Freshman and Sophomore Years of High School

ajwilliams96

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
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Is it still possible to get accepted to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (or any of the other U.S. Service Academies) with my first two years of high school? Here is a list of things during my freshman and sophomore years of high school:

Freshman Year

Academics

- Two Honors Courses (Honors Chemistry and Honors Geometry)
- Two Electives (Multimedia Design and Concert Band)
- Three Regular Classes (English I, Spanish I, and World Civilizations)
- Maximum Number of Credits
- Honors Community Service (50 Community Service Hours)
- Final GPA - 2.95

School Sports

- None

Student Government

- Elected Ninth Grade Class Council Officer

Extracurricular

- Volunteer at the Children’s Section of the Local Library
- Judge in the Lower School Science Fair
- Performed in the School Spring Drama Production
- Member of Church Youth Group
- Participated in the Day of Silence
- Host at an School Information Session
- Wrote and Acted for the School Drama Festival

Sophomore Year (so far)

Academics

- Two Honors Courses (Honors Biology and Honors Algebra II)
- One AP Course (AP World History)
- Two Electives (Introduction to Computer Science and Concert Band)
- Two Regular Classes (English II and Spanish II)
- Maximum Number of Credits
- Honors Community Service (50 Community Service Hours)
- GPA - 3.2 (as of the end of last quarter)

School Sports

- Junior Varsity Cross Country
- Junior Varsity Swimming
- Junior Varsity Tennis

Student Government

- Elected Tenth Grade Class Council Officer
- Elected Student Council Secretary (Highest Student Council Position Available to a Sophomore)

Extracurricular

- Volunteering at the Children’s Section of the Local Library
- Performed in the Fall and Spring Drama Productions
- Member of the Technical Crews for the Fall and Spring Drama Productions
- Member of Church Youth Group
- Active Junior State of America Member
- Model United Nations Delegate
- Participated in the Day of Silence
- Wrote and Acted for the School Drama Festival
- Staff Writer for the School Newspaper
- Member of the Community Service Board

Also, one of my biggest inspirations for entering the U.S. Coast Guard is my uncle, a retired Chief Petty Officer, who served 22 years in the U.S. Coast Guard.
 
Anything is possible but that first year won't help. Need to keep getting that GPA up and take hard classes, do stuff outside of school, play sports etc etc etc.

If that GPA from your second year only for that year or cumulative?

Side note: I could have killed for a 2.95 GPA at CGA. My current cumulative GPA in grad school is about 1.5 higher than my final GPA at CGA (how sad is that?).
 
I agree with LITS on the GPA...definitely need to get that up. Your ECs look good. I would aim for varsity letters and maybe a captain position in at least one of the sports over the next two years.

And I feel you on that LITS, I would kill for a 3.0 right now. Didn't you just love the classmates who were able to get a 3.9 and still double major?
 
Like LITS and Track said, you definitely need to get the GPA up. GPA is the most important thing in the application, so you should definitely look at getting it much, much higher. You do have a couple of years left to work on that though. I would suggest start studying for the SAT and ACT now so you can get a solid score on those. Your EC's look good, but I would recommend on maybe taking up some leadership positions. 1 or 2 EC's (not counting sports, because those are a separate category in themselves) with leadership positions looks much better than just being a member in 3 or 4 EC's.

I would do almost anything for above a 3.0 GPA right now, but that's what happens when you're in the hardest major at the academy...
 
I think he's an EE (Electrical Engineering)..right Sam? And EVERYONE thinks they have the hardest major...each one is difficult in its own way. Its the non-major classes you have to look out for.
 
Like Track said, I'm an electrical engineer and it's a tough major. While a lot of the classes are tough at the Academy, I think our major is the hardest because we have the heaviest attrition rate out of the 8 majors at the Academy. Typically a class has around 30 EE's at the beginning of 3/c year. By the time graduation comes around there are only around 10 EE's left. As an EE you'll have 3-4 lab classes a semester which means having 9-12 extra academic hours a week.

Majors like Government or Management are seen as "easier" because it's easier to pass the classes and get that C which stands for commission.

