Chances for USMA?

- C's are not going to hurt you. D's and F's will.
- You shouldn't go to WP if you don't really want to go. You need to really want to be there when you start hitting the bumps in the road at WP, and there will be bumps.
- Wheaton is no slack school. It is selective, highly academic and well respected. Their ROTC program is excellent.
- There is nothing wrong with preferring the college experience over a military school environment.
- As wonderful as Wheaton is, WP has the 'wow' factor.
- If you do not get the appointment to WP and go to Wheaton and then decide you might prefer WP after all, you can re-apply. College students with good grades can get extra WCS points not available to high school students. Gives you a leg up.
- If you get the appointment and decline and then decide once you are at Wheaton that that was a mistake, it will be harder to get in WP. They are more critical of someone who has declined an appointment.
- WP grads are guaranteed active duty. ROTC grads are not. You have to be above the cut line, competing with all ROTC cadets across the country to get active duty.
- Wheaton has MUCH better food than WP - haha. I've eaten in their cafeteria several times and it is really good.

- This needs to be YOUR decision, NOT your parents. It is your life. Follow your heart.
 
rayrotc said:
I have been telling them that but since my brother is at the Naval Academy, they expect me to take the "more prestigious" offer if i were to get in
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West Point is only more prestigious to Korean parents and Koreans living in Korea. US Army has the biggest presence in Korea. And Koreans love Gen McArthur. In America, USNA is the popular brand to many Americans and to wider American high school candidates. You can tell by looking at the applicants applying to Annapolis 16,000+ vs. West Point 12,000+. USNA is also the most academically rigorous program among the SAs because it demands more STEM than others to graduate, even if you want to Major in English. So it’s not for all especially if you don’t like STEM, you can be miserable. I have been bias towards West Point due to my closer association with WPS. Nevertheless, my DS decided on Annapolis. How you should decide on colleges shouldn’t be what your parents or people think of the brand, instead it should be what you think is a better fit to you! You should visit each schools you apply to to be better informed. To some, ROTC is a better option. Many will thrive in ROTC. You will also have more time to yourself including study time. It’s an investment for a life time. Choose wisely.
 
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CrewDad said:
West Point is only more prestigious to Korean parents and Koreans living in Korea. US Army has the biggest presence in Korea. And Koreans love Gen McArthur. In America, USNA is the popular brand to many Americans and to wider American high school candidates. You can tell by looking at the applicants applying to Annapolis 16,000+ vs. West Point 12,000+. USNA is also the most academically rigorous program among the SAs because it demands more STEM than others to graduate, even if you want to Major in English. So it’s not for all especially if you don’t like STEM, you can be miserable. I have been bias towards West Point due to my closer association with WPS. Nevertheless, my DS decided on Annapolis. How you should decide on colleges shouldn’t be what your parents or people think of the brand, instead it should be what you think is a better fit to you! You should visit each schools you apply to to be better informed. To some, ROTC is a better option. Many will thrive in ROTC. You will also have more time to yourself including study time. It’s an investment for a life time. Choose wisely.
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Well, I am Korean haha
 
buff81 said:
- C's are not going to hurt you. D's and F's will.
- You shouldn't go to WP if you don't really want to go. You need to really want to be there when you start hitting the bumps in the road at WP, and there will be bumps.
- Wheaton is no slack school. It is selective, highly academic and well respected. Their ROTC program is excellent.
- There is nothing wrong with preferring the college experience over a military school environment.
- As wonderful as Wheaton is, WP has the 'wow' factor.
- If you do not get the appointment to WP and go to Wheaton and then decide you might prefer WP after all, you can re-apply. College students with good grades can get extra WCS points not available to high school students. Gives you a leg up.
- If you get the appointment and decline and then decide once you are at Wheaton that that was a mistake, it will be harder to get in WP. They are more critical of someone who has declined an appointment.
- WP grads are guaranteed active duty. ROTC grads are not. You have to be above the cut line, competing with all ROTC cadets across the country to get active duty.
- Wheaton has MUCH better food than WP - haha. I've eaten in their cafeteria several times and it is really good.

- This needs to be YOUR decision, NOT your parents. It is your life. Follow your heart.
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Thank you!
 
Love4monsters said:
What are the requirements for USNA?
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Looks like you’re new in these parts. Welcome. Please go onto the USNA website and read every page, tab, link and pulldown. Also look at the excellent stickies for USNA in this forum. That’s the best way to get your bearings on the basics.
 
There is obviously a faith component to your life and that of your family, rayrotc. Sometimes parents (myself included) blur the line between aiming for "excellence" (an important goal) and "prestigious" (focused on impressing others). If my DS told me he wanted to attend Wheaton because it would allow him to grow and be more grounded in his faith, I'd be thrilled. Maybe have an honest discussion with your parents about your values and where you feel led, and they might get behind you when they see it from another perspective.
 
MidCakePa said:
Looks like you’re new in these parts. Welcome. Please go onto the USNA website and read every page, tab, link and pulldown. Also look at the excellent stickies for USNA in this forum. That’s the best way to get your bearings on the basics.
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Totally not new. Have a 2021 USMA son and a current 2023 appointee to USMA who has not heard from USAFA or USNA. He has both a 4 year AROTC and NROTC. I have never heard of USNA being a heavier STEM school and asked in a previous post how USNA was heavier than USMA on STEM.
 
My apologies, @Love4monsters. Thought I saw “new member” next to your post. I just dished the usual advice for when I see a “basic” question.

That said, USNA does indeed put greater emphasis on STEM than USMA. Start by comparing their core curriculums. Not a diss on USMA, just a fact.
 
Ray I suspect you could discretely drop a line to the powers at USMA and your worries with appointment would be over .

