Chances at the Academy?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Coast Guard Academy - New London
1

<p>I'd like to go to the academy, it's my top choice for college but I don't think I've got competitive grades... I checked and my verbal SAT score is higher than the average at the academy and that's about the only thing I have going for me. Look below and tell me if I should even bother applying please???</p>

<p>Here are my stats:</p>

<p>I go to a sucky school. Airport High School in West Columbia, SC... Hardly the best. I'm in the top 25% of my class. Took AP English 4 and that's the only AP I plan to take because I can't fit any more into my schedule.
3.45 GPA uwtd (Yes I know that sucks)
1940 new SAT (590math, 680 verbal, 670 writing)
President-Elect of Model UN (Next year will be my 4th year as a member, recieved outstanding delegate award last year at Winthrop University MUN Conference.)
FBLA (1 year)
Founding member of Airport High School Young Democrats in 2004, organized campaign volunteering for Inez Tenenbaum's US Senate campaign and John Kerry's Presidential campaign as well as community service projects for a battered women's shelter in Columbia
Founding member of Airport High School Students Promoting Equality, aka SPEQ (said like speak, it was supposed to be a gay/straight alliance thingy but we got shut down a week later by the school district.)
AJROTC (Next year will be my 4th year, current rank is Sergeant 1st Class and I have held positions of Squad Leader, Assistant Staff Supply Officer, and Platoon Sergeant.)
AJROTC Drill Team (1st year. We are 2nd place in the state of South Carolina, 10th place nationally.)
Civil Air Patrol, USAF Auxiliary (Just joined a couple weeks ago... Lexington Composite Squadron, chosen as the best unit in the state of South Carolina this year.)
Special Olympics volunteer with AJROTC
Former Staff Writer for 'Starfleet Communique', a quarterly newspaper for the official Star Trek Fan Club (don't laugh, please...)
Chosen as one of about 20 students to be on next year's TV news at school
Was a SC Junior Scholar
Member of Airport High School B-27 club (I got a letter, yay!)
Lettered in 'Extracurricular Activities'
Media Center Student Assistant</p>

<p>JROTC Awards Recieved:</p>

<p>School/Community Service Ribbon
Good Conduct Ribbon
JROTC Spirit Ribbon
Length of Service Ribbon
Personal Appearance Ribbon
JROTC Proficiency Ribbon
Commendation Ribbon
National Physical Fitness Ribbon
Drill Team Ribbon
Parade Ribbon (They ran out so I don't have one yet, even though I qualify... That blows...)
National High School Drill Team Championships Medal (10th Place!!!)
Expert Marskmanship Qualification Badge</p>

<p>Would it be a waste of time to apply to the academy, or should I do it? I really want to be an officer in the USCG and military service means alot to me. I suppose I could go reserve through college and then go to OCS, but I'd much rather go to the academy... It's just, well, better lol. </p>

<p>ALSO, here are the classes I have taken so far:</p>

<p>English 1, 2, and 3 HONORS and English 4 AP
Algebra 1 and 2 CP, Geometry HONORS
Biology 1 HONORS, Chemistry CP, Anatomy and Physiology CP
Global Studies 1 HONORS, US History and Constitution CP, Sociology CP
JROTC 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Business Computer Applications
Health
Chorus I</p>

<p>Next year I intend to take the following:</p>

<p>Drama I
Media Communications (TV NEWS)
Statistics and Probability CP
Business Law
Criminal Justice
Government/Economics AP
JROTC 6</p>

<p>Do you recommend any other classes? I can take a total of 8 and I have a free block which I am planning to use for work as a media center aide. I'm thinking about cutting the Business Law and Criminal Justice in favor of another math class (Probably PreCal Honors as it's what my Geometry teacher recommended me for on my report card) and possibly Advanced Writing Seminar, but that's flexible. In fact the whole thing is flexible, the only things I HAVE to take are Media Communications, Stat/Prob, and Govt/Econ. I'd appreciate any guidance I can get as I emailed my state's admissions officer from the academy and never got a reply...</p>

2

<p>Ok that's a good resume...I think you have a decent chance based on what others have presented and gotten appointments. I don't see any athletics in there so that could be a problem. What is your overall fitness level? The PT at the academy is tough and you need to be in very good shape...your SAT's could stand brushing up a tad I think especially the math...work hard your first semester senior year and I think you'd have a shot.</p>

