Lot's of questions...

NamD

NamD

Candidate
5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2010
Messages
249
As I was waiting to take my AP USH exam yesterday, I pondered about USMA and came up with alot of questions. Please bare with me and my questions..

1. Can you listen to your ipod while running the mile for the CFA?
2. How can you make sure that USMA knows about your NCAA application file and will they look over this for LOAs?
3. for NCAA files, is it mandatory to complete the part where it asks "what elementary school did you go to? what classes did you take..etc"?
4. Does USMA or any service academy use your weighted GPA to determine your class rank?
5. When should I complete my NROTC and AROTC application by (earliest opportunity)?
6. (I asked this question many times and have received numerous responses): For teacher evaluations, I understand that a Biology teacher will not work. I was told only "Laboratory science" teachers can evaluate you. Can my 9th grade physical science teacher evaluate me? I do not feel comfortable with my Chemistry teacher's evaluation.
7. Do the Academies look at AP test scores? Do they want candidates to take the SAT II test?

that is all. Thank you very much for being so patient with my questions. :)
Dave
 
NamD said:
As I was waiting to take my AP USH exam yesterday, I pondered about USMA and came up with alot of questions. Please bare with me and my questions..

1. Can you listen to your ipod while running the mile for the CFA?
2. How can you make sure that USMA knows about your NCAA application file and will they look over this for LOAs?
3. for NCAA files, is it mandatory to complete the part where it asks "what elementary school did you go to? what classes did you take..etc"?
4. Does USMA or any service academy use your weighted GPA to determine your class rank?
5. When should I complete my NROTC and AROTC application by (earliest opportunity)?
6. (I asked this question many times and have received numerous responses): For teacher evaluations, I understand that a Biology teacher will not work. I was told only "Laboratory science" teachers can evaluate you. Can my 9th grade physical science teacher evaluate me? I do not feel comfortable with my Chemistry teacher's evaluation.
7. Do the Academies look at AP test scores? Do they want candidates to take the SAT II test?

that is all. Thank you very much for being so patient with my questions. :)
Dave
Click to expand...

1. No.
2-3. Don't know much about NCAA clearinghouse stuff... Someone else chime in?
4. Don't know what you mean by this. They use your weighted GPA and your class rank both when evaluating candidates.
5. Earliest opportunity. I did not apply for NROTC, but I had completed my AROTC application, interview and all, by 10 August last year. It's not very hard.
6. Don't know. I had my chem teacher do mine.
7. I never sent in my AP scores from junior year (yet). They do not use them for evaluation/admission purposes. I haven't gotten a straight answer yet on which, if any, AP scores are considered for validation. But I was told several times that they will not help you with admission. I took the SAT IIs as well, and did not send them in. I emailed my admissions officer about them and he said not to because they would help neither with admission or validating.

This place is for questions man. Keep up the good work and good luck.
 
thanks mtnman17.
JFM- I do not know what "recruited" means in this context. does that mean USMA has contacted you about a certain sport or does it mean that you applied for NCAA? I have spoken to the swim coach at USMA but thats about it..
 
Getting cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse won't affect your admissions status generally.

The only way it will affect you is if you are being recruited or plan on trying to play a NCAA sport while at West Point which is when you need to be cleared and receive your amateur status otherwise you will not be eligible to compete at the D1 level. If the swim coach has spoken to you about wanting you to swim for West Point, then that's when you'll be a recruited athlete and your file gets handled different than by your regional commander and the possibility of getting a LoA goes up a bit.
 
How can I be sure that I am "recruited" by them? Will they email me?
I was just told by the coach to create an NCAA file if I was truly interested in swimming in D1 level at USMA.

On a side note:
I currently only took a year of Japanese freshman year. due to me studying abroad in Australia for a semester, I was not able to finish my 2nd year of japanese my sophomore year. This year I did not take it thinking that I would be able to use my fluency in Korean as a means of substitute for a foreign language. I spoke to my FFR today and he said that Korean was not a course offered at USMA and therefore would not help me in any way. I already set my senior schedule for next year and cannot make room for a foreign language course because I have to take certain classes in order to graduate. What should I do? There is one alternative over the summer where I can get high school credit for a foreign language (Running start at a local community college), but will USMA recognize this as taking "2 years" of a foreign language? I think I only have one choice and thats taking an online course for spanish over the summer..
 
Talk to your MALO. They're a great source of information when it comes to what's the best for your file.

Being "recruited" generally means you have committed to the school to play there and that the coach has shown interest and wants to bring you in on the team as a "recruited athlete." You will know you are being recruited...generally if you are termed a "recruited athete" the coach will chip you, blue chip if you are highly desired candidate.

All others are "walk-ons" who are going to try out and try to make the team but are not chosen by the coach as one of his/her recruits.
 
NamD said:
thanks mtnman17.
JFM- I do not know what "recruited" means in this context. does that mean USMA has contacted you about a certain sport or does it mean that you applied for NCAA? I have spoken to the swim coach at USMA but thats about it..
Click to expand...

I'm not a recruited athlete but I have a friend who is and will be going to NAPS next year. You know you're being recruited when the coach (or someone else from the athletic dpt) contacts you and tells you that they want you to play for them. From what I hear, recruited athletes get LOAs to hold their spots.
 
Ah i see. Well hopefully I'll drop some more time on my swim events and the coaches will see that :) so to be "recruited", you dont need to apply to NCAA?
Also, i looked up the foreign language curriculum at USMA and found out that Japanese is not there. Since I took a year of japanese, does that mean that they'll disregard that? The whole issue with foreign language is worrying me alot. :confused:
 
I am assuming you filled out the recruiting questionaire on the athletic website? Are you talking to Mickey or just emailing? You will know you are recruited when you get weekly contact: phone calls, post cards, and emails. If he wants you, you will likely get an LOA by fall. Also, if he wants you, he will fly you up for a recruiting visit.

