<p>I am a sophmore have an ok GPA, not quite sure what it is but it is not top notch yet(going to get better), but I was wondering what USNA likes better, a perfect GPA in regular classes or a 3.5(guessing) in all Honors and I will take AP classes next year. If just GPA, I will consider taking regular classes instead. What should I do?</p>
<p>I won’t tell you that I know what the USNA looks for specifically, but think its safe to say most (all?) top tier colleges (a group that includes all the SA’s) look for kids who have challenged themselves and shown that they can perform at a high level doing so. Add that the SA also look for athletic success and demonstrations of leadership.</p>
<p>So the answer to your question is; both. Take the toughest courses your school offers and excell in them.</p>
<p>USNA looks at class rank/standing as much as anything else. It also looks at statistics about your HS, i.e. college-bound graduates, IB and AP classes offered, etc. to determine the WPM score for the scholastic qualification piece of your application. So, to some extent, your HS’s ranking plays a part in your candidacy - I’m just not sure how much. Some schools do not offer IB/AP classes, and some schools are now going to quintile or quartile rankings i.e. you are in the top 20% or 25% of your class rather than specific, “18 out 400” rankings, and that is also considered. </p>
<p>osdad is correct. Take the toughest courses in math and science (in particular) that your school offers and do well. </p>
<p>What they are trying to determine is your potential for success academically at USNA and beyond as a Navy/USMC officer. The more you push yourself and the better you do, the better you look to USNA.</p>
<p>The problem with AP offerings is that at many schools, they are mostly offered in science and math. My school has AP English, but otherwise, it’s AP calculus, physics, chem and similar. Essentially, a prep school for people who plan to be engineers. What about those of us who want to go to top schools, but don’t plan to major in physics or chem when we get there? I’m able to get As and Bs in science and math in regular classes, but dropped AP physics because I was struggling to keep a B, and the studying left me no time for sports or being in the school play, two things I’ve always done. My passion is writing and public speaking; I want to major in those things in college. It really ticks me off that college admissions officers are going to look at my application, see that I didn’t take the AP chem/physics/calc classes offered and only took the AP English classes…so I must be a slacker, right? And I go to a school with lots of brainy math kids, so I’m only in the top 15%. Yawn. I can write a damn good essay…but my GPA will never exceed 4.12, and unweighted, it’s only 3.9. I know several kids older than me who got into Stanford…and all of them were in the 4.7 range. Ditto Cal. Unless you’re a star athlete, you need As in AP classes in science and math to even be considered.</p>
<p>It seems this is one of the most confounding questions chronically posed by candidates. And I’m not sure there is a clear, definitive, one-way-fits-all. </p>
<p>Generally, I tend to suggest taking the most rigorous and appropriately informative courses, especially in science and math, your school and environment (meaning other non-HS options available and attainable to you and your family) has to offer … AND … in which you can flourish and exhibit both academic growth and recognition. </p>
<p>And that is not always clear. What if you took an AP or college-level calc course and received a “C”? Is that bad, good, neither, somewhere in between? Well, on its face, I’d think it was not “good.” Conversely, if it was the toughest course you’ll ever take in math … and if you learned so much it’s moved you from 30 to 35 on the ACT. Then it’s suddenly become “great!” Why? Because that math SAT/ACT is the single most heavily weighted variable in determining one’s scholastic status and WP score. Furthermore, it might be that calc teacher who gave the C who writes a purely spectacular, glowing, specific recommendation noting the amazing nature of your performance, “C” be damned.</p>
<p>Now, this is only meant to lend some illustration to the potential here and that like in philosophy, history, and classic literature, good and evil are not always apparent. And so it is that imo, there is not one, simple, clear answer to this issue.</p>
<p>Conversely, the individual who "A"ced all the courses while cautiously avoiding the APs and/or more rigorous, stretching possibilities, will pay the price in possibly several ways. Most importantly, what he/she knows about that subject. </p>
<p>In all of this, there is risk … no matter which direction and choice is made. And it is that calculated risk that is critical to developing outstanding military leadership. So it’s sort of like a course within courses, vetting candidates in light of their risk taking and succeeding abilities.</p>