Potential 3-time applicant

E

EagleScout95

5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
18
Good evening everyone

My application is submitted and received a nomination in December.
My college GPA was not the best, 2.6 yet, my spring semester is going phenomenally well. I am getting all A's in my struggling courses of Calculus 2 and Chemistry 2. I do plan on sending my spring semester transcript in May.

I've submitted additional recommendations and a personal letter to the admissions board.

If I am rejected for a second time, and do plan on reapply APRIL 1st for the class of 2020, what should I do?

I am very willing to apply every year until age 23. I do have several contingency plans for commissioning yet, this is the institution where I want to get an education from.

Thanks!


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Sort of in the same boat as you...had a really hard time adapting to the academic and physical demands that I took on this Fall semester. 2nd semester going really well so far, and I'm a college freshman reapplicant. Not sure what I'll do if I get the TWE a second time.
 
If you are rejected it never hurts to call admissions and ask them what you can do to better yourself your 3rd time around! Don't count yourself out of the running yet though!
 
Perhaps I can offer a little hope. I applied 3 times to USNA and completed 2 full years of college before reporting for I-day. My first year in college was horrible to boot. Skipping class, parties, girls, booze, football games,and I even got laid for the first time----the works. I certainly made the "most" of my freshman year and validated the Academy's decision to drop me like a hot rock. However, I sobered up my second year and made eye-watering grades in engineering courses which mimicked the Plebe year courses in math, chemistry, and English. When I reapplied I realized I had to be the world's best salesman for myself. I put myself in the shoes of the Academy and MOC and forced myself to answer the question:"Why in the world should you ever get an appointment?". My essays and interviews focused like a laser on the fact I screwed up royally, had no discipline, did not recognize my blessings, and richly deserved every F I ever got. I then went on to the fact it shocked me so much that I had a complete change of attitude and put it into action by retaking courses and getting As and Bs in everything. I pointed to that as evidence and that while talk is cheap, results are gold and they will continue to be gold. Of course, I also hit the fact that my motivation to be a Naval Officer via the toughest route I could think of was demonstrated by the fact I was still reapplying while the usual mob of rejects had been long blown away. I talked about the fact that I had matured tremendously since high school and it was probably fortunate that the Academy had not picked me up based on my miserable performance my freshman year. I had no extra-curricular activities those college years but I did have jobs and pointed to that also as evidence that I was putting my money where my mouth was to continue school and show I could hack the requirements to be considered and accepted the responsibility for school. I guess it worked as I found myself at I-Day as one of the oldest guys in my class but I was there. Good luck to you----the work is just starting.
 
Spud said:
Perhaps I can offer a little hope. I applied 3 times to USNA and completed 2 full years of college before reporting for I-day. My first year in college was horrible to boot. Skipping class, parties, girls, booze, football games,and I even got laid for the first time----the works. I certainly made the "most" of my freshman year and validated the Academy's decision to drop me like a hot rock. However, I sobered up my second year and made eye-watering grades in engineering courses which mimicked the Plebe year courses in math, chemistry, and English. When I reapplied I realized I had to be the world's best salesman for myself. I put myself in the shoes of the Academy and MOC and forced myself to answer the question:"Why in the world should you ever get an appointment?". My essays and interviews focused like a laser on the fact I screwed up royally, had no discipline, did not recognize my blessings, and richly deserved every F I ever got. I then went on to the fact it shocked me so much that I had a complete change of attitude and put it into action by retaking courses and getting As and Bs in everything. I pointed to that as evidence and that while talk is cheap, results are gold and they will continue to be gold. Of course, I also hit the fact that my motivation to be a Naval Officer via the toughest route I could think of was demonstrated by the fact I was still reapplying while the usual mob of rejects had been long blown away. I talked about the fact that I had matured tremendously since high school and it was probably fortunate that the Academy had not picked me up based on my miserable performance my freshman year. I had no extra-curricular activities those college years but I did have jobs and pointed to that also as evidence that I was putting my money where my mouth was to continue school and show I could hack the requirements to be considered and accepted the responsibility for school. I guess it worked as I found myself at I-Day as one of the oldest guys in my class but I was there. Good luck to you----the work is just starting.
Click to expand...

Great story. Do you mind sharing your SAT/ACT scores? My understanding is good college grades need to be complemented by good SAT/ACT score.
 
I would if I could but it was a long time ago and I have forgotten but you are very right.
 
I have a 26 ACT

27 English
22 Math
33 Reading
X science ( can't remember off the top of my head)


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Eagle, your unasked question in the above is "Is this good enough?" and the answer is: Of course not----it is not a 36. You are asking the wrong question as it should be: Is this the absolute best I can do? If not, you need to take ACT prep courses between taking the exams and get them higher until they won't budge any more and that is what you go with. You are forgetting you are in competition with other people, not trying to make some minimum bar. This is what I meant when I said the work is just starting.

The ACT is used by the Academy as a predictor of success in college, not some IQ test. However if you have superb college grades you have already proven you can hack the academics and if you also have good ACT scores than the question of academic success is answered with a resounding "Yes" to the Academic Board. That alone puts you ahead of a lot of candidates and just what you want.
 
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