Admissions Chances?

I

Indy1880

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Joined
May 8, 2024
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I've been reading a lot of these forums and from what I hear most of them sound like an admissions horror story, despite them appearing to be at least somewhat solid candidates. The CGA is my first pick and it has been my dream since before freshman year to serve in the Coast Guard. I got accepted into AIM because I think I conveyed my desire to attend pretty well. I'm currently in my junior year of HS, how do I stack up?

Academics:
  • 3.94 GPA unweighted w/ 4 IB classes
  • x4 honor roll
  • Waiting on SAT, estimates: RW: 650, Math: 660
  • Top 10% of class
Leadership:
  • AJROTC Battalion Commander
  • ASB Junior Class Officer, (elected) Senior Class President
  • President of a community service club
  • NHS member (could fit under academics too?)
Athletics:
-JV Tennis. Only my first year playing but I'm positive I'll make varsity next year.
 
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Looks great! Keep up the good work. I recommend preparing now for the CFA, and look for way to make your summer productive.
 
Can you add cross country or track? It will help on CFA and be a varsity sport - and might provide leadership opportunities.

I would recommend retaking the SATs again - not bad but It’s a competition.

Boys/girls state. I would look into it. Beyond the resume boost - it really was an outstanding program for my son’s development.

Keep up the good work.
 
Indy1880 said:
I've been reading a lot of these forums and from what I hear most of them sound like an admissions horror story, despite them appearing to be at least somewhat solid candidates. The CGA is my first pick and it has been my dream since before freshman year to serve in the Coast Guard. I got accepted into AIM because I think I conveyed my desire to attend pretty well. I'm currently in my junior year of HS, how do I stack up?

Academics:
  • 3.94 GPA unweighted w/ 4 IB classes
  • x4 honor roll
  • Waiting on SAT, estimates: RW: 650, Math: 660
  • Top 10% of class
Leadership:
  • AJROTC Battalion Commander
  • ASB Junior Class Officer, (elected) Senior Class President
  • President of a community service club
  • NHS member (could fit under academics too?)
Athletics:
-JV Tennis. Only my first year playing but I'm positive I'll make varsity next year.
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Take as much calc as you can.
 
You mention 4 IB courses, but don't say what they are. From the Academics side, you want to be taking lots of STEM courses (Calc, Chem, Physics) and taking the highest level that your school offers. For leadership, you hold positions of leadership, but you need to be able to state and show what you did in those positions. How did you lead? What did you do to help the class/club/unit? Did you start a new initiative that led to some improvement or helped others achieve a goal? For athletics, it is hard to say how this stacks up. If you can add something else here, I might try to do that. Have you done a practice PFE to see how you do? Are there other sports outside of school that you participate in? In addition to showing you are athletic, participating in sports often can demonstrate your ability to work with a team and that you can dedicate yourself to an activity (usually practicing 5-6 days a week). Sports also often give you a way to show leadership. You don't mention community service, but that is something else that is important.

There will also be essays as part of your application. For the essays, you want to demonstrate why you want to attend CGA and why you want to serve in the Coast Guard. Think about what makes you unique. Try to find a way to stand out, to separate yourself from all the other applicants, and to make yourself memorable.
 
Lots of great advice above.

What does your class schedule for next year look like?
 
Take SAT multiple times to get your super score up. Also consider trying the ACT if you haven’t already. You may find you like it better and score even higher. That was the case with my cadet.
 
Devil Doc said:
Lots of great advice above.

What does your class schedule for next year look like?
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I took 1 IB class my sophomore year: IB Chemistry

Current IB classes are:
  • IB A&A I (pre-calc)
  • IB Physics I
  • IB English I
  • IB Americas (history)
Next year IB classes are:
  • IB A&A II (calc)
  • IB Physics II
  • IB English II
  • IB Contemporary World
 
Indy1880 said:
I took 1 IB class my sophomore year: IB Chemistry

Current IB classes are:
  • IB A&A I (pre-calc)
  • IB Physics I
  • IB English I
  • IB Americas (history)
Next year IB classes are:
  • IB A&A II (calc)
  • IB Physics II
  • IB English II
  • IB Contemporary World
Click to expand...
wow, pretty heavy. What about an elective? Something for fun maybe.
 
Indy1880 said:
I've been reading a lot of these forums and from what I hear most of them sound like an admissions horror story, despite them appearing to be at least somewhat solid candidates. The CGA is my first pick and it has been my dream since before freshman year to serve in the Coast Guard. I got accepted into AIM because I think I conveyed my desire to attend pretty well. I'm currently in my junior year of HS, how do I stack up?

Academics:
  • 3.94 GPA unweighted w/ 4 IB classes
  • x4 honor roll
  • Waiting on SAT, estimates: RW: 650, Math: 660
  • Top 10% of class
Leadership:
  • AJROTC Battalion Commander
  • ASB Junior Class Officer, (elected) Senior Class President
  • President of a community service club
  • NHS member (could fit under academics too?)
Athletics:
-JV Tennis. Only my first year playing but I'm positive I'll make varsity next year.
Click to expand...
Remember that AIM is also a marketing tool. USCGA uses it to help spread the word. Indy1880 tells me that you may be from the Midwest, and if so, this may be another reason that you were accepted. Also, it appears that you haven’t participated in sports until your junior year? You don’t mention whether you can do 60 push-ups, or just 6. You are trying to join the U.S Life Saving Service. Your fitness cannot be overemphasized. Get in, and stay, in shape!
 
