Next Year and the Application Process

jakeUSNA9

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2010
Messages
73
Next year i will be a Sr. i Will be taking
1. AP Stats or AP Calculous. ( Dont know which one yet)
2.Leadership Class
3.Community Involvement
4.AP Enviormental Science
6.Composition and Women in Lit. English
7. Honors Govt. We The People/Economics


Any changes or recomendations would be greatly appreciated. Also will i get all the needed paperwork when i gain my candidate number. If any more info is needed just ask. Any other tips would also be greatly appreciated.

Note: My enitire high school course has been very rigourous. I will have 6 varsity letters, I have an eagle scout and boys state among alot of other strong deep leaderhsip positions. My grades are solid and i am taking the ACT/SAT. What is a solid score to get on these tests? Thanks in advance for your help
 
MIDNDAD had some great advice in his post - Here is some of his advice that pertains to your scheduling question:

To 2015 and beyond: My 2 cents of advice revolves around academics

All the previous posters have excellent suggestions. For the class of 2015 your academic cards are on the table but for those sophomores and even freshman out there you have a chance to re-focus on your academic priorities.
Several weeks ago I got to attend an Academy Outreach event and the speaker had several key points for future applicants:

• A lot of very smart and talented kids get turned down by USNA because they did not take enough math & science courses in high school. By senior year the stronger candidates are taking calculus, physics, chemistry, 3rd or 4th year of a language, & English. Preferably with a high content of AP versions of these courses.

From everything that I have read during the past year, the primary opinion would be for you to take AP Chemistry or Physics as your science. Why are you taking Environmental Science? My son received an Appointment to USNA and I believe that one of the reasons was his strength in Science and Math - He is taking both AP Physics and Mechanical Engineering classes this year.

Why aren't you taking AP English? What about a foreign language? My son is taking AP English as well as AP Spanish (his 5th year of Spanish). It is, of course, just my opinion, but perhaps you should look into changing your schedule just a bit...
 
Take AP Calc. Not sure statistics will help your app.

GoNavyMom
 
Statistics will NOT help you. This comes directly from USNA Admissions. Take AP Calc. Also, you should have a hardcore science course. If you've already taken Chem, take Physics or Biology II.

One word of advice . . . do NOT take an AP course if you can't handle it. A "C" in an AP course will hurt you. Better to get the A or B in the regular course. That said, if you can handle the AP and get an A or B, so much the better.

Also, agree with the above posters re advanced language and/or history. The OP's courseload would be considered somewhat light and fluffy by USNA and won't compare favorably to someone who's taking Calc, Chem/Physics, AP English, World or US History, 4th yr. language. One of the other courses (econ, comm involvement, etc.) is ok, but loading up on them -- even if they interest you -- is dangerous for USNA purposes.
 
Supporting all of the above posters... it is time to stop being creative (for whatever reason) and start reading what USNA recommends you take in preparation for your tour at the academy. Take the courses you will be encountering as a midshipman so you have a strong foundation in the core courses! Also, the English language is extremely complicated, trust me, take AP English so that you will be able to express yourself accurately and effectively. Do you realize how many young men and women just received turndown letters!
 
I will take Calc. I already took Chemistry my sophomore year. It was Honors and i am taking honors physics right now. This is the only high quality science class i can take at my school
 
I cant take Ap English. the only teacher is ridiculous and is a left wing liberal. I had him freshman year and he gave me so much crap for wanting to go to a service academy. He is UC Berkley guy. I will get an A in this English Class but if i take Ap he will fail me.
 
I will take Calc. I already took Chemistry my sophomore year. It was Honors and i am taking honors physics right now. This is the only high quality science class i can take at my school

Even if you have taken regular HS chemistry, I would advise taking AP chemistry if it is available. You will do much better in Plebe chemistry the more you really understand the subject. If you do well enough, you might even be able to validate part of Plebe chemistry, and that is a VERY good thing.:thumb:

If you have no option to take advanced chemistry, AP physics would be the next best option, followed by honors or AP biology.

IMO, you need 5-6 really solid classes before even thinking about a "fluff" class. If your HS doesn't offer many AP classes, at least take the most challenging level available. Our HS has had a MIDN in the past three Plebe classes, even though our class size is ~220/yr. Here's the course load at least two of the three took SR year:
AP English lit
AP Physics
AP Calculus
AP Biology (the other one took anatomy & physiology)
AP foreign language
AP social science course (US history/US Government)
a 7th "fluff" course
 
We have no AP Biology or Ap Chem or Ap Physics. Those are the most challenging courses i have. I can switch out community involvment but not leadership cause im in ASB
 
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