3

<p>I have one word for you: APPLY! You've accomplished great things and from what we've learned, the academy doesn't look at just one thing. It looks at all of them. It looks like you are a well rounded candidate for admissions. Your commitment to AJROTC is great! Any sports besides rifle or any outside of AJROTC? Get with guidance at the start of this coming year and get all of their help in your schedule. Call your AROTC instructor about what classes you should change around if any. If this is indeed your #1 choice, do all you can to obtain it. You may want to make a phone call instead of emailing for information. We've found that the emails generally go nowhere. If you don't try for this with all that you have, you'll forever wonder if you could have done it. Don't let the process overwhelm you. It can be done. Great luck to you. Keep reading on all of the boards here because you'll learn alot. BTW -We live 40 miles from you!</p>

4

<p>Hehe, I hope you don't hate me for going to Airport... :P </p>

<p>No I do no sports other than rifle and drill team. But both are considered varsity sports at my school, and we're the only sport (other than our bowling team, which were US champions 2 years ago and went to the world championships finishing in the top 15 lol) that actually wins anything. Our football team (As you may know, Bulldog) SUCKS, as does our baseball team and all our sports teams basically. </p>

<p>And Boss, I'm in horrible shape lol. But I've already started trying to improve on myself by working out on a pretty much daily basis. Honestly, the only thing I need real improvement on is the running, which I'm really embarassed about. I have a 10:30 mile right now and I need to be able to do 1.5 miles in 12 something for the academy. So, I have a ways to go, but once it starts to cool down from the summer I'll get working on my running- in the mean time, I'll keep up on my push ups and sit ups cause those are what I'm good at. Oh, btw, I made a 96 on my entrance score for ASVAB. I hear that's pretty good lol. </p>

<p>What sort of recommendations should I get? I'm almost sure my JROTC instructors will NOT recommend me. I can try getting my commander from CAP to do it as well as some of my extra curricular sponsors, I know for sure they'll do it. </p>

<p>There's a bit of a problem though. I'm afraid my JROTC instructors, if they know I'm applying to the academy, will tell the Coast Guard I'm gay. That's why I'm not going to ask them to recommend me, in fact I'm not even mentioning it to them unless I get accepted. I want to join the Coast Guard more than anything in the world, but since the UCMJ forbids gays from joining I can't let them know. I made the mistake of asking my JROTC instructors if I could take my boyfriend to the military ball this year... They still hate me for it. I'm also very worried that some accusations of harassment made against me in my freshman year (They said I touched them... I did not. They were trying to get me kicked out of school, which thanks to my aunt [State Supt. of Education] I didn't, but I do have about 8 suspensions on my record resulting from that) might get revealed. I know the deal in the military, I know I'd have to keep my mouth shut, and I'm fully prepared to do that... But is there any way the Coast Guard might find out without me actually telling them? And if they find out through someone else could that be used as grounds to reject my application? </p>

<p>Eh... Sorry for bringing all this on you lol.</p>

5

<p>Well. This is indeed interesting..... Uh, I sent you a private message through here so be sure to check your messages. Hmmmm... Let me just say that anything that is on your record, they WILL know about. Not much you can do about that. This is a toughie. Maybe somebody else has some advice???</p>

6

<p>None of those accusations were ever proven though. The school isn't good about those things and they went ahead and suspended me without even investigating or getting evidence. It's all cause of that stupid no tolerance thing, they won't even let you explain what's going on or ask for your side of the story they automatically assume you did something wrong even if you didn't do anything at all. This has happened to MANY other students at my school. And all it says on my record is I was suspended for sexual harassment, it doesn't say it was against a guy.</p>

7

<p>SAT scores might need a little work... it's on the lower half of the people who apply</p>

<p>if your SAT scores plateu like mine did take the ACT</p>

8

<p>AdanBrac:</p>

<p>Coast Guard Academy may overlook a lot of things on your resume but, come on, campaign coordinator for John Kerry !! You're really pushing the envelop with that.</p>

9

<p>LOL!!! I think they'd actually find that rather nice. And I did not coordinate his campaign, I was just in charge of arranging the volunteer dates/hours for my school. And I only did it cause my aunt (distantly) is Inez and most of what we did was for her campaign.</p>

10

<p>Amazing how there are no guilty persons in prison either.</p>

<p>Assuming for the moment that most or parts of the above story are true, a background as presented would offer significant challenges to Academy admission. </p>