Devil Doc said:
wow, pretty heavy. What about an elective? Something for fun maybe.
Click to expand...
My two electives this year are JROTC and Engineering Design. Unfortunately, this was the first year that JROTC was offered at my high school, so I didn't get a chance to participate in it prior to this year. Last year I was primarily wrapping up my language credit requirement.
 
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Iwutke said:
Remember that AIM is also a marketing tool. USCGA uses it to help spread the word. Indy1880 tells me that you may be from the Midwest, and if so, this may be another reason that you were accepted. Also, it appears that you haven’t participated in sports until your junior year? You don’t mention whether you can do 60 push-ups, or just 6. You are trying to join the U.S Life Saving Service. Your fitness cannot be overemphasized. Get in, and stay, in shape!
Click to expand...
I am from the West Coast area, so yes, it would make sense that this might be one of my few opportunities to visit the academy. I did not participate in sports until junior year because, in all honesty, I really had no interest in them. I had some terrible experiences with team sports when I was younger that discouraged me from trying anything in high school. However, I am taking lessons from a pretty skilled coach right now and playing weekly now in the off season, so my skills are improving in that category. My fitness is at least so-so, but I am following the CGA's workout plan for swab summer prep.
 
The academies want to see participation in varsity sports for more than just proof that you can play a game. There's already a separate test to determine if you're fit enough to make the grade, so there's got to be more to their interest. After all, 90% or so of incoming cadets at all SAs played on teams, so what's the attraction?

As you can guess it has to do with teamwork, sharing a goal, striving together, helping teammates succeed, learning how to win and lose, being gracious in either result and yet gritty up to the end. Sports are a lab where you learn to lead and follow, where effort is rewarded but sometimes bad bounces steal what you've worked for, and it provides a baseline shared experience that most others have in common. There are plenty of other places to have similar growth, but if you're not on this path there's a bit of a burden on you to show where you have done this sort of thing.

And honestly your bad experiences with team sports are something you're going to want to deal with now rather than if you're tossed into a company of rampant over-achievers at swab summer. Join a low-key team like cross country or track, or swimming if that's more your vibe, or ultimate frisbee can be a mellow no cut place at some schools. But find a team to get on and make sure that you can hang in a jocky, competitive environment where your performance is judged publicly and you win or lose together. The whole Coast Guard is not that type of place at all, but parts are and you can't just choose to do something else if that's who you're assigned to work with. Find a way to participate and make a place for yourself and it'll go a long way to proving that you can do it again later as an officer.
 
StPaulDad said:
The academies want to see participation in varsity sports for more than just proof that you can play a game. There's already a separate test to determine if you're fit enough to make the grade, so there's got to be more to their interest. After all, 90% or so of incoming cadets at all SAs played on teams, so what's the attraction?

As you can guess it has to do with teamwork, sharing a goal, striving together, helping teammates succeed, learning how to win and lose, being gracious in either result and yet gritty up to the end. Sports are a lab where you learn to lead and follow, where effort is rewarded but sometimes bad bounces steal what you've worked for, and it provides a baseline shared experience that most others have in common. There are plenty of other places to have similar growth, but if you're not on this path there's a bit of a burden on you to show where you have done this sort of thing.

And honestly your bad experiences with team sports are something you're going to want to deal with now rather than if you're tossed into a company of rampant over-achievers at swab summer. Join a low-key team like cross country or track, or swimming if that's more your vibe, or ultimate frisbee can be a mellow no cut place at some schools. But find a team to get on and make sure that you can hang in a jocky, competitive environment where your performance is judged publicly and you win or lose together. The whole Coast Guard is not that type of place at all, but parts are and you can't just choose to do something else if that's who you're assigned to work with. Find a way to participate and make a place for yourself and it'll go a long way to proving that you can do it again later as an officer.
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Agree with sports and the the lessons they taught. My DS, graduated from CGA years ago had low SAT, average GPA, and not much more. However, he was passionate with sports even he not all-conference. He captained both Swimming and Soccer. He earned an LOA before first day of senior in HS.
 
You sound like a very bright young person!

Have you tried the PFE? Have you thought about who to engage with to start thinking about letters of recommendation, and your essays? What major do you want to pursue? NHS is good, but maybe start a community service project through NHS, something that adds value to your community. I think many excellent applicants are turned away because they cannot articulate a nexus between their desire and why CGA/CG is a good FIT for them--why/how will CGA help you attain a specific goal as opposed to going somewhere for 4 years and then coming through OCS?

The students who I read this past CCEB cycle who went to AIM--it's critical you not only demonstrate proficiency in a military environment, but also that you are a team player. The cadre will evaluate you accordingly. How did you lift others up while you were there?

keep up the good work!
 
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