<p>I would mainly focus on your gpa, because according to an admissions officer the gpa was the one most important factor, everything else, while still important was secondary. If you look at the 2011 class profile almost 80% were in the top 20% of their class. </p>
<p>Here is a copy of the 2011 class profile for reference
<a href="http://www.usna.edu/admissions/documents/Classof2011Profile.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.usna.edu/admissions/documents/Classof2011Profile.pdf</a></p>
<p>Also take into consideration that some of the 1500 offered appointments were waitlisters. Use this hypothetical situation: USNA offers 1200 appointments by April 15, while putting 400 on a waitlist and rejecting 400 from the pool of 3Qed w/nom. Of the 1200 offered appointments, 300 say no thanks. So, now USNA calls up some of the 400 they put on the waitlist to get to 1200 accepted appointees. So in total they offered near 1500 appointments, but only 1200 accepted and 300 of these were from the waitlist.</p>
<p>Once again, this is hypothetical, I just made it up. But I hope it gives you somewhat of a better idea how college admissions work.</p>
<p>You sound like you really want to go to Navy, mdsu. That's great! I'm 2012 myself, so this is probably the only post I can give you since I leave tuesday.</p>
<p>As far as what you're doing right now, don't worry too much about the public service stuff. I know candidates around me (myself included) who got in and did way fewer hours than you. I'm not on the admissions board, so I can only speculate what makes an offer and what doesn't, but I think everything, from grades to athletics to service, comes down to your dedication to going to USNA and then becoming an officer. If you have the DEDICATION to be worth the investment, then a board member can tell; if you've built yourself up and bettered your moral, mental, and physical abilities (straight from the mission :) ) for the sake of being an officer, then you've already proven that you can be at the Academy. I guess if I could give any recommendations, take as many AP/IB courses you can, and do some more out-of-the ordinary stuff for sports and service (i.e, don't just be on the team and just do the service, strive to set records)</p>
<p>Also, a word of warning about applying to multiple service academies; in most aspects, the things Navy officers do are WAY different than what Army/ Air Force/ etc. officers do. If you want to serve the country regardless of occupation, then go ahead (I'd also advise to state that in your personal statement) However, if the Navy is a priority for you, if its what you REALLY want, then consider applying to only USNA, or better yet, applying for a seperate NROTC scholarship as well (if this is the case, I'd put this on a personal statement, too) Both mindsets are perfectly fine for an officer, but I would imagine that the review board would prefer you to specify exactly why you're applying ("I want to serve", or "I want to serve in the Navy"). Anyways, you definitly have time, and your stats already look prety nice. Just keep working hard!</p>
<p>mdsu, if you're interested in having options and possibly commissioning in a different branch of service other than navy, you should move the merchant marine academy up on your list. It's the only academy that will let you commission in any branch of service after graduation. It also gives you the option of serving in the Naval Reserve while sailing for the Merchant Marine if you decide you want to stay civilian. Also, USMMA has the same amount of pilot spots, dive spots, etc. as the other academies, but since it is so much smaller (only 300 accepted), your chances of obtaining one of those spots is better. Not trying to sway you to USMMA, but I wound up taking my appointment to USMMA and turned down my appointment to the Naval Academy for those two reasons. So it should be a little higher up on your list. :)</p>
<p>There are pluses and minuses to applying to multiple academies. First, each academy wants to know you are committed to them, but you can only have one first choice. Second, increasing your chances of receiving an appointment to some service academy will outweigh the negative of not having a particular academy as your first choice. You should keep in mind that cross commissioning is easiest from the Merchant Marine Academy -- where you get to choose up front. At the other service academies the cross commissioning is single digits every year -- out of approximately 900 graduates.</p>
<p>I have served for 15 years as an academy information liaison officer and on two Senators' service academy selection boards. I went to one academy and my son to another. If I can help you in any way, please feel free to let me know.</p>
<p>Anyone applying to any of the service academies should keep in mind that it takes about $385,000 of the taxpayer's money to send a Cadet or Midshipman through a service academy. As someone who helps makes that selection for both the appointment side from the academy admissions office and the congressional nomination side -- I weigh very heavily the candidate's dedication (everyone wants to quit at some point and it is the dedication that keeps you there), and the chances of succeeding at the academy to commissioning. I also ask myself if I would be willing to serve along side this person or have my son, who is still on active duty, serve along side the person. These are intangibles that are hard to judge, which is why the academies and congressional offices have people like me in place to make that judgement eyeball to eyeball.</p>
<p>As to the number admitted each year vs. the number of offers of appointment. As was pointed out, some candidates will receive offers from more than one academy and can only accept one. Plebe or Basic Summer will washout a fairly predicable number each year. Each academy has a limited number of students that it can have enrolled at anyone time. This number is set by congress and reflects the needs of the services for junior officers. While the number varies slightly from year to year -- and the academies graduate a far higher percentage of incoming freshmen in four years than any other college, not everyone graduates and the attrition rate is fairly predictable to reach the established goal set by the congress for the number to be commissioned in each class.</p>
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<p>Not quite following you here but I think you are stating that perhaps one should only apply to a single academy to increase their odds of acceptance due to the fact that the academy may view multiple choices as a lack of commitment to their particular academy.</p>
<p>While I applaud an informed career decision such that some academies are preferred over others, situations such as wanting to be an aviator-Navy or AF or a grunt-Marines or Army-perhaps, certainly entertain the advantage of applying to more than one academy. While the MOC selection process is it's own can of worms and must be acknowledged, the academies themselves have no way of ascertaining how many different goals are being pursued. My advice would be that if you have legitimate reasons, go for it. "I just want a free education" is not a legitimate reason.</p>
<p>Assuming you are in a position to comment, are BGOs given any guidance regarding this discussion? I don't recall hearing my son comment one way or another about this subject after his interview with his BGO. </p>
