Serious Help

gpotter7

Member
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
33
Hello everyone, thank you in advance to anyone who reads or reaponds to this. USMA has been my dream since 8th grade, and I'm sure it has been for a lot of you too, but I am seeking advice and anything would be appreciated.
I'm in the 4th marking period of my sophomore year and I have been consistently on the high honor roll. Here is everything I've got going for me:
3.35/4 GPA
All honors/ AP classes
Captain of varsity soccer team
Eagle Scout
Class president
Order of the arrow member
Applying for NHS, national science honor society, and national foreign language honor society for my junior year
Treasurer of international club
Heroes and cool kids member (don't know if your school does that)
Taking SAT early junior year
SPL of my scout troop
National youth leadership training conference staff
I play for a couple U-19 club soccer teams that aren't sponsored by my school
20/251 class rank
Applying for boys state (most of the big things I can't do since I'm only a sophomore)
Mile time currently: 5:58
No criminal or disciplinary record
So the question is, what can I do to improve my WCS?
 
You have a lot of bases covered already for leadership and athletics.

Absolutely slaying the SAT (700+/700+)/ACT (30+, 30+ on Math) is the best thing you can do to improve your WCS. Is it too late to sign up for the June tests?

Study for it. Take it multiple times. Look at what you missed when you study. Hit those areas again. Hit 'em again. One more time. Repeat.

Eagle Scout/Boys State/Captain/Letters/Club Soccer + High SAT/ACT = good "chance." Nothing is certain though. Don't leave anything on the table.
 
gpotter, what do YOU think you can do? What do you feel is lacking?
 
You have a lot of bases covered already for leadership and athletics.

Absolutely slaying the SAT (700+/700+)/ACT (30+, 30+ on Math) is the best thing you can do to improve your WCS. Is it too late to sign up for the June tests?

Study for it. Take it multiple times. Look at what you missed when you study. Hit those areas again. Hit 'em again. One more time. Repeat.

Eagle Scout/Boys State/Captain/Letters/Club Soccer + High SAT/ACT = good "chance." Nothing is certain though. Don't leave anything on the table.
Thank you for the reply it means a lot, how does the academic portion of my WCS look currently? I'm planning on killing my junior and senior years.
 
Thank you for the reply it means a lot, how does the academic portion of my WCS look currently? I'm planning on killing my junior and senior years.
The SAT/ACT makes up most of your WCS in the academic portion, so it is difficult to tell. It's not too late to sign up for the June SAT/ACT, though you will have to pay a late fee(It's not that bad) if you sign up. It might be a good idea to take both and find out which you are better at. Did you take the PSAT/Plan? That is usually a pretty good indicator for how well you will do on the SAT/ACT.
 
The SAT/ACT makes up most of your WCS in the academic portion, so it is difficult to tell. It's not too late to sign up for the June SAT/ACT, though you will have to pay a late fee(It's not that bad) if you sign up. It might be a good idea to take both and find out which you are better at. Did you take the PSAT/Plan? That is usually a pretty good indicator for how well you will do on the SAT/ACT.
I did take the PSAT but I forget my scores I have to look them up but I will study for the SAT/ACT over the summer and work hard to get good scores. Where do you think my GPA needs to be at before I apply? I apologize for putting all the focus on my GPA it's just that that is my biggest concern and pretty much the main thing telling me that I cannot get In.
 
I did take the PSAT but I forget my scores I have to look them up but I will study for the SAT/ACT over the summer and work hard to get good scores. Where do you think my GPA needs to be at before I apply? I apologize for putting all the focus on my GPA it's just that that is my biggest concern and pretty much the main thing telling me that I cannot get In.
They don't care about GPA they care about class rank. 20/251 is good, but it's a bit strange that a 3.35 is so high.
 
I did take the PSAT but I forget my scores I have to look them up but I will study for the SAT/ACT over the summer and work hard to get good scores. Where do you think my GPA needs to be at before I apply? I apologize for putting all the focus on my GPA it's just that that is my biggest concern and pretty much the main thing telling me that I cannot get In.
First of all, great job for making the goal of attending West Point. I see you have various leadership positions and a well rounded athletic stance. Keep trying to increase your cumulative GPA no matter what. Take the ACT and West Point will use your best test scores. Also, you need to make sure to apply for a nomination from a MOC or Presidential if one of your parents was in the Military. That is essential for a direct appointment. Keep in mind if they offer a prep school slot take it because it beats a TWL any day.
 
First of all, great job for making the goal of attending West Point. I see you have various leadership positions and a well rounded athletic stance. Keep trying to increase your cumulative GPA no matter what. Take the ACT and West Point will use your best test scores. Also, you need to make sure to apply for a nomination from a MOC or Presidential if one of your parents was in the Military. That is essential for a direct appointment. Keep in mind if they offer a prep school slot take it because it beats a TWL any day.
Thank you for the help PBARK870! Is there anything else I can be doing to increase my "chances?"
 
Thank you again for the reply but what is strange about the 3.35?
That you can be in the top 10% with a 3.35. At many schools a 3.35 wouldn't even be in the top 50% of the school. That probably means that your schools grades extremely hard or the students at your school aren't very good, or a combination of both.
 
Thank you for the reply it means a lot, how does the academic portion of my WCS look currently? I'm planning on killing my junior and senior years.

Your GPA and Class Rank are what they are...now. Do the best you can in the next two years. See if you can creep up a bit.

They do care about Class Rank.

Like I said before... SAT/ACT.
 
3.35 isn't exactly what I would call "killing" it gradewise.

Maybe boost that GPA, take the very toughest courseload you can. Get some REAL leadership experience (read: get a job, do well).

You know what to do.
 
I'd wager well over half of all current cadets would love a GPA of 3.35 coming out of their yuk year. One of the big reasons why USMA uses class rank is because of the discrepancies between schools.

Grading distribution/curves
Weighted/unweighted GPAs
100 pt, 5pt, 4pt systems (if a B+ is 3.33, a A- is 3.67, and a A is 4.0, what is a A+, and what if that A+ is in an AP course)

All the above make it difficult to judge a candidate solely on GPA, especially on an anonymous message board where we don't know the state, quality of the school, etc. Better to see how you do relative your local competition (class rank) and national (test scores).
 
I'd wager well over half of all current cadets would love a GPA of 3.35 coming out of their yuk year. One of the big reasons why USMA uses class rank is because of the discrepancies between schools.

Grading distribution/curves
Weighted/unweighted GPAs
100 pt, 5pt, 4pt systems (if a B+ is 3.33, a A- is 3.67, and a A is 4.0, what is a A+, and what if that A+ is in an AP course)

All the above make it difficult to judge a candidate solely on GPA, especially on an anonymous message board where we don't know the state, quality of the school, etc. Better to see how you do relative your local competition (class rank) and national (test scores).
Okay thank you very much! I've been told that I can compensate for a slightly lower GPA with leadership, is this true? But thank you for the information!
 
Thank you for the replies but I feel like I can improve my GPA however many sources have told me it is too late to I'm prove my GPA
Definitely not true. If you can get a 4.0 both semesters of your junior year, that 3.35 becomes a 3.56. Do it again in the fall of your senior year, and you will have a 3.62. That's a big difference, and the improved trend will demonstrate that you got serious - and will help your class rank at the same time.

Best of luck to you!
 
@gpotter7 , not to stray you but here it is a recent thread similar to yours in which I responded with what I think is some good advice for someone like you. Take note of my two responses to this candidate's post. Hopefully this will give you a fresh and different idea of how to prepare for admission.

USMA '19
 
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