College applicant regarding GPA

hma12345

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Jan 5, 2017
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So I am a college applicant for USNA and they asked for my high school and college transcripts. If I have only completed one semester of college (at another really challenging and demanding school) how much will they look at my high school grades vs my college grades? I would say my high school grades were realllyyy good but my college grades are average. However, if they see the school I am coming from the academics and demands are about at the same or higher than at USNA. If my college GPA is less than a 3.0 do you think that would negatively effect me a LOT?
Thanks
 
Well, I'm guessing you probably have a sneaking suspicion about what the answer might be, but are maybe looking for some reassurance? ;)

None of us has a crystal ball as to what the Admissions Board will say about your grades, so I'm not sure we can offer you anything other than a speculative opinion. Obviously the better they are, the more positively that would impact your application. I'm assuming you followed guidance and took Calculus, Chem, History, English, right?
 
Well, I'm guessing you probably have a sneaking suspicion about what the answer might be, but are maybe looking for some reassurance? ;)

None of us has a crystal ball as to what the Admissions Board will say about your grades, so I'm not sure we can offer you anything other than a speculative opinion. Obviously the better they are, the more positively that would impact your application. I'm assuming you followed guidance and took Calculus, Chem, History, English, right?
Yes, I took all of those. I'm just wondering if they look more heavily at your high school grades rather than your college grades I guess
 
I'm assuming they look more at your college grades than high school grades since they use SAT/ACT to predict how you'll do in your first year.
 
Definitely college grades. If you want an honest answer, if you have a sub-3.0, your chances for USNA aren't good. Cs in any of the plebe courses is viewed very negatively b/c USNA figures it is a reasonable reflection of how well you handle college courses, plus the other challenges of attending college. Those challenges will likely be greater at USNA, given the military and sports requirements in addition to academics.

The above said, it is a "whole person" concept and there may be things in your application that will overcome less than stellar grades. You also have the opportunity to knock it out of the park in the next two semesters and reapply next year.
 
I've heard from academy people that it isn't important at all where you go to college. I almost find that hard to believe. As an example if one has a 3.0 GPA at Columbia University versus a 4.0 at some school that requires a 20 ACT, would they really be considered a weaker student? They'd have to at least keep it in mind when comparing college applicants.
 
I've heard from academy people that it isn't important at all where you go to college. I almost find that hard to believe. As an example if one has a 3.0 GPA at Columbia University versus a 4.0 at some school that requires a 20 ACT, would they really be considered a weaker student?

I think that the point is that USNA isn't going to play college snob and assume that an applicant from Harvard is better than a student that went to State U. While it may be harder to get into Harvard than State U, the Service Academies are looking at different factors. Instead, they will look at ACT/SAT and performance in the core STEM courses. I would venture to say that a student that gets a 4.0 in Calculus and Chemistry at State U is going to looked at more favorably that than the 3.0 at Harvard.
 
During the entire process, admissions looks at what opportunities are available to the applicant and what did they make of those opportunities. Candidates are not penalized for the high school not having 20 AP classes. I would also assume that they would not penalize a solid performance at a State U school.
 
I totally agree with Old Navy BGO. It speaks volume on your attitude and maturity toward college level work in your first year, no matter how well you did in high school. Let alone your preparedness to tackle challenging classes. If you attended the nation’s top 20 you should have performed like top 20 quality. If you took a little holiday in your first year then you should make it up by preparing yourself and demonstrate that you have changed and matured. If the study was challenging then you will be challenged again, even more. So better you apply when you’re ready and not repeat the same outcome.
 
Definitely college grades. If you want an honest answer, if you have a sub-3.0, your chances for USNA aren't good. Cs in any of the plebe courses is viewed very negatively b/c USNA figures it is a reasonable reflection of how well you handle college courses, plus the other challenges of attending college. Those challenges will likely be greater at USNA, given the military and sports requirements in addition to academics.

The above said, it is a "whole person" concept and there may be things in your application that will overcome less than stellar grades. You also have the opportunity to knock it out of the park in the next two semesters and reapply next year.
Okay I totally get what you're saying and I get that if I was coming from a civilian college that they would want to see Bs or higher... but what if I am coming from a school with the same level of military, sports, academics, etc challenges as USNA and I am getting a mixture of As, Bs, and Cs (which is less than a 3.0GPA). Do you think they will take that into consideration?
 
Looking at other forums you’ve posted in...is that other school USAFA? I think your bigger concern is going to be USNA taking you from another academy.
 
Looking at other forums you’ve posted in...is that other school USAFA? I think your bigger concern is going to be USNA taking you from another academy.

If you're currently a cadet/mid at another SA, your chances of being admitted to USNA are just about zero. This is true, even if you are standing #1 in your class at the other SA. There are other threads on this topic that explain this situation in greater detail.
 
My advice is to embrace the suck at USAFA or leave and go to a civilian college. Service Academies don't exist to dole out a free education. Service Academies exist to create officers; respected leaders of men and women with outstanding character, courage, and commitment.
Do you want to be an officer? If the answer isn't a resounding "yes!", then you have the answer you're looking for.
 
Not to beat a dead horse, but 1) Service Academies won't poach existing students from each other, and 2) What makes you think that a sub-3.0 at USAFA will do any better at USNA ?
 
However, if they see the school I am coming from the academics and demands are about at the same or higher than at USNA.

If you're at USAFA, the demands are the same or less than USNA. Less, b/c you're now familiar with USAFA and you're not with USNA, so you have a higher learning curve. I won't debate which SA is academically and militarily "more challenging."

If you're doing a sub 3.0 at USAFA, I'd bet my house that you won't do significantly better at USNA. And, as Old Navy says, it's a moot point b/c you won't be accepted. I knew an outstanding cadet at USMA who applied to USNA and was turned down.

We're not trying to beat on you. Rather, we are pointing out that SAs don't poach and, when someone who excels can't move from one SA to USNA, someone who hasn't excelled hasn't a chance.
 
So I am a college applicant for USNA and they asked for my high school and college transcripts. If I have only completed one semester of college (at another really challenging and demanding school) how much will they look at my high school grades vs my college grades? I would say my high school grades were realllyyy good but my college grades are average. However, if they see the school I am coming from the academics and demands are about at the same or higher than at USNA. If my college GPA is less than a 3.0 do you think that would negatively effect me a LOT?
Thanks

My DS is also a re-applicant that struggled with chemistry in the first semester at college and ended up with a C. I saw somewhere on this forum a suggestion that he write a letter to his admissions officer explaining his experience last semester and what he learned from it. Now I can't find the thread back. Is this a good idea?
 
you guys are all jumping to conclusions. Thanks for pointing all of this out but I share this account with my brother so I am not actually at a sevice Academy this year, however I am at a military school that is still really demanding and challenging academics wise. I have no other comments except some of you guys are extremely rude
 
you guys are all jumping to conclusions. Thanks for pointing all of this out but I share this account with my brother so I am not actually at a sevice Academy this year, however I am at a military school that is still really demanding and challenging academics wise. I have no other comments except some of you guys are extremely rude

If you do get in from whatever "really demanding and challenging" military school you're being super vague about, you're going to be in for a shock if you think the responses here are rude. You asked for opinions and you got them. Sorry if you don't like the answers, but if you don't like honest evaluations of your performance you should pick a different career path.
 
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