chance class of 2015

daveroo92

USCGA 2015 Appointee
5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2010
Messages
5
Hey, I was wondering if I had a good chance to get into the United States Coast Guard Academy

Credentials:
White/Rising Senior
UWGPA: 3.5433
WGPA: 5.1001 out of 6.0 scale
Rank: 75 out of 600
Graduation: Summer of 11

11th Grade:
AP Literature and Composition
Honors Calculus
AP US History
Honors Latin
Pre-Calc

12th Grade:
AP Biology
AP Latin
Physics
Honors World Cultures
Calculus

Standardized Tests:
SAT: 1300/ CR:650, MATH:650
ACT: 29

Extra-Curricular Activities:
Virtua Hospital Junior Volunteer: 150 Hour+
Four Year Varsity letters in tennis
two year captain on tennis team.
accomplished nationally ranked tennis player
one year varsity letter in Winter Track and Field
2 years national honors society
Teaching tennis in the Philadelphia area volunteer 200+ hours

Also, I have talked to the tennis coach at the coast guard academy several times and he is very interested in me playing on the team. Would this increase my chances of getting an appointment.

Also someone from my high school has already accepted an appointment. He has superior grades and sat scores to me. Would this hurt my chances of getting accepted?

Chances at: United States Coast Guard Academy

thanks
 
I addressed part of your question on another forum. :biggrin:

Overall, I think you are a very strong candidate...keep in touch with the tennis coach, he can help some.

You have a good chance.:thumb:
 
Ha...I actually have been meaning to reply to this. With finals and all, I have a little downtime. Although no one can say for sure, I think you look like a very solid candidate. You take challenging courses, your SAT scores are good, you're involved and you have leadership positions. I think you are a very well rounded candidate.

As for another candidate from your high school, I do not think that would affect you. The Academy bases most of its appointments off of merit, not geographical location or how many students come from the same school. I know of siblings (twins) who have been accepted at the same time to other SAs. Good luck and enjoy your senior year! :thumb:
 
Also someone from my high school has already accepted an appointment. He has superior grades and sat scores to me. Would this hurt my chances of getting accepted?

Doubtful that would hurt your chances. Last year USCGA accepted two students from the same high school, the Illinois Math & Science Academy, and that makes a total of 4 students from IMSA who are currently at USCGA.
 
thanks everyone, this makes me feel much better. However, one more question though... since I'm applying regular decision, how much will they be looking at my first semester senior year grades? Ive been studying so much for sats, my gpa has fallen a bit this semester. Should I be worried about this? thanks.
 
Would i even have to send in my senior year transcript? Or would just my transcript up to the end of junior year be good enough?
 
Yes, i would recommend sending both your Q1 and Q2 grades. Have your Guidance Office send them to Admissions.
 
Well the CGA tennis coach just told me that I am going to be a blue chip recruit. I'm curious how much this going to help me in getting accepted? Do most blue chip recruits typically get accepted? I'm just wondering because i'm nervous about my chances. thanks
 
Well the CGA tennis coach just told me that I am going to be a blue chip recruit. I'm curious how much this going to help me in getting accepted? Do most blue chip recruits typically get accepted? I'm just wondering because i'm nervous about my chances. thanks

The academy is looking for a well-rounded person and I agree with Boss 51 that you have a strong application. One thing you didn't mention is an interview with an admissions officer or an admissions partner. One area that doesn't come through just looking at numbers is WHY you want to go to the academy and the Coast Guard? An interview, though not required, can help fill that area out for you.
 
Well the CGA tennis coach just told me that I am going to be a blue chip recruit. I'm curious how much this going to help me in getting accepted? Do most blue chip recruits typically get accepted?
Yes.

I'm just wondering because i'm nervous about my chances. thanks
Much better than not being a blue chip recruit.
 
Do most blue chip recruits typically get accepted?

I would say that most blue rated athletic recruits who are also competitive for an appointment in all other arenas (academics; leadership; etc.) are appointed. The potential for an applicant to contribute to our extracurricular programs is only one of the many factors which go into the CCEB initially recommending an applicant for an appointment and then the Admissions Committee approving the appointment recommendation before forwarding to the Superintendent.

There were almost 150 blue rated athletic recruits (some with LOAs) who applied under EA Group One and only 46 were appointed. So while they had a higher appointment rate (~30%) than the average applicant (22%) who applied under EA Group One, the impact of an athletic rating is not as great as most applicants think it is.
 
I would say that most blue rated athletic recruits who are also competitive for an appointment in all other arenas (academics; leadership; etc.) are appointed. The potential for an applicant to contribute to our extracurricular programs is only one of the many factors which go into the CCEB initially recommending an applicant for an appointment and then the Admissions Committee approving the appointment recommendation before forwarding to the Superintendent.

