<p>My son submitted his SLS application on the 12th of December and he got his acceptance/invitation in the mail today. Further evidence, I think, that it pays to apply early.</p>
<p>I did the same thing, applied like the day it opened. Got my invitation probably two weeks later. Applying early to anything shows interest and increases your chances.</p>
<p>Congratulations, what were his stats?</p>
<p>Hello. This is my first time posting. Thanks to Ann, my son applied for SLS on Dec 12 and received his invitation to SLS on Dec 19 and we are in SoCal. It was a very quick response. His stats were:</p>
<p>GPA: 4.2
SAT: 2220
Some leadership positons in ECs, 3 years of Baseball (captain 1year), Top 10% of class, etc.</p>
<p>enjoylife,</p>
<p>Welcome aboard! And stick around. If he decides to apply for class of 2013, it will be a crazy year. </p>
<p>Great stats, by the way. Hope he has a blast at SLS. After she returned my daughter said it was the best week of her life.</p>
<p>Thanks momoftwins. But, I'm curious as to why you say it's going to be a crazy year for 2013.
We've been lurking around this site for a while and it's been a great help for us since my son's guidance counselor doesn't seem to know much about USMA. We visited West Point 2 years ago when we were vacationing in NY and my son fell in love with the place. I think SLS will give him some idea of what it's like to be at a service academy. He's been talking to a current West point cadet from this area, and he reads pointer view when it's updated. He is so excited about this.</p>
<p>Congratulations to those who have been accepted to SLS already. It is a wonderful opportunity. It is a competitive program with very few slots - applying early does help. Good luck to all of the 2013 candidates. Wow - how time flies!</p>
<p>SteslaS,
His stats are good but not off the charts. 3.9 WGPA, class rank 23/395. ACT 26. He has taken the PSAT but did not have scores to report as those are not passed out until January. He is eligible for NHS but induction is not until January so he did not list that. Boy Scouts/SPL but not yet Eagle. Varsity XC 2 years, Rifle 2 Years (team captain, mvp).</p>
<p>BTW, the letter contained a lot of useful info for prospective USMA applicants: id/pwd for candidate web site, name and contact info local liaison officer, timetables and lot of reminders about getting the application steps done early.</p>
<p>enjoylife,</p>
<p>You asked momoftwins: "I'm curious as to why you say it's going to be a crazy year for 2013".</p>
<p>Momoftwins knows a lot more about this than I do but I can already tell it going to be crazy. What's going to be crazy? Here what I see so far:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>The process for some nomination sources starts as early as January (next month) for class of 2013. Each source has a slightly different process, a separate set of forms, letters, recommendations, etc. </p></li>
<li><p>As indicated in the SLS invitation letter, appointments for medical exams could start as early as this summer. Along with those forms and exams will come the subsequent requests for more info, remedials and the all too common disqualifications starting the waiver process.</p></li>
<li><p>My son's weakest area is ACT/SAT. He will be taking both tests multiple times to try to better his scores.</p></li>
<li><p>Since your son's primary goal is be an Army officer (if it's not, he shouldn't even be considering USMA), he will need a solid backup plan for how to get that degree and commission if not accepted to the academy. That means doing ALL the things that a HS jr/sr has to do to get accepted to one or more backup programs: campus visits, ROTC scholarship and school applications, interviews, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>I've told my son that he has to be one to drive this process but I know from experience that a 16yo needs a lot of guidance/help/pushing to get things done on time. It would be easier to just do some of the research, scheduling, paperwork for him but it has to be his dream, his goal, and his effort.</p></li>
<li><p>All this has to happen while keeping grades up, staying on top athletically, surviving the senior year of HS (with continuing competition from cars, girls, and other bright shiny objects.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>^^^^^^^^^^^^
spot on aprouddad.</p>
<p>any high school student that undertakes and follows through with a USXA application is in for a year of craziness. These kids will have to be highly organized, learn to communicate effectively with adults, write repeatedly about their goals and aspiratons and sell themselves. Many high schools kids - even the "best and brightest" are in for a challenging experience.</p>
<p>My daughter visited 3 service academies, opened applications at 3, finished applications at two, applied to several civilian schools and an ROTC scholarship. She met with West Point academy reps at two informations sessons, "suffered" through a BGO interview, a ROTC scholarship interview and interviews with 3 MOC's all in the fall of her senior year while playing Varsity Field hockey.
She wrote essays for Army, Navy, Army ROTC and two of her MOC's. None were repeat essays.<br>
She wrote a letter to Dodmerb to rebut her medical disqualification - and one to Army Cadet Command requesting a medical waiver for her DQ.
She missed a practice and a game in her Varisty sport so she could have her DoDMERB medical exam in the fall.<br>
Due to a variety of reasons completed and passed her CFA on a cold day in January - below freezing and a stiff wind.
She arranged to visit West Point in April and requested an interview with an admissions officer and asked him what she had to do to get an appointment.