But Track does have a point. If you're not very math/science oriented be prepared for a lot of unfun classes. Everyone has to take Calc I and II, Chem I and II, Physics I and II, a statics class, an Oceanography class, a probability and statistics class, and an electrical engineering class (which is generally regarded to be the hardest class for government and management majors by people in those majors :wink: )
 
Before we just start knocking management and government (as a government major), feel the need to remind you, while Govt. majors have less lab requirements, there is far far more writing involved. Not sure when En-Gineeers write 40 page papers, but my roommate certainly didn't. I don't remember IEE being an especially hard class... but it did allow me to visit Mac Hall.... what a stinky little building.

I was not a huge fan of Calc II or Muli variable Calc....
 
I mean I'm just going to weigh in my two sense here... I'm not an Engineer, I'm a proud MESer, and I will never try and claim that my major is the hardest, but if I do recall correctly, quite a few engineers were having troubles in Oceans this semester.

And after having a ton of roommates throughout all the majors I would actually vote NavARch to be the hardest.
 
Don't sell yourself short. Fish kissers have more labs than any other major.
 
In addition to my list above, in my freshman year, I was a member of the Chess Team and the Ultimate Frisbee club. Also, in the summer between my freshman and sophomore years, I volunteered in a hospital's messenger department. This year, I am also a member of the Chess Club, a member of the Future Business Leaders of America chapter, a host at multiple school open houses, and I also helped in the School Toy Drive. Over the summer, I intend on attending the Navy Sports Camp for swimming and go to Nicaragua for a mission trip. Also, I received a 184 on the PSAT.
 
Like LITS and Track said, you definitely need to get the GPA up. GPA is the most important thing in the application, so you should definitely look at getting it much, much higher.

A slight correction is needed here.

GPA is NOT the most important thing in the application. Although it does play a part, it's down the list, especially when it is reviewed in the context of the transcript of courses taken. Getting Bs in normal classes won't help you, but those same Bs in AP or college level courses will be viewed differently,

Class rank and SAT/ACT test scores are much more important when the CCEB considers your application.

Just a few years ago, USCGA listed the "weighting" of various application components - Class Rank was weighted 3x, Math SAT was weighted 2x - GPA wasn't even listed as a factor.

:cool:
 
Whatever the percentage is for the GPA, anything below a 3.0 isn't going to cut it. The people you're competing with are very high 3s or 4.0.

No one is expected to go to school freshman year and be immediately ready with grades and activities, but that GPA needs to come up.
 
A slight correction is needed here.

GPA is NOT the most important thing in the application. Although it does play a part, it's down the list, especially when it is reviewed in the context of the transcript of courses taken. Getting Bs in normal classes won't help you, but those same Bs in AP or college level courses will be viewed differently,

Class rank and SAT/ACT test scores are much more important when the CCEB considers your application.

Just a few years ago, USCGA listed the "weighting" of various application components - Class Rank was weighted 3x, Math SAT was weighted 2x - GPA wasn't even listed as a factor.

:cool:

Where does class rank come from? GPA to the best of my knowledge. Some schools use weighted gpa to determine class rank and some use unweighted but one way or another your gpa will determine your class rank.
 
Where does class rank come from? GPA to the best of my knowledge. Some schools use weighted gpa to determine class rank and some use unweighted but one way or another your gpa will determine your class rank.

The class rank is important (as I understand it) because it compares the candidate to others in the same school. Sure, the GPA determined that, but how does my 3.75 compare to your 3.5 if your school has a much more challenging curriculum? So by comparing my class rank of 30 out of 300 and your 5th out of 625....the class rank is more telling than the GPA.
 
I promise you they do, they just don't tell you. I had the same problem my senior year. "We don't rank." Well, I talked to my guidance counselor about the situation and, low and behold, he was able to given me my class standing.
 
The class rank is important (as I understand it) because it compares the candidate to others in the same school. Sure, the GPA determined that, but how does my 3.75 compare to your 3.5 if your school has a much more challenging curriculum? So by comparing my class rank of 30 out of 300 and your 5th out of 625....the class rank is more telling than the GPA.
Agree that class rank is easier to compare but anything below a 3.0 is unlikely to be in the top 25% anywhere.
 
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