<p>Academically, I am and have been doing well for quite some time, but I did get an F in JROTC first semester of my freshman year. Don't ask. It was a mixture of economic difficulties and plain old stubborn stupidity on my part, and I admit that and have matured past it. In fact, I respect it alot more now. But I can't change that grade.</p>
<p>Anyway, will it disqualify me? All my grades aside in freshman, sophomore, and junior year have been straight A's, most rigorous courseload, high SAT, and involved in EC's.</p>
<p>I don’t think we’ve ever seen any NMSF’s post that they had an F. </p>
<p>I’m wondering if the fact that it was frosh year, for one semester, and not an “academic class” that it will be ok…since your overall GPA is high.</p>
<p>Was this a “year-long” class? If so, what was your “year-end” grade?</p>
<p>And, do you know if your school’s transcript has semester grades on it…or just “year end” grades? My kids’ school only reports “year end” grades on transcripts.</p>
<p>That’s a good question. I know of a case where a first semester sophomore received a D in a science class, but still became NMF, so there’s hope!</p>
<p>Also, your overall grades were a lot better than his, and his courseload wasn’t rigorous, either.</p>
<p>I think you will probably be OK if you complete all the steps in the process. I think most of the people who are eliminated, maybe even all, are the people who don’t jumpt through all of the appropriate hoops.</p>
<p>I’d be a little worried, as a parent. I know in past years, students have been able to appeal not advancing to NMF. I’ve heard of GCs & administrators sending letters to explain unusual circumstances. Perhaps you could ask your GC to address the issue of the F in the materials they send with your application packet?</p>
Not in all cases. There were 2 kids at my daughter’s school (a very tough state math/science school) that did not make it through because of Cs on their transcripts junior year. These were kids that had been straight A students freshman/sophomore years (had to be to get into the math science school), but struggled in junior year at a school that required 24 credit hours of college level classes a semester. (my daughter would have also not made it to finalist if she had been a candidate).</p>
<p>So it is not just not jumping through the hoops that makes kids fail to make finalist.</p>