Summer Seminar 2014

BracesGlasses

5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
11
Any advice on how to prepare for next years summer seminar? Also, how does the application process work?
 
Take the ACT or SAT in the fall so you have some kind of score that you can report with your PSAT on your application. Also, taking the ACT/SAT early gives you a baseline for where you are at and where you need to go. Most here on this forum will advise you that, by the time you send in your nomination packets in the early fall of 2014, you should have SAT's in the high 600's or even 700+ and all the individual ACT components in the 30's. Usually, you will improve as you take a particular test more than once.

Last year the application opened in December, I believe. It's not difficult to complete. Just a listing of all your activities, the test scores, and a very short personal statement.
 
Last edited:
Last year the application opened in December, I believe.

Right. It was December 1 through January 31. Repeating what was said above, make sure you have some ACT scores to send. Neither my PSAT nor my ACT scores were stellar. On a separate note, I am super glad that I went. Doolie for a Day was definitely the best part of the whole week. Good luck with your application!
 
SAT and ACT scores for Summer Seminar

The 2014 Summer Seminar application is available as of today with the deadline of January 31st. Has anyone started the application process yet? I'm hoping we can use this thread to help track everyone's progress like they do on academy admissions applicants.
 
I have completed everything execpt the personal statement. No ACT scores but I am taking it on 12/14.
 
Work EXTRA HARD on the essay portions. I remember being told that this was the key component to why those selected were selected. And like everyone else said, work on the ACT and SAT and keep a good GPA!

Definitely spend as much time as possible on your application and make it perfect, I started mine on Dec 1st and completely finished it on Jan 31st, just revising essays and making sure everything was perfect.

Good luck!
 
Work EXTRA HARD on the essay portions. I remember being told that this was the key component to why those selected were selected. And like everyone else said, work on the ACT and SAT and keep a good GPA!

Definitely spend as much time as possible on your application and make it perfect, I started mine on Dec 1st and completely finished it on Jan 31st, just revising essays and making sure everything was perfect.

Good luck!

What he said. We were told we were chosen based on our essays (obviously with somewhat competitive scores and stats)

good luck. The summer seminar was really an eye opener for me, and really helped me in my decision for my nomination rankings. Naval academy is first on my list, but I ranked the academies with much more confidence since I had been to the SS.

Have you applied to any of the other academies summer seminars yet? It can't hurt to apply.
 
Summer Seminar App wasn't that hard.

SS is great to attend, although if you have a hard time getting to the academy(like me i live in IL) you might not have enough $$ to get out there again.

Make sure if you want to play a sport at the academy as an actual NCAA regulated sport (not just a club) you go to the sports camp. Most of the coaches are running the camp and it gives you a chance to get recognized by them if you have not already done so.

if you are already talking with them and it looks like you have a spot on the team go for the SS.

The app for SS wasn't hard at all. Only two essay questions and a bunch of short answer questions that ask what you're involved in... etc. Last years essay questions were this.

Do you have any personal life experiences where you have overcome adversity or challenges that have shaped you into the person you are today?

The Summer Seminar Program is designed to expose you to a wide variety of the aspects of cadet life. Explain what you expect to experience at the Summer Seminar if you are selected to attend?

Take ACT/SAT whatever your school does. get in leadership positions/get good grades/community service/sports involvement/job. That doesnt hurt.

Hope it helps!
 
Summer Seminar App wasn't that hard.

SS is great to attend, although if you have a hard time getting to the academy(like me i live in IL) you might not have enough $$ to get out there again.

Make sure if you want to play a sport at the academy as an actual NCAA regulated sport (not just a club) you go to the sports camp. Most of the coaches are running the camp and it gives you a chance to get recognized by them if you have not already done so.

if you are already talking with them and it looks like you have a spot on the team go for the SS.

The app for SS wasn't hard at all. Only two essay questions and a bunch of short answer questions that ask what you're involved in... etc. Last years essay questions were this.

Do you have any personal life experiences where you have overcome adversity or challenges that have shaped you into the person you are today?

The Summer Seminar Program is designed to expose you to a wide variety of the aspects of cadet life. Explain what you expect to experience at the Summer Seminar if you are selected to attend?

Take ACT/SAT whatever your school does. get in leadership positions/get good grades/community service/sports involvement/job. That doesnt hurt.

Hope it helps!

The essay questions are the same.
 
I started the application today too and have a few questions:
My school only reports weighted GPA, do I calculate UW, ask my school to, or report weighted?
Are the admissions rolling? Would there be any advantage in weighting for first semester grades, PSAT and SAT (taking it 12/7) scores before applying?
Good luck to everyone applying! :thumb:
 
I started the application today too and have a few questions:
My school only reports weighted GPA, do I calculate UW, ask my school to, or report weighted?
Are the admissions rolling? Would there be any advantage in weighting for first semester grades, PSAT and SAT (taking it 12/7) scores before applying?
Good luck to everyone applying! :thumb:

I would think it be beneficial to wait to have some solid scores, whether it be PSAT or SAT, before you submit. I think the GPA and test scores weigh pretty heavily into the selections for all the summer programs.
 
I started the application today too and have a few questions:
My school only reports weighted GPA, do I calculate UW, ask my school to, or report weighted?
Are the admissions rolling? Would there be any advantage in weighting for first semester grades, PSAT and SAT (taking it 12/7) scores before applying?
Good luck to everyone applying! :thumb:

I forget about the GPA question, but admissions are not rolling. Everyone finds out on the same day, I think it was either in March or April...

Take as much time as you need to boost your application!
 
DS working on SS application. If he says yes to use same application for AFA admission in March 2014, will he be able to update the app. with updated SAT/ACT scores, activities, recognition, etc.? Thanks!
 
My personal statement for the first essay question is only 1000 words. I have had my English teacher look over it and make a few adjustments and I feel confident with the esaay. Will only having 1000 words out of the 3000 maximum hurt my chances?
 
Would it be better to put a really bad SAT score into summer seminar application or nothing at all and by bad i mean like 1500s
 
words or characters

Are you sure the limit was 3000 words? That's a pretty long essay and there are two on the summer seminar application.

Are you sure it wasn't 3000 characters? And is that for each essay or 3000 in total?
 
I attended SS 2013, and, if I remember correctly, the word limit is 3000 words. Of course, you do not have to utilize all of the words; I believe I wrote ~750 for both of my essays.
 
Back
Top