Consider, there is a guy out there that would give his left nut to go to USMA. Why take his spot to then quit at some point?
 
No worries. I found the core USNA curriculum to compare to USMA. Both my boys are STEM majors with the 2021 being a double major. It surprised me to hear USNA was more rigorous in regards to STEM but I am basing it on my son's coursework. I do know the addition of the minus and plus system grading at USMA makes it much more competitive for rank etc.
 
@rayrotc An academy education is not for everyone. My son started a USNA application but never finished it because he wanted a "normal" college experience as well. I also agree with everyone who told you it's your life. I would add, and they didn't, that if you want to insist on Wheaton against Mom and Dad's wishes you need to be able to pick up the tab if necessary. Freedom isn't free. In this case it requires money. Of course, you could sit down with Mom and Dad and reason why an academy is not the right fit for you and why Wheaton is. You might need to do that several times. Perhaps you'll get lucky and an appointment won't come. First time I've ever said that on these forums, but like I said it's not for everybody.
 
kinnem said:
@rayrotc An academy education is not for everyone. My son started a USNA application but never finished it because he wanted a "normal" college experience as well. I also agree with everyone who told you it's your life. I would add, and they didn't, that if you want to insist on Wheaton against Mom and Dad's wishes you need to be able to pick up the tab if necessary. Freedom isn't free. In this case it requires money. Of course, you could sit down with Mom and Dad and reason why an academy is not the right fit for you and why Wheaton is. You might need to do that several times. Perhaps you'll get lucky and an appointment won't come. First time I've ever said that on these forums, but like I said it's not for everybody.
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My parents only want me going to Wheaton ROTC if I don't get in. And I will definitely be sure to have those talks
 
Love4monsters said:
No worries. I found the core USNA curriculum to compare to USMA. Both my boys are STEM majors with the 2021 being a double major. It surprised me to hear USNA was more rigorous in regards to STEM but I am basing it on my son's coursework. I do know the addition of the minus and plus system grading at USMA makes it much more competitive for rank etc.
Click to expand...

Think of STEM between the two SA like football.

Overall it’s really close.

But Navy holds the lead, 60–52–7.

:p
 
Love4monsters said:
MidCakePa said:
Looks like you’re new in these parts. Welcome. Please go onto the USNA website and read every page, tab, link and pulldown. Also look at the excellent stickies for USNA in this forum. That’s the best way to get your bearings on the basics.
Click to expand...

Totally not new. Have a 2021 USMA son and a current 2023 appointee to USMA who has not heard from USAFA or USNA. He has both a 4 year AROTC and NROTC. I have never heard of USNA being a heavier STEM school and asked in a previous post how USNA was heavier than USMA on STEM.
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This is a good question. Initial impression for many including I for a long time was that all SAs have similar core requirements in STEM, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Languages. In fact, core requirements are different and indeed USNA has more STEM requirement. You can see for yourself if you visit each SA's core requirement site and offering for the class of 2022 which is the most recent. Each SAs announce changes every 5-10 years to keep up with the needs of the service and to adjust to help cadets/mids to graduate from their programs. Air Force requires Bio and Aerospace or Astrospace in addition to 3 smesters of math and other STEM and Humanities/Social Science cores. Navy requires Aerospace or Nautical/Naval Engineering and Electrical Engineering in 2/C and 1/C. Navy does not require language for STEM majors. Navy dropped Economics and changed to Quantitative Economics that requires more applied Math. Navy requires 2 semesters of Cyber (1 in 4/C, 1 in 2/C). I believe USMA requires 1 semester of Comp Sci in 4/C or 3/C. USNA requires 4 semesters of math, Calculus and above. USAFA requires 3, USMA requires 1 although many take 2. USMA recently changed core requirement in STEM. All non STEM majors are required to take 1 semester of Cal, Chem, and Physics. STEM majors are required to take 2 semesters each. Same thing at USCGA, it dropped STEM requirement for non STEM majors. USNA has core requirements from 4/C-1/C regardless of majors. At USNA about 90 credits out of 140 are STEM related to graduate regardless of majors. USMA has less, perhaps <60. At USMA, you're pretty much done with STEM requirements if you are a non STEM major at 3/C. At USNA, you are still completing STEM core at 1/C. It all makes sense and it serves the needs of each services. Similar but much less requirements for NROTC/AFROTC candidates. AROTC does not require any STEM classes.
 
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I suggest you take the ROTC scholarship to Wheaton and make yourself happy.

My honest opinion.

Your grades are low. Most of the children I know that have gotten in have no "C's". Most have GPA's of 4.0 or greater unweighted.
Your ACT is low. Most of the children I know have ACT super scores of 30 or higher.
Your PT scores are low. Many of the young people at the Academy will get a 300 on the PT test. They will also do it with perfect form.
Your varsity sport participation is weak. Yes you have a black belt in Tae Kwon do but it appears you have no varsity letters in any team sports. Most of the Cadets are captains of varsity sports with multiple letters in different sports like wrestling, baseball and cross country.
Additional community involvement is weak. Many of the Cadets are Eagle Scouts, Boys State participants, American Legion Oratorical National or State contest winners, etc, etc.

However, it appears that you are Chinese and that will help you as the Academy seeks diversity.

With all that said, you want to go to Wheaton. It is your decision. You will not be successful at the Academy if you are not 100% committed and this is what you want.

One final thought, I was just told that approximately 200 Yucks were just put on academic probation or asked to leave the Academy. Seems they have
academic problems. They are calling it the "Saturday night Massacre". If you are not academically ready for very difficult classes make other arrangements. This is especially true if you are weak in math and science.
 
Assuming a 4.0 scale, it’s not possible to have an unweighted average above 4.0.
 
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