Another thin one

wolfdad

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Feb 19, 2008
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Today I got the rejection letter from USNA. However, I plan on trying again for the class of 2013. Does anyone have any tips on courses to take my freshmen year and whether or not to do ROTC at that school. Also, I was 3 q'd with a nom. so do I have to go through the entire process again?
Thanks,
Louis
 
Louis, sorry to hear about your status. I was in the exact same position as you last year. I went to a local university, reapplied and got NAPS.

I recommend you apply to the best university that will accept you. Take classes that a plebe would normally take (Calculus, Chemistry, History, and English). If you're ready for Calc take it, if not, take the highest math class you're prepared for. Retake the ACT's or SAT's and reapply for the nominations.

Good luck with your future endeavors!
 
If I am in AP Calc BC right now should I take calc my first year anyway?
 
Louis, sorry to hear about your status. I was in the exact same position as you last year. I went to a local university, reapplied and got NAPS.

I recommend you apply to the best university that will accept you. Take classes that a plebe would normally take (Calculus, Chemistry, History, and English). If you're ready for Calc take it, if not, take the highest math class you're prepared for. Retake the ACT's or SAT's and reapply for the nominations.

Good luck with your future endeavors!

Why Chemistry? What about Physics (especially if going into Engineering)?
 
If I am in AP Calc BC right now should I take calc my first year anyway?

my highschool offers multivariate and linear algebra for ppl that take Calc BC in 11th grade. when you are in college, you can take those during your freshman yr instead of calculus, and i bet that USNA will view that very well since you'll already have college credit for calc from AP.
 
Boy, this place is just FULL of good news lately.... :frown:
 
Chemistry is taken in the first year at the SAs (unless one validates) and Physics is a second year class.

Thank you Antionette!

If I am in AP Calc BC right now should I take calc my first year anyway?

I would still recommend Calc the first year. If you're ready to move on from Calc 1 to Calc 2, go for it. The purpose of taking classes a typical plebe would take at the academy is to show the board that you're able to handle the college load. Also, don't forget to stay involved with your ECAs, show them that you can handle the college load and still be involved in activities. It's essential at the academy.
 
I would still recommend Calc the first year. If you're ready to move on from Calc 1 to Calc 2, go for it.

i think the first part of this is the wrong recommendation. if he takes Calc BC and does well on his AP test, he gets college credit for calc. if he takes it over again, he probably won't even get credit for it the second time, and the USNA will think he's taking an easy class so he can coast along. if a person gets college credit for a course, you can't make the admission counselors think you will just coast along by taking classes in subjects you've already mastered. you have to move on and take it to the next level. unless he blows his AP test, the OP has to take whatever math class comes after calc for him. but i do agree that he has to take a hard math class. i think that is what USNA admissions must be intending.
 
If one is very comfortable with Calc I, take Calc II. If you have aced Calc II, take Calc III. If Calc III has been mastered, take Differential Equations. Both semesters. Not just the first.

If first year Chemistry is truly mastered (remember that you will have to take the USNA validation test), if your math level will allow, take Physics. Again, both semesters.

Take English Literature Composition course which includes a lot of writing.

Take US Government and/or History.

Go to a top tier college or university, not a community college. Take a MINIMUM of 15 semester hours, preferably more. Don't get any 'C's.

If your SATs are not a minimum of 600M/600V, you will require a waiver. Waivers are just making it more difficult for yourself.

ROTC is good but not mandatory.

I have never seen or heard where varsity college athletics helps. Community service, continued involvement in Scouts and/or church however, shows that one likes to be involved and busy.

Be able to max the CFA. Don't become a couch potato.

The most important thing you can do is get the best debrief possible on your current package. Your BGO can help, but, once this years admissions process is completed, call the CGO. Be insistent. Ask specific questions. Write them down. Don't let them blow you off. They will not want to make committed responses. Insist. Then talk to your BGO. Get him involved.
 
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Dear USNA69, i have a couple of questions, if you don't mind.

If one is very comfortable with Calc I, take Calc II. If you have aced Calc II, take Calc III. If Calc III has been mastered, take Differential Equations. Both semesters. Not just the first.

a couple of the colleges which have accepted me, such as VMI, offer summer programs for freshmen which allow you to get a class out of the way, for example, Calc I, English Composition, Chemistry or History. i've been told that normally a student would get credit for one of these, say Calc I, and then wouldn't take it in the fall semester, making the first year of college a little easier. for example, in mechanical engineering at VMI, the first semester is 16.5hrs, so if I took Calc I in the summer, I'd only have 13.5hrs.

would this be bad?

Go to a top tier college or university, not a community college. Take a MINIMUM of 15 semester hours, preferably more. Don't get any 'C's.

when you say top tier college or university, do you only mean the best of the best colleges?

If your SATs are not a minimum of 600M/600V, you will require a waiver. Waivers are just making it more difficult for yourself.

i read an article posted here from a former admission committee member that SAT is a check mark. that is, if you get 600/600, you get the check mark and the committee looks at other things, and if you didn't, you don't. is this true? in other words, does it matter how much higher than 600/600 your SAT score is?

ROTC is good but not mandatory.

i saw a post from you on the Greystone thread where you said that the CGO told you that they look for ROTC and that ROTC with any service shows leadership. what is your current thinking about ROTC?

I have never seen or heard where varsity college athletics helps. Community service, continued involvement in Scouts and/or church however, shows that one likes to be involved and busy.

this was a question i asked earlier. varsity sports in college take a lot of time. club sports take a lot less time. do you think that the USNA would give you your application as much consideration if your college sports activity was some club sport like soccer, versus if you were on the varsity NCAA cross-country team?

Be able to max the CFA. Don't become a couch potato.

to get the best possible score on the CFA, a person should probably take it a few times. is there any limit on how many times the CFA could be taken over? also, when is the latest that a new CFA score could influence the admission committee? it seems pointless to take over the CFA if a new score wouldn't be considered.
 
I had a 580 Critical reading and 750 Math. I received an LOA back in October and received an offer of appointment as soon as my medical waiver was clear. Also, I have an offer of Appointment from the Air Force Academy, and a four-year NROTC scholarship that I could accept. Unfortunately, I must debunk your SAT theory on getting a waiver.
 
Unfortunately, I must debunk your SAT theory on getting a waiver.

Not a theory. It is a fact that the Board gave you a waiver. You just didn't know it. Basically your package is just given a more critical review and, if it meets the waiverable standards, one is scholastically qualified.
 
If I am in AP Calc BC right now should I take calc my first year anyway?

well you can validate courses by taking the AP exam and just let the academy know you validated them. Yes you have to go through the nomination process again. Oh and getting involved in a sport is crucial Varsity athletics is a priority for them.
 
I got a 5 on the Calc BC test and a 5 Cal AB sub-score. Do I have to test out of calculus when I get to the Naval Academy? At Air Force you do...
 
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