Chances of Getting In USMA ?

Do early college?

  • Yes

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • No

    Votes: 6 75.0%

  • Total voters
    8

GoArmy2023

Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2017
Messages
40
I am currently involved with a lot of extra curriculars. I take all AP and Pre-AP classes. As a Junior, I am currently the NHS President, HOSA VP, JROTC Company Commander and hopefully as a Senior next year, Battalion Commander (Maybe Brigade if one of our district schools open another JROTC) I have not taken any standardized test yet. However, I plan on joining an early college program, where I graduate with an associates degree and college credits. I want to join the National Guard/ Reserves this summer via Split Ops ( BCT as a Junior, AIT as a Senior). What are my chances now to get into Westpoint? My GPA is a 96 weighted. If I do the early college, I will lose my chances of becoming battalion/brigade commander, will that affect anything? Is company commander sufficient leadership? Will joining the National Guard conflict anything? Thanks
 
Unless your family financial situation completely requires it, I would suggest to finish your high school career by taking a challenging schedule and do not look to grow up too fast. Enjoy your time in the activities available for you.

Similar advice on enlisting in the National Guard. You should not enlist to "help" your chances. You should only enlist if that is truly what you want to do and will be ok with spending time in a reserve unit for the next 4 years or beyond.

Your grades and activities show me that you will be competitive candidate, it is impossible to predict your chances as there are too many things outside your control, but you would also be competitive for an ROTC scholarship.
 
Company Commander as a Junior?

Every JROTC system works a little differently. I was a Battalion Commander as a Junior and nobody thought it was odd.

@alexnguyen64,

USMA 1994 makes an excellent point. I know a boy who enlisted so that he could be recruited to USMA from the pool of soldiers rather than college students or students coming straight out of high school and his National Guard basic training starts at the same time as USMA CBT... a lady from Air Force told him he'd be better off withdrawaling his applications for the SAs altogether because his priority to the guard. He protested, stating that officer school trumps being enlisted and that acceptance to an SA would cancel his contract with the guard, but they still did not update his information. Needless to say, he's in some trouble now with figuring out what he should do. You don't want to put yourself in a scenario like this one.

Finish high school, stack up on STEM classes, and challenge yourself while leaving time for your extraccuriculars.

Take the standardized tests ASAP and take them WITH WRITING! The SAs REQUIRE writing scores! My RC told me a story about a girl who sent her 35 ACT score to USMA without writing and he told her to retake it with the essay...she did not, and consequently did not earn an offer to West Point.

If you have any medical problems such as an academic skills disorder or vision problem, get tested early. See your pshyciatrist, eye doctor, or whichever one you need to see and bring in the minumum standards that the Army requires to admit someone with your condition. Ask him/her what you need to do and do it. This is something you have to get a head start on, as DoDMERB can turn into a serious problem later on in the process if you're not prepared. As someone who had to go through the waiver process, I can tell you that you want your medical qualification early.

DON'T forget to apply for nominations! Your MOCs should have deadlines posted. Keep those deadlines somewhere!

PREPARE for the CFA. Start early! The earlier the start and the harder you work, the better you'll do! Consult experienced fitness coaches and ask if what you're doing will actually help. Don't waste your time.

Make sure you're in sports...from what it looks like up there, you don't appear to be in many. Join especially track or cross country (if you have time) and lift in your free time to make sure you're not losing push-ups and pull-ups. I can't tell you how important this is...

Apply for SLE when it opens. You need SAT/ACT (or PSAT, but don't rely on that...) for this! I strongly reccomend taking both tests and submitting them to USMA so they judge your profile based on an updated score. Please don't be discouraged if you are not selected for SLE. It is primarily your academic scores that determine whether you go or not, and 1. those can be improved 2. USMA Admissions will judge you for acceptance with the WCS. I was not selected for SLE but recieved an LOA to USMA. It happens.

LASTLY:
Apply to Boys/Girls State! Plug into Google and search your program followed by your state. For example, Google "Boys State Wyoming" and it'll pop up. ALL 50 states have Boys/Girls state--Hawaii started theirs very recently. That being said, you have no excuse not to apply to Boys/Girls State! At Boys/Girls state, the positions of Governor/Lt. Governor or going to Boys/Girls Nation will net you even more leadership points! SLE does not give you points, so if they happen at the same time, prioritize State/Nation.
 
