Re-applicant Grades

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oomw19

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
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I had pretty poor grades last year, my first at college (~1.9 GPA - 2 D's, D+, B, A-). I picked it up during the Spring semester, ending with a ~2.9 semester GPA, and am now heading into Sophomore year with a 2.3 cumulative GPA. I know it's bad but I'm planning on getting really good grades in next semester's classes. I also go to one of the schools most notorious for grade deflation.
The combination of culture shock, poor HS preparation, and spreading myself too thin were contributing factors to my poor grades but overall I just didn't manage my time well enough. However, it's not as if I didn't try my best in those classes. I went to office hours, study sessions, everything. The bad test grades I got at the beginning of the semester brought my grade down enough to where I was too far in the hole to climb out. I didn't fail any classes, though.
I feel from this experience I have learned a lot and it has humbled me. I can better manage my time (something I've struggled with since HS), and even though my end of semester grades don't reflect it I feel like I now have a good base in those subjects I did poorly in. Though the semester started out poorly I improved in each class and got good grades on my final exams. If I had to take the courses again I would do significantly better than I did the first time.

In HS I had amazing grades, sports participation, numerous leadership positions, and community service. I have continued/excelled with everything except the grades while in college.

How heavily weighted are grades for re-applicants? And is it possible to get appointed with sub par grades like mine? Do college candidates ever get recommended for NAPS?

I just submitted my pre-application and my situation is weighing heavily on my mind. I've been looking through these forums and elsewhere online but haven't found many opinions. Any help is appreciated, thanks.
 
Re-applicant grades are looked at greatly. USNA is a very tough academic load. USNA wants to know you can hack it in a very tough STEM based environment and balance all the military and physical requirements. Those grades would of sent you to an academic board at USNA and could face possible separation. You did pick it up and that is good. But a 2.9 isn't going to raise any eyebrows. Are you taking summer school to raise some of those Ds? I would say you need to be a rockstar this year. Also did you mirror a Plebe Like schedule? With all this being said, you never know unless you apply. Knock it out of the park the next two semesters, put your best application together and let the cards fall where they may. At the end of the day all you can do is say you tried your best regardless of the end result.
 
Oomw19, our local colleges let you RETAKE classes where there is a D or worse.
Sounds like you should do that if you really are serious about entering. The other issue is your time management, if you are still struggling with it, maybe there is an underlying reason for that. My older son lived with ADD all thru school, and did not have good time management.
Thankfully he grew out of it and trained himself, and is now serving in the Navy.
You have to ask yourself if a SA is really something you want. See if you can determine the reason for the denial this year and if those factors have not improved, reevaluate your future plans.
 
Thank you for your responses.
NavyHoops - I didn't have the money to take summer classes and couldn't get approval for NROTC to cover them either due to 1st semester grades (ironically enough). I tried my best to mirror a plebe schedule during my first semester - calc, chem, sci & tech studies ("English"), statics. 2nd semester I followed it up with calc 2, an aero course, and other basic requirements. I was on academic probation with my Unit during the Spring and they told me to either take less credits and get my grades up or switch my major so I had to drop physics. This year I'll take physics 1 & 2, diffeq & multivar, another HASS course, and more major specific courses. I'm planning on working my butt off to do as well as humanly possible haha.

CaliMom - My school does allow us to retake classes, however I have neither the time nor money to pay for it. I'm on scholarship and would have to pay out of pocket which isn't possible for my parents and I. Even if I retook them at another college, the scores wouldn't be replaced and my GPA wouldn't be affected. Also, if I retook them during the year I wouldn't be able to graduate on time and my scholarship would be affected. I have struggled with my time management in the past but this year has taught me how to combat it and do better. Yes, going to USNA has been a dream for a long time. I didn't finish my re-application last year because I knew my grades were going to end up being so horrible however, I had improved everything that held me back during my first application (SAT/ACT, CFT). I'm hoping that by showing improvement in college I'll be able to prove to the Academy that I can excel there and achieve my dreams. I'll keep re-applying until I age out and even if I'm never appointed I'm lucky enough to still have another path to commission.
 
I think it ultimately comes down to how stiff your competition is in your district. I had a 3.2 with a Major in Chemistry and got denied twice.
 
Do any of you know if I'll even be considered competitive with a GPA like this? If I get a 4.0 next semester I'll still have less than a 3.0 cumulative GPA. I'm wondering if I should even bother because the nominating sources will only see my freshman year grades and I'm afraid I won't get interviews, let alone a nom.
 
It's your decision. You will never know if you try. The good news... Sounds like you are scholarship. So you will end up an Ensign regardless.
 
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