<p>I'm a freshman attending a military academy. It's a high school. I have a 3.6 gpa with no honors classes this year... I'm I okay?</p>
<p>Garry232,</p>
<p>Answered your other post before reading this one, so I now see you are a freshman. Why are you so stressed at this stage? Your gpa is fine, even allows room for improvement. Military high schools can be the WORST place for a guy wanting to attend USMA. I know, I attended one in the early '70’s during the Vietnam era. You may be experiencing stress by association. Ignore it and have a life for the next three years. If you truly desire to lead men in combat, then you need to learn how to handle stress and compartmentalize. But relax, you have three years ahead of you to freak out over the ridiculous. Pace yourself. :-)</p>
<p>Okay. Because I really wanna go to WP. I’ll hopefully make varsity lacrosse this year and I hear sports help a lot. But can I do to even better myself? To be 100 percent sure</p>
<p>Sure, one can always improve oneself. The simple things I’d suggest are make sure you gain leadership experience by being a leader of some team, club, activity, something that will show admissions you are seen as a leader by your peers. And stick with a sport you like for more than one year, to show you don’t just quit when the going gets tough. Become an Eagle Scout, there are LOTS of 'em at the academies. Find something that you enjoy and excel at it. </p>
<p>Here’s a little secret, if you really want to go to West Point, then you probably can, IF you have the tenacity it might take, meaning you might have to try more than once. But if you are persistent, this won’t be an issue for you, because you will do what it takes to get an appointment. I’ve known several folks who went the enlisted route just to get in. One of them, a dear friend, became First Captain. He even had to wait a year as an enlisted because his first application was lost. How frustrating do you think that was for him? He’s now a retired three star.</p>
<p>One never knows what life will throw in your path, so the best thing to do is to be prepared. Our oldest son enjoyed the thrill and gratification of obtaining an appointment to the USMA, being a cadet, singing for the President at Ground Zero, only to later develop epilepsy and have a medical discharge from the Army, which ended his career forever in the military. Always have a plan B for when you get a swift kick in the gut from somewhere you were not expecting. Life will be much better for you.</p>
<p>Yeah we have a commandant at my school. He is a colonel and is alowed to appoint kids who can’t get one from the congress men and so on. So it’s not the appointment I’m worried about… It’s my grades. And I’m in the honor guard and will play 2 varsity sports by my sophmore year. But my grades scare me</p>
<p>Well everyone worries about their grades at some point. A 3.6 isn’t shabby, you don’t need a 4.0 to gain admission. Rather, a well-rounded person makes for a better leader, versus someone who is all about grades. Sure, good grades ARE important, but that is only a part of the equation. If you think you might be in trouble with a class or two, make a preemptive move and get help before it’s too late. Admitting your shortcomings is the first step into overcoming them. Face your fears and do something about them versus freaking out. That doesn’t help you. Last time I checked, there was not one, no not even a single soul up at West Point who is perfect. Might be some who THINK they are, but that’s a whole 'nother story.</p>
<p>Thanks for reasurance! I’ll do my best</p>
<p>Thanks for reasurance! I’ll do my best … But are you sure that a 3.6 and up will do?</p>
<p>OK, hear this, I’m not in admissions, never was, never will be. AND, I’m not a MAJ, even though my handle says so. (hint: google Major Matt Mason) Don’t take my word for it, do some research. Call your MALO, talk to him/her. Call your admission rep, ask them, but don’t bug them either. I’ve seen folks with lower gpa’s, but had other qualities that helped their given situation. Every person is unique, having different strengths and weaknesses. Try to correct your shortcomings and you’ll not only be on the way to gaining an appointment, but will be a happier person in the long run.</p>
<p>Who and what is a MALO</p>
<p>Military Academy Liaison Officer. He’s the local rep for your area. You can ask admissions who the MALO is for your area and they should be able to give you a number. Or, since you’re at a military academy, might try the college counselor and see if they know who it is.</p>
<p>What can he do for me?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Perhaps he is allowed to nominate AROTC students, but he has no authority whatsoever to appoint anyone. </p>
<p>Don’t confuse a nomination with an appointment.</p>
<p>And don’t rely on getting an appointment from a ROTC nomination, as those appointed under this category make up a very small number.</p>
<p>Explain the differience?</p>
<p>Garry232
An appointment is an offer of admission to a service academy.</p>
<p>A nomination is the legal authority for the service academy to offer you an appointment. </p>
<p>You can not receive an appointment without a nomination (the exception is the Coast Guard Academy which does not require a nomination). </p>
<p>There is excellent information on the USMA website about the admissions process and starting young: [USMA</a> Admissions: Home](<a href=“http://admissions.usma.edu/default.cfm]USMA”>http://admissions.usma.edu/default.cfm). If you havent already read everything on the admissions website, I suggest you do.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Okay. So as of right now, what do I do? I have a’s and b’s and I’m gunna play two varsity sports with honor guard.</p>
<p>This is a great place to start your research:
[USMA</a> Admissions: Home](<a href=“http://admissions.usma.edu/]USMA”>http://admissions.usma.edu/) </p>
<p>Explore all of the links and read all you can. You will find there is a wealth of information on this site. </p>
<p>This link gives good preparation information:
[USMA</a> Admissions: Start Young](<a href=“http://admissions.usma.edu/startyoung.cfm]USMA”>http://admissions.usma.edu/startyoung.cfm) </p>
<p>This link gives the class profile for the class of 2013:
<a href=“http://admissions.usma.edu/moreInfo/Profile2013.pdf[/url]”>http://admissions.usma.edu/moreInfo/Profile2013.pdf</a></p>
<p>Once you have done some research, let us know if you have a specific question.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have a good work ethic and that’s what I think the academy looks for in a cadet. It might also help your chances for admission if you go to their summer program, especially if you are an athlete. Two of my nephews are West Point grads and both took different routes to get in. Good Luck in your search.</p>