<p>Hi I'm new and need some advice on what to improve. I'm going to be a junior in high school. I am in Student Council, public relations officer, tennis, track, pit band, concert band, all honors classes and 2nd in my class, but I feel like I need to improve on more community service and leadership. I do help with stu. co. community service, but do I need more to get into USNA? I also don't know where to begin in applying. My parents think its great I want to go there, but aren't helping at all. Can someone give me some advice?</p>
<p>Post your rank and SAT/ACT scores.</p>
<p>you need to attend the Naval Academy NASS (Naval Academy Summer Seminar). Do this when you are going into your Senior year. Make sure that you apply the second the window opens on their website, because the earlier you apply, the better your chances of getting in. I went to NASS and it was the best experience of my life.</p>
<p>This might be the key to your question. They told me that if you attend NASS, that your chance of admission goes up around 30%! That might sound crazy, but they only select 1800, out of the total 20,000 or whatever who apply to even attend the seminar.</p>
<p>And please, only do this if you are serious, because I am in the middle of my actual application, and it encompasses and eye exam, a physical, nominations, etc. etc. </p>
<p>Attend NASS, that is the best way to boost your chances.</p>
<p>by the way, my email address is <a href="mailto:schwaabby@comcast.net">schwaabby@comcast.net</a> if you want to email me.</p>
<p>I haven't taken sat or act. I am going to take them this year. My class rank is 2 out of around 600.</p>
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This might be the key to your question. They told me that if you attend NASS, that your chance of admission goes up around 30%! That might sound crazy, but they only select 1800, out of the total 20,000 or whatever who apply to even attend the seminar.
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<p>I would certainly encourage you to apply to NASS, for many good reasons, first and foremost to experience the Academy and develop some sense about what life there may be like. The one caution I would add to the post regarding the improvement in odds you will experience by getting in; the NASS selection process is obviously rigorous with a small percentage of applicants making the cut. Assuming you make that cut, you’ve already demonstrated your potential as a competitive candidate. It’s not like winning the lottery (though there may be some luck involved) and then after you won this random drawing and gotten into NASS you will be a much more competitive candidate. If you are good enough to get into NASS, then certainly attending NASS is only going to help you down the road assuming you pursue your application after your NASS experience. I hope that makes sense and you understand the distinction. </p>
<p>Also take the SAT and ACT, take both as you may find one more suited to you than the other. Take them over and over again; at least twice, until you get the best scores you feel you are capable of. </p>
<p>I would avoid going shopping for last minute EC's to "improve yourself" and your resume. Focus your efforts on what you are doing now and bring those ECs up to the highest level you can in terms of depth and effort. </p>
<p>Lastly, read through this forum and look for similar posts, there is a wealth of info here to survey. Good Luck.</p>
<p>Ditto for rjr's comments. NASS is great, but I'm fully confident that the observation of the 30% enhanced chance of appointment is not reflective of reality. Again, NASS interest, acceptance and attendance are great and will no doubt help. But in and of itself, NASS does not carry that weight. </p>
<p>As rjr noted, it may simply be an indicator/symptom that the NASSer is indeed a potentially strong candidate. There is one caveat ... and this can cut both ways ... one's NASS squad leader is required to provide his/her assessment/eval of each of their underlings. That is included in one's application file. Again, it can help or hurt. But simply attending NASS carries little/no weight in and of itself. Said another way, strong candidates are not penalized or placed at disadvantage by not attending NASS.</p>
<p>^^^^^
Ditto WP. Attending NASS has no bearing on the admissions process. The 30 percent acceptance rate is a statistic. However, there is no correlation between attending NASS and being admitted to USNA.</p>
<p>Competitive candidates will be offered appointments whether or not they attend NASS.</p>
<p>Figures can lie, and liars can figure.</p>
<p>"I haven't taken sat or act. I am going to take them this year. My class rank is 2 out of around 600."</p>
<p>You should consider taking the SAT or ACT as early as possible. Many students improve their test scores the second time around and so you'll want to have the option of repeating the test(s) before the application is due if you need the extra points.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I will look through the forum for more info too.</p>
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<p>Listen to militarypays and attend NASS. Outstanding evaluations do carry whole person quality points. However, there are two much more important reasons for attending. First, you will have a better idea of what plebe year is all about. You will have allayed the Admissions Office question of wondering if you know what you are getting into. Secondly, you will have demonstrated a desire to learn as much about the academy as possible. During your BGO interview, you will be asked what your impressions were of summer seminar or why you did not apply. There are very few valid reasons for not applying. Whistle Pig's misplaced advice is not one of them.</p>