After all this she was offered a Civil prep scholarship for a year to prepare to enter West Point next year and had to complete her WP Application over again. </p>
<p>Even the most qualified candidate who applies early and gets a rare summer LOA is in for quite an experience - these kids still must complete the medical exam and get qualified. Pass the CFA and apply for and win a nomination.</p>
<p>This process is not for the faint of heart!</p>
<p>^^ And a WHOLE lot of hurry up and wait... and man did you guys hit the senior year experience...</p>
<p>Both jam and prouddad are correct.</p>
<p>And then when the dream is realized, and the big package arrives, so does doubt for some. It's very surprising for the parents of a high school student who has gone through this process with such determination. They are confronted with the reality of their dream and decide it's really not the dream they want after all. This is the time to make a real adult decision. As parents, we can help with the decision-making process. But ultimately it has to be our son's/daughter's decision and we have to let them own it.</p>
<p>My daughter didn't even want to apply to other schools (Talk about a struggle.), but did. She spent 3 years thinking about how she had to work harder to get higher scores or better grades in tougher classes to make sure she could really compete for an appointment. After we walked out of her ROTC interview where she was offered a 4-year scholarship, my husband called and told her that the big package arrived from West Point. This was all she could talk about for a few years. And she spent the next 2 weeks wondering what to do. All I did was listen, and it's hard to see your kid going through the angst of a difficult decision. Then, one day she just said, "I know what I want and it's West Point. I want to get that card mailed in today so I can focus on getting ready."</p>
<p>So, this was just part of our crazy year.</p>
<p>Good luck to your daughter, momoftwins. I'll make sure my S applies to some other schools even though he says West Point is the place for him.</p>
<p>I guess I've been very naive about this whole process. I just hope that my son is ready for all of this. If I'm understanding you guys correctly, you can pursue your nomination from your MOC starting in January? I thought there was a time frame as to when you can apply for them (in the fall). </p>
<p>I haven't read the packet that came in the mail with SLS invitation yet (my S has them in a safe place). I guess I should read them throughly. I don't know what my S should be doing more at this point to improve his chances of getting an appointment. He is taking all honors and AP classes and he only took SAT once so I guess maybe he should retake to improve his score. He is very likely to be NMSF and National AP scholar by end of his Jr. year. He stays fit and says he knows only thing that will give him problem will be pull-ups. He is very involved in all of EC's and hold officer positions in all of them (4 clubs). Any suggestions?</p>
<p>He'll have a chance to take the CFA during SLS. If he passes it then, it will take an awful lot of pressure off the rest of the process. Also, with his profile, if he passes the CFA, there could be a chance of receiving a LOA which will reduce the stress even more. So, I'd work on those pull-ups. And believe it or not, the basketball throw usually requires some practice. It's an unusual event and applicants are surprised by it.</p>
<p>And thanks for the good wishes for my daughter. She is now half-way through cow year and has no regrets (most days ;)). Just waiting for those final grades.</p>
<p>My school doesn't suggest taking SAT/ACT's until early spring, therefore I haven't taken them yet. Will this be a problem to get into the SLS? I guess I could apply to the January SATs but I wouldn't get the results back till late Feb. or so, which seems way too long to wait. My PSATs are good: Math 73, Reading 71, Writing 66, and I'm 1st/72, variety of ECs and sports.</p>
<p>Sulco09, I think you can use your PSAT score for now as it is available and wouldn't hurt your chances at all. My S got his SAT score before PSAT.</p>
<p>Sulco09,
The application has slots for both PSAT and ACT (and maybe SAT). I suspect a lot of SLS applicants have only taken the PSAT at this point so apply with those scores (which sound pretty good, btw).</p>
<p>Sulco,</p>
<p>Your psat scores look great. And many juniors are in the same boat as you. Go ahead and apply using the psat. You'll have lots of time to update your files.</p>
<p>enjoylife,</p>
<p>I'll try to offer a few suggestions but let me preface these by repeating that I am very new to this myself. I've been mostly lurking on this board for about year. Look at the stats under the names of some of the others who have posted replies and you will see why I am humbled and even a bit shy about offering my 2 cents worth. Momoftwins has made over 2,000 posts to this board. Hang around this place a while and you will get to know who the real experts are.</p>
<p>That said, here are some of my thoughts on the subject. If I get anything wrong, or start giving really stupid advice, let's hope someone will set us straight.</p>
<p>First, some specifics from your last post. You asked about the timetable for nominations. The quickest way to get an idea for dates and deadlines is to check the web sites for each nomination source. For just about everyone, that means one congressman in the HOR, the two senators from your state and the VP. When we checked these, all had different start and end dates. Fall of next year would be closer to the END of the process. In one case, deadline for submission is October 31. For some, there might be the possibility of Presidential or Service Connected nominations as well. The USMA admissions web site (USMA</a> Admissions) has specific information about how to find your nomination sources but you will need to go to the sources to determine their individual dates and requirements.</p>
<p>By all means, go through that SLS letter with your son. There is a great deal of useful information there beyond the SLS acceptance. You and your son have to come to terms with what your respective roles will be in this process. I have no doubt that there are some HS juniors who can make all the necessary decisions and work through every step of this process on their own. Most, however, will need some help - help that is much deserved if not always much desired. When I say "<em>you</em> should do X", I really mean the team made up of your son, you, and anyone else willing to help get this done.</p>
