the future

krovax

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Jun 27, 2009
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Hi I am only starting my sophomore year in high school and getting into West Point has always been my dream. My GPA for freshman year wasn't so great, only about a 3.2 but I know I could have done MUCH better. I will be having 2 honors and 2 AP classes going into next year so I can make up some points there. I was a team captain for my Freshman football team and it looks like I will be captain again for the JV. My goal was to get a fairly decent GPA(a 4.0) and get some help from the football program. I am not really concerned about my playing time or if I will start, I just want to get in and will give 4 solid years to the program if I get accepted. Does my low GPA as a freshman hurt my chances a lot, and what should my goals be to compete with the players trying to get into WP football?
On a side note, my brother is attending his senior year in the Air Force Academy and my father served in the Korean Army before coming to America. I heard that having a family background in the armed forces may help and I am looking for all the help I can get.
Thank you for your time.
 
Welcome to the forums!

Your GPA freshman year won't mean much as long as you show an upward slope so just make sure your grades keep getting better and better.

All the cadets I have spoken to have told me that the only way to get into the football team is if you're recruited. Of course you really can get in without that but it's extremely difficult. There is also sprint football which is easier to get into and is for lighter players.

Military background helps because it shows you have a taste of what military life is all about and know a little more than the average person about what you're getting into.

Hope you're working on more extracurricular activities as well because football alone won't be enough.

Good luck! :thumb:
 
Thank you.

Well that's exactly what I am hoping for. I want to get recruited but I'm really not asking for much. Hopefully I can get a starting spot, but that isn't really my concern. All I ask for is that I get in and I will try my best to provide four good years of football.

About the extracurricular activities, what do you recommend? Most of the clubs and extracurricular activities take up lots of time, and because of football I don't have much time to spend. Are there any that don't take up nearly as much time?

By the way, my mom has cancer and who knows how she will be in four years. I don't know if someone else would be here to take care of her. If I get in, is there a way to possibly help her out in one way or another?
 
This brought up a good question in my head...I spend a lot of time with football and even have training over the summer, and as such don't have much time for other extracurriculars during the school year and other summer activities..I just want to know if the commitment to it is a good enough bonus because that's all I have going for it since I'm not what you call a good player or for sure not going to be team captain any time soon. What I'm mainly asking is if it's worth staying with my situation?
 
Personally, I would stick with the football.
From what I've been told, WP looks more highly upon doing one thing for a long time and doing well at that one thing. Usually they say this in relation to clubs; being the president of one or two clubs is better than being involved in ten clubs and not doing anything in them.
Even if you don't make team captain, do you have a good chance of lettering? The majority of candidates accepted to WP have lettered at least once. But at the same time, I would try to pick up at least one extracurricular that interests you. I'm sure you can find time for that. And then strive to be a leader in that extracurricular, and you'll be set. :)
 
well im pretty sure nearly all seniors receive a letter regardless of skill in football
 
Here's the official lettering policy:

1. Play in at least 20 plays during season (harder to do than you think at my skill level)---This the one most worried about
2. Be member of team 3 consecutive yrs.
3. At discretion of Head Coach
 
Personally, I would stick with the football.
From what I've been told, WP looks more highly upon doing one thing for a long time and doing well at that one thing. Usually they say this in relation to clubs; being the president of one or two clubs is better than being involved in ten clubs and not doing anything in them.
Even if you don't make team captain, do you have a good chance of lettering? The majority of candidates accepted to WP have lettered at least once. But at the same time, I would try to pick up at least one extracurricular that interests you. I'm sure you can find time for that. And then strive to be a leader in that extracurricular, and you'll be set. :)

Thanks for the feedback & yeah, I do have very limited time for extracurricular but not enough to in depthly pursue it like I should..that's my problem...in the bold on the quote is what I'm also worried about
 
well ok what grade and team are you on?(like JV etc.)
i might not know much but in football i might be able to help you out

you might just get lucky and get the 20 plays because someone might get injured. Not the best case scenario but it happens. It also depends on your team. If they are really good and can get a big lead up early, the coaches usually give the back ups some playing time for experience and fairness. Really, there are many ways to get those 20 plays. Just work hard and show the coaches that you really want to play.
 
I'm in 10th grade in JV right now so I won't even have a chance to letter for another year...thing about it is that they don't start putting in players like me till late in the game when we're way ahead and usually don't get a chance to make but 1-2 plays on a good day since they try to switch out the many people at my position (WR); hopefully since there are not as many players this year and probably next year as well at my position I will have more chances...:biggrin:
 
oh so your in the same grade and team im in=)

so you still have a year to improve and show the coaches you want it
im assuming you guys have 10 games in a season? that might differ from location to location not sure

well just a 2 play average and you have your 20 plays. You can get there easily:thumb:
 
Thanks for the feedback & yeah, I do have very limited time for extracurricular but not enough to in depthly pursue it like I should..that's my problem...in the bold on the quote is what I'm also worried about

Well, you're in FCA, right? I don't know about your school, but FCA in my school only meets once a week, which isn't bad, so you could aim to be an officer in that (or whatever they call it in FCA).

You could also look for EC's that meet mainly in the winter/spring. For example, I swim for my school in the fall, but I was also the Chief Administrative Officer for the Robotics team at school because Robotics meets mainly in the winter. But I don't have a lot of time for ECs, either -- I am only a member of two clubs, because that's all I have time for.

I wouldn't quit football. I mean, look at how much stock all of the SA's put into sports. If they didn't, they wouldn't require every cadet to participate in some sort of sport. :)
 
Well your right, football season is in the fall but there are offseason workouts.
For our school we get a 2 week rest period right after season ends and then we start all over again. We have mini practices in the winter, full practices in spring, full practices for most of summer with a 3 week dead period right after, then hell week and once school starts its the season
So really we dont have much of an offseason especially with the "max number of offseason hours" rule taken out. It might just be a regional thing though, I'm not sure if that rule is still in place in other states.
 
Yeah, I know the fb players here don't practice in the winter and spring. Maybe that's why my school's fb team sucks...
 
Well your right, football season is in the fall but there are offseason workouts.
For our school we get a 2 week rest period right after season ends and then we start all over again. We have mini practices in the winter, full practices in spring, full practices for most of summer with a 3 week dead period right after, then hell week and once school starts its the season
So really we dont have much of an offseason especially with the "max number of offseason hours" rule taken out. It might just be a regional thing though, I'm not sure if that rule is still in place in other states.

Exactly...that's what my predicament is and why I asked my question?
 
That stuff sounds similar to what my school does for football. We are in summer workouts right now though. But in the winter we have a football powerlifting class.
 
IDK about the EC stuff sorry. I'm looking for an answer too
 
son is in class of 2013

I think you are doing great to plan so far in advance. My son focussed on his SAT's and also connected with his local liason officer (usually through your Senator). You need to identifiy this person. They will be your biggest advocate and will help to put a face with a name. They will help you attend local events like games etc. and you will be identified as a candidate that is highly invested. Football is great, but is only one part of the picture... Keep your focus and direction and reach out to your local senator's office and they will connect you to the appropiate contacts. I wish you well. My son is very happy with his decision and I hope you will achieve your goals as well. Good Luck!
 
I can not for the life of me figure out who my field force rep/liasion officer is...does anyone know how to find out?
 
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