Arotc and Highschool Strength

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Petry7

5-Year Member
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Jul 29, 2013
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I hope everyones had a great holiday season and hopefully a break from school work! I'm just curious as to how Cadet Command approaches the challenge of evaluating a candidate's academic record and highschool strength. I know that I had to contact my guidance counselor and have her upload/ send school info, but does CC weigh this heavily in their decision? I have a 3.4 uw gpa and that seems to be on the lower side compared to other posters on this forum, albeit I come from a good public school in CT. I also know that my school is Neasc accreddited and "Gold" ranked.

Generally what does CC look for when evaulating a highschool?
#of college bound students, test scores, etc..?


I found this link on my school website: http://www.usnews.com/education/bes...hool-district/william-h-hall-high-school-4566

Thanks for any insight on the process!
 
Honestly, I just posted in another forum about this. Getting into college now in hindsight is a lot more stressful than it should be. The process is there because they need a way to weed out people who shouldn't be there etc. But when it comes down to it. I never got a 4 year scholarship out of high school. I tried. Denied. Very good standing with academic and extra stuff. Close but no cigar.

I got admitted into the University of Minnesota, enrolled in their Army ROTC program and came in with zero knowledge of the Army. Today now being a second year, I've learned so much. I went up for a scholarship board with my cadre at the end of my first freshman semester. I went in and went off exactly what you're doing now. Showed them confidence and why basically I wanted to be a leader and stand above the rest. They saw that, ended up getting a 3.5 year scholarship. Out of my incoming class I think only 2 cadets got 4 year scholarships. Should you still try? Of course. But know that if even that doesn't happen. You can always enroll as a student, do your best to stand out among your class, go up for a board and kill it.

Good luck!
 
I really appreciate your insight. I did an overnight and shadowing program at the college I want to go to and he told me that he also got a 3 year scholarship after freshman year. It's really encouraging hearing that this isn't such a rare occurrence.
 
If you are asking do they look at your school profile? The answer is that for AFROTC they do look at it for the PAR portion of the WCS.

The main reason is due to the fact that there are @2000 hs in the nation. they have their own mathematical system to equalize the diferences just like colleges use their own algorithm for admissions.

For AFROTC what the GC submits is their school profile which the board can than compare you against it using your transcript. From there there the can re-jig it to their system.

For example:
You have a 4.08 wcgpa, ranked top 18%, 5 APs....sounds strong right compared to the poster that has a 3.87 wcgpa, 25% and 4 APs.

However, when you go and look at the school profile things will appear differently.

The 4.08 candidate attends a school where the grade scale is 10 points, the weight scale is 5.0, the avg student takes 8 APs, and. 0% go to ivy.

The 3.87 candidate attends a school where the grade scale is 7 points, the weight scale is 4.5, the avg student takes 5 APs, and 30% go to Ivies.

In the end the lower cgpa student actually has a higher cgpa than the 4.08. Plus they are taking a more rigorous course load even though they have less APs because that is their school system. Finally, their rank tells them that their school does not hand out AM's like candy at Halloween since the top 30% typically go Ivy.

If you look at the link you posted it showed some of that info, such as the avg student takes 3 APs at your school (63%) and the majority score at least a 4 on the exams. Now as a student attending that school, it would be to your advantage to take more than 3 since that is avg. there.

This is also why many posters are skeptical of chancing anyone. The boards are national, and we do not know the school profile. As I illustrated a 4.08 means nothing unless you know the weight. Top 20% means nothing either unless you know the school profile. To state it is competitive means that is your opinion unless you can state the % that go Ivy, private/public, and CCs.

I hope that helps understanding the system for at least AFROTC when it comes to the GC section.
 
I had a 3.2 when I submitted my application and I got a 3 year scholarship. My
ACT was 27, but I had a great interview, high PT test score and very strong extra curriculars. So while academics do play a large role, they definitely put a lot of weight on the non academic categories too. Personally, I believe I got the scholarship because of my non academics
 
This is not a guesstimate issue when it comes to weighting for the WCS.

X % is for PAR
~~~ SAT/ ACT is Y % of the X %
~~~ CGPA/Rank is Z% of the x%

Y % is for ECs

Z% is for recs.

Add X,Y and Z together and it will tally 100%.

For the SA world, PAR is 60% of the WCS. Just putting it out there that there is a mathematical equation.
 
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When you guys say "CGPA" what are you referring to? College Gpa? Calculated?
 
No. Cgpa = cumulative grade point avg.

Wcgpa = weighted cumulative grade point avg.
UWcgpa = Unweighted

You probably have 3 or 4 GPAs
1. Semester
2. cumulative for your entire hs career
3. Weighted for the courses, such as honors and AP/IB
4. Unweighted.... Gym, band, etc.

I.E. it could be you have:
3.8 for the semester, 3.62 for cgpa, 3.88 uwcgpa and 4.17 wcgpa
I.E this is why you see some have a gpa over 4.0. They are using their weighted cgpa. Others may say 3.3, and it maybe that their school never weighted honors or AP, hence go back to my post regarding equalization.
 
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Cumulative

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I see, there are so many variables in how high schools across the country calculate CGPA that it really is hard to make sense of an arbitrary number.
 
+1 ca2.

The only thing that they can hold true across the nation is the SAT/ACT, especially since AROTC super scores.

Don't pay attention to anyone's cgpa for comparison unless you know that they are a 7 or 10 point scale, and the weight.

Ca2 is also correct rank matters, but place the school profile into the equation. TJ in VA is in the top 10 in the nation for public. It is a magnet. 50% go Ivy. 3.2 top 10% in the bottom ranking school in the nation will be seen differently than 3.0 and top 30% for their hs.

I am not trying to be mean. I am just trying to make you understand that before you leap to any assumption, compare apples to apples. You attend a HS in a state that is ranked 8th in the nation. 63% take at least 3 APs and score in avg 4.
Thus, why chancing anyone is pure BS, and not worth the $1.85 for a cup of coffee from Starbucks, It may make you feel good during this anxious time, but that is about all until you get any official response.

Be a kid, make memories. Come Sept. nobody in your det will give a rats arse if you are on scholarship or not. Come 4 years from now the board for AD/Reserve/Guard will not place scholarship into your OML.

Remember only 20% get a scholarship, and that decision is based on high school. You will mature in college.
 
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That's definetly reassuring, my Sat scores are in good standing and I'm gonna have 7-8 Ap tests under my belt. I'm happy with the work I've put in and hey if the scholarship isn't meant to be then it isn't meant to be.
 
Someone that has been here for many years, you are the 1st candidate that has questioned school profile impact, at least as far as I can recall. It says a lot about how you are looking at the big picture at a young age.

You will be okay with or without a scholarship.

Part of being a leader is thinking outside the box and understanding the big picture, especially when you are just a cog.
 
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