Applying to USNA as a Freshman at UMBC

[USNAChrisKim]

I'm going to be a freshman this year at UMBC, and I'm applying to the Naval Academy. I am aware that since I'll technically be missing my "first" year, I am trying to take classes similar to the the ones the plebes of 2013 are taking this year. THis includes Chem, Calc, history, and English.

My placement tests have me in the highest math and english, so I'm fine with that; I decided to major in chemical engineering, but I'm thinking of changing that soon. But during my class registration, my advisor did not sign me up for English, because I am pretty sure I received credit from Ap Lang (3) and Ap Lit (idk yet). But do I still have to take English at UMBC, for the USNA?

Also, my B&O officer told me about how most plebes take around.. 20 credits? I think..

so I'm basically signing up for,

Chem101, Calc151, Englishblabla, History101, and ROTC.. (NROTC wasn't available for UMBC, so I'm taking ROTC instead :T)
is that alright? or should I take more. IDK
I need some helP!!!

 

[Riv-Rod]

Just pointing this out, but you do realize should you get in (which i hope you do) you will have to go for 4 years ? everybody goes to the academy for 4 years, during summer seminar my suad leader knew a guy who was a junior in college, i forget where, and he got accepted to USNA and he went for all 4 years.

 

[USNAChrisKim]

hmm

Just pointing this out, but you do realize should you get in (which i hope you do) you will have to go for 4 years ? everybody goes to the academy for 4 years, during summer seminar my suad leader knew a guy who was a junior in college, i forget where, and he got accepted to USNA and he went for all 4 years.

So he ended up taking calc.. twice again?

 

[kapojinha]

I don't think they accept credit either, so not only will you have to do all 4 years, but I think you'll have to take all of the classes again as well.

 

[DMeix]

I did a year at Univ. of Washington before getting into USNA. I ended up taking similar Calculus classes three times (HS, UW, USNA). While USNA doesn't accept most transfer credits, taking those classes will help tremendously when it comes time to take validation tests over Plebe Summer. I ended up validating a semester of Chem, Calc, and 2 sems of German. I did NROTC too and had to take a naval history class. I showed my transcript and course syllabus to the Dept. Head and he validated me out of the Plebe Naval History.

Just this last fall, I brought my UW transcript to my AC advisor and managed to get a 300 level history course validated because I took a higher-level WWI class at UW.

Due to the validations, Plebe year was considerbly better with only one semester of Chem, and I didn't have to take Calc III as a youngster. And Firstie year is going to be a nice finish taking only 15-16 credits. I'm a History major, btw.

The college route is definitely worth it, and despite making things a little bit more difficult when you get to USNA, the classes you take at UMBC will really help.

 

[2012mom?]

As pointed out above, USNA does not accept "transfer" students in the same sense as other colleges. Everyone who comes in on I-day must complete 4 years to be commissioned. Whether an incoming Plebe has to re-take classes like chem or calculus depends on how well they perform on the USNA placement tests, or in some cases, how they scored on AP exams.

The standard Plebe class schedule requires 16 credits in one semester, and 18 in the other. However, the Plebes must also do all that other "Plebe stuff." Pro-knowledge is almost like another class on top of the 16-18 hours, plus they have daily Plebe rates (knowing menus, uniforms, officers of the watch, events on the Yard, knowledge of current news articles, etc.). Then there's doing a sport, and trying to be ready to pass inspections, plus all of the things that the company training staff decide they should do in their "free time" (ha). So, the advice to take ~20 credit hours is sound. Remember that you should also remain active in activities (of your choosing) over and above classwork. What you choose to do doesn't matter, although it's probably better to attain leadership positions in a few activities rather than joining every group on campus.