time you have left, skip lifting at the gym and stick with lots of reps of body weight exercises that you will do and running. A good way to get in reps...if watching tv, each commercial break do a set of 25 push-ups and another exercise. You can bang out a coupl hundred in 2 hours. Or watch a baseball game
and do the dame at the top of each innning. If you already run 3 days/wk and want some more...do another cardio activity such a biking, swimming or a machine at the gym for variety. Also pratice the 5 stretches and daily dozen with the speeches.

Life...you will have none. M-F and part of your weekends will be spent at class meetings or studying. Pick a weekend day or half of one and set it aside for you (or your wife/family). It will help you immensely! Use the weekends to catch up on sleep, recover, and eat well (meaning:healthy). Do not drink to excess, it will hinder recovery. Stay out of any thing that smells like trouble or maybe viewed as conduct unbecoming. Tac Staff will find out.

Don't worry about the LD's before the academy. Spend your time on the material in the Recruit Oreintation Manual. The speeches for each class position, radio codes and other protocols. Make sure your department has a current version. Some details may have changed since the last class.

Survival...STAND BY, it will suck especially for the first 4-8 weeks depending on the tac staff and your class. Set small goals and don't look too far ahead. The first few weeks, getting to 1600 hours was ambitious enough. A 1600 on Friday was cause for a national holiday. Don't take anything personal, it ain't. You will be wrong even if you are right. Say "Sir-yes-sir" or "Sir-I made a mistake-sir" correct the problem and move on.

HYDRATE like an endurance athlete!!! It does wonders. Water and sports drinks. Keep a liter bottle of water in a cooler in your car so you have something to drink on the way home. Also watch your nutrition. You may need to take a multi vitamin or something like a protein drink to keep everything balanced. Every one lost weight in my class.

Ice packs...get several and have them ready when you get home.

Advil...get the big bottle now.

Stretch at night and on the weekends.

Look into sports massages and other recooperative techniques.

Work as a class/team. The sooner you pull together, the easier life gets. Help each other out and encourage each other. Individuals get stepped on quite a bit.

You will cry, puke, bleed, and ache (hopefully not all at the same time). 40% of those you start with will not be there 26 weeks later. You will doubt yourself and may even think about quitting but hang in there if it's what you want for your life. Is it worth it...for me it was. Thinking about the night my wife pinned my badge on me on stage in front of my class, all our families and friends, the academy staff and more deps and officers than you can image; still chokes me up. The only thing I could do was hug her tight and whisper "we did it, thanks."

And it's just the beginning of an incredible experience.

10-8!

[Notorious]

While I applaud your decision to be #1, I would advise you to just prepare as well as you can and just survive the process as best you can. It will push you hard. Unless you like punishment, don't try to be a star. Just do the best you can and you will naturally get to the top if you are that caliber.

Everyone will tell you though, it's best to be nondescript and lowkey while in the academy as best you can.

[mixicus]

Additionally:Graduating #1 in the class is a fine goal. However more respect and a better reputation is earn by the 'honor graduate' or the like. That goes to the recruit who in the eye of his/her's peers (by vote) is the standard bearer of the class, best representing the ideals of the profession. This is likely the recruit who is helping out the others and making them better as a team not necessarily the one who gets the highest marks on all the exams.

Like Notorious wrote above, my academy has several top awards (academics, PT, shooting, ACT/DT,...). It would be very hard for one recruit to grab multiple nods. Considering among the recruits were some that had an 'edge' in certain categories including college level athletes, holders of BA/BS and graduate degrees, a competitive shooter, a Golden Glove boxer and some that had 10+ years of martial arts. On top of that, a few with 20+ years in the military (Ranger and marine) with combat tours that were just unshakable. It's stiff competition in every category.

[NineteenElev3n]

While I applaud your decision to be #1, I would advise you to just prepare as well as you can and just survive the process as best you can. It will push you hard. Unless you like punishment, don't try to be a star. Just do the best you can and you will naturally get to the top if you are that caliber.

Everyone will tell you though, it's best to be nondescript and lowkey while in the academy as best you can.

+1! Having recently being an academy graduate, this is a great piece of advice. Do your best and do the right thing (follow academy policy), and you will do fine. I would like to add that being physically fit with high-intensity cardio and excellent upper body strength will help tremendously with your academy experience. The more physically fit you are, the less stress you will experience during the academy.

