Intro and Questions!

Marshall

5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Messages
4
Hey everyone my name is Marshall and I'm a sophomore in high school looking to go to WP. So a little about myself:
Academics
3.57 GPA
Taking the most advanced courses in my high school (except for math)
Completed 3 honors courses, currently enrolled in 2 and an AP course
1680 on PSAT (CR-620, Math-510, WS-550)
26 on practice ACT
Student of the Month
Principals Honor Roll

Leadership/ Extra Circular-
JROTC Company Commander, Squad Leader, and Guide-on
Superior Cadet Award
Rookie of the Year Award
75ish hours of community services (10 or so were run by me through jrotc)
Participated in 10 Color Guards and 7 Drill Teams (personally led 1 Color guard and 3 Drill teams)
Member of Church Youth Group and Youth Band Member.

Athletics-
1 Year of Wrestling (going into Freestyle off season wrestling now)
1/2 Year of Weight training
Participation in multiple JROTC Inter battalion sports competitions
8:00 Mile Run
6 Pull ups
45 Pushups in a minute
59 sit ups in 2 minutes

I believe I'm lacking in academics and athletics at the moment. What should I put the most effort into improving? But also some more questions!
1. I've been reading about Congressional nominations, and I am wondering how competitive are they, is it difficult to get one, and how many prospective cadets member of congress and house can nominate to each academy.

2. I recently received a brochure from the USMA and theirs seems to be a large amount of uniforms, can somebody perhaps list them all, and maybe their prices to?

3. How competitive are admissions to the SLS?

4 What are the summer camps available and how many can a cadet attend of the summer?
I can't think of any more at the moment but I will have more that I know for sure! Thanks for your help!
 
You're right on your academics and athletics being on the weak side. You've got a lot of time before you'll actually be applying, so you're okay. Start studying for the SAT/ACT now, and I guarantee your scores will improve dramatically. Since your mile time is pretty high (especially if you're a guy), you might want to join a sport like cross country or track. Your running will improve A LOT and at a lot of schools it's easy to get a letter (at least in track).
1. Nominations are very hard to get in some places, and very easy to get in others. If you live in a competitive district in a state like Texas, California, Virginia, etc., getting a nomination is no small feat. If you live in some random town in North Dakota, there's a very real chance everyone who applies for a nomination will get one. Each MOC can nominate 10 people per slot they have open at the academy (they will probably have 1 or 2 spots open which means 10-20 nominations).
2. There are a lot of uniforms, and I don't go to USMA (I'm only a junior in HS) so I don't know them all. However I can tell you that you won't put out a single cent for your uniforms, all the money will come out of your cadet pay before you even see it.
3. I don't know exactly how competitive admissions are, but it seems like u need SATs/PSATs in the 600s to stand a decent chance.
4. I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Cadets don't go to "summer camp," they have summer training. America's Finest posted a bunch of the stuff you can do over the summer as a cadet. It wasn't too long ago, so I'm sure you could find it if you want to look. If you are asking what summer camps are available to HS students, there's SLS and sports camps.
Good luck!
 
Hey everyone my name is Marshall and I'm a sophomore in high school looking to go to WP. So a little about myself:
Academics
3.57 GPA
Taking the most advanced courses in my high school (except for math)
Completed 3 honors courses, currently enrolled in 2 and an AP course
1680 on PSAT (CR-620, Math-510, WS-550)
26 on practice ACT
Student of the Month
Principals Honor Roll

Leadership/ Extra Circular-
JROTC Company Commander, Squad Leader, and Guide-on
Superior Cadet Award
Rookie of the Year Award
75ish hours of community services (10 or so were run by me through jrotc)
Participated in 10 Color Guards and 7 Drill Teams (personally led 1 Color guard and 3 Drill teams)
Member of Church Youth Group and Youth Band Member.

Athletics-
1 Year of Wrestling (going into Freestyle off season wrestling now)
1/2 Year of Weight training
Participation in multiple JROTC Inter battalion sports competitions
8:00 Mile Run
6 Pull ups
45 Pushups in a minute
59 sit ups in 2 minutes

I believe I'm lacking in academics and athletics at the moment. What should I put the most effort into improving? But also some more questions!
1. I've been reading about Congressional nominations, and I am wondering how competitive are they, is it difficult to get one, and how many prospective cadets member of congress and house can nominate to each academy.

2. I recently received a brochure from the USMA and theirs seems to be a large amount of uniforms, can somebody perhaps list them all, and maybe their prices to?

