Applying Again...College Transcript?

smithc

5-Year Member
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Dec 26, 2009
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This is my second time applying to the Naval Academy. I received a nomination last year, but did not obtain an appointment. I marched into the admissions office and point blank asked them why I didn’t get an appointment. They said 3 letters (SAT)! My SAT math score was 600 and my verbal score was 530. This was the one thing that prevented me from serving my country through USNA.

However, I decided to persevere by applying again because I am not going to let an SAT score determine my life! My BGO advised me not to re-take the SAT/ACT because the admissions board would heavily focus on my fall semester grades in college (I took the SAT/ACT about 10 times already)! My application is just about complete for the Class of 2014 and I finished my first fall semester at college. My course schedule (17 credits) and grades are as follows:

The History of Play America (Freshmen Seminar=Mandatory): A
Europe 1400-1815(History): A
The Ovid Tradition (Literature/English): A-
Calculus I (Math): B-

Overall GPA- 3.55 out of 4.00 grading scale

My major is Chemistry, but I was unable to get into Chemistry I w/ lab. I went to the Academic Dean and she said that there was nothing that she could do because all of the seats were filled and I unfortunately got last pick; I even went to another college to see if I could take it there, but they said that they do not allow freshmen to take Chemistry. There was nothing that I could do; simply it was out of my hands.

Well, the question I ask is...how am I looking thus far (academically speaking)? Will not taking Chemistry hurt my chances?
 
This is my second time applying to the Naval Academy. I received a nomination last year, but did not obtain an appointment. I marched into the admissions office and point blank asked them why I didn’t get an appointment. They said 3 letters (SAT)! My SAT math score was 600 and my verbal score was 530. This was the one thing that prevented me from serving my country through USNA.

However, I decided to persevere by applying again because I am not going to let an SAT score determine my life! My BGO advised me not to re-take the SAT/ACT because the admissions board would heavily focus on my fall semester grades in college (I took the SAT/ACT about 10 times already)! My application is just about complete for the Class of 2014 and I finished my first fall semester at college. My course schedule (17 credits) and grades are as follows:

The History of Play America (Freshmen Seminar=Mandatory): A
Europe 1400-1815(History): A
The Ovid Tradition (Literature/English): A-
Calculus I (Math): B-

Overall GPA- 3.55 out of 4.00 grading scale

My major is Chemistry, but I was unable to get into Chemistry I w/ lab. I went to the Academic Dean and she said that there was nothing that she could do because all of the seats were filled and I unfortunately got last pick; I even went to another college to see if I could take it there, but they said that they do not allow freshmen to take Chemistry. There was nothing that I could do; simply it was out of my hands.

Well, the question I ask is...how am I looking thus far (academically speaking)? Will not taking Chemistry hurt my chances?

Did you take Chemistry in high school? Are you saying you have never taken a Chemistry course?

Grade wise, it is not a good sign that your lowest grade (almost a "C") was your one and only technical course. Yet, you seem to have many of the qualifications that allow many to get in. I'm afraid that in your case, geography (i.e. the number of competing candidates) is probably going to be a factor.

You say you're majoring in "Chemistry". That is of no significance since you are in your first semester of college and are not even taking a single course related to Chemistry. That is just a designation of your major that exists only on some administrative form. Substantively, you could equally be a History major.

The fact of the matter is that it takes higher qualifications in a competitive region. Every year there are always some highly qualified candidates that are not admitted in favor of lower qualified candidates in order to achieve the mandated geographic distribution of the Brigade.

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't tell you that there are many candidates with a stronger resume. And yet, people with your achievements do get in.

VAdm Fowler (the superintendent) recently spoke at a Central Region Trustee meeting. The minutes of that meeting appeared in a recent newsletter to alumni:

"Graduation rates for Mids with entry SAT scores in the 400 range [not sure if it was math or verbal score] were just a bit higher than those with SAT scores in the 800 range. This counter intuitive result seems to prove that other factors influence success in the Academy, he feels."

Personally, I feel the superintendent is misinterpreting that "counter intuitive" statistic. He is equating success with graduation. The fact of the matter is that there are a significant number of midshipmen who quit after their first 2 years at the Naval Academy even though they have very good grades and are doing quite well in all respects. They quite because they have come to the conclusion that the Navy is not for them.

I remember a kid in my class (and company) who quit as soon as Plebe year ended. He had a 4.0 GPA. He was brilliant! He decided he could be successful in the outside world and didn't need the Naval Academy. He went to Harvard ... continued on with Harvard medical school ... and is practicing medicine in California. If I recall, he had astronomically high SAT scores. I'm wondering if VADm Fowler would chalk him up as a "failure" because of his "failure" to graduate?
 
Chemistry

I greatly appreciate your response. I did take Honors Chemistry in high school and received a B+. I took a math, history and english course this past fall semester because that is what the admissions told me to do; Chemistry was the only thing missing (it was out of my control).
 
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