Can high CFA scores replace lack of varsity sports?

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kiri_45

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Hello everyone, I am a junior in high school currently trying to build a strong resume for when the time comes for me to send in my application to the Naval Academy. I have an extensive list of ECAs (listed below) and high academic scores, but one thing I am lacking is a varsity sport. I am in no means nonathletic; I have gotten several individual awards in JROTC regional and sanctioned drill meets for 1st place total push-up and sit-ups, and I've also done martial arts for 8 years outside of school and earned a 3rd degree black belt. My issue is that I've never been good at sports despite my high athleticism... I tried my hand at tennis and soccer but I was simply terrible no matter how hard I practiced.
Lurking through the posts on this forum, I found that the academies heavily value varsity and team sports which has me worried. Would a high score on the CFA and non-varsity/non-school affiliated sports would be enough to carry my terrible hand eye coordination or should I try to join a sport now in order to pad my resume?
Thank you so much for any tips or advice!

ECAs:
NJROTC (currently projected to be CO or XO next year)
Mock Trial (Founder and captain of team)
Debate Team (Coach middle school debate)
3rd Degree Black belt (8 years)
Cellist (4 years including middle school)
Model UN
National Honor Society
Interned as Medical records clerk
Girls State
100+ Volunteer hours


Rigor coursework/GPA:
3.917 weighted GPA
Current APs:
AP Human Geography
AP World History
AP US History
AP Physics 1
AP English Language
AP Psychology
Intended APs:
AP US Government
AP Macroeconomics
AP Comparative government
AP Calculus AB
 
I would think a very strong CFA will show athleticism in some ways. But doing sports in school is not just about being the strongest/fastest. It is a lot of the other aspects of being on a team that they look at with your application.

Have you tried out for running? Cross country and track? There is another thread here which is discussing extra curricular activities where a similar conversation is taking place.

Edited to add - and your martial arts experience is definitely something to show sport capability!
 
Things you did in middle school don't matter. Your weighted GPA doesn't really matter. "They" look at your unweighted and go from there. Each SA views weighed versus non-weighted differently. Volunteer hours are nowhere on any SA application.

It boils down to three areas. Academics. Athletics. Leadership. Track, Cross Country, and Swimming are great sports, that build physical fitness, character, and, surprisingly, teamwork. As noted above, athletics is about more than fitness. "Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that upon other fields on other days will bear the fruits of victory," said Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Also, if chemistry is available, take it.

Good luck.
 
The benefit of participating in a Varsity sport is as much about leadership, teamwork, competitiveness, mental toughness , grit, and other intangible factors as it is about demonstrating athleticism. These characteristics are as important (perhaps more) than maxing the CFA. There is a reason that so many attending Service Academies participate in Varsity athletics.

That said, ever Candidate is different ... don't let the lack of organized team athletics dissuade you from applying. The only certainty in the whole Admissions process is that 100% of those that don't apply do not get in.

Also, I don't recommend joining a sport (track etc) just to check the block. You have plenty of good activities ..focus on them and do them well, that's more important to checking the block.

Hat Tip T-37 .... you saved me from looking up the McArthur quote this time... I use it at least once a year on this Forum and it popped up in your post as I was typing this.
 
With what you have, as listed, my advice (beyond what’s already been given from @Old Navy BGO, who is an expert…), would be to emphasize those pieces he suggested (leadership, teamwork, competitiveness, menatal toughness, grit, etc) in other areas, if possible. VS running track to add something. For example, are these pieces present in your Black Belt activities? Do you compete? Are you a leader of your group? Have you failed a competition? Is it a mentally tough sport? You are a female…I feel like this would be a ‘grit’ factor? How do you stay fit in order to compete? Those types of things. And your interview with your BGO will be where you can really speak to this.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
I would think a very strong CFA will show athleticism in some ways. But doing sports in school is not just about being the strongest/fastest. It is a lot of the other aspects of being on a team that they look at with your application.

Have you tried out for running? Cross country and track? There is another thread here which is discussing extra curricular activities where a similar conversation is taking place.

Edited to add - and your martial arts experience is definitely something to show sport capability!
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My school’s track and field as well as cross country team is extremely competitive, and is one of the most populated sports. That being said I was interested in the wrestling team because it has significantly less members and almost all females who join would letter. Their season has already started though, which is unfortunate.
 
justdoit19 said:
With what you have, as listed, my advice (beyond what’s already been given from @Old Navy BGO, who is an expert…), would be to emphasize those pieces he suggested (leadership, teamwork, competitiveness, menatal toughness, grit, etc) in other areas, if possible. VS running track to add something. For example, are these pieces present in your Black Belt activities? Do you compete? Are you a leader of your group? Have you failed a competition? Is it a mentally tough sport? You are a female…I feel like this would be a ‘grit’ factor? How do you stay fit in order to compete? Those types of things. And your interview with your BGO will be where you can really speak to this.
Click to expand...
I did hold leadership in that I was in charge of mentoring younger/newer students in the dojo, but I never won any major titles in sparring or anything of the sort. In fact, I’d gander that my accomplishments in jrotc athletically were more demanding. I hit the gym consistently and put out ~70 push-ups to cadence, and I’m working towards 100+ as well as maxing out sit-ups every meet. Individual numbers benefit the entire battalion’s placement as a whole when attending drill competitions, which may be comparable to a team sport. Would I be able to justify grit and mental fortitude through that, or is that a completely different ball-park than a doing so in a sport?
 
OP, my son was a non high school athlete. He spent over a decade in Tae Kwon Do and earned his third degree black belt. That led to teaching and mentorship and lesson plans and skills that he could discuss in interviews.

Be able to articulate how your years of experiences in your sport of TKD led you to the leader you are today and sets you up to learn to be a leader in the future. How many times have you been knocked out of a match and kept going? How did you help your team succeed even when you didn’t achieve a personal win?
Keep going with your application and have confidence in your experiences and skills.
 
You have Girls State listed, but those spots haven't been offered yet. A very good habit to have is to clearly define what you have done versus what you have planned. It doesn't matter on this forum, but everything you submit will be vetted and all mistakes will be noticed. Spelling, grammar, dates that don't add up, etc. It may seem like a nitpicky point, but it will save you grief later.
 
T-37IP said:
You have Girls State listed, but those spots haven't been offered yet. A very good habit to have is to clearly define what you have done versus what you have planned. It doesn't matter on this forum, but everything you submit will be vetted and all mistakes will be noticed. Spelling, grammar, dates that don't add up, etc. It may seem like a nitpicky point, but it will save you grief later.
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Understood, thank you.
My instructor told me that I was the first choice for his recommendation/sponsorship if I were to apply, but I actually don’t know the entire process of getting a spot. Will do further research for my state’s program.
 
A couple of thoughts . . . neither your coursework (other than physics this year) or activities show much focus on STEM. USNA is very STEM-heavy. You want to show that you not only have aptitude but also interest.

Also, at USNA, you will be participating in team activities -- both sports and non-sports. Look at ways you can demonstrate that you work well in a team environment. Model UN has some of that, sort of.

Doing really well on the CFA is essential if you don't have sports on your resume. USNA wants to see that you can handle PS and also have the dedication to athletics that will make it likely you will pass the PRT each year. Joining a cross-country or track team will help with both and neither requires much in the way of specialized training to start doing it right way, as there would be with tennis or golf, etc.
 
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