Can Anyone Gauge My Chances/How Competitive Am I?

[QWE123]

QWE123=FCH76 I forgot that I had already registered

Maybe West Point will take him because he's a legacy and his dad is a high ranking army officer? His class ranking is low and his SAT scores, especially math which they care about more are pretty low. I would say probably not for USMMA. Also, his stats are high enough that they probably won't consider him for prep school anyway. He's overqualified for prep school and underqualified for admission. Tough spot.

I think the class ranking isn't a fair way to score. He has a 3.7 and is 61 in his class out of 193. I remember having a 3.4 in high school and I was ranked 13 out of 94 (but I also went to a school in Alabama in a small town). His high school is full of high achievers. Maybe it would have been better to be at a less competitive school. We have our fingers crossed for any prep. His dad was on the admissions board at WP so he has a bit of insight into the process. But I think it could go either way at this point. He did just find out that he received a 4 year AFROTC Scholarship so the back up plan is falling in to place. His ultimate goal is to commission and serve.

If his ultimate goal is to serve as a military officer, then he should just take the ROTC scholarship and stop considering attending USMMA. USMMA is a school that educates maritime officers, not military officers. Going to KP isn't the best preparation for the active duty world. Countless people will tell you this, it's not a secret. I've been at USMMA a few years and have heard about the glitches with going active duty ad nauseam.

I said his ultimate goal is to commission and serve..... in any capacity and the last time I checked USMMA offers a naval commission. He grew up on the water and around boats and he is interested in naval architecture and marine engineering so makes sense to pursue USMMA don't you think? My whole point in posting his stats was to encourage another member here that my son had the similar stats as her DS and is on "hold" status for USMMA and to not give up hope, it wasn't to ask what his chances were of getting in.

 

[QWE123]

QWE123=FCH76 I forgot that I had already registered

Maybe West Point will take him because he's a legacy and his dad is a high ranking army officer? His class ranking is low and his SAT scores, especially math which they care about more are pretty low. I would say probably not for USMMA. Also, his stats are high enough that they probably won't consider him for prep school anyway. He's overqualified for prep school and underqualified for admission. Tough spot.

He is being considered for USMMA because he is on "Hold" status which means he is qualified, we are waiting for the results of his medical waiver submission. He may not get accepted in the end, but he has been deemed "qualified" in all other areas except medically. Secondly, USMA doesn't "take" candidates based solely on legacy and/or parental rank status if they are not qualified. I would not want my DS to be "taken" if he didn't' deserve to be there. The director of admissions daughter didn't get accepted so that completely admonishes the implication of the lack of integrity of USMA's selection process. Lastly, he IS being considered for USMAPS so this inference again is not correct. If I were a person that didn't already know a great deal about this process, your responses would have me very upset. There is a level of subjectivity to this process that no one can predict. We are here to give the facts as we know them, share experiences, and encourage, not to try to discourage or upset others before a decision has been made.

 

[MMA19kid]

He is being considered for USMMA because he is on "Hold" status which means he is qualified, we are waiting for the results of his medical waiver submission. He may not get accepted in the end, but he has been deemed "qualified" in all other areas except medically. Secondly, USMA doesn't "take" candidates based solely on legacy and/or parental rank status if they are not qualified. I would not want my DS to be "taken" if he didn't' deserve to be there. The director of admissions daughter didn't get accepted so that completely admonishes the implication of the lack of integrity of USMA's selection process. Lastly, he IS being considered for USMAPS so this inference again is not correct. If I were a person that didn't already know a great deal about this process, your responses would have me very upset. There is a level of subjectivity to this process that no one can predict. We are here to give the facts as we know them, share experiences, and encourage, not to try to discourage or upset others before a decision has been made.

USMMA does commission AD Navy Officers, but they do so without the preparation that you would get at an ROTC unit. Normally, the commission is a side thing which you are given very little pre-commission training for that MARAD really uses to justify the continued operation of the academy. A lot of people who come to Kings Point for an active duty commission regret it immensely after they realize that it's just a side thing at the school. One of my old friends went to KP for 2 years, right before commitment he applied and switched to West Point because he knew he wasn't getting what he needed to be the Army officer he wanted to be.

Knowing what I know now, if my end goal was to be an Army or Naval officer in the AD world, I would go for USMA, USNA, or the AROTC/NROTC scholarships, which are a dedicated means to that end. Not something where you finagle a commission by the seat of your pants, which is usually how it happens at KP.