<p>Your son's academic stats are impressive. As you probably already know, there is no way to look at a set of stats and say "that will definitely get you in". The academies look at many factors that civilian schools don't even consider. Furthermore, they look at the "whole candidate" and never just one aspect of the candidate's record. In other words, while a math genius who can't write, a footfall star with poor grades and test scores, and a valedictorian who can't climb a flight of stairs might all get in a good civilian school, the academies are looking for candidates who excel in all areas. Some civilian schools might use terms like "whole person" and "well rounded" to work around weak areas to admit students who excel in other areas but the academies really do want overall excellence. Take a look at the profile of the most recent entering class and you will get a good idea of what USMA admissions looks for: Class</a> Profile 2008</p>
<p>You don't make any mention of athletics for your son. If you look at the USMA admissions web site, you will see three terms repeated over and over again: scholarship, leadership, athletics. Being physically fit, while important, is not the same as participation in athletics. The class profile for the class of 2011 shows that of 1305 candidates admitted, 1178 had participated in varsity athletics. That would seem to indicate that while lack of athletic participation may not be a show stopper (127 were admitted with no varsity athletic participation), it would certainly be something that would have to be overcome. If your son has not participated in athletics, don't let that stop him from applying. Better yet, encourage your son to consider a spring sport this year or something next fall. You can always update his application with as the year goes on. Who knows - for any number of reasons, your son might find himself going to a year of civilian college before applying. In that case, he still has a year and a half of high school to add varsity athlete to his resume.</p>
<p>You need to become an expert on this complicated process. Most High Schools have competent guidance counselors who can advise students on how to go about getting into a good college. None of the counselors at my son's school have any experience with military academy applications. That is one area where I have felt the need to step in for my son. As a busy teenager, it's just too easy for him to put things off or assume that someone else is looking out for his interests. I won't do the work him but I try to know what needs to happen next and I make sure he is on track.</p>
<p>Hopefully, your son's SLS letter will have the name of a West Point Liaison Officer in your area. I have heard that some are extremely helpful and some less so. We plan to contact the individual named in my son's letter after the holidays and hope that he will be a good resource. </p>
<p>You have already done one of the best things I could suggest - you found this site. I can't imagine how applicants (and parents) survived in the days before before web sites. I suppose one could argue that we would all have a lot less anxiety (and probably more free time) if we didn't pour over every web site, faq, email, and forum post on the subject of what worked last year and what didn't. </p>
<p>Don't forget the other forums on this same site. Your son may be mainly/only interested in West Point but the Naval Academy forum is actually more active and has some great posts. They may be different branches of service and different schools but getting a nomination is the same process as is the DODMERB process. Just remember to talk like a pirate while you're over there and you'll fit right in. How</a> to Talk Like a Pirate</p>
<p>There are a few other sites that I find very useful. I find the United</a> States of America Service Academy Forums site helpful if only for the DODMERB forum. A frequent contributor on that forum is a retired Navy doc whose last posting was with the DODMERB so his answers are very informative. West-point.org runs a list server specifically for prospective candidates: Prospective</a> Net. Good information and some well informed contributors.</p>
<p>Just remember that these web sites are not the USMA admissions office and the advice you get might be pure bunk.</p>
<p>Finally, I will repeat two things I said in an earlier post. Make sure that your son's primary goal in a commission in the US Army not the USMA appointment. He will be asked to articulate why he wants to go to West Point and "it's a great school" is NOT the right answer. I actually had a young man say to me that he really wanted to go to the academy but wasn't sure if he wanted to be in the Army (???). Even the SLS invitation letter encourages students to spend this time learning more about the Army and what it means to be an Army Officer. More than anything else, it helps put this whole process in the proper perspective. Once you put getting that commission on top, not getting the appointment is no longer the end of the world since there are other was to get the commission. Which brings me to my final (repeated) point: have a backup plan. Every year, a lot of highly qualified candidates won't get that much sought after appointment. He could get the appoint but suffer a medically disqualifying injury a week before R-day. A good backup plan takes some of the pressure off and, besides, a young man with your son's record and potential deserves a well thought out plan B.</p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck and I hope that both our sons enjoy SLS and will one day join the class of 2013.</p>
<p>Bravo, prouddad. Great post that put lots of information in one place. I'm glad you stopped lurking. And you're absolutely right about helping your son with the process, but neither the work nor the decision. </p>
<p>The reason I have 2000+ posts (how the heck did that happen?) is because since I discovered cc, I'm just a bit less productive at work. There are some funny, old threads about the college confidential addiction that you may enjoy reading.</p>
<p>Good luck to all the juniors applying for SLS. Just remember that if you don't get in, you should not think that the dream is over. The majority of appointees did not attend SLS.</p>