Sound far fetched? Help a vet out

Applying to College
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<p>Informed,</p>

<pre><code> I've been gingerly looking through some topics on this board, and I'm super impressed with some of the high school stats I see (intimidated, even!). I think it's amazing that so many are doing so well, and my question is this; would it sound far fetched for me to be accepted to a prestigious school like the University of Chicago?
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<p>My stats- </p>

<p>-Currently I am 23 (will be 24 when applying to schools), close to the end of my active duty contract in the Marine Corps. Graduated HS in 2003.
-High school GPA ~3.5-3.8 (I haven't seen a transcript since '03)
-Vice president of Latin club
-In the orchestra
-AP English, Economics, Biology, US History (maybe more I can't remember)
-SAT I took in 2002 was a high 1400
-Served in Iraq
-Numerous military accolades/awards including 3 meritorious promotions and presidential recognition.</p>

<p>I can see that my HS record is really weak. Truthfully, at that time, college was the last thing on my mind, as it seemed an impossibility. I also held down jobs all through HS, but my main reason of low GPA was just not caring. I have some C's.
Coming out a little older and wiser, I know what a mistake not taking early academics more seriously, I want to kick myself. The reason being, I have found what I want to study, found the passion to do it, and what I believe is the perfect place to do it at, and I don't think I will be able to reach it. UChicago's reputation and attitude really appeal to me. Do you think I have a chance at all, being so underachieved in HS with lackluster extracurriculars and mediocre grades? </p>

<p>Any advice would be appreciated, if not taken outright. =)</p>

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<p>Your story is beautiful, if that's not too cliche.</p>

<p>I've always had great respect for people who serve, yet still have the drive and determination to continue with college; I envy you.</p>

<p>I'm also going to be applying to UChicago this fall, so I'm not the one to be talking... however, you should go online and check out the essay questions, they're up already.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Most universities weight life experience pretty heavily, and your story makes you stand out. UChicago, in particular, places a lot of weight on essays. If you can write a killer essay about why you want to attend, I think you'd have a great shot.</p>

<p>If you're worried about academics, you could always re-take the SAT or take a subject test, but your record doesn't look too weak to me.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Thanks for believing on me guys! I'm going to beef up my test scores here pretty soon and give it a shot!</p>

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<p>I think you have a pretty good chance, especially if you write about how you discovered your passion, and why you want to pursue it. Maybe you can tie that into your service as well - that would make for a truly outstanding essay. As far as I know, no matter what the essay topics for UChicago are, you can always choose the option to write your own prompt - you might want to consider it.</p>

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<p>I think, if you clearly demonstrate your dedication to academics and their institution, only major over-enrollment or some other adm error would keep you out. Would you be starting as a first year?</p>

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<p>Yes, I would be starting as a first year. I was reading about UC's admissions.... I need a LoA from an english/soc. studies AND science/math teacher.... oh crap...
Not only do I not even remember their names (I still have to get my transcript from out of state, I believe it does have the teacher's names on it), they could not write a LoA that is relevant to the person I am today,
much less even remember the student I was 5 years ago (Who, sadly, doesn't deserve to go to a top notch college, by the way).</p>

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<p>Call the school. I'm sure you can get recommendations from other people who know you better, since you have a special case.</p>

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<p>First off, thank you for your service. My cousin's in the Corps.</p>

<p>You have an advantage rising seniors (such as myself) don't have, and that's your military service. Learn to exploit it (sounds wierd but this is definitely the best advice I can give you). Your essay is definitely going to be a place where you can really shine. Find some people to edit it for you when you're done. With a little polishing, it can rock the socks off AdComs. Focusing on how you've changed over the years and the lessons you've learned is a great way to go. </p>

<p>As far as getting your transcript and everything together, it wouldn't hurt to email the admissions at UChicago. I'm sure they'd be glad to help, because your case is so unusual and your situation very understandable.</p>

<p>Because of your situation, I strongly believe that admissions would be far more interested (or at least compelled to be) in your character than a GPA from 5 years ago. </p>

<p>Not certain if this example pertains too much to your case, but I know a Navy SEAL Officer who applied to JFK School of Gov. after being out of USNA for 10+ years. He wrote an essay on BUD/S. Got in, presumably out-rocking some recent Harvard grads. Graduate school is definitely very different from undergrad, but again, he focused on what made him stand out.</p>

