What are my chances? What to improve?

Hi all, I just joined this forum and was thrilled to see the amount of responses from other hopeful candidates!

So to start off I am a current SOPHOMORE, class of 2014 in Highschool.
My credentials go as following, starting with academics:

Freshman year: All regular core classes, Honors Geometry(1 year ahead), and Spanish 100 for two semesters.

Averaging GPA for 1st and 2nd semester at 3.67.


I am pursuing an IB Diploma.
Sophomore year, I slacked off: Full Pre-IB Courses.
Pre-IB History
Pre-IB English
Pre-IB Chemistry(that was hell)
Pre-IB Algebra II/TRIG
Intro to Marketing
Spanish 200
Average GPA Sophomore Year: 3.3.
As you can see, I went from one honors class to FULL IB HONORS CRAZY classes.

I plan on improving drastically.

Average Overall GPA 9-10 grade: 3.55

What classes I plan to take Junior Year:
IB History
IB English
IB Physics
IB PRE-Calc
IB Spanish 300
IB Business and marketing
Aiming for a 4.0
Aiming for a 3.85 GPA End of Junior Year.

Senior Year(Doesn't really matter if I don't make it)
Same classes except IB Spanish 400 and IB Calculus

Taking SAT Prep during the summer, on practice test I scored a 1840. Aiming for 2100.

For sports:
Freshmen year: Football
Sophomore year: JV Tennis and Crew(Rowing)
Junior year: Varsity Tennis and Experienced(Varsity) Crew
Senior year: V Tennis and Experienced Crew

LEADERSHIP:

Okay, so for leadership I am heavily involved in almost anything I can do.
First off, I am in the US Naval Sea Cadets. I joined this year and am going to Bootcamp this summer. I hope to expand my leadership skills through this and become a LPO(Leading Petty Officer) end of my Junior year when I apply.

So during freshmen year, since my school was a 7-9 Junior High school, I was elected Co-President of ASB, that helped me a lot to prepare for what I did this year.

Sophomore Year: Elected Sophomore Class President at the beginning of the year, and also elected for Vice President of Key Club(Community service oriented club) for next year. And also at the end of the year, I ran for Junior Class President, and won unopposed

Junior Year: I plan to finish the year strong and motivated, and will run for ASB President. If I lose, I will run for Senior Class President.

So basically, I was elected co-president of my Junior High School ASB, Sophomore Class President, Junior Class President, Key Club Vice President, and hope to become a LPO at Sea Cadets.


I think that's all I need to say for my credentials.


Thank you for all of you who have taken their time to read this and I hope to get replies on what I need to do to improve. Thank you guys so much!

What's your class rank? They are much more important than GPA (GPA is not accounted for your Whole Candidate Score, WCS, whilst class rank accounts for 30%).

Do you have varsity letters in your sports? Any chances of becoming a captain?

Are you planning on going to Boys/Girls State?

Do you think you could aim at better SAT scores than 2100? Have you taken (or plan on taking) the ACT?

Right now my class rank is unknown since it is so early in my high school year. I will find out at the end of Junior year, but it will be in the top 10 percent. I do have a chance of becoming captain of the Varsity Tennis team, I believe I have enough leadership though. I haven't taken the ACT and am planning on taking it. Depending on where it goes, I'll decide what to dedicate my time on.

kay95 said:

Right now my class rank is unknown since it is so early in my high school year. I will find out at the end of Junior year, but it will be in the top 10 percent. I do have a chance of becoming captain of the Varsity Tennis team, I believe I have enough leadership though. I haven't taken the ACT and am planning on taking it. Depending on where it goes, I'll decide what to dedicate my time on.

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I wouldn't minimize the captaincy of of the Tennis Team. Yes, you have plenty of leadership, but this would be in a totally different area. I think a leadership slot in athletics would really drive the leadership point home on your application. Good Luck!

kay95 said:

I do have a chance of becoming captain of the Varsity Tennis team, I believe I have enough leadership though.

Click to expand...

Your WCS is calculated something like this:

30% Class rank
30% SAT/ACTs
30% Leadership
10% CFA

The 30% leadership is subdivided like this:

10% Sports leadership (athletic extra-curriculars)
10% Non-sports leadership (non-athletic extra-curriculars)
10% SOEs (School Official's Evaluation... Teacher Recs)

So... It might be a good idea to become a captain

Good luck!

I am headed off to West Point in the class of 2016 and I was a Sea cadet. It is a great program!

I recommend going to JAG training in Naval Station Newport Rhode Island. I attended Summer 2010 and Staffed it Summer 2011 and I felt that it really helped in my leadership portfolio especially when I interviewed for my nomination.

Just remember the 60% academics 30% Leadership 10% physical breakdown. SATs are critical (aim to break 700 in each section although writing doesnt really matter) as is class rank. Finally, for the 30% leadership, 10% of the 30% is varsity athletics leadership and the rest is extracurricular. Continue student council and sea cadets, and key club and you will be golden.

Get that class rank up!!

USMACandidate2016 said:

......Finally, for the 30% leadership, 10% of the 30% is varsity athletics leadership and the rest is extracurricular.

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Don't forget the SOEs!
See BillSL's breakdown of the Leadership component of the WCS.

BillSL said:

The 30% leadership is subdivided like this:

10% Sports leadership (athletic extra-curriculars)
10% Non-sports leadership (non-athletic extra-curriculars)
10% SOEs (School Official's Evaluation... Teacher Recs)

Click to expand...