 

[kpmom2013]

MMA19kid--I have been reading your posts here and am amazed at your constant negativity. I am not going to get into a p*ssing contest with you here. However, I do want to say to those new parents and applicants that not everyone agrees with your views on commissioning active duty from KP. Approximately one third of each class chooses to go active duty. My DS went that route because it was his calling, even though he had some excellent offers to sail due to his performance during sea year. He has many friends who also chose active duty, some in each branch. Each of them is extremely successful in his or her career to date in large part due to the preparation they received from Kings Point. My DS has outperformed many graduates from other service academies and ROTC programs in his chosen career path. One of the main reasons for his success and that of his KP peers is their ability to maintain a positive attitude through difficult times. The ties among active duty Kings Pointers are strong at every duty station he has had so far, and that background has been nothing but a big plus for him. Just my two cents.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

MMA19kid has written that USMMA does not train for active duty...hmmm...I think the current guy in charge of MARAD...what's his name again...oh yes...ADM Buzby graduated from USMMA and served active for a few years...and CDR J Harts graduated from USMMA and just retired from active duty Navy and he helped out USMMA mids by getting them on Navy ships so they could get their sailing days on ships and not state schools training ships when the previous MARAD guy a graduate from a different FSA shut down sea year.

USMMA does in fact train officers for each and every branch of the military...Air Force, Navy, Army, Coast Guard, and Marines...I personally know of at least one USMMA mid from the class of 2018 that is going active in each of the services...yes you will go for additional training...just like a USNA grad will go for additional training for flight, subs, etc...

I also know of mids who came in and said I am going active duty in (insert your favorite branch here) and they have decided to sail. I also know of mids who said I am going to sail and nothing can change my mind and they are now going active duty.

Bottom line, it is the needs of the fed govt that will matter most...but you will have options here to pursue various avenues in both active duty and sailing. If you study hard and put forth your best you will have a chance to pursue your dream

The active duty officers that USMMA has graduated that I have met are truly 1st class people who have been very well trained for their future assignments.

 

[Capt MJ]

I had the pleasure of serving with several USMMA grads during my career, as well as having some in my wardroom. No better or worse than USNA, NROTC, OCS - KP grads are smart people who make up any professional slack very quickly. Their Sea Years stood them in good stead, as well as the SA background. They were familiar with discipline, watch-standing, uniform wear and professional requirements training.

I also knew many USNR officers who came to drill at Military Sealift Command, and many actively sailing with MSC who reached the rank of Captain, USNR. RADM Phil Greene, a classmate of mine at the Navy Postgraduate School, maintained an active unlimited tonnage license during his AD career. He was widely respected for his seamanship and operational expertise.

Yes, it’s a more circuitous route and rockier in places, but I have faith if the Navy didn’t like the product it was getting, it wouldn’t offer AD commissions.

 

[golfindad]

Bravo Zulu qwe, kpmom, buckeye and Captmj.

 

[azmilmom]

MMA19kid--I have been reading your posts here and am amazed at your constant negativity. I am not going to get into a p*ssing contest with you here. However, I do want to say to those new parents and applicants that not everyone agrees with your views on commissioning active duty from KP. Approximately one third of each class chooses to go active duty. My DS went that route because it was his calling, even though he had some excellent offers to sail due to his performance during sea year. He has many friends who also chose active duty, some in each branch. Each of them is extremely successful in his or her career to date in large part due to the preparation they received from Kings Point. My DS has outperformed many graduates from other service academies and ROTC programs in his chosen career path. One of the main reasons for his success and that of his KP peers is their ability to maintain a positive attitude through difficult times. The ties among active duty Kings Pointers are strong at every duty station he has had so far, and that background has been nothing but a big plus for him. Just my two cents.

Thanks for stating what most of us are thinking...

 

[QWE123]

QWE123=FCH76 I forgot that I had already registered

Maybe West Point will take him because he's a legacy and his dad is a high ranking army officer? His class ranking is low and his SAT scores, especially math which they care about more are pretty low. I would say probably not for USMMA. Also, his stats are high enough that they probably won't consider him for prep school anyway. He's overqualified for prep school and underqualified for admission. Tough spot.

