I know that even if you have some college completed, if you enter the U.S. Naval Academy, you have to start from the beginning of the four-year program all over again. If I don't get into the U.S. Naval Academy or the Naval Academy Preparatory School right out of high school, would it be worth it to go for a year of college at a regular civilian school (and try to do NROTC), then try to get into the U.S. Naval Academy again the following year? Would the Naval Academy look at the student positively for their persistency? Would the Naval Academy take the academic work by the student in their year of college into consideration when reviewing the student's application? Thank you very much.
Would a year at a civilian college be worth it?
- Thread starter robertj96
- Start date
reapplying and prep school
Go to the USNA: Reapplying...what to do thread and read USNA 1985 - his suggestions are excellent. We read this forum carefully after DS got TWE last year and there are a lot of helpful hints scattered throughout (so get searching). Everything we read on this forum, and heard from DS BGO, recommended attending college for a year and reapplying.
My DS went to college combined with preparatory school, took a first year academy curriculum (included Calculus and Chemistry), and did well. He did very well in college (You are going to need A's or mostly A's, its hard work - the naval academy wants to see you can handle a rigorous college curriculum). He was accepted this year, but remember not everyone is going to get in, even on a second try, as there are many very qualified candidates, and many factors go into who is chosen (some that you cant do anything about, like how many positions are available, who else is applying in your geographic area, etc). So if you decide to reapply - have a backup plan in place in case you dont get in - and dont let a rejection make you despondent. One other thing we picked up from reading this forum is that those dreaded SAT/ACT scores factor quite a bit in the calculation (the academies dont know if your school grades easy or hard, the only thing that is consistent between all applications is those standardized tests). And this is one piece of the application that you CAN control - so DS took the test multiple times (and dont believe what college board tells you - if you retake the test a few times after taking a review course - you can improve your scores). The academy superscores, so they take your best results overall for each individual section (for example my DS writing scores ranged from 550 to 700 - he hates English - the time he got a 700 he came out saying the topic was really easy and he had just written an essay on a similar topic in college)
My understanding is (no direct knowledge here, just a mom) that you still need to complete the four year academy curriculum, but that you can potentially validate at least some of the courses you took the first year in college (so you dont have to retake them). DS plans to try to validate chemistry and calculus (though he is bummed out he doesnt think he can validate English
).
Good luck!
Go to the USNA: Reapplying...what to do thread and read USNA 1985 - his suggestions are excellent. We read this forum carefully after DS got TWE last year and there are a lot of helpful hints scattered throughout (so get searching). Everything we read on this forum, and heard from DS BGO, recommended attending college for a year and reapplying.
My DS went to college combined with preparatory school, took a first year academy curriculum (included Calculus and Chemistry), and did well. He did very well in college (You are going to need A's or mostly A's, its hard work - the naval academy wants to see you can handle a rigorous college curriculum). He was accepted this year, but remember not everyone is going to get in, even on a second try, as there are many very qualified candidates, and many factors go into who is chosen (some that you cant do anything about, like how many positions are available, who else is applying in your geographic area, etc). So if you decide to reapply - have a backup plan in place in case you dont get in - and dont let a rejection make you despondent. One other thing we picked up from reading this forum is that those dreaded SAT/ACT scores factor quite a bit in the calculation (the academies dont know if your school grades easy or hard, the only thing that is consistent between all applications is those standardized tests). And this is one piece of the application that you CAN control - so DS took the test multiple times (and dont believe what college board tells you - if you retake the test a few times after taking a review course - you can improve your scores). The academy superscores, so they take your best results overall for each individual section (for example my DS writing scores ranged from 550 to 700 - he hates English - the time he got a 700 he came out saying the topic was really easy and he had just written an essay on a similar topic in college)
My understanding is (no direct knowledge here, just a mom) that you still need to complete the four year academy curriculum, but that you can potentially validate at least some of the courses you took the first year in college (so you dont have to retake them). DS plans to try to validate chemistry and calculus (though he is bummed out he doesnt think he can validate English
).Good luck!
usna1985
15-Year Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2006
- Messages
- 7,852
^^^
Thanks for your kind words. Just for the record, I'm a "she."
Agree with the above poster 100% other than the SAT scores. You certainly can take them again and improving won't hurt. But USNA Admissions has said that they are used as an indicator of how well you'll fare in college courses. The better indicator is how well you actually do in college courses! So, if you are at a "decent" 4-yr college earning As in calc, chem, English, history and/or physics, you've proven your ability and SAT/ACT scores will fade in significance. Conversely, you can score 800/800 but if you're getting Cs in the plebe courses, you're doomed.
One final note, many candidates anxious to reapply in April find out along the way that their Plan B is really great and no longer want to leave it for USNA. And that's perfectly fine -- maybe it was where they were truly meant to be all along.
Thanks for your kind words. Just for the record, I'm a "she."
Agree with the above poster 100% other than the SAT scores. You certainly can take them again and improving won't hurt. But USNA Admissions has said that they are used as an indicator of how well you'll fare in college courses. The better indicator is how well you actually do in college courses! So, if you are at a "decent" 4-yr college earning As in calc, chem, English, history and/or physics, you've proven your ability and SAT/ACT scores will fade in significance. Conversely, you can score 800/800 but if you're getting Cs in the plebe courses, you're doomed.
One final note, many candidates anxious to reapply in April find out along the way that their Plan B is really great and no longer want to leave it for USNA. And that's perfectly fine -- maybe it was where they were truly meant to be all along.
USNA2016Dad
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2011
- Messages
- 290
No One Knows But You
I've been a member of this forum for only a few months so please feel free to take this with a grain of salt.
I think the questions you may want to ask are, 1) Do I want to attend USNA and 2) What am I willing to do so I may submit my best possible application. I ask this for a couple of reasons. I don't think anybody on this forum knows with complete certainty what goes on within the admissions board and second you can't control or affect the countless variables that are part of the application process. But you can control some aspects of the application. Let me ask, how many times are you willing to take the ACT or SAT? I know of a successful applicant who took these test 7 times and was submitting those test scores until Dec of the year he was in the application cycle. Are you willing to go to the gym so you may do well on the CFA? These things you can control. As with any worthwhile endeavor, stay focused and stay committed. Things have a way of working out the way they were meant to.
Cheers and Good Luck
I've been a member of this forum for only a few months so please feel free to take this with a grain of salt.
I think the questions you may want to ask are, 1) Do I want to attend USNA and 2) What am I willing to do so I may submit my best possible application. I ask this for a couple of reasons. I don't think anybody on this forum knows with complete certainty what goes on within the admissions board and second you can't control or affect the countless variables that are part of the application process. But you can control some aspects of the application. Let me ask, how many times are you willing to take the ACT or SAT? I know of a successful applicant who took these test 7 times and was submitting those test scores until Dec of the year he was in the application cycle. Are you willing to go to the gym so you may do well on the CFA? These things you can control. As with any worthwhile endeavor, stay focused and stay committed. Things have a way of working out the way they were meant to.
Cheers and Good Luck
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