Any Recommendations / Suggestions for Application

[2003]

Academics
3.84 UW / 4.1+ W
Strong uptrend - 3.55 F, 4.12 S, 4.6ish (junior 3rd quarter)
AP World 97, IB English 97, IB Film HL I 97
Honors STEM courses - Chemistry 97, Honors Physics (12th)
AP Bio (12th), AP Gov (12th), AP English Language (12th), IB Film HL II (12th)
Have / scheduled to take - Pre Calc 95, Calc (12th), Geometry (9th), All Algebra Courses (7-10)
Other honors courses (history, English, psych, Korean etc.)
ACT - Possibly 32 or 33+ (Just took the April 17th one)

Athletics
3 Year Varsity Football - 1x Captain (11th)
3 Year Varsity Indoor Track - 1x Captain (11th)
2 Year Varsity Outdoor Track - 1x Captain (11th)
(Planning on participating in all sports senior year)

Leadership
Captain positions at sports + Most likely captain senior year for all sports.
Teacher / Responsible for K through 4th grade students at afterschool program.
Looking to start a film club during senior year.
NJ Boys State 2021
Teen PEP (12th) - Voluntary sex-education instructor program for freshman from seniors NJ / NC

ECs / Volunteer
Church founded afterschool program for busy parents.
- Phonics teacher for K students, responsible for K - 4 students.
- Tutor / Homework assistant for all grades.
- General duties (cleaning, maintaining order, etc.)
- Currently working for 2 hours and 30 minutes a day, Monday - Friday.

Food stand at the local softball field.
- 2 months over the summer.
- Responsible with fellow co-worker(s) for entire location.
- Cashier, cooking, stocking, cleaning duties.
- Trained new employees.

NASS (doesn't assist in admissions)
Hopeful candidate for USCGA AIM


Questions -
Do the academies (USNA, WP, USAFA, USCGA) care about level of achievement in sports? Will it help if you have been consistently performing at a high level? EX) All-league, county, etc.?

I come from a competitive state (NJ) and am in one of the strongest districts. I attended a WP admissions meeting and they stated that NJ sent over 70 seniors to WP this year (something about top 150 candidates) Is this applicable to all the service academies, or is it just WP?

Please recommend any ECs / academic courses, or even general recommendations I can do during my Junior to Senior year. I know my ECs are lacking and if there any ECs I can do that can earn me WCS points please let me know.

- Most likely will max out all my CFA tests except the mile (will try to work on it.)

 

[OldRetSWO]

Questions -
1. Do the academies (USNA, WP, USAFA, USCGA) care about level of achievement in sports? Will it help if you have been consistently performing at a high level? EX) All-league, county, etc.?

2. I come from a competitive state (NJ) and am in one of the strongest districts. I attended a WP admissions meeting and they stated that NJ sent over 70 seniors to WP this year (something about top 150 candidates) Is this applicable to all the service academies, or is it just WP?

3. - Most likely will max out all my CFA tests except the mile (will try to work on it.)

1. Things like All League, All County etc are absolutely a "thing" for the academies and your MOC panel might be looking for it as well. I've done Senatorial interviews in NJ and while I can't say what will be the criteria in the future, It has been an evaluation factor in the past.

2. NJ gets a lot of appointments to USNA as well. For instance, NJ-11 had 7 candidates get admitted to USNA last year (per MOC press release)

3. Work on your mile.

 

[usna1985]

Your credentials are strong. Keep in mind that lots of candidates have strong credentials very similar to yours. It's a numbers game.

Be sure to talk to your junior English and math teachers regarding how important a SA is to you as their views carry a lot of weight with USNA -- much more weight than the BGO.

One of the keys will be obtaining a nomination and you've said you're in a competitive area, so put a lot of effort into those packages.

Try to do something "worthwhile" this summer -- work, volunteer, attend summer school, etc. Don't only work on college applications.

Think about ways you can actually lead as, for example, team captain. I always ask candidates, "What did / do you do as team captain (or club president)?" Some say, "Not much." Not a great answer.

Also, you don't have to hold a position in an organization in order to lead. Find a project in school or outside of school that you can take charge of -- a fundraising drive, a clothing drive . . . shopping or mowing yards for elderly neighbors. It helps if you're interested in / passionate about the activity.