GoARMY2022..........Question about the DODMERB...........DD was put in remedial, and she had to get some backup information for a couple of items. She faxed all of that in, probably 3 weeks ago........How long should she expect to wait to hear from them, and if she gets DQ'ed, how do you go about starting the waiver process?

She has been OK'ed physically and academically, has an LOA and a NOM (she may get another one), so with the exception of the DODMERB, she appears to be on track. Any advice?
 
GoARMY2022..........Question about the DODMERB...........DD was put in remedial, and she had to get some backup information for a couple of items. She faxed all of that in, probably 3 weeks ago........How long should she expect to wait to hear from them, and if she gets DQ'ed, how do you go about starting the waiver process?

She has been OK'ed physically and academically, has an LOA and a NOM (she may get another one), so with the exception of the DODMERB, she appears to be on track. Any advice?

First of all, I'd call DoDMERB and make sure they have it! You already know this, but the forms DoDMERB wanted your DD to fill out could clear up her remedial without problems. IN CASE your DD needs a waiver for her remedial by some chance (she might not!!!), DoDMERB shares all of the additional medical information you send in with the SAs, as the SA Admissions unit is advised by the hospital at the SA instead of DoDMERB. Your updates, though, should appear on DoDMERB instead of the SA portal. If DoDMERB doesn't have it, the SA can't really do much about that...

When you or your DD calls, make sure you mention the LOA. When I would call DoDMERB, mentioning the LOA would immediately cause my technician to ask for my SSN and check my files. Bringing up an LOA lets DoDMERB know that your DD is important to the SA and usually carries some sort of weight in the waiver/remedial process. (USMA is more likely to clear stuff for your DD since she is extremely competitive, but DoDMERB will stick to its requirements by the letter. Keep this in mind if she turns out to need a waiver).

Now, DoDMERB CAN be slow! My issue actually wasn't a remedial, as history of ADHD is an automatic DQ and I had to get a waiver approved for it. With the LOA and the other 2 qualifications plus a nom, your DD hopefully won't have to wait that long because her RC will want to move her along the process ASAP. I'd say it's wise to expect an answer before January because that's when the first fat stack of offers went out for USMA last year. My waiver took a month and a half to be approved after it was requested. I did have a remedial condition that was cleared immediately after DoDMERB received the paperwork, but keep in mind this was a long time ago and therefore not during a busy time of the year. November paperwork crowds the SA offices a little...

Hopefully, though, your DD's R codes will be sorted out soon and she'll get the Q in her portal!

Best of luck to you, and go Army!
 
Thanks, DD verified that DODMERB has the backup papwerwork. Regarding calling them, I believe that DD should handle any inquiries, and she is much more patient than me, I guess, and she feels like waiting for the process to work.

I worry that waiting and then finding out that she needs a waiver might jeopardize her chances while the waiver process runs its course. She is very close, but this DOBMERB thing is another hurdle.
 
First of all, I'd call DoDMERB and make sure they have it! You already know this, but the forms DoDMERB wanted your DD to fill out could clear up her remedial without problems. IN CASE your DD needs a waiver for her remedial by some chance (she might not!!!), DoDMERB shares all of the additional medical information you send in with the SAs, as the SA Admissions unit is advised by the hospital at the SA instead of DoDMERB. Your updates, though, should appear on DoDMERB instead of the SA portal. If DoDMERB doesn't have it, the SA can't really do much about that...

When you or your DD calls, make sure you mention the LOA. When I would call DoDMERB, mentioning the LOA would immediately cause my technician to ask for my SSN and check my files. Bringing up an LOA lets DoDMERB know that your DD is important to the SA and usually carries some sort of weight in the waiver/remedial process. (USMA is more likely to clear stuff for your DD since she is extremely competitive, but DoDMERB will stick to its requirements by the letter. Keep this in mind if she turns out to need a waiver).

Now, DoDMERB CAN be slow! My issue actually wasn't a remedial, as history of ADHD is an automatic DQ and I had to get a waiver approved for it. With the LOA and the other 2 qualifications plus a nom, your DD hopefully won't have to wait that long because her RC will want to move her along the process ASAP. I'd say it's wise to expect an answer before January because that's when the first fat stack of offers went out for USMA last year. My waiver took a month and a half to be approved after it was requested. I did have a remedial condition that was cleared immediately after DoDMERB received the paperwork, but keep in mind this was a long time ago and therefore not during a busy time of the year. November paperwork crowds the SA offices a little...

