Hey everyone, I'm currently a junior in high school, and there have been some things that I'm concerned about. I know that in the FAQ it says that nothing can be concluded from the information that I give, but I'm just looking for a general idea.
My GPA is currently 3.5 at a very competitive high school in NYC, but the school does not rank students. I consider my grades to be good, but one thing I'm unsure about is my participation in extracurriculars. I didn't do any EC in 9th grade. None. It was an emotionally and mentally tough year for me. In 10th grade I joined the varsity fencing team, and in the spring I joined the ultimate frisbee team. I finished another fencing season in my junior year, have decided to drop ultimate (loss of interest/passion), and took up Olympic weightlifting at a facility near my place. I also joined 4H (volunteering) at the start of my junior year. Over the last few summers I volunteered at my local library and I plan to work this upcoming summer. I plan on continuing these activities throughout senior year as well.
Here's my question: is it enough!? I see examples of people with a high school resume stacked with two to three sports, joining all kinds of community service, winning awards, etc. Do I have to be a part-time astronaut or something? I know I started late, so it might be harder to see a trend in my dedication (most high school athletes started their sports in 9th grade or earlier). Is there anything else I can do? I also applied to USNASS already if that means anything at all.
As for nominations, when should I apply for them? Right now? Wait a few weeks/months? Wait until better SAT scores?
I apologize for the wall of text. I know that USNA (and USAFA, another academy that I would love to get into) is very competitive, and I want some general feedback on my competitiveness, and on how I can push myself to be even more appealing.
TL;DR Junior in HS, solid academic rigor and grades (so far), above average SAT (plan to retake), worried about extracurriculars. Also, nomination schedules.
My GPA is currently 3.5 at a very competitive high school in NYC, but the school does not rank students. I consider my grades to be good, but one thing I'm unsure about is my participation in extracurriculars. I didn't do any EC in 9th grade. None. It was an emotionally and mentally tough year for me. In 10th grade I joined the varsity fencing team, and in the spring I joined the ultimate frisbee team. I finished another fencing season in my junior year, have decided to drop ultimate (loss of interest/passion), and took up Olympic weightlifting at a facility near my place. I also joined 4H (volunteering) at the start of my junior year. Over the last few summers I volunteered at my local library and I plan to work this upcoming summer. I plan on continuing these activities throughout senior year as well.
Here's my question: is it enough!? I see examples of people with a high school resume stacked with two to three sports, joining all kinds of community service, winning awards, etc. Do I have to be a part-time astronaut or something? I know I started late, so it might be harder to see a trend in my dedication (most high school athletes started their sports in 9th grade or earlier). Is there anything else I can do? I also applied to USNASS already if that means anything at all.
As for nominations, when should I apply for them? Right now? Wait a few weeks/months? Wait until better SAT scores?
I apologize for the wall of text. I know that USNA (and USAFA, another academy that I would love to get into) is very competitive, and I want some general feedback on my competitiveness, and on how I can push myself to be even more appealing.
TL;DR Junior in HS, solid academic rigor and grades (so far), above average SAT (plan to retake), worried about extracurriculars. Also, nomination schedules.