My Reapplication to USNA

rjgetler

New Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Messages
7
Hello everyone.

About a month ago, I received a TWE letter of denial to USNA after receiving my congressional nomination, but I really want to attend this incredible institution, so I have regrouped and have come up with a plan, and I just wanted to see what the Service Academy Forums community think.
I HAVE READ THE "Reapplying to USNA (after a turndown)" AND "Previous Candidates & College Candidates" ARTICLES.

____________________________________________________________________
  • College Attending
    • Either
      • Virginia Military Institute (Computer Science)
      • University of Louisville (Computer Science)
    • Planned College Courses
      • Calculus
      • Chemistry OR Physics (Should I try for both or just one?)
      • English
      • History
    • NROTC - Marine Option Scholarship
  • Education
    • ACT
      • Composite = 31
      • Math = 31
      • English = 35
      • RETAKING IN APRIL, 2019
    • High School GPA
      • 3.89
  • BGO
    • I will respectfully request for new BGO to provide USNA a new perspective on me.
    • I will request for my BGO to hold my interview in December to allow for him/her to comment on my college experience.
  • Extra Curricular Activities
    • KY Boys State - 2019 Staff Member
    • Crossfit Gym
    • Veteran Support Charity with American Legion
    • High School Cyber Security Education Fundraiser
    • If I attend VMI:
      • Either:
        • Combat Shooting Team
        • Ranger Challenge Team
        • Soaring Team
    • DOES USNA STILL WANT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?
    • SHOULD I LOOK FOR MORE COLLEGE ACTIVITIES, OR IS THIS AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT TO BE COMPETITIVE?
  • CFA
    • Was injured throughout 2018, so did not have a very good CFA.
    • New plan:
      • CrossFit Gym
      • Running
  • Certifications
    • I am currently self-studying for some real-world certifications before I begin college next year.
    • Computer Science
      • CompTIA "IT Fundamentals"
      • CompTIA "A+"
      • Python Computer Language - PCEP (Basic-Level Certification)
    • ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR CERTIFICATIONS OF ANY KIND???
  • Foreign Language
    • I am attending classes for ARABIC now and throughout the summer.
    • Will USNA request a certificate of completion of some kind?
  • Essay
    • I have written a draft for a new essay over the past month if someone is willing to look at it. If not, I completely understand.
    • THIS IS AN ENTIRELY NEW ESSAY. LITTLE TO NO RESEMBLANCE TO THE ORIGINAL.
  • Letter of Assurance
    • Can a college applicant receive an LOA? If so, how?
    • Could submitting a stellar CFA over the summer help?
If anyone were to offer their advice and opinion for my plan, it would be greatly appreciated!
Thank You!
 
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Letter of Assurance
  • Can a college applicant receive an LOA? If so, how?
  • Could submitting a stellar CFA over the summer help?

Great attitude and approach. First, no one really knows what triggers an LOA, and what doesn't. However, I don't think that a perfect CFA is going to get you an LOA. The most important part of your application is going to be a strong showing in STEM courses your first semester of college, and Admissions won't see that until next January, at which point the LOA is kind of a moot point. For that reason alone (and I am sure someone will pipe up saying they know someone that got an LOA as a college reapplicant), I would expect that LOA's are very rare for reapplicants.

The one additional suggestion I would have is talk with your BGO, and perhaps call Admissions (after this Admissions cycle ends !) and ask them if they can give you any feedback and suggestions about what could make your application stronger next year.

Good luck.
 
LOAs are the exception and for reapplicants they are very rare. Don’t count on it. You have mapped out a great plan. I would recommend you dust off the essay a few months into college. I think you will gain some insight about yourself and life as you progress through the semester. Best thing you can do is knock your academics out of the park. Good luck.
 
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LOAs are the exception and for reapplicants they are very rare. Don’t count on it. You have mapped out a great plan. I would recommend you dust off the essay a few months into college. I think you will gain some insight about yourself and life as you progress through the semester. Best thing you can do is knock your academics out of the park. Good luck.

Should I make the new essay about how I have matured or just follow the essay prompts?
Should I directly mention my denial to USNA?
 
Letter of Assurance
  • Can a college applicant receive an LOA? If so, how?
  • Could submitting a stellar CFA over the summer help?

Great attitude and approach. First, no one really knows what triggers an LOA, and what doesn't. However, I don't think that a perfect CFA is going to get you an LOA. The most important part of your application is going to be a strong showing in STEM courses your first semester of college, and Admissions won't see that until next January, at which point the LOA is kind of a moot point. For that reason alone (and I am sure someone will pipe up saying they know someone that got an LOA as a college reapplicant), I would expect that LOA's are very rare for reapplicants.

The one additional suggestion I would have is talk with your BGO, and perhaps call Admissions (after this Admissions cycle ends !) and ask them if they can give you any feedback and suggestions about what could make your application stronger next year.

Good luck.
Much appreciated.
 
Follow the essay prompts. Don’t have to have your essays solved today. Brush them off as you progress over the next few months. You will look back and realize how much growth you go through as you head off to college and adult.
 
For the Certifications part of your application, I attend a high school vocational school and earned the A+ through self-study, I would highly recommend focusing upon the Trifecta for any IT, Comp Sci, or Cybersecurity major which is A+, Network+, and Security+. Honestly, IT Fundamentals doesn't have much weight to it since it is quite basic and easy to obtain with translates to no real-world application so put your time into A+, I recommend Professor Messer Highly to learn the information and I used certmaster (which is quite expensive) to retain the information, so whatever is best for you! Knock out A+ then Network+ and Security+ will be a cakewalk once you develop the study habits!
 
Your resume shows very little leadership in my opinion. Adding self paced computer certifications will have little tangible impact on your application. You need to follow up with admissions after this cycle and let them tell you where you need to improve.
 
1) Your essay should follow the prompts, but it should not be a “copy and paste” of this past year’s...USNA does want to see how you (and your writing) have matured but within the constraints of the prompts.

2) I agree with USMA1994 with increasing your leadership abilities/skills...it is hard in college, especially as a freshman, to have a sole leadership job (i.e. team captain)...however, you might be able to use your interest in compsci and cyber to get involved in certain activities or exercises, where you might be leading a specific function. Certification are good...but the folks sitting in admissions and on the admissions board probably have little to no clue what these certifications are. Why should USNA admissions care? How does it help the Navy? You will need to explain this...essay prompt or BGO interview might be good places.

3) With an increased emphasis on cyber (especially after the recent SECNAV cyber report), you might want to look at the IW communities (Cryptologic warfare and Information professional) for possible service selection — if that is your desire — and tie what you are doing into how you might be able to help the Navy through this path.

Edit: also agree with all of the above re: calling admissions after the cycle is over to see how you can improve your application.

Good luck!
 
My understanding is that college reapplicants will not be considered until their first semester grades are in (i.e., so not before January). My DS was a college reapplicant, and waited until semester break to write his essays so he could included perspective from being away at college and in NROTC for a semester. He received an LOA the first week of February, right after applications closed.

One thing is to be sure that you run through the finish line in HS. DS jumped significantly in HS class rank as others succumbed to senior-itis and let grades slip. He did include HS activities on application (he had no college activities from the fall other than NROTC).

Best of luck! It certainly takes a special determination to go through it all again.
 
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