High school classes

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Academy_hopeful19

5-Year Member
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Jan 7, 2014
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How heavily does USNA take into account the classes you've taken? I know taking more rigorous classes is beneficial, but to what extent does that help you? Does it make you more competitive in some way?
 
AP's, AP's, AP's - and Honors or College level classes if AP's aren't available! A's preferred but nothing lower than B's.
LOTS of leadership, verifiable community service and varsity athletics.
Start your ACT's and SAT's early in your junior year so you understand how these tests are designed so you can work on improving your scores. Don't start submitting your scores to the Academy unless you are satisfied with them.
 
I have taken/ am currently enrolled in 8 AP classes, and have taken 5 SAT's and 2 ACT's. I was just curious as to how the classes played into all of it. Thanks for the input!
 
Academy_hopeful19 said:
I have taken/ am currently enrolled in 8 AP classes, and have taken 5 SAT's and 2 ACT's. I was just curious as to how the classes played into all of it. Thanks for the input!
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They want to see that you are taking the hardest classes available, especially math, chemistry and physics, since those mimic plebe year classes. If your school doesn't have AP classes or only has a few, they still want to see that you are taking the hardest ones available (honors or advanced). Loading up on fluff classes will not help your application.
 
This year I am taking AP Chemistry, Calc AB, Statistics, English 11, World History, and Psychology all of which I think are good classes to take. Next year I plan to take AP Physics C, Calc BC, US History, English 12, and maybe Computer Science, which I don't think are fluff classes.
Thank you for the advice!
 
All the classes you're taking now can be validated at USNA one way or another during your plebe year. Work hard now, get fives, ace the Plebe Summer tests, validate a bunch of stuff, and some pretty cool opportunities will be available for you (study abroad, VGEP, dual major, actually taking a reasonable number of credits as an engineering major, language minors, ridiculous amounts of free time, etc.).
 
Academy_hopeful19 said:
This year I am taking AP Chemistry, Calc AB, Statistics, English 11, World History, and Psychology all of which I think are good classes to take. Next year I plan to take AP Physics C, Calc BC, US History, English 12, and maybe Computer Science, which I don't think are fluff classes. Thank you for the advice!
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That's correct. Fluff classes would be forgoing Calculus/Chemistry/Physics for sociology/theater/ceramics etc. It's fine to have one of those classes each year with heavy core classes, but taking little to no core classes your senior year and a lot of fun electives sends up a red flag. My DS has taken the highest math/science/history classes available at his school -- doubling up each of the last 3 years in these subjects. Good thing he's a senior because there aren't any core classes left to take. This year he is also a teacher/lab assistant for his Chemistry teacher -- something "I" think of as fluff, but ties in with his strong science background and potential major.

You're definitely on the right track. Keep up the good work and the grades and you'll find many doors opening for you.
 
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