Advice for a Transfer from a Community College

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Klaf22

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To all of the Navy faithful:

I started this forum because I have a relatively unique situation. Before I start, let me say I know I am worthy of Navy but as I said, I am in a predicament and would like to what my next move should be. I attended a prestigious high school, Chaminade High School, that is very well known with strong connections and a rigorous liberal arts curriculum. My dream of attending USNA began in my senior year of high school. Sadly, I coasted through high school and left there with an 88 average. Had I always had the dream of the Naval Academy I surely would have tried harder and could have easily been in the top 10% of my class. Keep in mind it is not in any sense a normal high school. My SAT was a 1250, and I took it once after a prep class. 650 math and 600 reading. Anyway let us fast forward to present day. During the summer going into my senior year of high school, my varsity football coach pulled me aside, knowing I have a small history in football and have gifted athleticism and physical attributes, he asked me to try out as a wide receiver. Long story short, I attended all OTA's, was expected to get a lot of playing time that year before tryouts, and the first day of actual tryouts I was blindsided and received a concussion. I did not make the team as I could not play but my coach told me I need to play college football and thoroughly believed I could. But since I had no tape of me playing, he put me in touch with a close friend of his who is the head coach of the Nassau Community college football team. It is a D1 JUCO football team and actually plays Navy prep and Army prep on a yearly basis and beats them as well. I became a prospect there, and signed an NLI to play there as well. Fast forward to 2 months ago and I no longer wanted to play football there and resumed my dream of attending USNA. So here I am now, my question is, what do I do increase my chances of receiving an appointment? I know the application process but the Navy reps are going to see that I am from a community college and throw my application in the garbage. I can use any advice and would be much appreciated. As always, G0 Navy and Beat Army!
 
Take a look at the sticky at the top of the USNA forum for reapplicants. Although you aren’t a reapplicant, a lot of the advice on what classes you should be taking pertains to you. Contact your BGO. They will also help provide guidance on how to round out your application in this situation.
 
Also would NOT use your real name or other specific personally identifiable information on any online forum. A mod can assist you in changing your screen name.
 
time2 said:
Also would NOT use your real name or other specific personally identifiable information on any online forum. A mod can assist you in changing your screen name.
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Roger that. Appreciate the advice
 
NavyHoops said:
Take a look at the sticky at the top of the USNA forum for reapplicants. Although you aren’t a reapplicant, a lot of the advice on what classes you should be taking pertains to you. Contact your BGO. They will also help provide guidance on how to round out your application in this situation.
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I read into it. Problem is my schedule is based off majoring in accounting because that’s what I wanted to do and I’m unsure if I’ll be able to change for this semester.
 
time2 said:
Also would NOT use your real name or other specific personally identifiable information on any online forum. A mod can assist you in changing your screen name.
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Any chance you know how to change it?
 
Are you a first semester freshman?

If you want to major in accounting than you need to consider if USNA is the right place for you. USNA has great appeal, looks great on a resume and has a lovely campus. However, by attending you are committing to active duty requirement for five years after graduation. If you want to be an investment banker or a CPA than you aren't going to find those slots at the naval academy.
 
First, let me begin by saying I never heard of your high school so it can't be that well known and I certainly wouldn't lead with that.
Second, they will not put your application in the circular file.
Third, contact Tactical Nuke to change your username.
Fourth, retake the SAT or ACT.
Control what you can as you go forward and live with the rest. The stickie is there to help but it's not the be all, end all. I can't tell if you dropped football, but continuing it would have been helpful.
All you can do is apply and see where the cards fall.
 
To OP (whom, I hope, has changed his username by now): Though you don’t mention it, I’ll presume that your primary goal is to serve as a naval officer, not just attend USNA. So that being the case:

— Look into NROTC, along with USNA. Not because you can’t get into USNA (I have no idea of that) but because it’s an equally credible path to a commission. Just about every USNA candidate has NROTC as Plan B.