<p>Definitely definitely get in contact with admissions, especially on the issue of rec letters. And keep in mind that extra letters of rec would be very appropriate in your case (maybe ask someone who knows you well in the Corps).</p>

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<p>Well, good luck in your college career. My friend got into U of Chicago by applying twice (rejected first time) so interest counts, apparently.</p>

<p>Did you read this Marine's book:
Thieves of Baghdad: One Marine’s Passion for Ancient Civilizations and the Journey to Recover the World’s Greatest Stolen Treasures
by Bogdanos, Matthew (2005)</p>

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<p>Like Ealgian said, thank you for your service. My dad and brother are both Marines. :) Other letters of recs from someone in the Corps would probably be good. (Your CO , for instance) I'd contact the admissions office, like others have said. Best of luck!</p>

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<p>Ladies, gentlemen, thank you so much. I hope I can be viewed as a viable applicant even though my case is a bit different than is normal, and everyone's advice to embrace that is very inspiring. I would be proud to go to school with you.</p>

<p>Treetopleaf - I have never seen that until now - thank you for showing me! The Colonel's story is amazing. I will research more.</p>

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<p>Additional thoughts:
1. Take any course at a community college soon, to demonstrate your ability to shine academically now as the new person you have become. Do so in a class where you think you'd excel, not a challenge subject. For example, "Literature of War" or "Recent History of the Middle East.." but maybe you need a break from it. Imagine the papers you could write in those classes. There are other hmilitary veterans and mature students, including young dads, at community colleges to keep you company. </p>

<p>I mean this as just one course, WHILE you are applying to the four-year universities, naturally. If you could then get a current professor in that course to write you a LofR, it's helpful, probably moreso than some math teacher from 5 years ago. Make it your autumn goal to send in an "A" from a current CC course. A different strategy is to attend community college for 2 years and transfer into a university to finish out your undergraduate degree, but I'm not sure that's what you want to do. </p>

<p>2.A positive for you: be aware that a big concern of admissions officers isn't just your prior academics but how you will perform living independently in a college dorm setting. A big problem for 18-year-old freshmen is adjusting to dorm life, away from home for the first time in their life in some cases. Time management and self-discipline are needed for freshmen, so they enjoy their years socially but also get the coursework done without parental nagging. </p>

<p>Your military experience gives you 25 legs up on everyone else, in that sense. If you express it in terms of personal self-organization (not that you are bossy around others, lol), that military experience would speak well to an admissions officer. At least you already know how to make your bed and do your laundry!!</p>

<p>In Israel, everyone serves in the army 2-3 years before they're even allowed to apply to any university. They arrive as freshmen already extremely well organized and independent. It's a plus. Just a side-note to put your experience in positive perspective here.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Are there any schools with a "Troops to Student" program? There are entryways now for retired military to become teachers ("Troops to Teachers") with less red tape. I am wondering...try googling and see if it gets you anywhere. As well, "Mature Students" begins at age 25, and every so often there's a special scholarship or program for "Mature Students"</p></li>
<li><p>In addition to U of Chicago, make up a list of around 6 safeties, matches and reaches. Certainly try for some of the "prestigious" colleges you name, but make them your reaches. As long as you also have safeties and matches, reach away! </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Whatever qualities you found in U of C could be your starting point/guideline for picking some more colleges for your list. As you can tell from your initial explorations of CC,
people begin with one school in mind but diversify so it becomes one of their list of 6 or so. Advance on many fronts, if I'm speaking the language correctly ;) </p>

<p>Good luck, and echoing the Thank You For Your Service to our country.</p>

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<p>Just something to add to paying3tuitions excellent post: I believe you are going to need to take the SAT scores again, as the first time you took them was before the 2005 SAT change. But yeah absolutely look at everything paying3tuitions said as its right on the money.</p>

<p>Also, my dad is in Iraq right now. Just wanted to say thanks.</p>

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<p>cryptid, thank you for your service.</p>

<p>paying3tuitions gave you great advice, as have others. Your life experience, maturity level will go a long way in easing your way in. An academic course or two would get you back in to the swing of things academically, and could prove a source of a LOR academically as mentioned. I'm sure you have other potential LOR sources within your current, former chains of command.</p>

