Most of the 1,261 plebes, or plebeians, who reported for their freshman year appeared nervous.

"I am nervous, but I know it's something everyone who comes through here has to go through," said Midshipman 4th Class Sean Johnson, of Arnold. "This is something I have wanted to do, living in Annapolis, my whole life."

Midshipman Johnson, a Broadneck High School graduate, said having an older sister at the academy, Midshipman 1st Class Kayla Johnson, demystified the experience somewhat.

But he said there still was plenty to be anxious about.

When the Class of 2012 reported yesterday morning, they found an arrow on the floor of Alumni Hall, made of green tape and pointing toward the registration table. There, before going any farther, the newcomers received a name tag and a copy of "Reef Points," a handbook of Navy facts and lore that mids are expected to memorize.

(See the Induction Day slide show at: http://media.hometownannapolis.com/flash/2008/07/0703sshta/index.html

They also received instructions on how to speak: Henceforth, beyond the registration table, every answer to every question would begin with and would end with "Sir" or "Ma'am," and anything else would merit a reprimand.

"Is that clear?" they were asked, to which the answer had better be "Sir, yes, sir!"

The Class of 2012 consists of 998 men and 261 women.

There were 10,960 applications for the 1,261 slots, according to academy officials.

About three-fourths of the class scored 1,200 or higher on the SAT.

The class contains 343 - or 27 percent - minority members.

When interviewed, one plebe after tion table, every answer to every question would begin with and would end with "Sir" or "Ma'am," and anything else would merit a reprimand.

"Is that clear?" they were asked, to which the answer had better be "Sir, yes, sir!"

The Class of 2012 consists of 998 men and 261 women.

There were 10,960 applications for the 1,261 slots, according to academy officials.

About three-fourths of the class scored 1,200 or higher on the SAT.

The class contains 343 - or 27 percent - minority members.

When interviewed, one plebe after another spoke of how the academy will open doors, of how a good education and an exciting career await them.

Midshipman 4th Class Gary Beier, for example, said he wanted to come to the academy so much, he left after his freshman year at Virginia Tech to come to Annapolis.

Even though the academy does not accept transfer credits, the Arnold resident was glad to start out as a freshman again.

"I think coming out of here will make me a better Naval officer, which is what I want to be," he said.

Midshipman 4th Class Jessica Shapiro, of Severn spoke of "the fantastic education" and "many career opportunities" that awaited her.

But first, before reaping the rewards, the new midshipmen were expected to toil.

And toil they did yesterday, their first day of boot camp.

"Lets's move! Let's move!" one senior barked at her charges. "Do not walk! Do not run!"

"You are (now) walking with a sense of purpose!" she said in welcoming the plebes to a new way of life.

A little farther along the processing line, another freshman, a tall, lanky man, was having trouble learning to salute.

The plebe kept bending his wrist, and a soft-spoken training officer, a senior, kept trying to show him the proper way. This activity attracted the attention of another senior, one who was not so gentle.

The second upperclassman stood almost nose-to-nose with the newcomer, and after about two minutes of bellowing and a dozen or so practice salutes, the plebe mastered the art of saluting.

Not far away, some other plebes were beginning to understand that, in the military, they were going to be told how to live their lives, right down to where they could focus their eyes.

"Quit looking around!" one upperclassmen barked at a female plebe who was trying to take in Alumni Hall. "Quit looking around!"

The yelling got louder, until the woman realized she was the culprit creating the commotion. She also learned that every move a plebe makes is subject to scrutiny.

Meanwhile, a lot of nervous mids were gulping and gasping, as if suffering from dry mouth.

In the barbershop, Midshipman 4th Class Nicholas Moore, a plebe from Kansas, was getting his already-short hair cut even shorter.

"My friends held me down and shaved my head when I got accepted, and I just kept it short," he said.

Still, Midshipman Moore had to have some more hair cut off.

Barber Leroy Neal, said smiling as he cut Midshipman Moore's hair down to the scalp: "So he can fit in with the rest of them."

Mr. Neal said over the years he has seen some plebes drop out of the academy as soon as they saw what was in store for them in the barbershop.

"When I first started here a couple of plebes came in, looked around the barbershop and walked out," said Mr. Neal, who has worked at the academy 22 years.

Midshipman Moore, though, who said he turned down the Air Force Academy and the Military Academy at West Point to attend the Naval Academy, was not about to walk out.

"I am here for the challenge," he said.

Then, as Midshipman Moore got up from the barber chair to resume his new life, Mr. Neal said, "Best of luck."