<p>Weak grades, suspensions, personal issues, . . . "oh my."</p>

<p>Time for a reality check.</p>

11

<p>Amen Bill.</p>

12

<p>Ya pretty well opened up a big ol' can of worms here AdanBrac. You put yourself out there for all to see. The good, the bad, & the ugly. I'm afraid I agree with Bill that your grades, the suspensions, no matter if you are guilty or not,they are still your record, and the other issues will all pose problems for you. Not having your school officials behind you 100% is not a good thing either. You have to obtain their recommendations to apply anywhere. Another thought as well. The academies run a security check on you. Yes indeed-ie. A real FBI kind of thing. Anything showing up on that will knock you out of the running as well. Don't know if there were criminal charges involved and please don't post it if there were. Too much information can be a bad thing as you can see. Your stats are good enough for VMI & The Citadel. I repeat..... Get you a back-up plan! OSC is one of those by ivitation only clubs. May be a far reach. You are getting some honest answers from these boards. I'd take them to heart.</p>

13

<p>If my grades can get me into the best private university in South Carolina, they should be good enough for the Academy. And I don't have a criminal record, no charges were ever filed. Since all the alleged problems at school happened in freshman and sophomore year I don't think there will be much of a problem, they'll see that I straightened up (Or assume, given that I didn't actually do anything to begin with) and that'll be the end of it. And I never said school officials wouldn't recommend me, my principal will definitely do it as will all my teachers and probably the AI (Army Instructor, he's a retired Cmd. Sgt Major) for JROTC. The only person who will not is the SAI (A retired Lt. Colonel) and I can compensate for that by getting my Squadron Commander in Civil Air Patrol to recommend me. </p>

<p>The military is concerned with leadership potential, and I certainly have that. I'm very good at leading people--if I wasn't good at leading people, I wouldn't be in the leadership positions that I am in JROTC and my ECs. They want well rounded students, not perfect students, and I'm certainly well rounded. I've only had 1 C in the past 2 years I don't think that's bad at all as far as grades go. Not Harvard standards, but then again this is not Harvard we're talking about is it? </p>

<p>Don't insult me for being honest, don't you ever insult anyone for being honest. And don't call me stupid for it either. If I lied about it and told you I was straight, I'd be wrong... And I'd be breaking military values. Honesty, Integrity, and all of that. It's not very honest to lie about yourself now is it? You're all suggesting that I do that, but if I did that then I'd be going against everything the Academy stands for, and then I wouldn't belong there. Least I had the decency to give you the whole story, not just the best parts of it. These are all things they'd have found out anyway so what's the harm in it? Hm???</p>

14

<p>WHOA! Calm down AdanBrac. I for one never said to lie. It would only come back to bite you in the butt later. I was just referring to not giving too much of your private info on these boards. Its not our business. Use this discussion as a tool for information to get yourself where you want to go. I certainly did not mean to offend. I'd never tell a kid he /she couldn't do anything they wanted to do. AND you're NOT stupid from what your stats show. I agree, none here are perfect including myself. Let me tell you though, I think that you will be getting a Harvard education at an academy. Top notch! Apology accepted???? Will try to be more helpful.</p>

15

<p>"Don't insult me for being honest, don't you ever insult anyone for being honest."</p>

<p>Are you going to be honest with the admissions board and tell them that you have 8 suspensions on your high school record, and that you believe yourself to be a homosexual? </p>

<p>Remember, you can lie by omission ...</p>

16

<p>I'm curious to see how you will handle this issue. Your school records will be given to the academy in any case but can you share your thoughts on how you will handle the gay issue? I'm not being mean here. Honest. I really am curious to know what your plans are on the matter if you'd care to put yourself out there again. When you say "whats the harm in it" about the academy finding out, ask yourself that very question. Its important for you to know what you think will happen? You sound in your last post that you have a good plan for your recommendations. The leadership potential is just one of the many things that academies will be looking at. Your pretty well involved in a little of everything which is good. Do you have anyone to talk to close to you? What are your parents feelings about you applying?</p>

17

<p>After reading your discussion, I have to ask AdanBrac a question: </p>

<p>Are you sure the military is right for you? The military is very intolerant of gays. If you make it to CGA, and your fellow cadets find out, the vast majority won't be happy about, and will let you know about it. You say your JROTC instructors don't like you because of it? Sorry, but that's how you will be treated in the military. I not trying to be mean, and not picking on you because of your "preferences", just telling it like it is.
p.s. A 10:30 mile? Don't wait until the end of the summer. Start running NOW. You will get no respect (in fact, you'll go home!) if that's all you can run.</p>