He is being considered for USMMA because he is on "Hold" status which means he is qualified, we are waiting for the results of his medical waiver submission. He may not get accepted in the end, but he has been deemed "qualified" in all other areas except medically. Secondly, USMA doesn't "take" candidates based solely on legacy and/or parental rank status if they are not qualified. I would not want my DS to be "taken" if he didn't' deserve to be there. The director of admissions daughter didn't get accepted so that completely admonishes the implication of the lack of integrity of USMA's selection process. Lastly, he IS being considered for USMAPS so this inference again is not correct. If I were a person that didn't already know a great deal about this process, your responses would have me very upset. There is a level of subjectivity to this process that no one can predict. We are here to give the facts as we know them, share experiences, and encourage, not to try to discourage or upset others before a decision has been made.

Update.....medical waiver granted!

 

[kpmom2013]

QWE123=FCH76 I forgot that I had already registered

Maybe West Point will take him because he's a legacy and his dad is a high ranking army officer? His class ranking is low and his SAT scores, especially math which they care about more are pretty low. I would say probably not for USMMA. Also, his stats are high enough that they probably won't consider him for prep school anyway. He's overqualified for prep school and underqualified for admission. Tough spot.

He is being considered for USMMA because he is on "Hold" status which means he is qualified, we are waiting for the results of his medical waiver submission. He may not get accepted in the end, but he has been deemed "qualified" in all other areas except medically. Secondly, USMA doesn't "take" candidates based solely on legacy and/or parental rank status if they are not qualified. I would not want my DS to be "taken" if he didn't' deserve to be there. The director of admissions daughter didn't get accepted so that completely admonishes the implication of the lack of integrity of USMA's selection process. Lastly, he IS being considered for USMAPS so this inference again is not correct. If I were a person that didn't already know a great deal about this process, your responses would have me very upset. There is a level of subjectivity to this process that no one can predict. We are here to give the facts as we know them, share experiences, and encourage, not to try to discourage or upset others before a decision has been made.

Update.....medical waiver granted!

Congratulations on the waiver!! We had to wait for a waiver too and I know how hard that process can be. I hope the granting of the waiver jump starts admissions into making you an offer!

 

[flieger83]

...and CDR J Harts graduated from USMMA and just retired from active duty Navy and he helped out USMMA mids by getting them on Navy ships so they could get their sailing days on ships and not state schools training ships when the previous MARAD guy a graduate from a different FSA shut down sea year...

Uh, I don't think Commander Harts has retired; unless he resigned his Senior Foreign Policy Fellowship at Saint Antony's College, Oxford University, and decided to end his career before making Captain.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

 

[azmilmom]

Update.....medical waiver granted!

That's great! Congratulations!

 

[golfindad]

Uh, I don't think Commander Harts has retired; unless he resigned his Senior Foreign Policy Fellowship at Saint Antony's College, Oxford University, and decided to end his career before making Captain.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

So good to hear.

 

[horsecountry]

My DS got what he said was a TWE today. Turns out he is qualified and on the NWL. Not sure that is good or bad but at least not a rejection.

 

[kpmom2013]

My DS got what he said was a TWE today. Turns out he is qualified and on the NWL. Not sure that is good or bad but at least not a rejection.

That's good news but not great news. He is still in the running. Every year, a handful of appointments are made from the NWL. Have a back up plan ready, but don't give up on Kings Point yet. Good luck!

 

[QWE123]

My DS got what he said was a TWE today. Turns out he is qualified and on the NWL. Not sure that is good or bad but at least not a rejection.

My son got a TWE from another SA and turns out it was a request for 7th semester grades. Not funny!

 

[QWE123]

QWE123=FCH76 I forgot that I had already registered

Maybe West Point will take him because he's a legacy and his dad is a high ranking army officer? His class ranking is low and his SAT scores, especially math which they care about more are pretty low. I would say probably not for USMMA. Also, his stats are high enough that they probably won't consider him for prep school anyway. He's overqualified for prep school and underqualified for admission. Tough spot.

He is being considered for USMMA because he is on "Hold" status which means he is qualified, we are waiting for the results of his medical waiver submission. He may not get accepted in the end, but he has been deemed "qualified" in all other areas except medically. Secondly, USMA doesn't "take" candidates based solely on legacy and/or parental rank status if they are not qualified. I would not want my DS to be "taken" if he didn't' deserve to be there. The director of admissions daughter didn't get accepted so that completely admonishes the implication of the lack of integrity of USMA's selection process. Lastly, he IS being considered for USMAPS so this inference again is not correct. If I were a person that didn't already know a great deal about this process, your responses would have me very upset. There is a level of subjectivity to this process that no one can predict. We are here to give the facts as we know them, share experiences, and encourage, not to try to discourage or upset others before a decision has been made.