Hopefully, though, your DD's R codes will be sorted out soon and she'll get the Q in her portal!

Best of luck to you, and go Army!
I was also Battalion Commander as a junior, so being a company commander is not rare. You probably should not do early college.
 
Thanks, DD verified that DODMERB has the backup papwerwork. Regarding calling them, I believe that DD should handle any inquiries, and she is much more patient than me, I guess, and she feels like waiting for the process to work.

I worry that waiting and then finding out that she needs a waiver might jeopardize her chances while the waiver process runs its course. She is very close, but this DOBMERB thing is another hurdle.


Yes, it absolutely is. Don't worry if she winds up needing one, though! It's not the end of the word, especially since she has an LOA. Her process should move quickly compared to other candidates and if her condition is waivavble to USMA, they'll probably waive it since they know she is a capable student, leader, and athlete!
 
The medical screening and waiver process are two separate events. DoDMERB is responsible to evaluate the candidates to a specific set of medical standards and report to the commissioning sources. The remedial was most likely triggered from the initial medical exam. After they evaluate the additional paperwork, they will determine if your DD meets the accession standards. They may again ask for more information or send send you to another exam before the reach a final outcome. That information is reported to the commissioning sources as qualified or not qualified. If the response is not qualified, there will be a reason attached.

The RC will evaluate the disqualifications and will automatically start the waiver process if the candidate is competitive. Since you have an LOA, you are competitive for an appointment. Admissions and the USMA medical staff will evaluate the condition and make a determination on the possibility of a waiver based on the condition's long term impact to serving in the Army. Some conditions are no brainers like wearing glasses while other conditions have very little likelihood of getting waived. I have seen waivers granted in a matter of hours, some that drag out for months and some never get processed. It would be a good idea to follow up with DodMERB to ensure they received all of the information.

Also, the waiver authority is the commissioning source so each source will review and make a determination. You could get a waiver from USMA and not from USNA or any other combination.
 
Unless your family financial situation
Unless your family financial situation completely requires it, I would suggest to finish your high school career by taking a challenging schedule and do not look to grow up too fast. Enjoy your time in the activities available for you.

Similar advice on enlisting in the National Guard. You should not enlist to "help" your chances. You should only enlist if that is truly what you want to do and will be ok with spending time in a reserve unit for the next 4 years or beyond.

Your grades and activities show me that you will be competitive candidate, it is impossible to predict your chances as there are too many things outside your control, but you would also be competitive for an ROTC scholarship.
Thank you this helps a lot.
 
@alexnguyen64 ,

You asked for my LOA stats on my profile page, but I can't private mail you for some reason, so I will post them here:

SPORTS
Softball 1 yr no varsity/no captain
Mixed crew 2 years 1 yr varsity/no captain
Fitness (powerlifting) mixed 4 yrs/no varsity (bc school doesn't have a letter for it)/2 yrs captain
Sailing (mixed) 3 yrs/1 yr varsity/no captain

OTHER ACTIVITY
State Award (HOBY)
Camp Counselor (hired for Girls State 2018)
Class rep
Debate team member/officer
NHS attendee
Other extracurricular activities (student pilot and athletic trainer)
Other scholastic awards (gold and silver awards at my school)
JROTC member/Battalion commander
Student body officer (in charge of communicating updates)
School club officer (aviation and powerlifting club)
School club rep (a long list of other clubs)
Girls State
Girls Nation
Yearbook writer/reporter/staff

THINGS I DIDN'T DO
*Attend college for any duration
*Girl Scouts
*SLE
*Have prior military service

ACT SCORES
English: 36
Reading: 33
Math: 32
Science: 32
Essay: 10

CFA (female)
BB throw: I think around 40? I don't remember
Pull-ups: 2
Shuttle run: somewhere around 10 seconds
Sit-ups: 90
Push-ups: 39
Mile: 7:45

And I am a lot stronger now, as I have been preparing for CBT.

I hope this helps, as you are a junior and have tons of time to complete some of these things if you haven't already! (such as Boys State, ect...)
 
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