My Current Qualifications

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>It has always been a given in my life that I would go in the military, as I come from a long line of officers going straight back to before the Civil War. I have put together a brief list of all my current qualifications and would like to see how they compare to your experiences with these issues.</p>

<p>Leadership:
Eagle Scout
Senior Patrol Leader (Previously Jr. Asst Scoutmaster, Instructor, etc.)</p>

<p>Academics:
1370 SAT (700 Reading, 670 Math)
3.4 GPA
Classes taking Senior year: IB 20th Century Topics, IB English 2, IB Physics 2 Higher Level (opposed to Standard), AP Calculus, IB Economics, Pre-Engineering, Weight Training
Junior Year: IB History of the Americas, IB English 1, IB Physics 1, Trigonometry/Math Analysis, Architecture, Web Design, Weight Training
Sophmore: IB/AP Government, Pre-IB English 10, IB Chemistry, Algebra 2, Basic Technical Design, Latin III
Freshmen: Pre-IB World History, Pre-IB English 9, Pre-IB Biology, Geometry, Latin II
8th Grade: Algebra 1, Latin I
*IB is similiar to AP or Honors courses</p>

<p>School located in Northern Virginia, one of the more competitive school systems in the country)
School doesn't rank students</p>

<p>Sports:
School Cross Country 4 yrs
School Indoor Track 2 yrs
School Outdoor Track 4 yrs
League Swimming 4 yrs
Tae Kwon Do 4 yrs - Black Belt</p>

<p>Thanks for your help</p>

2

<p>Looks great in my opinion. Try to get that GPA to 3.5 or higher senior year. While there's no 'cut-off' to GPA, they recommend that to be really competitive you should be 3.5 or higher, or in the top 20% of your class.</p>

<p>I'm curious, why does your school not rank students? Is there anyway for you to find out where you stand compared to your peers?</p>

<p>The Eagle Scout and SPL is also a real good sign. As is the fact that you stuck with track and XC for four years instead of skipping around...shows some good dedication to the sport. I did both through HS as well, as well as Boy Scouts (Also got Eagle and was the SPL for a time).</p>

<p>My application looked pretty simliar to yours. I had a 3.5 GPA upon graduation and didn't get the appointment for 2009. But I reapplied and got it this time around. I can't stress enough how important academics are senior year. All your friends will be relaxing, and you'll be buried in books. I caught the senioritis bug early on unfortunately, and I think my first sememster senior year is what really hurt me. I didn't do too hot in BC Calc.</p>

<p>Hit the ground running in August, and don't let up. I'm sure you'll get it.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the quick reply,</p>

<p>I'm aiming to get up my GPA from my dismal Latin setbacks through both this year (3.8 GPA for 11th Grade), and hopefully around the same for next year.</p>

<p>I go to a fairly large school with over 4,000 students, but the school policy seems to be against ranking students. More than likely because it has to do with the different courseloads students take, as many of my peers who have taken much easier (barely enough to graduate) classes have grades near to mine.</p>

<p>On a different note, I know that being in a military family qualifies you for a Presidential nomination, however does being the son of a Navy Captain (who did not go through the Academy) help in any other ways? Would my Uncle having graduated from the Academy (and still is in the service) help in any other ways? </p>

<p>Thanks again</p>

4

<p>First off, go to USNA or you. If you go for anything else, you'll either fail miserably or have the worst time of your life. Either way it's not a good idea.</p>

<p>Secondly, there are no strict "grandfather" policies other than MOH awardees (which I'm guessing isn't the case here). However, as far as unofficial help, well, that may very well occur.</p>