3. How competitive are admissions to the SLS?

4 What are the summer camps available and how many can a cadet attend of the summer?
I can't think of any more at the moment but I will have more that I know for sure! Thanks for your help!

1) Just try to take some more AP classes (especially ones like Chemistry, History, English, and Math). The difficulty of nomination depends on how many people in your district and state are applying for it. Some are relatively easier than others. Each MOC can nominate 10 candidates for every slot they hold and usually use up one slot a year.

2) You don't buy uniforms, they are issued to you.

Full Dress (over white or over gray)
India Whites
Dress Gray (with or without long overcoat)
White Over Gray (with or without black jacket)
As For Class (with or without black jacket or parka)
Army Combat Uniform (with or without black fleece)
Gymnasium Alpha (winter and summer variant)
Cadet Casual (after Plebe year)

3) SLS has less slots than admissions itself by numbers it is harder than an appointment. I didn't apply to SLS so I wouldn't know personally but an instructor told me half of those that attend SLS end up coming as cadets.

4) In the Summer you can do academic, military, or physical training. Academic trips includes trips to other countries around the world for cultural immersion etc. Physical includes training for your team in the Summer and military includes many military schools you can get sent to. I posted a list of some of the ones available this year not too long ago so you can search for that if you want.
 
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You say you aren't in the most advanced math. In my school that would put you in geometry this year and taking algebra 2 next year. Your SAT/PSAT math grade will probably improve a lot if this is the case. Never the less there are alot of classes/free online stuff to help improve scores and I'd certainly do them. The SAT question of the day takes literally 1 minute and is great. Good luck.
 
All I can think of is to work on the candidate fitness assessment. You're pretty close to average scores.
 
I am also a sophomore, and having seen other sophomores stats, and comparing yours to mine, my analysis:

Academics:Try taking advanced math...that will help...other than that, yeah, take more APs. Strive to improve PSATs and SATs/ACTs scores (get a prep book or take a study class...I'm doing the prep book, which I find better...you might be different and want to take a class...it's up to you).

Leadership:not bad...pretty good for a sophomore being a CC and leading drill team...keep on doing what you are.

Sports: deficient...might I suggest, if can't get onto varsity team (first priority), try a smaller sport that isn't as popular like a club sport or the like if your school has any...also, if any new sports teams are forming at your school and your interested, definitely join. Also, mile needs to improve...otherwise, the rset of the stated scores are good...just keep these up and keep striving to get better.

As to which should have more effort, the answer is both...the academies stress the "whole person" concept.

Have you signed up on the WP mailing list (am guessing you have since you said you received a brochure).

Just worry about those things right now and don't forget to apply to SLS winter of junior year.

Summer Camps: besides SLS, you can attend sports summer camps held at the academy, but I would only suggest them after you have been involved a sport for a while.
 
Alright thank you everyone for your speedy and helpful replies! How long does each school tend to last, is it possible to take one over the summer, if not are you assigned the a specific unit (I know the USNA does this). Thanks for the info on SLS. I’m from California so I am guessing that nominations are extremely competitive. I plan on taking Algebra 2 over the summer so I can make it to calculus senior year. The majority of AP classes open up during junior year so I a plan on getting into them then. I also plan on improving my PT scores. Thanks for the help!:thumb:
 
Alright thank you everyone for your speedy and helpful replies! How long does each school tend to last, is it possible to take one over the summer, if not are you assigned the a specific unit (I know the USNA does this). Thanks for the info on SLS. I’m from California so I am guessing that nominations are extremely competitive. I plan on taking Algebra 2 over the summer so I can make it to calculus senior year. The majority of AP classes open up during junior year so I a plan on getting into them then. I also plan on improving my PT scores. Thanks for the help!:thumb:

Not everywhere in CA. I hear that Nancy Pelosi's district is one of the LEAST competitive districts in the country. Maybe I'm wrong about that but when people say VA they mean places like NOVA with all the govt families and when they say CA I think they mean more like San Deigo with Camp Pendulton right there.
 
Ah thanks for that Johnson! I am now very glad my representatives district ends 20 or so miles above camp pendleton!:shake:
 
Getting a senator's nomination in California: extremely difficult
Getting a rep's nomination in California: can go either way
 
Ah thanks for that Johnson! I am now very glad my representatives district ends 20 or so miles above camp pendleton!:shake:

Are your parents military? You can get a pres nomination if they are. Don't be discouraged either way. A lot of districts have interviews where you can really sell yourself. You're only a sophomore so you still have a good year and a half to two years to round yourself out.
 
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