<p>I am a freshman who wants to go to one of these to schools. I am figuring this out so i can make my highschool path according to either college. Also, i dont know if im good enough to make it in. I am taking all honors, doing two sports (soccer during fall, swimming year round), and im in the key club. Most importantly, I want to know the differences between the colleges and if me doing swimming since i was 6 will help. Also, i want to know my chances of making it into either of these colleges. Finally, i am a big patriot. It doesnt matter where i serve as long as i can help my country.</p>
<p>Unlike many schools, there is a very formulaic process for getting into West Point or Annapolis. Of course the admissions offices are looking for a diverse and unique student body, but they are looking for dedicated and determined students. You can show your determination by joining clubs your freshman year. Joining extracurriculars freshman and excelling in leadership positions as you grow older can show the admissions office you are determined and fit for the academy. Also, maintaining a clean record and very good grades (mostly As but a few Bs are acceptable) is important. Community service is very important at the service academies, so really rack up the service hours. Volunteer awards given by the school and community are very good to shoot for, and volunteering at a hospital or nursing home is a very consistent, good way to get hours. However, make sure that you respect the cause for which you are volunteering, or it would not be worthwhile for you. Finally, swimming since you were 6 might not matter, but swimming and soccer will GREATLY improve your chances. An overwhelming majority of accepted students were varsity athletes in high school, so be sure to stick with your sports, and go for varsity/captain positions. Good luck!</p>
<p>Just a quick note about swimming, year round club swimming through a USA swimming affiliate and making JOs, sectionals, etc., IS definitely a worthwhile pursuit. Our son’s only sport was swimming, but he had National Top 16 consideration times, zone times, etc. He did swim in HS, but that was not nearly as impressive as the club swimming, since the distances, events, etc. are different. He was, however, varsity and captain his senior year. </p>
<p>It did not hurt him that he did not have student council, volunteer time outside of swimming, or other club memberships during HS. He was very focused on swimming (4 hours of practice per day) plus AP classes and a job as a lifeguard.</p>
<p>Just saying, I think they would rather have an inch wide and mile deep, than hundreds of passing interests or volunteer hours which were for show and would make an applicant seem a mile wide and an inch deep.</p>
<p>JMHO</p>
<p>bobstercru – there are many paths to commissioning.</p>
<p>For now, all you need to focus on are the three pillars of excellence that both West Point and Annapolis value:</p>
<p>1) Demonstrated Leadership in Community and school
2) Academic Success – hard courses, good grades, good test scores
3) Athletic success/fitness</p>
<p>Everything else will fall into place in due time. If you are not chosen for one of the Academies, you can still pursue commissioning through the Army or Navy ROTC programs. If all of those avenues don’t pan out, you can enlist out of high school, and then work your way up that path, or after a few years get assigned to go back to college through ROTC or NROTC … each has enlisted slots.</p>
<p>Participate in ECA’s and sports in high school as something you enjoy and can contribute to their success. Don’t participate just to build a resume. By the time you graduate you may/may not still want to attend the Academy. In the long run, you will be better off doing things you enjoy and learn from rather than in how to make your college application look better. No one here can tell you your ‘chances’ of getting an appointment. You can look at the official academy site to get a sense of the types of background most mids have.</p>
<p>join sea cadets</p>
<p>Don’t forget you need a congressional appointment for either school, so look at how to be competitive for that as well. It’s a hurdle you must jump over or the rest doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>Also, you might also consider the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine academies and apply to all four. Better to be accepted by more than one and have your choice, than not to apply somewhere and end up going another route because you don’t get in. There are lots of ways to serve.</p>
<p>One option for avoiding the nomination process is applying to US Coast Guard Academy. Not required for USCGA.</p>