— You may be an Accounting major now, but that doesn’t disqualify you from anything. Just know that USNA is a STEM-heavy school with no business-type majors (the closest is Econ), so you’ll need to leave Accounting behind for at least nine years. If you go down the NROTC path, know that STEM majors are classified as Tier 1 and 2, and get the vast majority of NROTC scholarships (Accounting is Tier 3).

— As Kinnem signalled, forget all the Chaminade, Nassau, football stuff. It’s just noise at this point. Focus on your deep desire to serve (if true), how you’re now very clear about your direction (if true), and are willing to jump through hoops to secure an appointment (if true). Use college, and possibly time as a non-scholarship NROTC Mid, to show that you’ve got your act together.

— The sticky about reapplicants should be your bible at this point. Do what it says and you’ll be that much closer to your goal. About a quarter of USNA’s Class of 2022 was “indirect” — that is, college transfers, NAPS grads, and prior enlisted from the Fleet and Corps. So your path is not necessarily unusual.
 
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MidCakePa said:
Just know that USNA is a STEM-heavy school with no business-type majors (the closest is Econ), so you’ll need to leave Accounting behind for at least nine years.
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This is pretty inaccurate, there are tons of people in the history/english/etc majors at USNA.

MidCakePa said:
As Kinnem signalled, forget all the Chaminade, Nassau, football stuff. It’s just noise at this point.
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Definitely don't do this, Chaminade is the most prestigious high school on Long Island, and it's definitely an eye catcher.
 
While you can certainly major in certain humanities, everyone at USNA has to take a core curriculum that is heavy on STEM. More than 50% of your courses, even as an English major, will be STEM. Two-thirds of each class must major in a STEM discipline.
 
It's a tough road, but it can be done.

I was an accounting major when I decided to apply to the SA's. The first thing I did was change my major to mechanical engineering, even though I had only 3 years of math in high school. That summer I took calculus and chemistry at a JC to get ready and to have those grades in my file when I applied.

My accounting adviser told me "We get many switching from engineering to accounting, but in my 20 years you're the first to go from accounting to engineering." The bottom line - if you can't succeed in STEM at a civilian college, an appointment won't matter.

Might want to expand your reach beyond USNA. Other SA's are excellent too. In ROTC I found I preferred mud to salt water. Always good to have options.
 
Jmoney457 said:
This is pretty inaccurate, there are tons of people in the history/english/etc majors at USNA.
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@Jmoney457, the statement you quote is not “pretty inaccurate,” but completely accurate. There are, in fact, no business-type majors at USNA. Econ, the closest thing, is a social science. USNA grads are slated for unrestricted-line jobs, none of which is in accounting. By mandate, more than 2/3 of each USNA class must major in STEM. So while there are certainly some majoring in English, History, Arabic, Chinese and Political Science, it’s definitely a stretch to call that “tons.”

Jmoney457 said:
Definitely don't do this, Chaminade is the most prestigious high school on Long Island, and it's definitely an eye catcher.
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@Jmoney457, Chaminade’s prestige notwithstanding, the further OP gets from high school, the less relevant that experience is. Once in college, OP needs to show that he can handle college-level — actually, plebe-level — work. Too much time explaining his winding path only highlights someone whose conviction for USNA and an officer’s commission may pale in comparison to others. Nothing wrong with that per se — other talented and accomplished people lack a linear path — but OP will be competing against candidates whose pursuit of USNA and an officer’s commission has been highly focused. So far better to draw attention to his college work, college leadership and college NROTC experience.

In the end, my original post is highly encouraging of OP’s pursuit. As I mention, indirect appointments are valued by USNA. OP could join a long line of college transfers, NAPS grads and prior enlisted who bring maturity, experience and mentorship to the Brigade. Above all, I want OP to move forward with his eyes wide open (which may not have been the case with his Nassau football experience). All the best to OP.
 
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