<p>I had a thread of something like this in the other part of these forums but they told me to post it here, what are my chances of getting into Westpoint?
Right now i'm a sophmore and i'm going to be a junior next year and i've been looking at this school for years. I've got 2 years in football and 2 years in wrestling but nothing special with them. I've taken the hardest classes that i could. I've been to three different high schools in the last year, lived in 9 different towns. Family is dirt poor. My dad is a disabled veteran of the army. Both parents are out of work (diseases) and we're barely making it. I've been in a group home for a few weeks due to this (family was split up). I'm working 35 hours a week to help the family plus school so i have little time for any ec's this year.
-i got a 3.4 GPA with one AP
-I'm in good physical shape </p>
<p>I'm not sobbing, i just want to know if any of this stuff could help me get in. I'd appreciate any advice.</p>
<p>Well if you explain your family situation and why you're working so much, added to doing two sports, along with a decent GPA, and assuming you do well on the ACTs and SATs, the Academy will definitely consider you. Just be sure to explain everything, not in a "poor me" way (you didn't here, I'm just saying that you have to be careful how you word it) but just in a matter-of-fact and mature way.</p>
<p>With your dad as a vet you can apply to the President for nom. Also be sure to apply to VP as well as congressmen/senators.</p>
<p>They look at those special situations. There is a work card specifically for candidates who work on farms or regular jobs to support their families.</p>
<p>don't loose hope man, i never knew my dad and I spent time in chaderjain youth correctional facility. (probably the worst juvie in the us) they wouldn't let us have fruit cuz people would make alcohol with it. we couldn't have rolls of toilet paper, cuz pepole would try to hang themselvs with it. dont give up hope</p>
<p>dylan sav: don't give up. and I agree about telling your lifestory in a straightforward way. You've been dealt some tough cards but it sounds like you're surviving. Leadership is something that the academies look for but you have so little time to make a mark in that way - so try to figure out something. Good luck to you and your parents. Don't give up!</p>
<p>If you really want to go and put the work in (and it sounds like you are) you can get into West Point. It may entail time in a Prep Program or in the army enlisted. If you never go for your dreams you'll never achieve them. Make disadvantages work for you. Good luck. </p>
<p>The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure thing boat never gets far from shore.
-Dale Carnegie</p>
<p>"The Man in the Arena"
It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
-Theodore Roosevelt</p>
<p>I love that speech! Try to get a leadership possition somewhere, sports, ECs, or work. Making a management type possition at work would help you a lot. It might even pay better, too. Your chances are decent, keep going. As Churchill said, "If you are going through Hell, keep going!"</p>
<p>Do you guys have any advice on what i should do right now? With summer on, anything i could do to help the chances?</p>
<p>I've been on a bunch of different websites trying to figure out how to get a nomination, does anyone have any advice on that or how they got one?</p>
<p>Keep reading here and go back into ALL the posts for good advice (& entertainment). Contact your Members of Congress (2 senators & Rep.)and ask for information from them. Talk to everyone you bump into that appears to have a military connection. Talk to your school counselor. Try to find a mentor/champion for you. Be really good at something. Get yourself into leadership positions in whatever you do. Get excellent grades in the AP/honors courses next year (especially math/science) and get into great shape. Getting a nomination is hard, but not impossible. You are starting at the right time to get everything in order. Look into ALL the academies - West Point, Navy, Air Force and don't overlook the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Academies. Depending on where you are located, some might be easier than others to get in. Best wishes!</p>
<p>Look in into military conected nominations. You may be eligable for one because your Dad is a diabled vetren. Also you may want to look into doing a 'split option' in the reserves. I know a current cadet who got in this way. He went to boot camp after his junior year and got a nom. shortly there after. Civilian noms. are a crap shoot.</p>
<p>There are pages that show how to ask for a nomination from a MOC. Use one of those plus any extra information you can give. I'm pretty sure academyadmissions.com has one for USAFA, just tailor it to US_A.</p>
<p>*edit: go to the Service Academy Parents forum and look at "Congressional Guide for Admission...US Service Academies"</p>
<p>Do you think these MOC would actually reply to me?(current financial situation) Being in Minnesota, I dont really like the ones we have right now, but they're still good people.. I was thinking, you compare a poor boy with a fortunate boy, who would they pick? Especially these MOC folks.</p>
<p>Whats the difference between a military connected nomination and a civilian nomination?</p>
<p>Absolutely they will respond. And you should visit your Congressman's office. My son did several times (ostensibly to drop things off but also to meet the actual person responsible for nominations -- it made him stand out). I don't think they would look at "a poor boy vs. a fortunate boy" but they would recognize that you are thriving in a very tough situation. And that is a benefit to you because a military career is all about surviving in tough situations! MOC's could respond quite well to your situation if, as TacticalNuke suggested, you tell it in the right way -- not in an "I'm entitled" kind of way. My suggestion to what you should focus on (in addition to the excellent advice above) would be to try, somehow, to take an SAT or ACT prep course. Your really want to do well on one of them and those courses are very helpful. Could be hard given your job, etc. but something to consider.</p>
<p>I'mn with AFDAD - if possible visit the MC's office personally (and look sharp!) - Most Members have committee's which review the applications (note: you apply for a nomination from a MC or VP and Pres. AND you apply to academy). Most of the committees review all the applications and invite you to an interview your beginning of your senior year. In our experience, they are more impressed with kids who have had the initiative and gumption to do all the right things that are not elitists - they would rather give an excellent kid a hand up vs. someone with lots of ivy leage options. Thus, do all the right things, ask lots of questions, etc.
Regarding military and civilian nominations: check the various academies, they all have slightly differing systems, but there are a variety of nominations from several sources. The trick is to get as many as possible to the school(s) you want to go to. But sometimes, as an example, the MC's committee thinks you should be nominated to the Naval Academy rather than West Point. Either work on other nominations to WP OR apply to Annapolis. Keep reading CC because you have to jump through a lot of hoops and be VERY good to get in to any of the academies - and you have to be healthy (not wealthy) and smart - in all definitions of the word. It is doable and you are starting the right way - you will find many have worked years to gain entrance - others lucked into the right combination at the right time.<br>
Know that those here on CC will give you our best advice, but you have to go do it. :)</p>
<p>Military Noms are earned either by family or ones self. I didn't know about the split option in the resesrves or have a family member in the military to conect me with a nom. I recieved a nom from my rep. But got sent to a NMMI becuse my congressional area is so competative that I couldn't get into W.P. this year. I had a higher whole candidate score than the many folks in other districts. So it depends on where you live. But in my case civilian noms were a crap shoot.</p>