<p>I'm a person who intends to apply for the 2013 West Point class. I just finished my sophmore year and feel I'm not going to be a strong competitor for a cadet vacancy. I am not in any sports or clubs currently because my family is going through hard times and I need to remain at home to help around the house. My mom is atempting to run a business involving Schutzhund(protection dog) work and breeding. Due to the large amounts of German Shepherds that have to be taken care of, I couldn't join sports or clubs my freshmen and sophmore years. I also have an autistic brother I need to watch over when my mom leaves. Currently, only one person is working and I'm attempting to find work to help with family finances. That's the bad. The good thing is I'm going to start Civil Air Patrol(not JROTC because we can't afford gas to go there since it's far away), most likely will play tennis since I'm good at it, and do varsity track. My grades are high.(for the record, they were only average my freshmen year, but I rose them greatly my sophmore year.) My GPA is around a 3.6. I played freshmen football. I'm going to talk to the teacher involved with our NHS chapter about letting me in NHS. I'm doing AP Government, AP literature and composition, and Acc. Alg.2 and Trigonometry my junior year. My physical strength is incredibly high. I can get 100% on almost all of the exercises for physical fitness portion of the West Point application process. I researched the West Point application process and it said to start my second semester of my junior year. Is this true? I would also appreciate some information on how and when to apply for a nomination from a member of congress. I would also like evauations from others on this forum on me actually getting accepted to West Point or it's prep school(I know I need to offer my preference on going to the prep school on my CQ). Thank you in advance.</p>
<p>p.s: I'm also am taking German 3(already better at speaking the language since I was born there and am German) and I intend to learn Russian soon.</p>
<p>p.s.s: I'm also taking part in training some of our younger pups in obedience... does that count for anything? I'm affraid of mentioning any of the reasons why I can't do sports or clubs on my CQ because I don't know whether sob stories are taken into consideration.</p>
<p>Take it from me, a regular Joe who got offered an appointment to USMA Class of 2011: don't worry so much about stats, sob stories, etc etc. Just be all you can be (still my favorite Army recruitment motto) and apply. When I went to USMA's Summer Leader's Seminar, everyone there seemed 1000x more qualified than I was, but I somehow was offered an appointment. With that said- just find something you like doing and excel in it.</p>
<p>And besides, there's no set formula for admission into West Point anyway.</p>
<p>While there will be no interest in a sob story, Admissions will look at your individual circumstances. By being direct about your experiences and describing them factually rather than emotionally, you can create a compelling story. It sounds like you're doing a lot of the right things. A few tasks you may want to begin are:</p>
<p>1) Prep for the PSAT as it is used to determine invitations to SLS.
2) Read everything you can on usma.edu. Then read books like Absolutely American, Duty First, Battle Dress (lighter fiction, but fun look at Beast). You'll also find quite a bit of valuable information in the posts here on cc.
3) Depending on your state and congressional district, some are highly competitive. You may want to reach out to Admissions to let them know of your early interest.</p>
<p>Mentioning that you haven't had the chance to participate in many sports because of your family business would be a smart move, they'll be curious why you didn't.</p>
<p>You won't get into the prep school at Fort Monmouth unless you're prior enlisted or a recruited athlete, so don't get your hopes up otherwise. Civil Prep would be more feasable, but if you're academically strong with your grades and SATs you should be in the clear.</p>
<p>You seem pretty well rounded to me, start now and get ahead of everybody else in the application process (especially with nominations). Good luck.</p>
<p>I already read the application process on usma.edu and I am a citizen. Born in Germany but my father served in the U.S Army during that time.</p>
<p>When I shoot for a congressman to nominate me, does it matter whether I send it handwritten or by mail? How much of a difference does it make to do SLS? I am well-rounded academically with economics and geography(in addition to what I mentioned in the first post). Eventhough I screwed my GPA in my freshmen year( ended with a 3.4), my GPA rises at a rate or .2 or more.</p>
<p>Always type it up (looks more professional that way). Attending SLS isn't advantageous besides the fact that it's a really good extracurricular activity to put on your resume.</p>