18

<p>Yes, magoo, I am very sure the military is right for me. I want to serve my country and I want to make a difference, and there aren't many other ways I can do it in the way that I can in the Coast Guard. I'd get to save lives, prevent terrorism, and get some free travel overseas perhaps. And in case you weren't aware, congress is preparing to remove the ban on gays. It's called the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005 and it has broad bipartisan support and will likely pass. </p>

<p>I have spoken firsthand with several current and former members of the US military, in particular the Coast Guard, and they claim that the attitudes in the military have dramatically improved in recent years and that gays are often accepted. In fact, many gays and lesbians are open even with their commanders, and their commanders respect them for that. So if it works for them, why can't it work for me too? All I want to do is serve my country, I don't want glory and I don't want money, I just want to help people. I'm not smart enough to be a doctor, I can't argue well enough to be a lawyer, and I'm not rich enough to go into politics, so what is left other than the military?</p>

19

<p>As mentioned in another thread, the logic displayed on this thread is so flawed at so many different levels that a post is almost not called for; that is, * almost * not called for.</p>

<p>First. I am curious as to why people feel the need to apologize when no insult or other deleterious offense has been committed. No wrong, no need to apologize.</p>

<p>Second. It is well established that the Academies do not look to grades alone in determining admittance. Whether or not one's grades are good enough for another private institution is largely irrelevant. In any event, being in the top 25% of a "sucky" school is hardly a claim to intellectual horsepower.</p>

<p>Third. Hard to evaluate new SAT scores just yet. A score of 1270 using the old math/verbal places a candidate squarely in the middle 50% of applicants [at least for USNA]. Considering how many applicants--many more than are admitted--have NO problems, why would the Academy seek to admit somebody that does have problems.</p>

<p>Fourth. The Academy does not want recommendations from ALL teachers; as I recall, it was only your math and English teachers that are solicited. Maybe, in addition, your counselor. </p>

<p>Fifth. Most likely, your BGO [it might be helpful if an applicant knew what that was] will be familiar with your high school and the JROTC program. Despite what one might intend about hiding certain aspects of his/her background, it is likely that informal discussion w/ school counselors and/or JROTC commanders will reveal any problems w/ applicants.</p>

<p>Sixth. It is arguable whether, after four years, a sergeant's position is an outstanding display of leadership. Commendable? Perhaps. Outstanding? Questionable.</p>

<p>Seventh. Homosexual activities are a cause for separation from military service. If you are not homosexually active * [or don't intend to be active--see below] then you may not be violating regulations. This give rise, however, to a question: If one is not sexually active [*or intend to be sexually active] with same-sex companions, are they still a homosexual? Is one a homosexual if they are merely attracted to same-sex companions but do not otherwise act on their attractions? That is, isn't a homosexual defined by their sexual orientation and activities? [The military defines a homosexual as a person who "engages in, attempts to engage in, or has a propensity to engage in, or intends to engage in" homosexual acts, which, of course, are further defined to include bodily contact between membes of the same sex intended to satisfy sexual desires.] So, avoid the defined activities and you are home free.</p>

<p>Eighth. This is a GREAT thread. Youngster angst, pathos, ethos, logos . . . all in one. My young jedi, the choices you have made and the genetics you have [whichever belief you espouse] are the ones that you have. Suggesting that OTHERS have insulted you for being honest does not change the cold, hard facts of your record. At the same time, do not insult others for being honest with you.</p>

<p>Conclusion? Some people have a lot of issues in their lives. The military is not in the social services business. Why choose a marginal candidate with issues over outstanding candidates with no issues? That's life.</p>

<p>Sounds like GPA isn't the only thing that sucks.</p>

20

<p>AdanBrac:
"I just want to help people. I'm not smart enough to be a doctor, I can't argue well enough to be a lawyer, and I'm not rich enough to go into politics, so what is left other than the military?"</p>

<p>Sounds like the Peace Corps might be a good place to start. If after 3 rears in Army JROTC and you are still in poor physical shape that points to perhaps a lack of desire on your part to physically prepare yourself for a life in the military, Coast Guard or not. Go to a civilian college, figure out who you are, what you really CAN do and see if that matches up to what you WANT to do. There are still commissioning sources available to you if you go that route but I am afraid that from what you have posted here, any of the service academies (in the unlikely event you got an appointment) would eat you alive both physically and academically (personal issues not withstanding). Just trying to be honest based on what I have read from your posts. Good luck, I mean that most sincerely.</p>