I’m currently a sophomore in high school, and I’ve recently discovered the splendor of military academies, and USNA really stood out. I come from a family who has served here and there, and would I really like to go to an academy, but I feel like I’m too late. Everyone else on this forum talks about how they’ve been at it for years, but I’ve only just discovered how bad I actually want to go. The experience I can gain from trying anyways would be great, but I’m just asking for advice on whether I should attempt it, or would it all just be for nothing?
It’s not too late. Apply towards the end of your junior year. Make sure you’ve prepared for and have taken the SAT/ACT a few times to get your best scores. Read/research a LOT more about the application process and the USNA…you’ll need that knowledge.
A sophomore in HS is not even close to being too late. My daughter didn’t even think about the USNA until her Junior year and she is now on the waitlist.
The people that have been working toward this for years (and I bet it is a much smaller percentage than you think) have probably not done anything differently than your normal HS student who is serious about their education. If you have been working hard in school and taking challenging classes then you are as prepared as they are.
Get involved in sports and leadership, keep your grades up, and work hard on studying for the ACT/SAT and you will have as good of a chance as everyone else.
My friend, you seem right on track with the timeline for applying and learning more about the Academy. I recommend that you complete your application as soon as you can, which means applying in the spring of your junior year. I also recommend that you use the spring and summer of 2016 to take the PRT, reach out to your assigned Blue and Gold Officer, and get junior year teachers to write recommendation letters. By this time in high school, you should be on an athletics team or two, as well as be involved in clubs, community service and other activities (but if you aren’t don’t worry and start getting more involved asap). Maintain good grades and focus on preparing for the SAT/ACT tests, and take them early and often (definitely take your first test in the fall/winter of the your junior year, and go from there). Also have a good relationship with your junior year English and Math teachers, as the Naval Academy will require you to have recommendations from teachers in those subjects. My last piece of advice for application preparation is to make an extensive resume of everything you’ve done (activities, achievements, classes taken, clubs, sports, community service, musical instruments, etc.) in high school, or even middle school if it has helped to shape your character. It’s easy to write everything down, and your senior year self will thank you since you won’t have to scramble to remember all of your achievements.
You should also apply for the Naval Academy Summer Seminar, which would take place during the summer before your senior year. It does not increase or decrease you chance of getting into the Academy, but it will help you determine if USNA is the right college and career path trajectory for you, and about ⅔ of each incoming USNA class has done the summer seminar program.
You can definitely get all of this done: I applied during my sophomore year of COLLEGE and now I am ecstatic to say that I am a member of the USNA class of 2019. Good luck, and perhaps we will cross paths in the future!
^^ Oh! And reach out to your Senators and Congressional Representative!! Each of them will have a separate timeline for academy nominations (most likely you can submit an application in the summer before your senior year, and then you will have an interview during your senior year in the fall or winter), but you can always be proactive and send them a letter to inform them of your interest and enthusiasm for applying to the Naval Academy. I am from Maryland so the nomination spots were ridiculously competitive, so should definitely do everything you can to be noticed by your government representatives if you are also from a competitive state (or even if you aren’t, it’s still a good idea).