DS, a high school junior, took the SAT for the first time December 5th. We got his scores today. His scores were shockingly low. He took a prep course, many practice SAT tests and worked hard. But, despite all that, his score is so low, that he is not a realistic candidate for admission to many 4 year colleges, much less for a ROTC scholarship. What is so hard to understand is that he gets mostly A's a couple of B's and is taking several AP courses. His weighted high school GPA is well over 4.0. So it is difficult to understand why he is having such a tough time with the SAT's. He is signed up to take a crack at the ACT's in February.
Of course, he can take the SAT's again, even more than once more, but only a certain amount of improvement is possible. Fortunately, DS is athletic and has good extra-curricular, community service and leadership.
Based on his present SAT score, he best shot at college, for now, is for the NROTC Prep Scholarship. (He is unwilling to go to community college.) He has shown interest in several schools that offer the Prep Scholarship. We will apply and see what happens. However, his is also re-considering his previous plan to go straight to college. Enlistment after high school is now something he wants to seriously consider. ASVAB prep. will commence soon.
DS has a strong desire to serve his country and has been showing great interest in the Coast Guard since his NJOTC class visited and toured the local Coast Guard Station last year. He knows the local Coast Guard recruiter by name. DS's ultimate, long-term goal has always been Federal law enforcement. I think the Coast Guard would be a "win-win" for DS and for the USCG and can lead him in the direction he wants to go. My only hope is that if he enlists, he will still find a way to obtain at least a bachelor's degree in the future.