Advice for High School

<p>Hi! I'm currently a Freshman in high school and I would like to hear everyone's opinion on my chances of getting into USNA and how I can improve them.
I'm homeschooled and currently taking all of my classes through FLVS. I'm currently in: English 3, Latin 3, Precalculus, Spanish 2, World History, and Chemistry. I have completed all of the required prerequisites for these classes (e.g. English 1+2, Biology, etc...) along with Chinese 1 and 2. I plan to start taking classes at my local community college sometime during 10th grade and I will graduate in 2017 with my high school diploma and, hopefully, my AA degree.
I'm not exactly sure what my GPA is right now. I have received all A's in my classes, which are at honors level. I took the SAT test in 7th and
8th grade. Neither scores were saved but my 8th grade scores were 580(math), 570(writing), and 660(CR). I've been studying and hope to raise my scores by at least 100 points.
I'm on a synchronized swimming team and will most likely remain on it throughout the rest of high school. I will probably be joining my local high school's varsity swim team
next fall.
Let me know what you think! I'll be happy to provide additional information if needed. Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Gertrude,</p>

<p>First your off to a great start by looking down this road in your freshman year it will give you a lot of time to grow and get your best foot fwd.</p>

<p>That said nobody can really give you a clear chance at getting into the Naval Acdemy. Again you started on the right foot by jumping in for what really is never too early.
1st. Home schooled - Call the Academy Admissions Dept. They will be very helpful in this area.
2nd. If you can do it the Academy has a summer STEM program, your at an age where you can apply. Look into it with your peeps and see if it is something you can do.
3rd. Leadership…
4th. Community involvement…
5th. Sports - Although you are home schooled you may be able to get involved in some type of sport in your community. This is another question for the Admissions dept.
6th. Visit the Academy in your Jr. year and apply for NASS.
7th. Get the book. “The Naval Academy Candidate Book: How to Prepare, How to Get In, How to Survive.” My son’s book now has pages falling out because he has been through it so many times. There is even a section for your peeps.
I think one of the main points is to call the Admissions department at the Academy and get their guidance.
8th. Look on the Academy web site for your area blue and bold officer. Give them a call and tell your story, they will give guidance.
9th. Check to see if there is a JROTC unit in your area and join.
10th. Ask your peeps if they know anybody that was once an Academy grad and if they can introduce you.</p>

<p>A poster by the name of Time2 suggested looking at the “Service Academy” forum. It was a great piece of advise. The forum is watched carefully and there are some really good people that will give you advise on the home schooled thing. Look for moderators, BGO (Blue & Gold Officers) and people with a high rate of postings. When I say the site is monitored carefully it is the moderators that will quickly help you.</p>

<p>Taking the SAT was brilliant now take the ACT!!! 580(math), 570(writing), and 660(CR) for 8th grade these are outstanding numbers. The say the average SAT for a HS Sr. is a 1500, you’re at an 1810. When your ready to take them for the Academy you need to shoot for the 700 in M & CR. For the ACT push for 30. To that end if you have home school AP classes take as many as possible. If and when you take the ACT take the written as well. Although the Academy say it only takes the M & CR they in FACT look at the writing. I don’t know why but they do. My DS found this out from looking arounf on the Academy web site and from the BGO. </p>

<p>There will be other opinions, guidance, insight, and feedback added to or redirecting what I may have said. Take all the information and use it to your advantage on achieveing your goal of attending the Academy. </p>

<p>You started the journey… Remember your failures become your greatest complishments. Don’t ever stop just because you may have to take a step back just power through and keep going. </p>

<p>If you want the academy that bad the more you learn the better your chances. Visit the Service Academy forum you will like it.</p>

<p>Thanks 3unitsIlove for all of the helpful information! I’m guessing you went through all of this with your son. What would you/he say was the hardest part?</p>

<p>Gertrude,</p>

<p>Glad to be able to help. The only point of my interaction was telling him that if he was going to do this he needed to read, research, read, research, read and make sure it was what he wanted. It is a very important step in your life. He has done just that, he has read many military books and researched and got an active 06 for a mentor.</p>

<p>I can not speak to his thought on what has been the most difficult that would need to come from him. I really would recommend that you call the Admissions dept. With being home schooled they will be your main resource on what to do next.</p>

<p>If you ask about my experiences and the hardest part I would tell you it was the end of my enlistment. I meet a great girl (married to her currently - 23+ year later). I had the choice of either loosing her or re-enlisting and doing 20 years. As much as it hurt I got out. Hindsight if I knew my wife as I know her now I would have re-enlisted and she would have been there for me for the full 20. I have no regrets I love my family. I served our Nation and I loved the Navy, aside from my family it was the best 4 years of my life. </p>

<p>You need to search your own heart and research and read everything you can about what your thinking about. The forum should only be a passing he said / she said thing. Find it in yourself, my son took that advise and I can tell you he is now a much better person for it. His level of respect and understanding has gone to a completely different level and quite frankly it has also impacted his grades. He was a 3.869 when he started this journey. Since starting he has moved ahead of I think 10 or 12 kids in his class into the 10 10% and has held a GPA of 4.2 something. This new quarter he is already maintaining a 5.0 and said he has no intention of going any lower. This journey has him complete focused. </p>

<p>I’ll say it again, find it in yourself, research the Navy and know what your getting into. You know very little of our military history. The facts will amaze you and it will have a effect on why our Nation is so great and why the people before sacrificed their lives so we can have what we have. It all starts with you making the call to admissions and then start your research. </p>

<p>Good luck, take a look at that Service Academy sight and post your question there. It will light up with people that want to help.</p>

<p>Take a look at all these links:</p>

<p>[Academic</a> Catalog :: Leaders to Serve the Nation :: USNA](<a href=“http://www.usna.edu/Catalog/]Academic”>http://www.usna.edu/Catalog/)
[Office</a> of Admissions | Admissions](<a href=“http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/]Office”>http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/)
[Office</a> of Admissions | Summer Seminar](<a href=“http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/nass.htm]Office”>http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/nass.htm)</p>

<p>Also apply to Girls State when you’re a junior, it’s extremely helpful to your application and from what I hear, a great experience.</p>

<p>I think the first thing to do is thoroughly read the official USNA website which has a lot of good basic information about expectations. Yes, those who are home-schooled can apply and get an appointment. I think it is too early to call admissions if you are a freshman in h.s. and if you did what would you ask them??? I am sure their first answer would be to read their website, they really aren’t the help desk for guessing your chances, telling you what h.s. classes to take, etc.</p>

<p>Forum websites are mostly useful for relaying what others have experienced when applying. I think this is one type of college where you have to take your own initiative to learn what it is all about and what sort of background those who apply typically have. Even your BGO will probably tell you it is to early to contact them.</p>

<p>Service academy forums has moderators who also are regular praticipants. That doens’t make their advice any better/worse then what others might offer. In an online forum you have to remember that most participants are anonymous and you have to decide for yourself who knows what they are talking about vs those who like to SOUND like they do.</p>

<p>Thank you everyone for taking the time to type up all of this helpful information. I will definitely be checking out the links that were provided.</p>