Am I on the right track?

warrior101

5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
42
Hello all. I am a sophomore currently in high school and I have my goals set on AFA. I have wanted this dream for awhile now and I find that it is time for me to start pursing it. I have done my research and read up, but I would like to ask those who are going/have gone to the academy for their opinions on how I am doing.

I am in 10th grade currently and live in Virginia. I have an unweighted GPA of 3.88 and participate in football, basketball, and my favorite sport, lacrosse. I am hopefully lettering this season in lacrosse (will expect the worst but hope for the best!). I have nearly 700 hours of volunteer time since the 6th grade. I am an active participant in my church and enjoy leading and running the tech booth for the services. I am also a co-leader of a kids church program whos goal is to teach the basics of christianity to children. I am part of many volunteer clubs (such as Key club and Interact club) and also a fine art club (Tri-M or Modern Music Masters). I will also be joining near the end of this year the National Honor Society. I am currently a National Merit Scholar. Not sure if this matters but I am also now fluent in both english and spanish. I have already taken the PSATs twice now and seem to only be lacking in math. I am taking AP WH this year with the addition of three more AP classes next year and everything else will be honors (the classses that cant be AP will be honors).

Can't think of anything else at the time but I hope this gives an indication on where I mite stand. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this post.
 
All your achievements look great. You did not mention if you were into scouting. Look into attending Boys State during you junior to senior summer. Prepare for your physical fitness assessment. Good luck.
 
The only thing I question is how you can be a "National Merit Scholar" This is awarded to Juniors taking the PSAT. You may have scores that are of that level but I am pretty sure you can't carry the title until you are awarded it by the NMSC your junior year because you cannot accept those scholarships as a sophomore.
I would ditto what USAF463 said about Boys state.
 
The only thing I question is how you can be a "National Merit Scholar" This is awarded to Juniors taking the PSAT. You may have scores that are of that level but I am pretty sure you can't carry the title until you are awarded it by the NMSC your junior year because you cannot accept those scholarships as a sophomore.
I would ditto what USAF463 said about Boys state.
I was a National Merit Scholar. You do not become so, until your Senior year, after completing their additional evaluation process. Getting a high score on the PSAT does not make you a National Merit Scholar. Juniors who do very well on the PSAT (top 1/2 of 1% of those taking the test), assuming they are otherwise qualified, are notified they are National Merit Semi-Finalists first, and then are required to go through additional evaluation, including taking the SAT tests, prior to being officially named a National Merit Finalist, at which point I believe it is proper to call yourself a National Merit Scholar. I was not officially notified that I was a National Merit Finalist until January of my Senior year.
 
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I don't know about the whole process, but I got to "Commended Scholar" -- one step short of semi-finalist. That took a while in itself (7 or more months), so I can only imagine how long the Collegeboard would take to confirm a National Merit Scholar.
 
Warrior 101...I am an ALO in California and reading you resume I would say that you are on the proper track. Keep doing what you are doing! Especially in the the grade point area. Your 3.88 looks good but don't settle for any more B's, get A's (period). Look for leadership opportunities in the area's you are volunteering. Approximately 75% of your interview with an ALO will concentrate on you attempts at leadership. You do not have to be a named leader of an organization to be a leader, ie pres, vp, etc. You could lead a project in Key club or interact club. You don't have to do a project solo. You could be a part of a leadership team that leads a project. I have interviewed over 100 people for this opportunity in the past 18 years and I must say that you are way ahead of the curve in you sophomore year. Get to the Academy, we have sports camps available this summer. I would advise that you talk to as many current cadets and past cadets as possible. Make them tell you "the good, the bad , and the ugly" about USAFA. The more knowledge you have the easier the decision. Next year(junior year) apply for summer seminar. Hope this helps
 
I was a National Merit Scholar. You do not become so, until your Senior year, after completing their additional evaluation process. Getting a high score on the PSAT does not make you a National Merit Scholar. Juniors who do very well on the PSAT (top 1/2 of 1% of those taking the test), assuming they are otherwise qualified, are notified they are National Merit Semi-Finalists first, and then are required to go through additional evaluation, including taking the SAT tests, prior to being officially named a National Merit Finalist, at which point I believe it is proper to call yourself a National Merit Scholar. I was not officially notified that I was a National Merit Finalist until January of my Senior year.

