Am I Missing Anything? How Do I Fit?

JakeFromWisco

5-Year Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
158
Hello Service Academy Forums!

Just a quick introduction before I delve into my questions a bit. My name is Jake and I'm a resident of the great state of Wisconsin (as if my username didn't give that away). Yes, I like cheese and yes I am a Packer fan. It has always been my dream to become a part of the armed services, at least for as long as I can remember. I'm currently a Senior in Highschool and am applying to both the USNA and USMA as well as for AROTC and NROTC (Marine Option) scholarships.

On to the questions.

Here are my "fast facts" when it comes to academics and EC's:

Homeschooled for all of Highschool except for attending Conserve School, a semester boarding school in Northern Wisconsin for the spring semester of my Junior year. (The school is pretty selective where it's attendees are concerned).

ACT
- 31 Composite
- 30 English
- 28 Math
- 33 Reading
- 32 Science
- 9 Essay
SAT (taken only once, could definitely improve if desired)
- 690 CR
- 650 Math
- 580 Writing
AP
- 5 Human Geography (self studied)
- 5 Environmental Science
- 5 US Govt and Politics (self studied)

3.9/4.05 GPA (unweighted/weighted)

Sports (through my homeschool group, we play the smaller schools in the area)
- Varsity Basketball, 1 year with 1 letter
- JV Basketball, 2 years
- JV Cross Country, 1 year
- Tae Kwon Do, earned Black Belt (1st Dan) through ATF, 3 years
- Recreational Summer Soccer league, 3 years

Community Service

- Assistant Tae Kwon Do Instructor
- Audio Engineer for my Church
- Visit assisted living facility to provide company for their small "men's club." (11th grade)
- Been on 2 missions trips with my youth group, one for a weekend and another for a week. Includes planning, fund raising, etc.
- Worked dishcrew for a week at a camp this summer.
- Volunteer intern for a State Assembly campaign
- 200 -/+ hours total (Still calculating that at the moment).

Other Extra Curriculars
- PADI SCUBA Open Water certified
- Used to be a member of my local aquarium club
- Participate in my homeschool group's "Teen Group." I go to dances, get togethers, etc.
- Participate pretty actively in my Church, going to events, services, etc.

Work
- Run a small lawn care business with my little brother
- Work for a law office on an intermittent basis, doing filing, organizing, holding down the front desk and phones, etc.
- Tae Kwon Do tutoring (some students like one-on-one tutoring sessions to prepare for testings)
- Babysitting for family friends when the occasion arises.
- A bunch of odds and ends, from organizing and cleaning basements, to installing hardwood floors. Basically people know that I'm a hard worker, so they'll me to help them with projects.
- Freshman year I wrote two articles which were published in two different aquarium magazines.

Awards
- Conserve School E-portfolio Contest 1st Place
- Lowenstine Honors Scholarship (full ride to Conserve School)


That's my rap sheet. I've found it difficult to compare my EC's and GPA to others with more traditional schooling backgrounds, and would love some input on what I could improve upon or what I should stress in interviews, etc.

I am currently almost done with my AROTC and NROTC scholarship applications, just need to complete the PFT and Marine PFT, have the interviews (going to my 1st choice school, Marquette, for them) and a few odds an ends. Plan to have them done by the end of August so I can focus on school.

My questions: Am I missing anything that I need to do or should add to the above? And how do I shape up for a scholarship?

I'd appreciate any and all the help you feel led to give, and thank you very much for your time!

- Jake
 
Hello Service Academy Forums!

Just a quick introduction before I delve into my questions a bit. My name is Jake and I'm a resident of the great state of Wisconsin (as if my username didn't give that away). Yes, I like cheese and yes I am a Packer fan. It has always been my dream to become a part of the armed services, at least for as long as I can remember. I'm currently a Senior in Highschool and am applying to both the USNA and USMA as well as for AROTC and NROTC (Marine Option) scholarships.

On to the questions.

Here are my "fast facts" when it comes to academics and EC's:

Homeschooled for all of Highschool except for attending Conserve School, a semester boarding school in Northern Wisconsin for the spring semester of my Junior year. (The school is pretty selective where it's attendees are concerned).

