About next year...

Classof2018

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
54
Hello all,

Like many of you I have received the dreaded TWE, but plan to reapply next year from college! I had a few questions and just needed some confirmation on a few things that I have read in the sticky thread above or other places. Apologies in advance if these questions have been answered before.

I have read/heard that the college itself you attend does not really matter as long as you take and excel in the recommended plebe courses. How true is this? Will my chances be a bit improved if I go to a more technically oriented school rather than some liberal arts college?

How big would walking onto a D3 Lacrosse team (or any team really, club or otherwise) look?

Also, I have read that it is wise do to something productive over summer. How much does admissions look at these activities? I am stuck on whether to get a job or do some serious volunteer work, (with venture scouts thrown in on the side, possibly.)

And lastly, will college re applicants have the chance to attend a CVW?

Thanks all, and good luck!
 
I reapplied this year and received a BFE. I'm not sure exactly on your first two questions but I can answer the other ones.

If I were you I would try to (if possible) work as well as volunteer. The summer between high school and college I worked thirty hours a week as well has helping out at my local library 2 or 3 days a week.

And, yes college candidates can get CVW. I was not accepted into NASS nor did I get a CVW my first time applying, but this time I did receive CVW; it was very insightful.

Also, I attended a smaller state college in Florida just for reference.
 
DS is a Plebe and a few of his friends had a year of college. I think the most important thing is to take classes similar to Plebe classes and do well. Secondly stay in shape. Four year school carries more weight than Junior College if you have a choice and it seems to me that a more technical school might be better too. Sports and community service are great if you have the time. Lastly, be prepared to stay at your four year school because you may love it and stay, or you may not get in to USNA the second time (although I hope you do).

bandad
 
Hello all,

Like many of you I have received the dreaded TWE, but plan to reapply next year from college! I had a few questions and just needed some confirmation on a few things that I have read in the sticky thread above or other places. Apologies in advance if these questions have been answered before.

I have read/heard that the college itself you attend does not really matter as long as you take and excel in the recommended plebe courses. How true is this? Will my chances be a bit improved if I go to a more technically oriented school rather than some liberal arts college?

How big would walking onto a D3 Lacrosse team (or any team really, club or otherwise) look?

Also, I have read that it is wise do to something productive over summer. How much does admissions look at these activities? I am stuck on whether to get a job or do some serious volunteer work, (with venture scouts thrown in on the side, possibly.)

And lastly, will college re applicants have the chance to attend a CVW?

Thanks all, and good luck!

Just my opinion, but it seems to me getting a paying job to help defray the expense of college would be considered productive as would volunteer work. SOme of both would be admirable. Sitting on your butt and playing video games because you couldn't find a job would not be considered productive.
 
Advice about re-applying from USNA Admissions:
-Make every effort to attend a 4 year accredited college with a strong reputation in a technical curriculum. If financial concerns are a problem, it may be understandable -- but you need to communicate that to your BGO.
-15 credit hours (minimum) preferred. Strive for As/Bs in Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, English, and some liberal arts courses (Govt, History, etc). If college dictates first year curriculum -- communicate that to your BGO.
-Major is not required to be a STEM focus, BUT candidates still need to take STEM courses (see above).
-DO NOT take the summer off -- work, college summer courses, etc.
-SAT/ACT retake is advisable if under 1300 (650V/650M), best to take it early on in the semester before course load picks up.
-Teacher Recs can be from senior year in high school OR college (wait until midterm before professor submits, otherwise it may be little value to Admissions Board).
-College Activity is important (Student Govt, RA, work, NROTC/Semper Fi Society, club/varsity sports).
 
After missing out on the final cut last April, my son reapplied this year as a first year college applicant and received his appointment to the USNA c/o 2018. Here is a highlight of what he did to improve his already competitive profile:

* His combined SAT was a bit under 1300. He studied and retook the exam in June and raised his score by 100 points.
* He aced all of his final senior year second semester classes, raising his final rank in the class. (Lots of classmates slacked in the final semester!)
* He worked two summer jobs.
* He enrolled in the honors engineering department at a large state university.
* He was accepted into the school's NROTC unit as a College Applicant.
* He played intramural soccer in two seasons (fall/winter), captaining the team in the second season.
* He put a great deal of effort into his NROTC commitment which resulted in a high rating by his commanding officers -- and, ultimately, an ROTC Nomination to the Academy.
* He took Calculus, Chemistry, English Comp, Naval Science, and a required Honors course in his first college semester and earned A's in all courses.

In a nutshell, he left almost no stone unturned. I was very proud that he didn't just reapply ... he did everything in his power to prove to the USNA Admissions Board that he was an ideal candidate, with the drive, desire, and ability to succeed in the USNA and as an officer in the US Navy.

Do you have to follow this same course when reapplying? ... No. But, I think what you should take away from my son's experience is that, if you are serious about wanting to attend the USNA and serve our country as an officer in the US Navy, you need to do whatever you can think of to improve your standing with the admissions board. Everything counts.

One more thing ... Don't forget about your congressman's academy nominations coordinator. You will still need a new nomination next year to even get into contention. Work with the coordinator to make sure he/she knows of your intention to reapply and keep in touch with them through the nomination process. They can help you put your best foot forward with regard to the congressman's academy nominations board.

Good Luck!
 
With regard to the CVW ... One was offered to my son in the fall. He called his USNA Admissions advisor and explained that leaving school for 3 days in his first few months of college would be difficult, given his desire to keep up with all of his classes. He asked to have the visit moved to winter and they allowed him to visit in late January. (That was the heart of the Dark Ages -- from the stories my son provided after his visit, the term is very accurate. Many of the plebes he encountered seemed beaten down and just very much wanted plebe year to be done and over.)

Also ... The regional director for USNA admissions assigned a new Blue & Gold officer to my son. The interview was completed in the summer, before heading off to college. I think the new B&G officer was a really good move. It gives the academy another opportunity to hear an assessment of the candidate from another one of 'their own' trusted sources.
 
3rdGen makes an excellent point --

It's not enough simply to reapply and hope for a different result. If you received the TWE, Admissions believed (and theirs is the only view that counts) that you were not as competitive as candidates who were offered appointments. The way to change that perception is to make your record even stronger. Put differently, if your record next year looks more or less like it did this year, the outcome is unlikely to change.

You have nearly 11 months before USNA will again review your record as a college applicant. If reapplying is your strong desire, consider how you can use each and every one of those months to improve your package. Make a plan and then execute on it.
 
USNA1985

If our current BGO inquires as to the reasons for not being offered an appointment, will he receive more detail that if we inquire? Also, will the information become available after April 15, or would it be available now?
 
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