<p>I was recently in a discussion with a few of my friends about recruiting to the academy. The topic of minority recruiting came up and was a very heated topic. I wanted to know what your views on this issue are? I know a person who scored a 410 on his math ACT, similar score in verbal, had one club sport, and no leadership or club involvement, was not a legacy, did not have anyone in his family that was in the military, nothing at all outstanding. He is of very low moral character and is a compulsive liar, yet he received an LOA. I have a feeling this is due to the fact that he is indian (brown as he calls it) though I am not positive. Does the academy recruit based off of a "ethnic quota" or anything? Is this the reason of his LOA? Do they specifically recruit minorities and/or lower standards to allow people of minorities to be admitted? I have seen on pamphlets that there are regional minority recruiting officers so I was wondering also what their jobs are. I believe that when an officer is required to lead, he should be the best officer possible regardless of race. So does the academy or ROTC programs do this? I am in no way racist and have nothing against officers of any race, but when people are being recruited and standards are being lowered to allow someone into a school or program is that right? If this occurs, then this is risking the lives of future Marines and Sailors alike.</p>
<p>Question about this young man: While he received an LOA, did he also gain a nomination?</p>
<p>Scuba, since you never mentioned his grades, I assume he is valedictorian of your class, taking nothing but AP classes, including Calculus and Chemistry. Anything short of this and either you are trying to pull our leg or someone is pulling yours. If this is a legitimate post, check your sources very carefully.</p>
<p>Yes, the Academy is seeking ethnic diversity. However, not only do they have to find candidates, they have to find those that are capable of graduating.</p>
<p>The goal is to have the percentages of minorities to mirror that of the enlistees in the fleet. Admiral Fowler has recently renewed the effort, placing more emphasis on this, yet unachieved, goal.</p>
<p>^^^^^
I agree with USNA69. The original post doesn't make any sense. ACT scores range from 1-36 -- 410 isn't even within the range. Also if this candiate has an LOA, which is highly unlikely with the scores quoted, he would have an offer of appointment by now.</p>
<p>the 410 on ACT shows this is a hoax. scubaguy is trolling and race baiting.</p>
<p>As always (well almost 99&44/100% always) USNA69 has hit the nail on the head. I have to question the scores you represent as ACT scores. Something is wrong with your posting of the facts you claim.</p>
<p>I just assumed he meant SAT instead of ACT. A sloppy post non the less.</p>
<p>AF6872, you may become famous. I just posted your remark on my wall giving credit where it is due. Some, probably most, including my kids, may want to contact you in order to contradict your observation.</p>
<p>my bad i typed in the wrong thing. 510 in math and similar in verbal SAT (roughly a 1020 SAT = 21 ACT Composite) . I have not seen the LOA for sure, and I know for a fact this kid is a COMPULSIVE liar, this is just what he told me. He said he recieved it the thursday before last.</p>
<p>btw he told me he received a nomination back in january, but he said his LOA was contingent upon receiving a nomination. could this be the case at all? I think he was lying again about the nomination because wouldnt they have already put his nomination into the computer by now and given him an appointment? anyways, my point is not so much this one kid, but rather the idea as a whole</p>
<p>Still 99 & 44/100% sure someone is having some Alabama "fun" with you. Check it out. Was he one of the 4 LOAs that you posted a while back that came from your school this year?</p>
<p>Bring them on. I occasionaly disagree but on most issues you are right on. But then again we are of the age that didn't know anything.</p>
<p>In answer to your question-
yes, the academy recruits for minorites, and yes, the objective is to boost those numbers to reflect what is out in the fleet.</p>
<p>having said that, candidates need to have enough going for them to be successful at the academy. Getting in is one thing- staying in is another thing entirely.</p>
<p>scuba</p>
<p>do you see any problem with the basis of your question? In particular how you arrived at your concern: </p>
<p>"I have not seen the LOA"</p>
<p>"I know for a fact this kid is a compulsive liar"</p>
<p>"this is just what he told me"</p>
<p>Why would you advance what some might consider a complex and controversial question based on the input you allegedly received from a compulsive liar? </p>
<p>The test scores and grades you received in high school, while an important part of your application are not necessarily the most compelling aspect of an individuals potential. The capacity to deal with and overcome adversity may serve a young man or woman as well as academic success.</p>
<p>It does happen a lot (though definetly not all or even the majority of the time) that those recruited minorities are sub par. I can think of a couple in my company whose race is not largely represented and I don't think that they'll make it through this year. In fact they had low standings coming in and looking at those scores and grades I wonder how they got in when I honestly believe that these people won't make it through if not plebe year, than youngster year because there grades are so bad.
Honestly, they should be completely race blind but I feel that about all college admissions but numbers and such mean a lot for government spending, so it will never happen.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Outstanding point. But I will stick by my above statements. A 1020 combined SAT is most likely headed for NAPS, not I-Day.</p>
<p>The day that I see an equal and level playing field at USNA is the day that cows will be able to fly. Though no one knows if standards are tweaked (because no one on this forum sits on an admissions board), it would not surprise me if they were "here and there."</p>
<p>jadler</p>
<p>when children see a substantially equal and level playing field in primary and secondary education across this country and adults recognize that a teacher cannot substitute for or fill the void left by parents... you're cows will fly. </p>
<p>I guess until then we'll have these questions to think about.</p>
<p>Someone sent me this article (I will not post the person's name, unless they want to post). Though, it was written a few years ago, it gives a first-hand account of being a member on the admissions board.</p>
<p>The author has written some "controversial" pieces of work geared toward USNA.</p>
<p>Not</a> Affirmative, Sir</p>
<p>In that article the author closes by stating</p>
<p>"We need applicants who can get in on their own merits." </p>
<p>Is that statement made in support of the mission of the Naval Academy? </p>
<p>I actually thought the Academy wanted young men and women that could get out on their own merits; kids that could graduate and become successful officers based on their capacity for hard work and a determination to succeed when given the chance? Doesn't NAPS exist in support of that mission? </p>
<p>In the end without taking a holistic approach to complex problems such as this one the "cure" may indeed be as fraught with as many problems as the "illness". </p>
<p>Having said that and in defense of more direct intervention, something that this author is apparently arguing against; if you are going to acknowledge the importance of role models and legacy applications for example; how do you get there from here?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Build a better world of course. However, in the interim, as usual, Fleming remains clueless.</p>
<p>when I mentioned the kid who claims to have an LOA, I was not trying to start a debate as to whether he is going to NAPS, straight to I-Day or none of the above. I was using him as a possible example. I do not know for certain whether or not he is being truthful, and no he is not one of the 4 guys from my school with LOA's when I asked about that a while ago. Of those guys, one guy decided to turn down his LOA and nomination before an appointment was issued, one is still pending a waiver, and I along with another guy have appointments.</p>
<p>My question still stands regardless of whether or not that guy who claims to have an LOA does or does not: does admissions tweak requirements to recruit based on diversity? thanks to those who have answered that part of the question.</p>