<p>As you mention orchestra, if you've continued (or will continue) to study your instrument privately, therein lies another souce of an LOR.</p>

<p>The best of luck to you. Again, thank YOU.</p>

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<p>If your app is as strong as it appears you should be able to get into some very awesome schools. How many applicants do they get that can say they defended our country? If your gpa is as strong as you think it is then I can see you getting into any of the UC schools, at the very least UCLA. The thing with the University of Chicago is that you need to have an excellent essay. They have obscure, almost nonsensical topics and it is perhaps the biggest part of the app there. If you are a good writer you definitely have a shot there. I'm not sure how big of a problem finances are, but Chicago is private so it might be difficult to pay there. You are a resident of the state with the best public universities in the country and if finance is a problem then I heavily reccomend you take advantage of it. Otherwise you are a very strong applicant at most any school. Oh, and thank you for your service.</p>

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<p>Cryptind, Im not sure if anyone else asked this but could you get a letter of reccomendation from a superior? I'm sure that given the circumstances it could be substituted for an academic one, and at the very least it will look good.</p>

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<p>You definitely had some coursework in the Marines right? Not sure if you get graded coursework, but since you must have several MOS's and various other possibly academic skills I'm sure those could be cited.</p>

<p>You could take a few pages from homeschooled students I suppose, who must have non-conventional ways of citing their qualifications. And yeah, UChicago loves the quirky student. </p>

<p>Anyway, what intellectual "coursework" (or at least training) did you receive in the Corps?</p>

<p>At one point I wanted to join for a cryptolinguistics MOS. I was persuaded by my mother not to join given the fact that recruiters tend to make things rosy.</p>

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<p>Whoa guys today I got some crazy news...... talk about community service? I'm deploying to South America for a relief/aid operation. NEXT MONTH. This changes alot of things. It's not that long of a tour though, and I'll still have plenty of time to wrap up loose ends before I start to apply to schools.</p>

<p>To answer some previous questions;</p>

<p>Violadad, I think you would be pleased to know that i also played the viola! First chair might I add. I have not played since high school, but I am still musical, with the guitar and g harp being my weapons of choice nowadays. I would in no way be opposed to picking viola back up, either. </p>

<p>As far as military coursework, yea, I've done quite a bit. It's actualy required for promotion.
-FUNDAMENTALS OF MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP<br>
-TERRORISM AWARENESS FOR MARINES<br>
-LAND NAVIGATION<br>
-PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT<br>
-SERGEANTS DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM<br>
-BASIC GRAMMAR<br>
-LEADERSHIP<br>
-MILITARY STUDIES<br>
-INTRODUCTION TO WARFIGHTING
-WARFIGHTING TACTICS<br>
-WARFIGHTING TECHNIQUES<br>
-WEAPONS </p>

<p>I went to a formal NCO leadership school and may also go to another one for sergeants if I have time. Now - all that stuff can be used to obtain college credit with an equivalency SMART transcript. I don't want to do that. I don't want to take LESS classes, I want to take MORE classes!
And yes, I could get numerous letters from superiors, I have quite a good rapport with my chain of command. They always select me for honors, and they selected me to talk to the President when I was in Iraq. I really owe everything to my friends and superiors there, and am confident they will write a great recommendation for me.</p>

<p>Titan124, I would consider myself to be a decent writer. I could definately brush up on my structuring and basics, though. I most definately march to the beat of an outside the box drummer boy, as well, and seeing this years UC topics I'm eager to start cracking ideas of my own down. As far as finances go - I'm actualy going to be using the NEW GI Bill, something that I will be eternaly greatful to this country for. It was just in fact signed by congress and POTUS and goes into effect next year. It generaly allows full tuition for the most expensive public school in your state (which can be confered to a private or out of state school with you paying the remainder), payed directly by the VA, plus a yearly book stipend AND a living stipend varying by cost of living rates. Jeeze, I also completely neglected to mention that I am married, and my wife is an amazing lady. I really could not have gotten anywhere without her. She is also very resourceful and works hard at bringing home her share. I think I can put myself in a financial situation where I would be comfortable and completely focused on my studies. So I don't think finances are going to be a problem.</p>

<p>WHEW, sorry for being so long winded. Thank you everyone so much for your positive input and advice, you are definately driving me forward!</p>

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<p>Come back some day and tell us of your success!</p>