<p>like momoftwins stated, they look at your individual circumstance and go from there. USMA does not hold it against you if you have to help with family income, etc. I feel that you are a strong candidate academically and physically, and if you do all the sports/clubs listed, I think you may be pleasantly surprised in 2 years and realize that all the hard work you've done in your high school years was all worth it. Good luck, Krieger!</p>
<p>I'd say keep the grades up and go for NHS (or some other leadership position) - your fitness scores will speak for themselves for the physical bit.</p>
<p>And for the record, from the sound of things, you're exactly the type of guy I want to be at USMA with. Just don't let go of that goal, and don't take no for an answer. Remember - ROTC is still a great way to go to college and helps your family greatly with finances. In all honesty, I really hope you get in.</p>
<p>I expect you will be able to meet the USMA qualification standards for academics and physical fitness. Your language skills are a big positive. Make sure you prepare for the PSAT and SAT since those carry as much or more weight than your GPA in the evaluation process. Target a 1300 or higher score for the verbal/math components.</p>
<p>Another component of the evaluation process to work on is demonstrated leadership and desire for leadership. USMA likes to see candidates that take on positions of leadership in school, sports and other groups. While your other responsibilities may preclude sports, I'm sure there could be some time found for less time consuming school, church or other civic group leadership roles.</p>
<p>Make sure to apply early for the summer leadership program. I believe you can apply in January of your junior year. Keep checking the USMA website for information.</p>
<p>Good luck and thanks for considering a career serving our great country.</p>
<p>I would not call it a sob story, actually it seems to be a life experience which is demonstrating responsibility and dedication at an early age. What you perceive as setbacks could be a very strong attribute if presented in the correct fashion.</p>
<p>Also, do not forget Boy Scouts. Eagle counts alot as well as becoming a Snr Patrol Leader.</p>
<p>In all I think you have a stronger development going on than most applicants.</p>
<p>How should I present these setbacks on my CQ when the time comes? I dont think I should just not mention them. Recently, I had to dedicate most of my time watching my autistic brother. So far I found work and give half my paycheck to my mom to help with bills. When I pay for my ACT test, civil air patrol, etc., I'm going to give most, if not all of my paycheck. Getting a job didnt help. I need to ride 5.5 miles to and from work 4 times a week. I also need to know when to apply for my nominations.</p>
<p>P.s: Any sports are out of the question. I'll be lucky enough to keep CAP(boot is $500, which I cannot afford). If I can hold on to CAP, NHS, some random club, my physical fitness and good grades, then I'll be satisfied.</p>
<p>p.s.s: I also spend a considerable amount of time taking care of our 12 German Shepherds, but I dont want to train them. Do you think simply taking care of that many dogs for my mom's business counts as leadership experience? Thanks in advance for any advise.</p>
<p>The PSAT and SAT, are used heavily to determine admissability to SLS. Since Krieger is a rising junior he will have the opportunity to apply for SLS next summer. </p>
<p>As aspen has mentioned in another post, any applicant has a chance to influence their own scores by prepping for the exams (including ACT). Also, by reviewing test scores, Admissions can compare candidates in the same situation. The quality of education and student in high schools varies greatly. There are schools that do not offer AP classes and schools where many students pursue a rigorous curriculum. There are valedictorians who wouldn't be able to crack the top 20% at some of the strong high schools. If you look at athletics, there are team captains and MVP's who couldn't make the team at other schools. That's why the tests give Admissions in schools across the country - not just service academies - a criteria that is understood and consistent for all applicants.</p>
<p>Since the scores can be improved by prepping, and an applicant wants to become as competitive as possible, the answer is really very simple. Prep for the exams.</p>
<p>As everyone in the hospitality industry says, think of a complaint as an opportunity to impress.</p>
<p>This same thing applies to you. Use your setback as an opportunity to impress admissions. Gain some confidence and succeed in everything you're able to do despite your duty to provide for your family. Your reduced amount of free time to do sports will not be taken negatively, and if anything it will show everyone that you have an impeccable ability to manage your schedule.</p>
<p>A couple of years ago there was a USNA candidate who was homeless. Despite his perceived disadvantage, this candidate received an appointment to the Naval Academy. The admissions board took the candidate's situation into consideration, and quite frankly, they were impressed with this particular candidate's accomplishments in light of his situation.</p>