<p>And if you go and don't get a good evaluation. You probably learned early on that the place was not for you, saving both yourself and others a lot of wasted time.</p>
<p>Lastly, very few candidates are so arrogant as to label themselves as strong candidates in January of their junior year in high school.</p>
<p>Can you apply for the summer seminar on the USNA website?</p>
<p>You apply to NASS on the website. However, you can only apply beginning Feb. 1 of your junior year. </p>
<p>Also, attending NASS can marginally help your application; however, not attending will not hurt your chances. The view is that, if you attend NASS and do well, you have a slightly better understanding of what USNA will be like than someone who didn't attend. However, you get an equal "boost" for being a child of a military parent -- for the same reason. You also get the same boost for attending West Point's or USAFA's equivalent of NASS (b/c USNA realizes that candidates may choose another service program due to cost, timing, or other legitimate reasons). The "boost," however, is very small and, for the overwhelming majority of candidates, will not make any difference in whether or not they receive an appointment.</p>
<p>The reason not attending doesn't hurt you is that USNA realizes that some people just can't attend (can't afford to; school runs too long into June; doing other programs, etc.).</p>
<p>The main reasons for NASS are (1) for potential candidates to get "some" idea what USNA is like and (2) for USNA to attract/recruit strong candidates. It's a great opportunity for candidates who can do it financially and time-wise. However, if you didn't do NASS, don't despair. Many candidates who receive appointments have not participated in NASS and do fine in the application process and at USNA.</p>
<p>The "best way to boost your chances," BTW is not to attend NASS but to do extremely well in the most difficult courses your high school has to offer, play varsity sports, take on challenging leadership positions in or out of school, and do well on your SAT/ACT. It's not magic and there is no "secret" to success. Hard work, especially over the course of your final 3 years of high school, is what it takes.</p>
<p>Thanks, I have another question. How do you contact your BGO? I tried asking my school counselor, but whenever I ask about USNA, he basically ignores the question. I don't think he likes the service academies.</p>
<p>The other aspect about planning for an application to a service academy should include your alternative choices or fall back plans. Many outstanding candidates do not make the final cut for a host a reasons, many of which may or may not be under their control. Don't leave your back up plans for last and focus all your energy on one choice. </p>
<p>If you read through some of the posts on this site and others you will hear things like "I wish I had..." or "I should have...". Planning for the potential that you may not get in is not defeatist, it's prudent and realistic, it's also demonstrates a thoughtful approach towards planning your future; to a BGO interviewing you or anyone that may ask: "what are you going to do if"?. </p>
<p>Look at all your choices and keep an open mind, you never know what life may throw at you. You may want to apply for a ROTC scholarship, and if you really want a military education, look at service academy alternates like VMI or the Citadel, even "in between choices like Virginia Tech and Texas A&M that both have a Corps of Cadets.</p>
<p>I started looking into other colleges also, but USNA is my first choice. All of the choices have an ROTC program, so I will apply for the scholarship. Thanks for the advice. I haven't looked into the citadel or VMI, so I will check them out.</p>
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How do you contact your BGO?
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<p>If you are a current candidate, your BGO's information should be in the CGIS. If you are an underclassman, you can look in the USNA catalog for the "Area Coordinator" for your state or region (for larger states). His/her contact information is in the catalog and he/she will know who your BGO is (it is assigned by school). Alternatively, if any seniors at your school are applying to USNA, ask them as they will know and your BGO will be the same.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
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How do you contact your BGO?
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<p>Usually you can get your BGO contact through the school councelor (understand that has not worked for you to date...)</p>
<p>Other suggestions that might work:
-search out the USNA regional director in your area (you can contact the USNA admissions office, or the USNA parents club in your area.... a listing of the latter can be found at USNA.net).... the regional director, in turn, should be able to provde you with contact informatin for the BGO in your area</p>
<p>-complete a peliminary application on-line.... your name will then come up on the BGO listings (you will need a PSAT score to do this if you do not already have SAT/ACT scores to report)....</p>
<p>as for "what are my chances...."
they are 0% if you don't try....
otherwise, you never know!</p>
<p>Best of luck and work hard to prep for those SAT's!!</p>
<p>Thanks. I will try that. Now the priority is SATs. Great... :)</p>
<p>If you can afford it and have the ability to get to one, consider taking an SAT prep class, not the type that attempts to teach you subject material, but one of the classes that focus on test taking strategies as well as giving you insight into what to expect; how to approach each section in the exam and deal with questions your are unsure about etc. Short of that get your hands on a SAT study guide and take a few sample tests.</p>