Overqualified canidates

S

Serve.USA

5-Year Member
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Jul 6, 2014
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Anybody out there have above average in all the categories (ACT/SAT, leadership, fitness, academics, sports, community service) and still not get into USCGA? I am curious to hear any anecdotes about your lack of appointment when you were, in fact, confident of getting an appointment.

If so, why do you think you did not get in?
 
Serve.USA said:
Anybody out there have above average in all the categories (ACT/SAT, leadership, fitness, academics, sports, community service) and still not get into USCGA? I am curious to hear any anecdotes about your lack of appointment when you were, in fact, confident of getting an appointment.

If so, why do you think you did not get in?
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I'm curious as to why you're asking? Did you or someone you know receive disappointing news?

I would think it would be easy to identify "above average" in all the numerical categories - ACT/SAT, GPA, results on PFE - but I don't think there's any way for us not on the admissions committee to determine if a candidate is above average in other areas, especially leadership and community service.

I wish you the best. The wait is hard on everyone.
 
I think it would be hard for anyone to say they are overqualified. Overqualified by whose standards? My DS has a strong application, in my opinion, but to say that he is overqualified would be a bit much. Overqualified by definition means "having qualifications that exceed the job requirement". I don't think anyone applying will have excessive leadership qualities, especially at the age of the majority that are applying. Or community service that is way over the top. My DS has over 450 hours of community service under his belt. I have no idea how that matches with others but he can always have more and do more. The essays I think will set people apart. If you think that you are overqualified and when you write the essay and they read between the lines and sense that is what you think, that could be the down fall. That could be why someone did not get in who assumes they are all that and a bag of chips. Just my two cents.
 
I really am not trying to portray myself as overqualified, but I do feel I have a decent chance.

Yes- I have know a few other people who have been stellar candidates, with seemingly above average credentials who have not gotten in. So that is what worries me. One of these was a close friend of mine, and it was for the Naval Academy, but I still feel that there are things to be learned by those who were unsuccessful in getting in, while still appearing to be a very qualified candidate.
 
LineInTheSand said:
I'm guessing folks who think they're overqualified (vs. just qualified) aren't entirely realistic with themselves.
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When I said overqualified I meant well above average. Someone who is the track star valedictorian with 2300+ SAT who is also class president seems overqualified, to me at least, now I realize that may have been the wrong word to use.
 
Overqualified doesn't exist. They are looking for well rounded candidates who are physically, academically and morally ready to tackle a 4 year program to produce a USCGA officer. Could your scores be above the class averages for previous years? Yes, but that doesn't make you overqualified. But, they are averages, some above and some below. There are more folks like yours at SAs than you think. USCGA is a different beast as geography doesn't play into things like Noms do at other SAs.
 
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IMO...When they say WCS it is not just for the canididate it's also for the institution. How does the WCS of the individual work for the institutions needs at this time. You have approx 300 slots, can the 300 be crossed utilized for more than a filling in the space? Let's not forget the selections will need to include diversity which isn't just about ethnicity.
 
Serve.USA said:
I really am not trying to portray myself as overqualified, but I do feel I have a decent chance.

Yes- I have know a few other people who have been stellar candidates, with seemingly above average credentials who have not gotten in. So that is what worries me. One of these was a close friend of mine, and it was for the Naval Academy, but I still feel that there are things to be learned by those who were unsuccessful in getting in, while still appearing to be a very qualified candidate.
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Clearly more apply than can be accepted. Keep in mind this is a competition. Some folks are more stellar than others.
 
I believe all of the SA's look at far more then test scores and grades. Other factors such as teacher recommendations, leadership, etc. play a role so you really can't assume where you stand relative to your competition. All of these programs have more applicants then available spots, so you just never know how you compare to those applying in a given year.
 
Just like any highly selective college there will be many well qualified candidates that get TWEs. Just because your class rank, gpa and test scores are above average does not guarantee admissions. At some point they will need to split hairs between who get in and who does not.
 
@Serve.USA just a friendly reminder to avoid antagonizing people on here without knowing all the situations. I dare to say that almost all candidates for SAs do things for themselves, so you're not the only one. And many of these parents are trying to understand and learn more for themselves, not always their children. Parents want our dreams to come true, and they want to know more - so it's not always asking for their kids.

