<p>I'm only a sophomore in high school, but feel that I should get started with preparation for Annapolis/West Point early. I currently have a 4.0 (weighted) GPA that will be raised to 4.3 or 4.4 by the end of my senior year. I scored 2000 on the PSAT (600 reading 700 writing 800 math) and expect to receive 2250-2300 on the SAT. I plan on majoring in engineering or mathematics. I'm not playing any sports this year because of student council (couldn't fit any sport into my schedule) but plan on running track and cross-country my junior and senior year. I am not in boy scouts but am going to join Civil Air Patrol when the next session begins. I will most likely attend Harvard's Secondary School Program this summer and Oxford's Summer Program the summer of my junior year. Before I go to Europe next summer (for Oxford) I plan on going to USMA's Summer Leadership Seminar. </p>
<p>Who I Am: Vice-President of Sophomore Class, Vice-President of church student council, Secretary of district's Youth & Government [state-wide club that is recognized by the government (the governor of CA comes to our last convention)], Short-term missionary I went to Kenya for a month for missions, Music Volunteer for Kaiser Permanente (200+ hours), Snowboarder (started when I was 7 years old; plan on joining USMA's snowboarding team)</p>
<p>I don't have a ton of leadership positions yet, but in the next two years...
I Plan on Being: Student Council President, Junior Class President, Youth & Government President, Officer in Civil Air Patrol, CSF President/Vice-President, CSF Secretary</p>
<p>Any help is much appreciated. And by the way, I'm going to try to get sponsored for snowboarding/get on a snowboard team in order to show that I am taking part in a team-sport. Sorry the post is so longg</p>
<p>haha no i don't really want to go to usafa. i'd love to fly but i don't see myself doing it. im leaning toward mech. engineering and stuff like that not aerospace. and jesuspleaseusma whats boy's state? thank you both very much for the quick replies</p>
<p>Plan your classes carefully for the next two years. Make sure you are taking challenging classes - aim for the highest level your school offers.
Hopefully you can plan your math so that you will have taken Calculus or at least Pre-Calculus. Try to fit in two years of Chemistry if your school offeres it - Honors chem (with lab) and chem II or AP Chem.</p>
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I'm not playing any sports this year because of student council (couldn't fit any sport into my schedule) but plan on running track and cross-country my junior and senior year.
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Honestly, I am not sure about the "couldn't" part. Life is all about picking and choosing priorities. I am sure if running was your passion you would have fit it in some way. Keep in mind that West Point loves athletes and scholars. It seems you have the scholar part - not sure about the athlete part.<br>
One more bit of advice - don't stretch yourself too thin. Don't join a bunch of "stuff" so that you might be an officer. Pick one or two things and do them well, with passion. Be really involved.
Keep up your studies - high school gets significantly harder the junior and senior year.
Good Luck</p>
<p>"I Plan on Being: Student Council President, Junior Class President, Youth & Government President, Officer in Civil Air Patrol, CSF President/Vice-President, CSF Secretary"</p>
<p>module9: If you are unable to participate in athletics as a sophomore because of your current student council commitment, how are you planning to cope with 2 sports in addition to all of these additional leadership responsibilities and the more challenging course load that junior and senior year brings?? </p>
<p>JAM gave you good advice: "Pick one or two things and do them well, with passion. Be really involved."</p>
<p>module9: for someone who scored 800 on psat"s you certainly cannot add. 600+700+800 does not=2000. i am suprised noone else here figured that out.
.</p>
<p>stvblm: Haha sorry, I accidently put 7 instead of 6 for writing. </p>
<p>JustAMomOf4: Here is a list of the classes I am taking next year
Physics AP, Calc AB-AP, US History AP, Korean 5, English 3 Honors, Leadership/Sport
I really don't want to take Chem AP because of the teacher (we only have one). She doesn't teach very well and I feel that I won't be fully prepared for the Chem AP exam. </p>
<p>I did put leadership and academics before sports this year. I didn't have too much of a choice though. I ran for Sophomore Vice-President last year and won. It's mandatory that we keep 4th period open for council. The rest of my classes are required simply for graduation. I'm taking zero period Fitness & Conditioning in order to make up for my not being in Cross-Country and Track. </p>
<p>JustAMomOf4 & Ann: The leadership positions for my junior year are Junior Class President, CSF Secretary, and Youth & Government Secretary. The only position that actually is burdensome is Junior Class President. I simply take notes and send emails for the secretary positions. I really do have a passion for Youth & Government and Student Council though. I (don't have a authentic passion for, but) enjoy being part of CSF. I can truthfully say that joining Youth & Government and student council is one of the best choices I made this year. </p>
<p>If anyone still thinks that I should cut down on some activities/studies so that I won't be overburdened next year, please tell me. It would be best that I know now and change my plans before it's too late. Thank you all for the replies!</p>
<p>Long story short it is a week long summer seminar, usually held at a college campus in your state, which creates its own government and teaches the kids about leadership. Ask you principle or guidance counselor if your school sends students to this program. West Point allegedly really likes to see it and it seems like you would really enjoy it because of your interest in politics.</p>
<p>"If anyone still thinks that I should cut down on some activities/studies so that I won't be overburdened next year, please tell me."</p>
<p>You are the best judge of your time management capabilities. While some students seem to manage enormous loads with ease, others may find they end up dropping some balls. My comments stemmed from the fact that you were unable to fit a sport into your schdule this year. This is not a good thing when you are applying to an academy. </p>
<p>keep pluggin away like you are. your junior year GPA, class rank are what count. toy might need to raise the sat's on your reading as of now writing do not count.</p>
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I really don't want to take Chem AP because of the teacher (we only have one). She doesn't teach very well and I feel that I won't be fully prepared for the Chem AP exam.