<p>The issue never came up with his MOC (Rep). Son number 2 has discussed applying to both USNA and USAF, so I'm curious. Our Rep appears to have no problem with multiple noms as many of the names posted each year on his web site have more than one academy listed.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I would mainly focus on your gpa, because according to an admissions officer the gpa was the one most important factor, everything else, while still important was secondary. If you look at the 2011 class profile almost 80% were in the top 20% of their class.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This isn't exactly correct. USNA actually looks at your class rank more than your GPA -- i.e., what does a 3.82 mean in YOUR school? For some people, this GPA could put them in the top 5% of their class, for others, maybe top 30%. Thus, GPA is important but primarily as it relates to others in your class/school.</p>
<p>USNA also strongly considers the courses you took. A candidate with the above-mentioned 3.82 GPA taking AP Chemistry, AP Calculus, English, History, and a high level language will be viewed more favorably than the a candidate with the same GPA taking Music Theory, Pre-Calculus, Sociology, Art History, and an introductory language course. I'm not suggesting that these latter courses aren't worthwhile; however, to USNA which looks for the hard-core science and math courses, they won't "count" as much.</p>
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<p>I only mentioned MOCs because some, unfairly I think, ask candidates to list their preferences.</p>
<p>In answer to your question, none at all. I cannot imagine it being an issue. I usually don't even ask the question, unless there are extenuating circumstances. BGOs are tasked to assess the candidate's knowledge of the Academy and service life, with the understanding that one who has not done so might not be totally committed. The other major areas where BGOs are valuable is assessing confidence, reasons for applying to USNA, career interests, character, attitude, and motivation. Hence my previous statement to know everything there is to know about USNA/the Navy and have the proper motivated attitude (enthusiasm).</p>
<p>Good luck to #2.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Assuming you are in a position to comment, are BGOs given any guidance regarding this discussion? I don't recall hearing my son comment one way or another about this subject after his interview with his BGO. </p>
<p>The issue never came up with his MOC (Rep). Son number 2 has discussed applying to both USNA and USAF, so I'm curious. Our Rep appears to have no problem with multiple noms as many of the names posted each year on his web site have more than one academy listed.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>For me, the fact that someone is applying to multiple SAs is not a negative per se. It's a fine line -- if someone tells me, "I really want to go to USMA but USNA is my backup," I'll usually follow up to determine the person's real interests. My only concern is that USNA is not such a backup that the candidate will be miserable there if not accepted to USMA (I have seen this happen, BTW, in reverse). But I can accept someone interested in more than one SA, b/c I personally was. </p>
<p>What a candidate should NOT do, is tell me that USNA is his/her first choice, when it's not. When that candidate is accepted to both SAs and then chooses the one other than USNA, it leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. While the candidate could have had a change of heart, I can't help but wonder if he/she lied to me. Better to say candidate is still trying to decide or would be happy at either (which, if applying to more than one, hopefully is true). </p>
<p>As for whether to apply to more than one SA, this is a difficult question and, IMO, depends largely on your geographic area and how much you prefer one SA over another. And this is b/c of the nom process. The SAs themselves don't care if you apply to more than one. As an aside, no worries re applying to USCGA and another SA b/c USCGA does not require noms. Also, if you have a Presidential nom, the following is not as important. </p>
<p>In competitive states/districts, the MOC may require you to pick one SA or to rank them. Thus, you must decide whether to put all of your eggs in one basket (pick the same SA first for each) or to spread out your choices. The latter works best if you truly would be happy at more than one SA; otherwise, you run the risk of getting a nom to the school you didn't really want to attend and not getting one to your first choice (have seen this happen as well). In less competitive areas, you may be able to obtain noms to more than one SA from the same MOC. </p>
<p>Bottom line: there is no right answer for everyone. If your heart and soul is about attending USNA, then I'd put all my effort into that application and noms. If you'd be ok at USNA and USMA (or one of the other SAs), then you may well want to apply to both. Finally, remember that, at some point, you will have to choose. Doing so in August (rather than April) will make probably make your life a bit easier, but that's up to the individual.</p>
<p>Approximately 80% of all successful USNA candidates do not apply to another SA.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Assuming you are in a position to comment, are BGOs given any guidance regarding this discussion?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The short answer would appear to be, NO. There seems to be no definitive answer and it's merely the individual opnion and preference of BGO's, which as we can read, are as varied as can be. So one is left to reading the tea leaves, if you will. </p>
<p>Could possibly the better approach then be, recognizing the importance of the BGO in the screening process, to ASK the BGO what he/she thinks and consider the counsel? Seems to me it sure beats assuming the candidate must have a crystal ball as to the "right" answer, especially since some see this as very important.</p>
<p>Well, might as well chime in on this one.</p>
<p>IMO, the question is not one for the BGO-
it is, however, one for the candidate.</p>
<p>No matter which school you apply- academy or civilian- you should be able to articulate your reason as to "why".... "why THAT school- THAT program".</p>
<p>While there are many reasons that will apply to several schools (ie: serve my country,) you need to give thought as to how you can best do that- what is the "best" and "right" fit for you - identify the reason for "that" school, and then be able to articulate it to others.</p>
<p>There is a reason one applies to USNA. A reason for USMA. A reason for USCGA. While they share a common purpose, the missions are different and unique to each. So how do your goals align with each of those missions? Do you have an appreciation for how they are different and unique from each other?</p>
<p>You may very well decide to apply to several of the academies- which, IMO, is fine- but I would suggest you be able to speak to the "why" for each one of them. It will be easy, providing you do your homework on each, and some self-reflection on what you want. </p>
<p>And honesty is the best policy. If you have a preference, then state it. Along with a reason why.</p>