<p>I am only a freshman in High School, but I want to start early so I can make sure I get into the Naval Academy. Here is my situation: I live in Maine; I had my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather go to the academy; also my grandfather taught there; I have Osgood Schlatters Disease in my knees so im not sure how long I wont be able to play sports for; im a straight a- student; and im pretty good at baseball, tennis, basketball, and sailing......so since im starting to map out my high school career plan, what do you all reccomend I do (so i can plan it)</p>
<p>(excuse spelling errors, it is late at night)</p>
<p>ap courses. try to get through calc, ap physics, ap chem by graduation.
4 yrs english.
QUALITY not QUANTITY: get involved in a few eca's and be dedicated; become an officer/captain by the time you are a junior/senior.
get involved in community service NOW.
check DoDMERB to see if that disease in your knees is disqualifying</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>What see said. Good luck and remember no matter what you do, getting into the Academy is never "guaranteed".</p>
<p>Don't sweat the Osgood Schlatters.</p>
<p>I had it in middle school and it went away by freshman year.</p>
<p>It's not disqualifying at all. Well, it may be if you still have it when you are applying, but as a past condition, its not.</p>
<p>Now IS the time to start. Preparing now will put you in better stead three years from now. Take the hardest math, science and English classes you can and do well at them. You should be taking Calculus your senior year. Go for AP courses in chemistry, biology, and history. If your school offers it, take physics. </p>
<p>On extra-curricular activities (ECAs), I agree that you should pursue several to the highest levels rather than simply being a member of many. Look for ways that you can demonstrate leadership (Eagle Scout, president of a club, team captain, etc.).</p>
<p>In sports, if possible, play team varsity sports. You can do individual or non-school sports, but you want to demonstrate that you understand teamwork and also demonstrate how good you are (i.e., named all-state, hold records, etc.).</p>
<p>The fact that your relatives attended USN or were in the military is good but won't get you all that far in the admissions process. It's not like "legacies" at other schools. You'll really need to earn it on your own and it sounds like you're prepared to do just that.</p>
<p>thanks for the info.....there are still some things im concerned about: 1) my osgood schlatters disease injury in my knees....im not sure how long im going to be out...can anyone give me any input on that if they had it? 2) im taking band...does that count as an eca? and we also are required to do pep band and marching band in that class.....does that count for eca? 3) for my band class im a representative on a 8 member band council for the other band classes.....do you think that is a good leadership slot (because there are only 2 reps per band class and they basically represent 20 students in their class)? 3) what is my reccomended gpa? 4) my high school makes us do 30 hours of community service for graduation...is this good? 5)how much does eagle scout impress the admissions board? (because im 14 and almost a star) and if i stay in scouting ill hopefully be able to make eagle by 18</p>
<p>1) I don't know.
2) I think so.
3) I think so.
3) If you mean what GPA should you shoot for? I would say as high as you can. Acording to my MOC the average GPA of the nomination applicants in my state is 3.7 out of 4.0.
4) 30 Hours is good. Many schools req. community service. My school req. 60 for graduation plus if you are in NHS you have to do 15 per semester, so I'll graduate with around 120 to 150 hours.
5) The way the admissions process works is that everything in your application is converted to a set of points and added up for your score. The point conversion values are kept secret. But they are weighted. The most heavily weighted items are your GPA, class rank, and SAT/ACT scores. Being an Eagle Scout gives you a small amount of extra points, the same small amount you would get for maxing an event in the CFA or being Capt. of a Team. Being an Eagle Scout will not make or break you score, but it will help.</p>
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<li> depends - my advice from a mom with a child with chronic knee problems - including OS (- see a sports medicine physician - if you are prescribed Pt then go faithfully. Keep strenghtening your knees. If you are in pain then stop activity. Don't keep playing through the pain. miss a season if you have to.</li>
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<p>This could be a problem but too early to tell how much - you need to get healthy and stay healthy and hopefully get back to athletics - you need to be able to run!</p>
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<li> yes and yes</li>
<li> it is a leadership slot - maybe not a "good" as eagle scout but it does count
4) gpa - top 20% of class - USMA does not look at GPA per se. take challenging courses - honors and then AP if offered. challenge yourself esp in Math and Science. try to get to calculus your senior year and take Chem w/ lab and Physics - Chem being most important.
5) community service - this is good BUT....... show leadership in what you do. For instance if you volunteer at a soup kitchen don't just go one Sat/month and ladel soup. Be active - organize volunteers, be involved in spreading the word for people to come ....etc. It isn't just quanitity of volunteering but quality - think leadership.