Just don't want you to get banned or face problems down the road - true anonymity is extremely difficult these days.
 
Having sat on an admissions board for a local educational institution for a number of years, I suggest caution trying to discern the sausage factory. That said, decisions are rational to the AOs, though not necessarily to the outside observer. Case in point - my DD's friend/classmate two years ago had:
- 800/800 SAT
- 4.5/4.5 GPA
- Valedictorian
- Varsity Letter in 2 sports for 3 years; Team Captain 2 years on one
- Lead in annual school play
- 1,000+ service hours
Not admitted to USMA; now attending a very prominent West Coast school. Ironically, a classmate from the year earlier was admitted to USNA with much weaker credentials. No apparent reason - AOs are obviously looking for future officers, not just impressive resumes, and likely follow positive/negative gut reactions that might ding an "overqualified" candidate or admit a seemingly "underqualified" one.
 
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I'll let others henpeck you about post #14. There's a learning curve for everything.

To your question "anyone above average in all the categories (ACT/SAT, leadership, fitness, academics, sports, community service) and still not get into USCGA?", I would refer you to the following post from this forum:
Objee said:
Early Action statistics have been approved for release...we're looking forward to bringing in another great class!
713 Applicants
196 Appointments

Of the 196 appointees to the Class of 2020...
53% AIM Graduates
Average SAT Scores: 678 CR 682 M 627 W (includes converted ACT scores)
Average HS Rank: 12% (includes reported and calculated HSR's)
Average GPA: 3.84 (all reported GPA's are converted to a 4.00 scale)
Average PFE Score: 230
45 U.S. states are represented plus U.S. citizens living in Belgium, Italy, Kuwait, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
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I think what is particularly telling about those statistics is the last line about 45 states and other countries. There was a determined effort to spread it around nationally, which could easily explain why someone who might exceed all those statistics would not get an appointment... there was a stronger candidate in their state already selected. Plus, early action takes up the majority of appointments. So qualified or not, you might have missed the window.
 
I am not the moderator for this forum, but no need to get personal. Keep it in check everyone. Serve, as a life lesson, there are folks who work within USCGA admissions on this site. Regardless of your personal feelings and if the comment was out of line, your future is in admissions hands right now. Posting comments like that on any social media forum could jeopardize some great things in your future.
 
Go back and read posts from the March - May season of prior years and every year you will find "highly qualified" candidates that receive the dreaded TWE. The fact is that you don't have access to the candidate's complete file. While someone may post stats that seem "highly qualified", you simply don't know what else may be contained in that file. Could it be that one of the recommenders wrote a less than flowery recommendation? Could it be there was something in their file that just didn't seem right to the review board? Or, maybe it was simply there were "other more qualified candidates" selected. Or maybe one person was chosen over another because the academy needed that persons particular skill or talent? (sports or musical instrument).

The fact is you just never know, and probably never will know. Each year, there are many qualified candidates that simply do not receive appointments to an academy. And also why one academy choses a person while another academy turned them down. Yes, it is heartbreaking for many, but not the end of the road. Many go on to compete again next year, and some make it the second or even third time around.

Simply, if a person is qualified to get into a service academy, but doesn't, then I'd say it's pretty safe to assume they have the skills and talent to succeed in whatever alternate plans they have.

Good luck to all those still waiting. Still plenty of appointments yet to be given.
 
The thing is that it's hard to be "overqualified"...you may just not be involved. Any university does not particularly enjoy accepting a student who just isn't going to go to their school - it's a waste. Yes, applying to a service academy is a bit well-and- beyond what a casual college application requires, but if you are not showing demonstrated interest such as getting in touch with your AO, requesting an interview, and trying to go on visits, it does not show the academy (or any school) that you are actually going to accept an acceptance. Therefore, it's really a matter of whether or not you check all their boxes - leadership, good academics, initiative, morality, etc. - that they will accept you. You can have perfect grades, test scores and PFE, but that does not mean you will be a good cadet.
 
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