There were almost 150 blue rated athletic recruits (some with LOAs) who applied under EA Group One and only 46 were appointed. So while they had a higher appointment rate (~30%) than the average applicant (22%) who applied under EA Group One, the impact of an athletic rating is not as great as most applicants think it is.


Thank you VERY much for this post. I was just sending a PM to our moderator explaining that it is very important for the athletes to understand these numbers.

Many recruited athletes are used to schools where if they "meet the ranges", athletics will get them into top schools over kids with better/equal #s/activities. Our dd turned down offers to play at 2 Ivy league schools and 2 D1 top academic schools as they wanted a decision before she would hear from USCGA. She has no regrets. USCGA is what she wanted.

Now that she is deferred, she is now forced to make harder choices. as her last two schools agreed to wait until February 1. Our "problem" is that she is a kid of "her word" and will honor her commitment to whichever school she chooses in the next three weeks, even if she is lucky enough to get an appointment under RA later.

We are ok with that "problem". Yes, she may lose out, but in the end, we'd rather have a kid who keeps her word.

Then again, maybe she will turn them down and just wait to see with CGA. No crystal ball in this house.
 
Thank you VERY much for this post. I was just sending a PM to our moderator explaining that it is very important for the athletes to understand these numbers.

Many recruited athletes are used to schools where if they "meet the ranges", athletics will get them into top schools over kids with better/equal #s/activities. Our dd turned down offers to play at 2 Ivy league schools and 2 D1 top academic schools as they wanted a decision before she would hear from USCGA. She has no regrets. USCGA is what she wanted.

Now that she is deferred, she is now forced to make harder choices. as her last two schools agreed to wait until February 1. Our "problem" is that she is a kid of "her word" and will honor her commitment to whichever school she chooses in the next three weeks, even if she is lucky enough to get an appointment under RA later.

We are ok with that "problem". Yes, she may lose out, but in the end, we'd rather have a kid who keeps her word.

Then again, maybe she will turn them down and just wait to see with CGA. No crystal ball in this house.

There is nothing dishonorable about waiting for her #1 choice, USCGA, and if she gets it, declining the other school.

Yes, even after she has accepted the other school.

Happens all the time, even among service academies.
 
Interview

The academy is looking for a well-rounded person and I agree with Boss 51 that you have a strong application. One thing you didn't mention is an interview with an admissions officer or an admissions partner. One area that doesn't come through just looking at numbers is WHY you want to go to the academy and the Coast Guard? An interview, though not required, can help fill that area out for you.

The Admissions officer for PA refused to schedule an interview for my DS
 
The Admissions officer for PA refused to schedule an interview for my DS

If your son has completed his application and the Admissions Officer [LT Caroline Bladen] refused to schedule an interview, I would recommend contacting LCDR Mike Thomas at 860-701-6783. If someone other than LT Bladen refused to schedule an interview, I would recommend contacting her at 860-701-6781.
 
Did your son attend AIM? My son was deferred from EA1. He contacted his admissions officer to inquire about an admissions interview, even offering to travel back to the academy (over 1000 miles) to do it if there was value in doing so. His AO certainly did not refuse to schedule it, but did advise him that since he attended AIM, and his package was otherwise complete, the interview would probably not add much to his file, and probably was not worth the expense. Now, maybe the AO knows or believes that my son is not really going to be competitive for a regular appointment (though we have no reason to believe so) but that rationale did seem to make sense, and we certainly defer to the AO's opinion. Perhaps there was just a miscommunication between your son and the AO?
 
Another option is contact an AAP (don't know what the first A stands for but believe the other two letters of the acronym stand for Admissions Partner) on this forum and see if they can get you an interview closer to home. Luigi, Boss51, Bruce Talbot are great resources to tap and always respond promptly.
 
I concur that an interview with an A(cademy) Admissions Partner :biggrin: is just as effective as one with an AO...IMHO. :eek:

The expense of going to the Academy from a long distance for a 45 minute or less interview is not worth it, again IMHO.:thumb:

Both parties will make out an evaluation form, which becomes part of your file and is reviewed by the CEEB. :smile:
 
No my DS received a letter that he was qualified to attend AIM but because of the # of apps they had a lottery and he was not selected.

We have traveled twice the 7+ hours to the USCGA for an open house and Cadet for a Day. Caroline was unable during either visit. I also offered to arrive a day early or stay a day later during both visits to schedule an interview and she was unavailable and no one else could do the interview.

In September my DS even asked if his SAT/ACT scores were good enough (from this forum I'm not sure they are) or should he retake this fall. Her reply was "If you are not comfortable with your scores I might consider taking the test again". I thought she was running for office.

I've learned more from stumbling on this forum than every contact with the admissions officer.
 
Back
Top