Do I Have a Shot?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Military Academy - West Point
1

Hello Everyone!

I have been a “lurker” for a while now. As of right now, I am a junior in high school aiming to excel as an officer in the Army after attending the USMA. Below are all of my qualifications on paper, beyond what is attainable from my CFA scores, an interview, and beyond. My question for all of you, is whether you believe I have a valid shot at gaining acceptance at this heavenly institution.

To clarify, I have edited portions of the following to maintain my anonymity, while still allowing for substantive information to be depicted.

I have visited, and spoken to an Admissions Officer. As you may see below, I am largely lacking in the participation in varsity sports. FIRST Robotics at my school is considered one, but they do not grant varsity letters for us. I have brought up this concern with him, and he stated that this issue largely relates to the 10%, of the 60/30/10 formula. As long as I succeed in the (CFA) examination, and show a commitment towards physical activity, I would fulfill this portion. Thus, as a result I have spoken to my school’s tennis coach, and will be on the varsity team the spring of my graduating year. I have been training since February for the CFA, and plan on taking it in September.

In your verdict, assume that I pass my CFA, and gain a nomination. My congressional district is largely easier than others, and I have already spoken to many on my congressman’s board who currently support my pursuits. Thank you all so much for any feedback you may have! The Academy truly is my dream school, and I would do almost anything to have the honor of becoming a Cadet.

New Yorker
GPA: Approximately 3.7 (unweighted)
3.9 (weighted)

PSAT Scores
Math: 650
Reading: 630
(Assume I land in the 96th Percentile for the actual SAT (to be taken in June and October of this year, the PSAT Scores above were in the 96th)

Class Rank: Approximately in the Top 15% (about 850 students in my class)

Taken/Taking: College Accounting, College Personal Finance & Investments, and SUNY Spanish I as Electives

Advanced Placement (AP) Student: Language and Composition (Score TBD), United States History & Government (Score TBD), World History (Score: 4)

CONFERENCES

 2016 New York Boys State (will be attending this summer)

 2015, 2016 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) New York State Leadership Conference (SLC)

 2015 Student-Government Leadership Conference

 2014, 2015 DECA Power Trip

 2015 National Symposium for Debate

 2015 HOBY Leadership Conference

 2014 Regional Council Leadership Conference

 2014 Stanford National Forensic Institute

 2014 National Academy of Future Physicians

HONORS/AWARDS

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)

 2016 FBLA State-Leadership- Conference (SLC): State Champion in Impromptu Speaking

 2016 FBLA State-Leadership- Conference (SLC): State Champion in Personal Finance

 2016 FBLA State-Leadership- Conference (SLC): Third Place for Management Decision Making

 2016 FBLA Spring-District- Meeting (SDM): District Finalist in Impromptu Speaking

 2016 FBLA Spring-District- Meeting (SDM): Third Place in Personal Finance

 2016 FBLA Spring-District- Meeting (SDM): Third Place in Business Communications

 2015 FBLA State-Leadership- Conference (SLC): State Champion in Basic Decision Making

 2015 FBLA State-Leadership- Conference (SLC): Fourth Place for Management Decision Making

 2015 FBLA Spring-District- Meeting (SDM): District Finalist in Basic Decision Making

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

 2016 National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament: Lincoln-Douglas Debater (qualified within the region) (will be competing this May) (only one of 3 in Upstate New York)

 2014, 2015, 2016 NYSFL State Championship Tournament: Debater (qualified within the region)
(only student to qualify and compete in Varsity (2016))

 2016 State Invitational: Second Place in Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate

 2016 Regional Invitational: Third Place in Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate

 2015 Harvard Invitational Debate Tournament: Ranked in the top 10 Best Speakers in JV Lincoln-Douglas Debate (number hidden to maintain confidentiality)

 2015 County Lawyer’s Debate Tournament: Champion in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate

 2015 Regional Debate Tournament: Champion in JV Lincoln Douglas Debate

 2015 Invitational Debate Tournament: Champion in JV Lincoln Douglas Debate

 2013 County Lawyer’s Debate Tournament: Champion in Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate

FIRST (Robotics)

 2016 Regional 2 : Champions

 2016 Regional 2 : Gracious Professionalism Award

 2015, 2016 Student Ambassador at a Regional

 2016 Regional 1: Finalists

 2016 Regional 1 : Gracious Professionalism Award

 2015 Entrepreneurship Award Superlative (awarded as an individual on the team)

 2015 World Championship Subdivision Winner

 2015 Student Ambassador at a Regional

 2015 Regional 1: Finalists

 2014 Regional 2 : Champions

 2014 Regional 1 : Industrial Design Award

 2014 Regional 1 : Champions

Mock Trial Team

 2016 Best Witness Award (individually awarded, awarded a second time consecutively in the season)

 2016 Best Witness Award (individually awarded)

 2015 Semi-Finalists in County

School Senate

 2014, 2015 Senate Underclassman Award

 2014, 2015 School White Award (Extracurricular Distinction)