[ls2monaro]

My advice is get in shape before the academy so you can focus on the important stuff like passing the written and practical exams. I went to the academy in great shape so i didnt dread the thrashings or 10 mile runs as much as the chubby kids. It also decreases the attention you receive when you are not flopping around the grinder like a fish.

As far as finishing #1, just give it your best and let the chips fall where they land. Focus more on helping fellow recruits and it will be more satisfying.

[TheExpertish]

I think OP means being valedictorian, which is all academic. Study hard and know your codes. If not then let us know which one and if you're an open enrollee, or sponsored.

[Marty33]

Get your cardio built up prior to the academy..be able to run two miles at a moderate pace without stopping..after doing 50 push ups, 50 sit ups and 50 leg raisers.. prior to entering the academy.

In the academy, keep your mouth shut, do what you are told , and keep a low profile. Dont try to be a smart ***, the smart guy, or the know it all. Believe me, by doing so you will become a target. Just do you best, give 100%, and be tough. We will all know what type of street cop you will be prior to your graduation.

Goal setting is important, but, your goal should be to make it through the academy. Work hard, give it your all, and you will be respected. Believe me, after day one, you wont care if you are #1 or dead last, you will just want to survive.

If you want it you will make it..if you dont really want it, well those are the types the academy will eliminate.

[SeanCasey]

+1 for all of the great advice posted above. In the end once you are done with the academy you will look back on it as a great experience. Yeah some days were a bit rough, but in the end I enjoyed it, made some good friends from it, and have some great memories. Do your best and help your classmates out in the areas you are stong in.

[BigDogatPlay]

In my academy the class chose it's class president who was, in essence, our valedictorian. There was no overall best in class or number 1, although the staff stack ranked the class at the finish somewhat unofficially and subjectively. There were objective rankings in all of the sub areas; academics, DT, PT, firearms (me #1), practicals (me #2), report writing (me #3) etc. The guy who was #1 in academics and practicals was a natural leader with previous military service and he was hands down our class president.

Get yourself in good shape, keep your eyes and ears wide open, and be prepared to be challenged mentally and physically each and every day is my advice on how to succeed and excel in an academy. It worked for me.

[CAglock20c]

Some more info: I will be self-sponsoring (as of now) and I will be attending Hancock Junior College's Academy here on the central coast

[CAglock20c]

I graduated college back in June with a bs in business and am more than up to par physically (this is not just me tooting my own horn- multiple LEO's told me Ill get by in academy with my eyes closed). As for firearms, I'm pretty sure I'll do just fine and I feel that as long as I give it my all and do what I'm supposed to, everything else will fall into place as some of you have mentioned.

Really more than anything right now I'm just anxious to get academy started!

[Samuelx]

If you are in "good enough" shape now, don't kill yourself working out BUT you STILL need to be trying to be in BETTER shape. You might consider contacting the academy and finding out what the typical workout consists of at the END of the academy and confirm that you're already past that level. Work on your flexibility, work on Fight Conditioning which is different than other types of conditioning/working out.

If you're self-sponsoring, likely no real need to memorize codes. If you want to get ahead, buy a set of POST Learning Domains, Penal Code, Vehicle Code, and Legal Sourcebook. Start reading, highlighting, making notes, etc.

Learn to shine shoes, learn to march, etc. Depending on budget, you may want to get an extra pair of shoes and keep them shined. Do you know anyone currently going through or who has graduated from that particular academy? Buy them lunch to pick his/her brain.

IMO/IME, if you want to graduate #1, you shouldn't keep a low profile. That being said, keeping a low profile is the easiest way to stay off the radar and out of trouble though. As has been said, #1 (honor recruit/cadet) requires that you excel in most if not all the graded areas and, in addition, demonstrating all the characteristics of an ideal officer. That means, you shouldn't be cut-throating to be #1 in different areas - it's important to work together and help those less able than you.

What means more though, is AFTER you're hired and when you go "10-8". Upon graduation, every one is called "officer" or "deputy" from 1st in the class to barely passed. 10-20+ years later, it's not going to matter who graduated where or who did what in the academy - how you have applied what you have learned, how you have carried yourself, how you have performed your duties, and what differences you've made, etc throughout your career is what really matters...