Competitive?

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111195

5-Year Member
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Dec 12, 2011
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7
So I've been working toward applying for the Naval Academy since I was in 7th grade. I'm also applying to USAFA and some other colleges as back ups. USAFA summer seminar apps just started and are making me even more nervous about whether I'll get in or not.
Last year I had a 4.2 weighted and 3.8 unweighted GPA but this year (my junior year) has been a lot more difficult. Right now I have a 2.8.
AP Physics- Mechanics: C, AP Calculus AB: C, AP Literature: A, IB Spanish (4th year of Spanish): B, AP U.S History: B.
I'm a Varsity cheerleader and am involved in numerous charity and philanthropic activities. I volunteer at Camp Pendleton for returning soldiers or for families with deployed loved ones. I am the founder and president of the first military related club at my school Students For Soldiers which organizes community service opportunities to support the military and offers information for students who are interested in pursuing a military career.
I'm worried that my grades are really hurting my competitiveness. I just feel like I'm not as special as other students who are applying. I want this more than anything and I'm starting to get disheartened (but I won't stop trying!). I'm working very hard in all of my classes and my grades haven't been improving (they're just so difficult especially with such a busy schedule). Any tips or comments, questions, anything are more than welcome. Thanks!
Katherine
 
In my Junior year I had a 100.3 Avg (Weighted) for my grades. (My high school doesn't do a 4.0 scale) and I Just Recieved a Nomination to USNA and USMMA from my congressman. I also had a friend that hasn't taken near as many AP or IB courses as you and he recieved a Nomination to USAFA. I am quite confident you are more competitive than many applicants so do not fret.
 
111195 said:
So I've been working toward applying for the Naval Academy since I was in 7th grade. I'm also applying to USAFA and some other colleges as back ups. USAFA summer seminar apps just started and are making me even more nervous about whether I'll get in or not.
Last year I had a 4.2 weighted and 3.8 unweighted GPA but this year (my junior year) has been a lot more difficult. Right now I have a 2.8.
AP Physics- Mechanics: C, AP Calculus AB: C, AP Literature: A, IB Spanish (4th year of Spanish): B, AP U.S History: B.
I'm a Varsity cheerleader and am involved in numerous charity and philanthropic activities. I volunteer at Camp Pendleton for returning soldiers or for families with deployed loved ones. I am the founder and president of the first military related club at my school Students For Soldiers which organizes community service opportunities to support the military and offers information for students who are interested in pursuing a military career.
I'm worried that my grades are really hurting my competitiveness. I just feel like I'm not as special as other students who are applying. I want this more than anything and I'm starting to get disheartened (but I won't stop trying!). I'm working very hard in all of my classes and my grades haven't been improving (they're just so difficult especially with such a busy schedule). Any tips or comments, questions, anything are more than welcome. Thanks!
Katherine
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It's good to try at harder classes, but you appeared to have gotten to a wall. . Your activities/leadership appears singificant as long as you can explain what you done in them. Since you are a junior, focus on doing well in all your classes- try to make all A's or A/B's. My grades slumped from Mostly A's to mostly B's my junior year but still got 2 LOA's. Also, you want to do well on ACT/ SAT (aim for at least 31 or 700 on Math and English).
 
Katherine, whatever you do, do not get disheartened. You set high goals and you are being realistic. You are taking AP courses, particularly the sciences. They are killers. Every night when I say my prayers, I give thanks that calculus was not even an option for me in high school.

navy is right. see what you can do about the ACT/SAT. My #2 son took an SAT prep course (you need to pick the right one, maybe even pay a little more for a private tutor) and his scores jumped big. There are a number of tricks to taking those tests that have zero to do with your knowledge base. Applying what you learn there to what you are doing in Calc (regardless of your grade) should give you a big push on the math section and your AP Lit grade suggests you have an excellent base for the verbal sections.

If you want to serve and want the comraderie of a military environment you have a number of options, most notably ROTC. Other sections of this forum can help you explore plans B, C, etc.

Just keep on persevering and good things will happen.
 
Thank you so much to everyone who offered their advice/experiences. I will continue to do my best! I took the SAT last year but am taking it again in January. Thanks again for all of your encouragement it really helped. I hope everything works out but like cb mentioned ROTC will always be an option. Either way I intend to be in the military regardless of how I get there.
 
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