What Can I improve for my USMA Application?

Lumberjack

5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Messages
14
I'm a rising senior in High School in Florida, just returned from SLS. What are my strengths and weaknesses and how can I improve my application?

Grades:
4.0 unweighted GPA, all A's
will have taken 9 AP classes by graduation (4 completed now)
Took ACT yesterday
1440 SAT (730 CR, 710 Math)

Sports:
2 Varsity Letters - Men's Crew
2 Varsity Letters - Men's Golf
1 Golf Coaches Award
1 Varsity Letter - Men's Tennis
Passed CFA - 10 pullups, 72 crunches, 74ft Bball throw, 50 pushups, 8.9 shuttle, 6:34 mile

Honors:
National Honor Society
National Latin Honor Society
National Science Honor Society
National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist
Headmaster's List

Extracurriculars:
Science Tutor
Writing Tutor
Work on Church Guest Services Team
National Spelling Bee Participant
Latin Club
Science Olympiad Club
32 hours of Community Service this year

Thanks!
 
Are you kidding me? You look like "the chosen one"!!

Seriously though, just keep up the hard work and good luck :smile:.
 
You are an extremely well-rounded applicant. Just keep your senior year straight and start on those nominations early...you should have no problem of getting in.
 
This looks really good, but my question is: Where is the leadership experiences? Your MALO and your nominators will be interested in that information.

Aside from that, you should get in everything in for your applications early. Get the West Point one done at the LATEST by the first week of September. Start on your nomination packets NOW. The sooner you get everything in, the greater your chances of getting in, because it shows desire to attend the USMA.

If you follow my advice, you have a great chance of getting an LOA in October and being able to relax the rest of your senior year.

***DoDMERB***

Have you applied for an ROTC scholarship yet? I would advise it because it enables you to get your medical exam (known here as DoDMERB) out of the way early. It can take months to get results back, so it's best to do it at the start of the application season.
 
I agree with SamAca10. See if you can get a leadership position in one of your sports, honor societies, or clubs. Leadership will pop up in your required essays, nom interviews, and MALO interview(if given one; not all MALOs interview). Other than that, you look great!
 
Your credentials look excellent. As SamAca10 pointed out, though, from what you've listed, you might be a bit lacking in the leadership department. Aim for perhaps a team captainship in golf/crew/tennis, or perhaps a science olympiad or latin club president.


***DoDMERB***

Have you applied for an ROTC scholarship yet? I would advise it because it enables you to get your medical exam (known here as DoDMERB) out of the way early. It can take months to get results back, so it's best to do it at the start of the application season.

Just wanted to correct this one bit. ROTC applicants do NOT get an early start on the DoDMERB portion; if anything, theirs is later. Unless they changed the protocol from last year, ROTC applicants first complete the entire application. Then, IF awarded a four-year scholarship, does the applicant go through the medical side of things. I found it weird last year when applying and seeing on the DoDMERB website only sections for the Academies and nothing on the ROTC side. I don't think the system makes much sense... But whatever.
 
Just wanted to correct this one bit. ROTC applicants do NOT get an early start on the DoDMERB portion; if anything, theirs is later. Unless they changed the protocol from last year, ROTC applicants first complete the entire application. Then, IF awarded a four-year scholarship, does the applicant go through the medical side of things. I found it weird last year when applying and seeing on the DoDMERB website only sections for the Academies and nothing on the ROTC side. I don't think the system makes much sense... But whatever.

I also applied for AFROTC and NROTC scholarships as well, so they might do it differently. Yeah, I didn't get my results for ROTC until February/March either, when I took the test in JULY!

What I meant by my earlier post was that because I applied for the ROTC scholarship, I received the paper work to take my test in july, which enabled me to take the test earlier than people who didn't apply for the scholarship.

you've got DoDMERB right when you say it doesn't make sense! :shake: (Which is why people like Larry Mullen exist- to decipher these things for us :thumb: )
 
If you are applying to a Service Academy AND for a ROTC scholarship, you will get your physical exam scheduling info in the summer - not because of the ROTC but because of the SA app.

If you are applying ONLY for a ROTC scholarship - you will not get the info on scheduling your physical exam until you are awarded the scholarship.

The reason for this being is that lots of time, resources and money was being spent on medical exams for people who were not competitive for the ROTC scholarship. Therefore, they now wait until you are awarded the scholarship before you take the exam. The Service Academies (at least West Point) will determine if you are a competitive candidate first before they authorize you to have the exam.

Hope that makes sense now. :thumb:
 
I guess that makes some sense, but I would think that they spend a lot of time and resources as well going through all the complete applications at the board meetings, just to find out that someone who is awarded a four-year scholarship isn't DoDMERB qualified. I think the Academies handle it far better with an initial screening process. But anyway, for the DoDMERB process, you should receive a packet from Concorde soon instructing you to log onto the DoDMETS site. I'm not sure if I received mine as early as I did for USMA or USAFA, but for either one, you should receive it within the next few weeks. But DEFINITELY get your exam in ASAP! I had my exams around the last week of June. I didn't get medically qualified until mid-November. The sooner you get qualified, the less stress you'll have.
 
Thanks for the responses, I agree I need to beef up my leadership roles, I will try running for office in a few clubs. As far as DoDMERB goes, I am not applying for any ROTC scholarships other than my application to West Point itself. Approximately when should I be able to take the DoDMERB exam and what should I expect?
 
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