Go Army Swim and Dive!
 
NamD if he isn't talking to you a lot then just swim all out this summer and try to get the best times you can get at end of summer (obviously) then re-update him.

I know a sophomore at WP where the coach told him his times are not quite there yet, and in the summer he give it his all, and got the need times. When he re-updated the coach they showed interest and he got recruited.

And you have to do the NCAA no matter what.
 
Thanks for the response! I will keep those in mind :)
Any advice about my foreign language problem? :redface:
 
NamD said:
Thanks for the response! I will keep those in mind :)
Any advice about my foreign language problem? :redface:
Click to expand...

When I received my LOA I had one credit of Spanish. Due to some, well very unusual circumstances, I was unable to take another credit of Spanish. So I took a half credit of Latin (???). I talked to my regional commander and MALO and they said that it wasn't a problem (not having two credits of the same language). If you are really worried about it, email them and tell them your exact situation. They will be able to give you a more personalized answer.
 
2015USMA said:
When I received my LOA I had one credit of Spanish. Due to some, well very unusual circumstances, I was unable to take another credit of Spanish. So I took a half credit of Latin (???). I talked to my regional commander and MALO and they said that it wasn't a problem (not having two credits of the same language). If you are really worried about it, email them and tell them your exact situation. They will be able to give you a more personalized answer.
Click to expand...

Great! My FFR kinda made it sound like i was trying to cheat the system but the truth is, I had to take graduation required classes and had no room for it due to me taking ROTC.
Thanks for the information! that really put my mind at ease :)
 
NCAA Swimming

For Swimming, the coach can not call you until July 1 after your Junior year. That is when the recruiting really begins. Then there are other rules about how often they can call you, etc. However, you are always free to contact the coach per NCAA rules.

If you are a recruited, you will get calls, and an invitation to visit at WP expense. If you want to be recruited and have the times, it is important that you let them know you are interested. Completing the WP swimming available online plus perhaps a cover-letter to the coach with your own swim resume is a good way to let them know you are serious.

As far as NCAA Clearing House is concerned...yes, get this done. However, it really only comes into play when it is time to compete - you can't compete without it. I never got the impression that the CH was something that coaches were looking at to find recruits.
 
NamD said:
How can I be sure that I am "recruited" by them? Will they email me?
I was just told by the coach to create an NCAA file if I was truly interested in swimming in D1 level at USMA.

On a side note:
I currently only took a year of Japanese freshman year. due to me studying abroad in Australia for a semester, I was not able to finish my 2nd year of japanese my sophomore year. This year I did not take it thinking that I would be able to use my fluency in Korean as a means of substitute for a foreign language. I spoke to my FFR today and he said that Korean was not a course offered at USMA and therefore would not help me in any way. I already set my senior schedule for next year and cannot make room for a foreign language course because I have to take certain classes in order to graduate. What should I do? There is one alternative over the summer where I can get high school credit for a foreign language (Running start at a local community college), but will USMA recognize this as taking "2 years" of a foreign language? I think I only have one choice and thats taking an online course for spanish over the summer..
Click to expand...

As for the recruited athlete aspect, recruited athlete means that the coaching staff has contacted the candidate and verbally expressed that they want to recruit them. There is also an official campus visit paid for by athletics.

Just talking to the coaching staff does not necessarily mean a candidate is recruited, and every year there are misunderstandings. That said, the best way to persue recruitment is to stay in contact with the coaching staff for your sport. Keep them posted with any results/acomplishments you have. Sell yourself and let them know how motivated you are.

Good luck
 
NamD said:
4. Does USMA or any service academy use your weighted GPA to determine your class rank?
Click to expand...
Your school determines your class rank. If your school does not rank, the WP will use your ACT/SAT scores to rank you.

NamD said:
6. (I asked this question many times and have received numerous responses): For teacher evaluations, I understand that a Biology teacher will not work. I was told only "Laboratory science" teachers can evaluate you. Can my 9th grade physical science teacher evaluate me? I do not feel comfortable with my Chemistry teacher's evaluation.
Click to expand...
I know and you have received the same answer many times. :rolleyes:
I realize that you have reservations about getting your Chemistry teacher to submit a SOE for you but those are the rules.
It MUST be a Chemistry or Physics teacher.
The SOE is not an evaluation of your aptitude in that subject but rather an evaluation of your abilities. Talk to your Chem teacher and tell them personally that you will be requesting an evaluation from them for your application to West Point. You may be surprised that they are very supportive.
 
I am currently in two lab classes- Anatomy/physiology and Chemistry. I feel my anatomy professor will give a supportive reference, will this work?
Thanks! :)
 
robinhood17 said:
I am currently in two lab classes- Anatomy/physiology and Chemistry. I feel my anatomy professor will give a supportive reference, will this work?
Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

See the post above yours......buff81 is giving you the official word. It must be Chemistry or Physics! You need to fill the application out exactly as West Point says.
 
I feel my anatomy professor will give a supportive reference, will this work?
Click to expand...
NO!!!! Please folks - FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION EXPLICITLY!
If you feel you need to deviate from the Official Instructions then contact Admissions and clear it directly through them - don't speculate about this here on this forum.


For Swimming, the coach can not call you until July 1 after your Junior year.
Click to expand...
The service academies have more leeway on this and different rules. The coaches know what the rules are. An athlete is always free to make contact with a coach.
 
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