5

<p>what school do you go to?</p>

<p>Now as far as presidential nomination, if you father or mother were career military, officer or enlisted, and retired drawing retirement pay. Also know as >20 year honorable discharge. Then you will receive a presidential nomination. However you NEED to apply for your congressional nominations as well. The presidential nomination is no where near as strong as a congressman/senator. I applaud you on your military heritage as I myself am a 4th generation USNA appointee with the other 3 becoming 2 captains and an admiral. So I understand where you are coming from. It is wonderful that you are trying to continue along in a military heritage. If you have any questions in those respects I am probably the best guy you can talk to as I have gone through the same things as you.</p>

6

<p>Hi, RK!</p>

<p>In case you haven't picked up on it, I'm one of the resident (nutcase) Alumni from USNA. One of my goals here is to give applicants a perspective from someone who has BTDT, and to crawl into their skulls and see what makes them tick. While your resume looks good, I'm not so concerned about it because USNA will decide whether they like it or not.</p>

<p>I tend to concentrate on things like this:</p>

<p>
[quote]
It has always been a given in my life that I would go in the military, as I come from a long line of officers going straight back to before the Civil War.

[/quote]

First off, please accept my appreciation for your family's commitment to the defense of our country. Way to go!</p>

<p>However, before we go ANY further on this application road, I must ask you a simple question: Do you wish to attend a Service Academy and serve in the Armed forces because your family has, or because YOU want to for YOURSELF?</p>

<p>You need to get that cleared up in your head RIGHT NOW. There is no right or wrong answer, and the only one who can answer it is YOU.</p>

<p>So, which is it? :)</p>

7

<p>This is probably said a lot in these forums, but trust me when I say that it is truly my own personal goal to get to the Naval Academy. I have been to the Academy dozens of times on personal visits or on the Scout jamborees they hold every year, and have loved every minute of it. Frankly my Dad wants me to go to his old college and become an engineer, and my mother wants me to go into some "safer" field. I love the Navy, every time I have been on a ship or on base I become infatuated with it. I dont wan't a standard desk job working for 30 years to retire, I want to do something with my life that will mean something. Not to mention with the rising powers in Asia and India, Naval superiority is becoming even more essential to national security as the oceans that seperated us from previous conflicts seems smaller in smaller. It is my hope that we can continue the dominance we now have over the high sees, and I hope to be a part of that.</p>

<p>As a military kid, I know what I'm getting myself into, I know what sacrifices military life nessecitates. It truly disgusts me when I see people quit after only a few months or years into the program, taking up the spot of another student who could have been the next Nimitz, Halsey or King.</p>

<p>In reply to fergsonfire's post, I go to Robinson Secondary School, Fairfax, Virginia</p>

<p>Thanks again</p>

8

<p>hows your health? if you are colorblind or even color deficient or anything like that DoDMERB will eat you</p>

9

<p>
[quote]
it is truly my own personal goal to get to the Naval Academy.

[/quote]

[quote]
Frankly my Dad wants me to go to his old college and become an engineer, and my mother wants me to go into some "safer" field.

[/quote]

[quote]
I love the Navy, every time I have been on a ship or on base I become infatuated with it. I dont wan't a standard desk job working for 30 years to retire, I want to do something with my life that will mean something. Not to mention with the rising powers in Asia and India, Naval superiority is becoming even more essential to national security as the oceans that seperated us from previous conflicts seems smaller in smaller. It is my hope that we can continue the dominance we now have over the high sees, and I hope to be a part of that.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>OUT-FRICKING-STANDING! :D:D:D</p>

<p>NOW we're cookin' with Crisco!</p>

<p>Okay, let me go back and look at your stats again. Looks like you've got your head screwed on straight and tight, and that's the most important. :)</p>

10

<p>In reply to frijoles, I am perfectly healthy except for eyesight (near-sighted), so I use contacts.</p>

11

<p>Ok!</p>

<p>As mentioned by DMeix, try to get your GPA up over 3.5. Closer to 4.0 the better.</p>

<p>Have you failed any classes or gotten a D?</p>

<p>Are you aware of any medical conditions that could inhibit you? (Saw your reply above. I had contacts the whole time, and blind as a bat. Don't sweat it.)</p>