Other

 2016 Regional YMCA Student of the Year Award Winner

-Recognized by Assemblyman James Tedisco, Senator Hugh Farley, and Senator Kathleen Marchione

 2015 Featured in the “Student Spotlight” of the Local Newspaper

  • Personally recognized by Assemblyman James Tedisco in a letter in response to the article

ACTIVITIES/COMMUNITY SERVICE

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) / Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)

 DECA President, DECA Chapter, June 2015 - Present

 FBLA and DECA Member, September 2014 – Present

 Red Cross Blood Drive Volunteer, Spring/Fall 2015

Non Profit

 Youth Volunteer, July 2014 – Present

 Leadership Council Member, June 2015 – Present

 Non Profit Board of Directors’ Student Representative, July 2015 – Present

 Emceed a community education event on a Heroin Epidemic. 300 Attended 2015

Senate

 Senate Treasurer, June 2015 – Present

 Finance Committee Leader, June 2015 – Present

 Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) District Committee Representative, September 2014- Present

 Health and Wellness District Committee Representative, September 2014-June 2015

 Senate Member, September 2013 – Present

 Finance Committee Member, September 2013 - Present

 Arranged a “Speak-Out” where students could voice their views on the education they were receiving. Co-Head and Host, 2015

Mock Trial Team

 Prosecuting Attorney, Mock Trial Team, January 2015- Present

 Witness (Defendant), Mock Trial Team, January 2015- Present

FIRST Robotics

 Finance Sub-Team Leader , September 2015-Present

 Finance and Chairman’s’ Sub-Team Member, September 2014 - Present

 FIRST Member, September 2013 – Present

Orchestra

 Violist, String Orchestra, September 2013 – Present

 Violist, All-County Orchestra, 2015, 2016

 Played the viola since the 4th grade

Youth Court

 Youth Court Member, September 2014 – Present

 Community Board Youth Court Representative, July 2015 – Present

Youth Summer Camp
 Head Counselor In Training, Summer 2015

 Counselor In Training, Summer 2013, 2014

Other

 Master of Ceremonies, Reader- Con, 2014, 2015

 Lincoln Douglas Debater and Debate Coach, September 2013 – Present

 Torch and Laurel Honor Society, February 2014 – Present

2

Bottom Line Up Front: Work Out. Whether you get in or you don’t: Work Out. You will never regret being the fittest person you know. No one looks back on their life and says, “I wish I hadn’t worked out so much.”

You already know you look good academically and on paper.

Academically you are job done. Now onto the tough read:

If you don’t play a varsity sport until the spring of your senior year you would already have been accepted or been denied, so it likely won’t matter if you start playing at that point, and if you’re just trying to check a block on an application: don’t. Spend that time working out and learn to love it. Make it a lifestyle.

Work out hard. Harder than you than you have for anything on the list above and for the entire time that you would have been playing tennis. 2 hours a day. 1 hour cardio, 1 hour muscular strength and endurance. Swim, bike, run, row, ruck, push, pull, throw, squat, thrust: heavy things go up, heavy things go down.

Your list says you’ll be a great academic or lawyer or politician. But you say you want to be a cadet, which actually means you want to be an officer (Cadet is temporary and will swiftly become the lamest of nouns the day your graduate), which means you really want to be a soldier and lead warriors on the battlefield. There are plenty of better schools for academics. There is no better school for warriors.

Strive for the maximums in everything and especially on the CFA. If you ever find yourself googling, “what are the CFA mimimums…” then you need to check yourself, put on your shoes and run 10 miles. Then do pushups until you can’t anymore. Then drop to your knees and do it again. Then drop to your hips and do it again. Then get up, wipe the sweat from your brow and throw your phone or your computer in a lake because your mind is always weaker than your body and googling propagates mental weakness.

You won’t need to ask this question on a forum if you max every category and you won’t ever have to question yourself at West Point or beyond if you are better than the maximum standard.

Physical fitness and appearance is going to be the first thing you’re judged on at West Point and the first thing you’re soldiers will care about: not your name, not your alma mater, not your degree or pedigree. How many push-ups/sit-ups/pull-ups, how fast can you run, how much can you carry and for how long? First you’ve got to be able to carry yourself, your gear, and usually other people and their gear to the battlefield and then once you’re there, then you’ve got to be smart and make the right decision.