6) Eagle - Making Eagle should be a goal. Very impressive. Again it show leadership and that you are dedicated</li>
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<p>If I may make a suggestion for an ECA- I would try and do some type of speech/debate. I just joined Junior year, and since then I've accumulated quite a collection of awards, been promoted to captain, congratulated by a joint session of my state's Senate and House, went to nationals, and have given numerous other speeches on theology and politics. Not only do more than 80% of USNA appointees have this, but being 100% confident in your speaking ability in front of crowds, no matter how large, is something that you will NEED in the fleet and at the academy.</p>
<p>I did not do sports due to an insanely messy joint custody/divorce battle between my parents, but I would recommend what USNA1985 said. It IS possible to get in without sports, but unless it's due to something completely out of your control, they won't look to kindly upon it.</p>
<p>And being a fellow Mainer, don't worry too much about the nomination process. Take it seriously, but there's a high chance you'll be nominated by at least one MOC, so long as your grades are decent.</p>
<p>Is there anything you want to tell me to do...or to strongly suggest I do to make things easier so that when application time comes...I will not have missed anything major? or anything you reccomend me do early so I dont have to scramble to get it done furing the last few months?</p>
<p>Admissions wise, there is really nothing for you to do until February of your Junior year when you apply to Summer Seminar.</p>
<p>I would recommend getting yourself one of these:</p>
<p>Amazon.com:</a> The Naval Academy Candidate Handbook: How to Prepare, How to Get In, How to Survive Second Edition: Books: William Smallwood</p>
<p>I'm still in the process myself (I'm a sophomore so no nomination experience yet), but I've gotten some really good advice that might be helpful to you.</p>
<p>1)Keep as high of grades as possible while also taken honors/AP/Bacc classes
(make sure you take at least Precalc, Physics I, and Chem, but I would advise you to take Calc, AP Physics or Physics II, and AP Chem or Chem II (depending on how your school works))
2)Try for every leadership position that you can get inside of the organizations you are in (of course don't get too many, but having 3-5 good, quality positions looks really good), especially try for class President or Vice-President
3)Find a sport you like that involves running :) since you will want to be the best runner possible when you go to the academy.
4)Read everything you can about the academy, even the nonfactual books like A Sense of Honor by James Webb and the Return of Philo T. McGiffin by David Poyer, and try to read the Bluejacket Manual, its long and sometimes boring, but it gives a really good insight into navy life.
5)Try to find some local USNA parents or someone similiar in addition to your BGO, who will help you on your way.
6)At least take a public speaking class, if you cannot join Speech and Debate
7)Enjoy it, don't rush through things just to finish things, soak up everything you can from your classes, ecas, volunteering, all of these will teach you lessons that will later help you at USNA.</p>
<p>I hope I have helped you :)
-Golden</p>
<p>Band is OK as an ECA but, in all honesty, I suggest you add something else. Class President or VP is nice, but not everyone wants to run for election or even is "electable." Other ways you can demonstrate leadership that don't typically involve elections include: editor of your school paper; president of a school club; coordinating a major event (i.e., junior-senior prom); supervising people in a non-school job (i.e., senior lifeguard). </p>
<p>Band council is okay IF you can demonstrate how it makes you a leader. I say this because, unlike team captain or class president, a service academy may not immediately recognize it as a leadership position. Thus, you'd want in your essay and/or in your BGO interview, to discuss what you've done to lead in this role. Also, since one typically doesn't think of high school freshmen holding leadership positions, if this is your only leadership position it should involve more leadership, so to speak, as you get more senior. IOW, if you're doing the same things on the band council as a senior that you are doing now, there's probably not a lot of actual leadership involved. Alternatively, you could take the initiative and MAKE it into a leadership position by expanding your role as you get more senior.</p>
<p>Eagle Scout is good and also demonstrates leadership. But it counts the same as many other factors (being child of military member; club president, etc.). </p>
<p>You definitely should do sports unless you have a valid reason for not doing so. USNA is more physically oriented today than it was in my day. If you don't do sports (w/o a valid reason), USNA may wonder if you like them, if you're good at them and, most importantly, if you can even do them. BTW, whomever advised running -- point well taken. </p>
<p>On your knee situation, if you PM me, I can refer you to someone who can provide you some answers.</p>
<p>In my band council it works like this: there are 4 bands in our school, and each band class votes for 2 reps to basically be responsible for the class and representing the class on the council. There is a vice president and president, but that is only open for juniors and seniors. Even though im a representative, I am basically in charge of my whole class. Also, my band teacher said this is a high leadership position to fill.</p>
<p>my father is a USNA 98' graduate, along with my grandfather and great-grandfather. Also, my grandfather taught there, so I know what im getting into. I live in maine, so im pretty set on nominations too because it is not very competitive</p>
<p>my grandfather, a former USNA professor, said that the admissions board like students who play trumpet because they can join the drum and bugle corps...my point is: my band program makes us do required performances (like marching parades and playing at sports games) can I put that into my application because they like people who can do that for their drum and bugle corps? and also in my band council we plan huge trips (like going to the macy's day parade, and going to places like toronto and halifax) so im guessing it would be a huge leadership position... and im hoping to get out onto the playing field soon, but my osgood schlatters disease is keeping me off. It really stinks because I cant play any sports I am good at and love. Also, my father (a usna grad) said the academy liked it if you didnt excell at just 1 sport....maybe play like 3 sports and be well rounded in all of them. I play soccer, baseball, basketball, and tennis. Baseball is my strongest and then basketball...I plan on being captain on my frosh baseball team this year (if im good enough to play with my knees) because all of the baseball players look up to me. Can anyone help me with the osgood schlatters disease because its really bugging me</p>
<p>Ckousky - i'm sure usna would like to have some good trumpeters in the d&b and there's a section on the application that asks if you participate in band (i put yes cause i'm in pep band) but i don't think they'll choose a candidate who plays trumpet over another equally qualified candidate just because the latter doesn't play trumpet. there's a comments section on the candidate activities record - use that section to describe your role on the band council and the sorts of things you're responsible for. good job on getting started so early and keep up the good work.</p>
<p>thanks...i just want to get everything set so that by the time application time comes, ill be confident</p>