Sophomore Year

alphapark

New Member
Joined
May 31, 2016
Messages
1
Hi everyone,

I'm currently a Junior and already opened my application and I will submit my nominations as soon as my 6th semester grades are released. But I had a question that's been really bugging me for the past few months.

In my sophomore year, I received a F in AP Calculus BC. I took a lot of hard courses and thought I'd be able to handle all of them, but I guess I was wrong.

This year I learned my lesson and I got a B in first and second semester in AP Statistics.

In my senior year, next year, I am planning on taking Calculus again and motivated more than ever to get an A in that class. I will be previewing and studying over summer.

In addition, I am taking a Physics Honors course at my local community college during summer.

A few snippets of my extracurricular activities:
- Attending Boys State
- Hold officer positions for 2 clubs
- ~100 volunteer hours (6 hours getting added each week)
- Varsity Cross Country and Track and Field
- 2 Varsity Letters
- Qualified and competed at a national Cross Country race
- 9 years of Kendo, currently 1 Dan. Placed 4th at a national kendo competition
- 27 on ACT. 32 on Math and 27 on writing
- Sidenote: my school does not rank.

So my question: Will the F that I received in my sophomore year automatically take me out of the league? Do I have a chance to get into West Point?

Thank you for reading all this and answering!
 
Others are probably more qualified to answer this, but my belief is that if you retake the same class and get an A or solid B, and if you otherwise have exceptional grades (meaning at least 3.80 or preferably higher), the single terrible grade will not take you out of the competition; particularly if you own that it was your fault, explain the circumstances, and how you have learned from it. I would visit USMA in the late summer between junior and senior year, and schedule a meeting with your Regional Commander to go over your application, and discuss this specific issue.

You should also work hard to get your ACT scores up. A 27 is only minimally acceptable, and with the F issue you really need to bring your ACT to at least a 30, and preferably higher. Take that test every chance you can. Superscore is your friend. Practice those tests.

These things are all relative in that admission depends largely upon the competition within your district. My sons RC, and other RC's at WP were very willing to give him a very candid and full assessment of where he stood within our district, and what they thought he needed to do. His grades were decent (3.8 GPA), but probably only average to below average as compared to the most qualified kids in our district. He was told to work on those, but mostly get his ACT scores up. At the time he had a 29, but he moved it up to a 32+ after taking it several times. Each time he improved his scores, even when he insisted that certain sections would never go up. Math and science he got up to 34's, and English up to 31, with reading to a 30 (he insisted he would never get science or reading to a 30, but he shocked himself)

You can overcome a single problem area, but the application process is a grueling marathon, and it requires work to become the best in your district. You will be very proud when you have done your best though.

Keep your chin up, and push forward with the best that you have got.
 
@alphapark the trouble you are going to have is demonstrating that you can do calculus. You failed sophomore year, didn't take it as a junior or plan to over this summer. That means you won't have a grade until the end of the semester in January when transcripts are finally sent, when everything is getting busy and the director is trying to slot the class. It won't be until then that you can demonstrate that you can do calculus and your RC can send your file for review by the math department for a waiver.

Suggestion - find a way this summer to show you can handle calculus. It will make the process go much faster and easier this fall.
 
I got a D in precalculus and I didn't get any questions about it so I don't know if that helps. The next semester I got an A so I guess as long as you show improvement
 
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