West Point Admissions Question

Let say I did not perform well my freshman year in high school (I ended the year with a 3.2). This year as a sophomore, I got 3.4 first semester and probably close to 3.75 this semester. However, what I would like to know is if West Point will cut me some slack for my freshman year. In addition, I currently play two sports (football and wrestle), take part in model UN, have an internship at my Senator's office, and have 100 hours of community service. Also, I attend a private school. The only reason I ask is because I wanna if I should even bother applying or starting the process.

You've got no chance if you don't apply. Just do your best for the rest of your high school career and add more leadership positions. Forgot to add: they're big on class ranks too. You're current gpa could put you in the top 20% at one school, but at another put you in the bottom 20%. They also look at test scores and the rigor of your schedule. One weak spot may not completely ruin your chances. Not applying will.

and the first reply is absolutely correct.

You know how many applicants have resumes with no holes? ZERO.

Control what you can control and go forward. If you're "on the fence" about simply applying, it may not be what you truly want. that is for you to decide.

FWIW, you sound like you have a good mix of activities. Focus on your grades, physical fitness, and demonstrating leadership.

You should absolutely apply. They'll consider your progress. And if you keep going at this pace it won't matter. Take the hardest class load you can while maintaining good grades. Take honors and AP where possible.

I went with my son to WP this January when he had his over night visit. They went over what the admissions folks looked for in your package.

We were told GPA is not looked at as hard as you my think. The reason is some schools don't offer AP classes, some schools don't put AP classes on a 5.0 scale, some kids don't take AP classes, home schooled kids don't really have a GPA. As a result GPA is not a straight forward comparison. Not saying a 2.0 is going to cut it, but don't sell yourself short.

Class Rank is a difficult comparison for similar reasons.

We were told the great equalizer is SAT/ACT scores. By their nature they are standardized, which is a great comparison between applicants. Rock those and you can get noticed.

It sounds like you and my son are similar in sports and community service type activities (he has had several leadership opportunities on and off the field). His GPA is 3.6, class rank in top 10%ish, ACT 31. He starts on 2 July with the Class of 2016.

Bottom line, Never Ever Ever Give Up if WP is what you want.

Good Luck

Give it a try but you MUST improve that GPA and do well on the SAT -at least 650 per score. Get some leadership positions on your sports teams and school activities. In short -ask yourself - am I an excellent student, good on atheltic teams, and a natural leader? The people you compete against will be strong in all three areas.

I apologize when I said, "The only reason I'm asking is because I wanna know if I should even start the process." I am committed to becoming an officer in the army, but I wasn't sure if West Point was the best commissioning path for me.

JokerSixActual said:

I apologize when I said, "The only reason I'm asking is because I wanna know if I should even start the process." I am committed to becoming an officer in the army, but I wasn't sure if West Point was the best commissioning path for me.

Click to expand...

Apply for a xROTC scholarship as a Plan B.

Value

It is a valuable experience. It can only make you better.

What did I get out of applying to USMA?

BarrettaM59 said:

It is a valuable experience. It can only make you better.

Click to expand...

@BarettaM59, yours was the "Eureka!" comment here for me. Having to go through the SA application process made me gain so much on a personal level that even if I had not gotten my appointment, I can safely say it made me a better person for now and the future. The process forced and/or allowed me to:


(a) Focus on my academics and my involvement in sports and ECs in a much more strategic and, ultimately, fulfilling manner.

(b) Get into the best physical shape of my life.

(c) Begin my college application process in the winter of my Junior year -- gathering my resume, focusing on my testing, analyzing my personal profile and identifying gaps -- so that when I finally applied to "regular" colleges in the fall of my Senior year, it seemed almost comically easy.

(d) Through SLS and MOC interviews and USMA events, meet some of the most amazingly (and honestly scarily) capable people I have ever met in my entire life. This goes for MOC interviewers, current USMA cadets, and fellow candidates.

(e) Learn time management skills that I never would have learned as a high school student -- and do it while accomplishing (a) above. There is SO much to do for the SA process that if you don't schedule it and tightly execute, you're cooked.

(f) Personally own a process so important to my life and my future, without a safety net. Sure my parents and teachers and guidance counselors and friends all cheered and supported (and, when necessary, hugged) me all along the way, but this thing was mine to drive, to own and to succeed at.

(g) Come away knowing that anything I set my mind to, I can give it my fullest without fear of being viewed as an "over-achiever". Coming from a large public high school, where the height of the expectations bar is often set to "mediocre", that meant a lot to me.


So, JokerSixActual, if you want an experience like this, regardless of the outcome, then you owe it to yourself to go for it!

Good luck.

I agree with SimpleMan!

It was specially valuable for me for 2 reasons:

1)Things don't come out as planned (I don't think you want to hear the whole story, but this process ended up taking many unexpected turns that taught me to stay on my toes).

2)The interviews are incredibly rewarding experiences. I screwed up PRETTY BAD at one, and that taught me to be humble. I did great in the other two, which taught me to be open-minded and knowledgeable.

JokerSixActual said:

Let say I did not perform well my freshman year in high school (I ended the year with a 3.2). This year as a sophomore, I got 3.4 first semester and probably close to 3.75 this semester. However, what I would like to know is if West Point will cut me some slack for my freshman year. In addition, I currently play two sports (football and wrestle), take part in model UN, have an internship at my Senator's office, and have 100 hours of community service. Also, I attend a private school. The only reason I ask is because I wanna if I should even bother applying or starting the process.

Click to expand...

Just keep working hard -

a. Test scores are IMPORTANT! So do AMAZING on them! ie: STUDY, STUDY, and STUDY
b. I was in a similar situation at the end of my freshman year, I've now gone from rank ~15X (or the middle 50% of my class) to the top 7 (not % but rank) in my grade (I'm #7), and we still have the last semester of grades left in my Junior year. So you can do what I did - drop your lunch, and take every honors/AP class available, and get all A's! Now, I'm taking the most AP tests in my class (taking 6 ahhh!), and have recovered...so don't give up.

And by-the-way --> I was accepted into every summer program (USAFA SS, USMA SLS, and NASS - so again, get those test scores higher, and drop every class that doesn't contribute to your GPA! (and fill it with one that does).

Good luck,
TheChicagoan