ACT
- 31 Composite
- 30 English
- 28 Math
- 33 Reading
- 32 Science
- 9 Essay
SAT (taken only once, could definitely improve if desired)
- 690 CR
- 650 Math
- 580 Writing
AP
- 5 Human Geography (self studied)
- 5 Environmental Science
- 5 US Govt and Politics (self studied)

3.9/4.05 GPA (unweighted/weighted)

Sports (through my homeschool group, we play the smaller schools in the area)
- Varsity Basketball, 1 year with 1 letter
- JV Basketball, 2 years
- JV Cross Country, 1 year
- Tae Kwon Do, earned Black Belt (1st Dan) through ATF, 3 years
- Recreational Summer Soccer league, 3 years

Community Service

- Assistant Tae Kwon Do Instructor
- Audio Engineer for my Church
- Visit assisted living facility to provide company for their small "men's club." (11th grade)
- Been on 2 missions trips with my youth group, one for a weekend and another for a week. Includes planning, fund raising, etc.
- Worked dishcrew for a week at a camp this summer.
- Volunteer intern for a State Assembly campaign
- 200 -/+ hours total (Still calculating that at the moment).

Other Extra Curriculars
- PADI SCUBA Open Water certified
- Used to be a member of my local aquarium club
- Participate in my homeschool group's "Teen Group." I go to dances, get togethers, etc.
- Participate pretty actively in my Church, going to events, services, etc.

Work
- Run a small lawn care business with my little brother
- Work for a law office on an intermittent basis, doing filing, organizing, holding down the front desk and phones, etc.
- Tae Kwon Do tutoring (some students like one-on-one tutoring sessions to prepare for testings)
- Babysitting for family friends when the occasion arises.
- A bunch of odds and ends, from organizing and cleaning basements, to installing hardwood floors. Basically people know that I'm a hard worker, so they'll me to help them with projects.
- Freshman year I wrote two articles which were published in two different aquarium magazines.

Awards
- Conserve School E-portfolio Contest 1st Place
- Lowenstine Honors Scholarship (full ride to Conserve School)


That's my rap sheet. I've found it difficult to compare my EC's and GPA to others with more traditional schooling backgrounds, and would love some input on what I could improve upon or what I should stress in interviews, etc.

I am currently almost done with my AROTC and NROTC scholarship applications, just need to complete the PFT and Marine PFT, have the interviews (going to my 1st choice school, Marquette, for them) and a few odds an ends. Plan to have them done by the end of August so I can focus on school.

My questions: Am I missing anything that I need to do or should add to the above? And how do I shape up for a scholarship?

I'd appreciate any and all the help you feel led to give, and thank you very much for your time!

- Jake

Pretty impressive, but unless I missed it or perhaps you didn't focus on it, I didn't really see any leadership roles. I'm sure part of that is being home-schooled, but they are looking for leaders. That USMC PFT score will be pretty important. Make sure you're ready for it. In interviews try to focus on the leadership aspects of the things you have done.
 
+1 kinnem

Also, USMA won't like that 28 in math on the ACT. You need to take that again and get it up over 30 if you can. They super score which helps.
 
Thank you both for the quick replies!

The lack of leadership roles is honestly a big chunk in my armour. I am a leader, and I am often complemented by peers and teachers that I am a good one. The issue is translating that into my ECs and such when you're your own school, as you pointed out. Thank you for the interview tip. I'll be sure to stress my Tae Kwon Do teaching and the few other roles I do have.

I'll do my best to prepare for the PFTs. I've been working out and running consistantly all summer, so I hope it pays off.

Navymomwannabe: Thank you for the pointer, I'll definitely look into retaking it this fall.

Thanks again for the help, it really is appreciated.
 
Thank you both for the quick replies!

The lack of leadership roles is honestly a big chunk in my armour. I am a leader, and I am often complemented by peers and teachers that I am a good one. The issue is translating that into my ECs and such when you're your own school, as you pointed out. Thank you for the interview tip. I'll be sure to stress my Tae Kwon Do teaching and the few other roles I do have.

I'll do my best to prepare for the PFTs. I've been working out and running consistantly all summer, so I hope it pays off.

Navymomwannabe: Thank you for the pointer, I'll definitely look into retaking it this fall.

Thanks again for the help, it really is appreciated.

Pull-ups. Pull-ups, pull-ups, pull-ups. Adding one more pull-up adds 5 points to your score. Cutting your run time by 10 seconds only adds 1 point to your score. Work at maxing the pull-ups.
 
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