Thanks for the correction! I slipped. DD was a National Merit Scholar finalist too, I just knew you couldn't get it as a sophomore. It has been a few years ago and I am concentrating on younger brothers at this point. Thanks again:thumb:
 
The lacking in Math is something I would concentrate on since the AFA is commonly referred to the AD world as the little engineering school in the Rockies.

I do not know where you are from in VA, but NoVA is highly competitive, especially since it has TJ. Additionally, VA MOC's "spread" the wealth when it comes to noms aka talk and 1 nom is fantastic!

I think you have it all right now, and you have yrs to go, just stay on track.

OBTW, volunteer hours or anything else for that matter does not count until your HS yrs. 700 since 6th grade is impressive, but those aren't the real numbers.
 
Thanks for the correction! I slipped. DD was a National Merit Scholar finalist too, I just knew you couldn't get it as a sophomore. It has been a few years ago and I am concentrating on younger brothers at this point. Thanks again:thumb:
did not mean to sound so snippy. I apologize. Congrats to you and your DS for the appointment! With any luck, my DS will be a classmate of his.
 
Hello all. I am a sophomore currently in high school and I have my goals set on AFA. I have wanted this dream for awhile now and I find that it is time for me to start pursing it. I have done my research and read up, but I would like to ask those who are going/have gone to the academy for their opinions on how I am doing.

I am in 10th grade currently and live in Virginia. I have an unweighted GPA of 3.88 and participate in football, basketball, and my favorite sport, lacrosse. I am hopefully lettering this season in lacrosse (will expect the worst but hope for the best!). I have nearly 700 hours of volunteer time since the 6th grade. I am an active participant in my church and enjoy leading and running the tech booth for the services. I am also a co-leader of a kids church program whos goal is to teach the basics of christianity to children. I am part of many volunteer clubs (such as Key club and Interact club) and also a fine art club (Tri-M or Modern Music Masters). I will also be joining near the end of this year the National Honor Society. I am currently a National Merit Scholar. Not sure if this matters but I am also now fluent in both english and spanish. I have already taken the PSATs twice now and seem to only be lacking in math. I am taking AP WH this year with the addition of three more AP classes next year and everything else will be honors (the classses that cant be AP will be honors).

Can't think of anything else at the time but I hope this gives an indication on where I mite stand. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this post.
I agree with others who have responded. I would only add that, if you have found your math classes challenging, consider doing some remedial work. I assume you have taken Geometry and Trig. Next is Algebra and Calculus. If you have had difficulty with Geometry and Trig., then Algebra and Calculus will be doubly difficult.
 
did not mean to sound so snippy. I apologize. Congrats to you and your DS for the appointment! With any luck, my DS will be a classmate of his.

No apology needed, I didn't take it as snippy and was truly grateful for the correction:smile:
I will keep the positive thoughts headed your way for your DS:shake:
 
Oops sorry, that was a typo I'm not a national merit scholar (although I aspire to be one) but acually a member of the national society of high school scholars
 
Hello all. I am a sophomore currently in high school and I have my goals set on AFA. I have wanted this dream for awhile now and I find that it is time for me to start pursing it. I have done my research and read up, but I would like to ask those who are going/have gone to the academy for their opinions on how I am doing.

I am in 10th grade currently and live in Virginia. I have an unweighted GPA of 3.88 and participate in football, basketball, and my favorite sport, lacrosse. I am hopefully lettering this season in lacrosse (will expect the worst but hope for the best!). I have nearly 700 hours of volunteer time since the 6th grade. I am an active participant in my church and enjoy leading and running the tech booth for the services. I am also a co-leader of a kids church program whos goal is to teach the basics of christianity to children. I am part of many volunteer clubs (such as Key club and Interact club) and also a fine art club (Tri-M or Modern Music Masters). I will also be joining near the end of this year the National Honor Society. I am currently a National Merit Scholar. Not sure if this matters but I am also now fluent in both english and spanish. I have already taken the PSATs twice now and seem to only be lacking in math. I am taking AP WH this year with the addition of three more AP classes next year and everything else will be honors (the classses that cant be AP will be honors).

Can't think of anything else at the time but I hope this gives an indication on where I mite stand. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this post.

No. Give up. :guns:
 
SE41186: are you asking if the OP got an appointment??? Are you serious?
 
Yea, he would have just finished his Junior Year. I originally didn't reply, because I tend to stay away from threads that are MORE than a year old since their last post.
 
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