I did poorly in High School, and my sat's weren't so great, but I took the hardest courses offered at my school. Now I'm a freshman at Norwich, and I maintained a 3.9 gpa as an accounting major for the first semester. Do I still have a chance for the Academy? Also how competitive are you as an applicant if you come from a senior military college like VMI, The Citadel, Norwich? I appreciate any help.
The question is what courses you're taking at Norwich. If you've taken Calc, Chem, English, History, and other math/science courses and have a 3.9, you will be in good shape. If you haven't taken the above courses (esp the Calc and Chem), not sure how much it will help. USNA wants to see candidates in post-h.s. programs take the plebe courseload to the greatest extent possible. Candidates from post-h.s., programs are viewed favorably because they have additional maturity, experience, etc. That said, I don't know anyone who came from Citadel or VMI. TYPICALLY (and there are exceptions!!) people attend one of those schools for the tradition and/or because the academic requirements aren't as stringent as the traditional SAs. How competitive you are depends on your courses, grades, activities, sports and leadership -- not unlike a h.s. student. You just have another year in which to excel.
I know of several guys who went into VMI saying that they were going to apply and go to an SA after Rat year- but even though I know of at least 2 who subsequently got appointments to USMA- I don't know anyone who then transferred out. I believe that it was primarily because once they had gone thru Rat year- they felt like they had way too much invested into VMI mentally; had one year toward exactly the same commission they would get from an SA and had made too many ties to their class and to VMI to go back and do another 4th class year followed by 3 more years of school while their classmates from VMI were already serving as a 2LT.
I thank you Bruno for lending your seasoned voice! Having a son's plan be either usna or VMI it is dissconcerting to read unflattering references to his selections.
Larry 2013: Well - I certainly wouldn't disparage either of those options. Truthfully as a BGO said on a different thread, it's not all that common for a candidate to reapply the following year and actually go all the way to an SA once they have become fully immersed in ROTC at another college. At VMI that is even more the case I think - you put so much into the Rat year physically and emotionally and have bonded so tightly with your "Brother Rats" that your reasons for staying far outweigh your original plan. Good luck to your son in whatever school he chooses to attend.