Update.....medical waiver granted!

Congratulations on the waiver!! We had to wait for a waiver too and I know how hard that process can be. I hope the granting of the waiver jump starts admissions into making you an offer!

Thank you KPmom! One less thing to worry about!

 

[USMMA2021]

My DS got what he said was a TWE today. Turns out he is qualified and on the NWL. Not sure that is good or bad but at least not a rejection.

Here are some other posts and information about what Hold Status (NWL) Means.

From @cousmma5280:
"HOLD is a good thing. It means you are on the NWL. Depending on how you rank with the others you have a chance of getting in. If not, you might be offered a scholarship to the Prep schools. Seriously consider taking it. Students have a high chance of getting in next year when they reapply. NWL is where everybody goes at some point in the process. Hold is a good thing. It means you have made the cut to be considered. Just because there is a hold does not mean there isn't a space. It only means that decisions have not been made. USMMA fills slots on a state basis. As a result, before any appointment is made, they need to be able to look at all of the applicants from that state. For the class of 2020 and 2021, it seemed that appointments "rolled" across the country, during the time frame of late March and early April. They did not make a lump mailing on one day. Then, there appeared to be a second round sometime at the end of April early May. So, if state A has 1o slots, and State B has 4 slots. State A is found to have 12 applicants that the school wants. They can take 10 to fill up the state. But, State B only has 2 applicants that meet requirements. They can then take the 2 qualified from State A and fill in the spots left open in State B. There are a number of states that do not fill their spots. Some states have more than their number. So what to do now, besides wait. Keep an open dialogue with your admissions counselor, and, any others you may have had contact with at the school. Keep an open dialogue with the coach if there is one in the picture. They can help with information on the process and possibly progress.”

From an Alumni friend of mine:
USMMA is required (by law) to offer admission to applicants based on their ranked order-of-merit by State. As candidate files are evaluated, some (whose overall standing is VERY high) are offered admission early-on, the majority, however, are placed in a "hold" status. Those candidates then wait until all applications are evaluated and rank-ordered. In the beginning of April when admissions have all completed files reviewed and sequenced, they make offers to fill the State quotas and then move to the National Waiting list. Hope this explanation helps. "Hold" status is a good thing and shows that your package was reviewed and found worthy to be competitive against others in your state....now they just have to review everyone else in your state and rank them before offers are made.

My advice for you is to keep in touch with you admissions officer and update them on any relevant updates that can be added to your package that could up your standing. I was on Hold Status from early/mid February until I was offered my appointment on May 8. Keep up hope and don't count USMMA out until you receive a rejection letter because appointments are still made after May 1. For example I know a kid who was offered one about 10 days before we reported for Indoc.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

Uh, I don't think Commander Harts has retired; unless he resigned his Senior Foreign Policy Fellowship at Saint Antony's College, Oxford University, and decided to end his career before making Captain.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

I apologize and I stand corrected...I thought I read that he retired.

 

[QWE123]

QWE123=FCH76 I forgot that I had already registered

Maybe West Point will take him because he's a legacy and his dad is a high ranking army officer? His class ranking is low and his SAT scores, especially math which they care about more are pretty low. I would say probably not for USMMA. Also, his stats are high enough that they probably won't consider him for prep school anyway. He's overqualified for prep school and underqualified for admission. Tough spot.

He is being considered for USMMA because he is on "Hold" status which means he is qualified, we are waiting for the results of his medical waiver submission. He may not get accepted in the end, but he has been deemed "qualified" in all other areas except medically. Secondly, USMA doesn't "take" candidates based solely on legacy and/or parental rank status if they are not qualified. I would not want my DS to be "taken" if he didn't' deserve to be there. The director of admissions daughter didn't get accepted so that completely admonishes the implication of the lack of integrity of USMA's selection process. Lastly, he IS being considered for USMAPS so this inference again is not correct. If I were a person that didn't already know a great deal about this process, your responses would have me very upset. There is a level of subjectivity to this process that no one can predict. We are here to give the facts as we know them, share experiences, and encourage, not to try to discourage or upset others before a decision has been made.

Update.....medical waiver granted!

Congratulations on the waiver!! We had to wait for a waiver too and I know how hard that process can be. I hope the granting of the waiver jump starts admissions into making you an offer!

Thank you! We hope so!