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<p>I assume that you took Honors Chemistry?<br>
My daughter passed on AP Chem and took AP Physics. She want to major in engineering.
She is at MMI in prep school - they take a full year of Chemistry there - basically plebe Chemistry.
She is kicking herself for not taking either Chem II or AP Chem.
Chemistry is a required course at West Point. For all cadets.<br>
My daughter was told that for cadets who leave due to academic reasons the course that gives the most trouble is Chemistry.</p>
<p>Also - whether or not you go to West Point - you will at one time or another have a "teacher who doesn't teach very well". Admissions may not look favorably on that as a reason to avoid a course.</p>
<p>wpmom2011: I'm trying to get into National Honor Society, but at our school, we need a teacher recommendation. The catch is that we can't ask a teacher to recommend us o.0 Thank you though :) I'll suck up to teachers so that I can get a recommendation :D</p>
<p>friartown09: Thanks so much! I most likely won't be able to go this year (Harvard summerschool), but will definitely go next year. I was looking into it and it sounds like a great program! </p>
<p>Ann: You're right. I'm pretty sure I will be able to manage my workload. All I have to do is manage my time efficiently and get to bed as quickly as I can every night (instead of going online etc :)) Would you recommend that I try to join Varsity Tennis or Varsity Track? While track is a bit more vigorous, tennis is more of a team sport. Thank you Ann for your continual support and feedback :)</p>
<p>stvblm: I'm going to try to raise my reading score. My plan is to order the LA Times and read it just about everyday, but I have to make sure that I will be dedicated enough to do so :) Thank you though! I didn't know that writing no longer counted.</p>
<p>JustAMomOf4: Thanks for the reply! Yes I'm taking Chemistry Honors right now :) I'm planning on taking AP Physics next year. Do you think it'd be a good idea to take AP Chem senior year? I think I would need a bit of preparation (during my Junior year summer) for AP Chem. I started the class loving Chemistry, but began to dislike it because of the teacher. Sadly, this is the same for the majority of students who have had the Chemistry Honors/AP teacher haha.</p>
<p>Leadership and Sports!!!
I can't say it enough! Very important to Westpoint! (along with intelligence) My son wanted to go to West Point early on. Went to USMA's SLS in Junior year. All he could say was "WOW", what an experience! He said he's never seen more brilliant, athletic, strong, talented kids in all his life. He was blown away! He loved it. He got a taste of how hard it is, even though everyone said it was "sugar coated" for the summer camp. By the beginning of Senior year, he decided that he wanted a "normal" college life so he blew his chances at getting any nominations (lazy). Even without his nominations, to date, they are still after him. They have offered him the moon: full scholarship to his school of choice...Blah, Blah, Blah. Being a Mom, of course, I'm petrified about him going in the service but I can say with all my heart that West Point would've given him everything and more than an IVY. It would've made him a leader among leaders!</p>
<p>"Would you recommend that I try to join Varsity Tennis or Varsity Track?"
Common advice is to do whatever you enjoy most, however, from a preparation standpoint, Varsity track or Cross Country would be better IMHO. The more running and endurance prep you have the better off you will be.</p>
<p>I know you did not ask my opinion on this, but Chemistry at WP is a tough course for most cadets. The more preparation you can get the better, especially if it is a subject you have grown to dislike. My advise would be to take AP Chem senior year if you can.</p>
<p>Although the writing score is not being counted in the whole candidate score at this point, it is required that you take and submit the results of the writing test (SAT and ACT) and they may well be counted by the time you apply. Do not blow the writing section off.</p>
<p>You might also consider swimming. When my d couldn't run because of a knee inflammation, her physical therapist told her to swim laps to keep up her endurance and cardio. He said that professional swimmers had no problem when they needed to run, but that runners had problems switching to swimming because they didn't have the endurance that swimmers need.</p>
<p>Of course you need to like swimming. ;) My d complained the whole time - said if she wanted to swim she'd have applied to USNA.</p>
I Plan on Being: Student Council President, Junior Class President, Youth & Government President, Officer in Civil Air Patrol, CSF President/Vice-President, CSF Secretary
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<p>You probably aren't in CAP yet. It will be so dang hard to be Lt. in two years, though it is possible. You will have to be studying a lot (in school and CAP materials. Leadership manuals, AFMAN 36-2203 drill and ceremonies, 39-1 uniform manual, 52-16, etc.) to get to lieutenant in two years. Some squadrons, (like mine, for example) don't like to let you promote in two months, even though that is the minimum length of time. Best wishes on your attempt, but I would recommend seriously on not focusing your efforts on lieutenant, but rather, on getting staff at encampments to prove that you learned the materials on leadership.</p>