<p>You certainly seem covered in the sports category. </p>

<p>I'm no expert at the new SAT, so I'll leave that one to others.</p>

<p>Have you done any non-sport ECA's beyond Eagle Scout (stage crew, computer club, Latin Club, etc.?)</p>

<p>Can you imagine this guy as a 2/C ripping plebes in Latin? LOL! :D</p>

<p>
[quote]
On a different note, I know that being in a military family qualifies you for a Presidential nomination, however does being the son of a Navy Captain (who did not go through the Academy) help in any other ways? Would my Uncle having graduated from the Academy (and still is in the service) help in any other ways?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It certainly won't hurt. ;)</p>

12

<p>Jamzmom: * NOW * these threads are back on track. Requests to evaluate qualifications. Answers by people who have no idea [well, very little] how the selection committee evaluates applicants. </p>

<p>Good to hear it as a respite from all else that has been going on.</p>

<p>Best advice: Do the best you can. You can't do anymore.</p>

13

<p>The lowest grade I have ever recieved is a C+</p>

<p>The only medical condition I have is contacts, and am aware of the necessity of waiver for that.</p>

<p>On the SAT I recieved a 1370 on Reading (700-95th percentile) and Math (670-89th percentile) combined, roughly equivalent to the old SAT out of 1600. Adding in the Essay I recieved a total of 1950/2400.</p>

<p>I am a member of the Future Business Leaders of America Club (FBLA), something along the same lines as DECA if you are familiar with it. I also work summers as a Lifeguard and am Scuba certified.</p>

<p>Thanks again for the outpouring of advice</p>

14

<p>Robinson Secondary School, huh? I know where that is. I spent a few years in Annandale while my father was stationed at the Pentagon. Just keep on keeping on and whatever you do, don't ever give up.</p>

15

<p>Looks good!</p>

<p>Of course, Bill0510 is right. You can look great on paper, but it's up the nebulous selection process within USNA to make the final determination.</p>

<p>The bottom line (at this point, anyway) is that you definitely have what it takes to apply and have a decent shot. Go for it!</p>

16

<p>Thanks for the advice, with any luck I'll be posting here next year helping out the next batch of applicants as you did me.</p>

<p>Glad to see I have a decent shot at it so far, glad to see all thats left is to keep working hard to improve my chances.</p>

17

<p>That's all you can do at anything in life. </p>

<p>Just never quit. ;)</p>

18

<p>Let me weigh on too RK...I'm all the way on the opposite coast but I'm rooting for you as well! </p>

<p>Have to talked to your local BGO at all about your desires? You really need to find out who this person is, because you need an interview with him in your app process. Find out and get in contact - the person is another friend in this process for you.</p>

<p>God speed!</p>

19

<p>Another suggestion: start on your MOC (member of Congress) nomination applications now! The VA MOCs have very early deadlines, which they won't waive. </p>

<p>I believe you can access the applications for both Senators on-line, and possibly for your Congressman as well. Even if they haven't uploaded the new forms, they're probably not much different than last year's and you can at least see what you'll need to put together, essays you'll need to write, etc.</p>

<p>As someone above said, do NOT rely solely on a Presidential nom. While there are cases where people have been appointed without an MOC nom, I've seen more than a few cases where it has not been enough, even for a very outstanding candidate.</p>

20

<p>
[quote]
As someone above said, do NOT rely solely on a Presidential nom.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Whoa! Did I miss that? :eek:</p>

<p>USNA1985 is SPOT-ON. Apply for and try to get EVERY nomination you can possibly get. Numerically speaking, getting the nomination is the toughest part of the process, and the part you can influence the most, so take EVERY OPPORTUNITY to maximize your chances!</p>

<p>One you've gotten the nomination, the process goes pretty much into autopilot, with the Admissions Board taking over. Heaven only knows how they make their decisions.</p>