College Student Applying

Smurph

5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
6
I'm a freshman in college this year and will be applying to USNA this year. I know that you're supposed to take courses in Calc, Chem, History and English if you are a college student but I have two AP credits in history and one in English and placed out of those classes this year. Also, I won't be able to take Chem until my January Winter Term. Will that hurt my chances for acceptance if I can't take those classes or will I be able to send my AP scores and my transcipt after first semester and then again post January/Chemistry?
 
I'm a freshman in college this year and will be applying to USNA this year. I know that you're supposed to take courses in Calc, Chem, History and English if you are a college student but I have two AP credits in history and one in English and placed out of those classes this year. Also, I won't be able to take Chem until my January Winter Term. Will that hurt my chances for acceptance if I can't take those classes or will I be able to send my AP scores and my transcipt after first semester and then again post January/Chemistry?
I assume you applied last year and were unsuccessful. I again assume that you have asked both your BGO and Admissions why you were unsuccessful. Thirdly, I will assume that you are like the vast majority of unsuccessful applicants in that your academic credentials were not stellar. So, to show that you can now survive the academic rigors of Plebe year, you are not taking at least three of the four courses which they have highly suggested you take. The way I see it, your academic credentials are not markedly different than they were last year.
 
I'm a freshman in college this year and will be applying to USNA this year. I know that you're supposed to take courses in Calc, Chem, History and English if you are a college student but I have two AP credits in history and one in English and placed out of those classes this year. Also, I won't be able to take Chem until my January Winter Term. Will that hurt my chances for acceptance if I can't take those classes or will I be able to send my AP scores and my transcipt after first semester and then again post January/Chemistry?

First, if you've not already done so, read the sticky above on Reapplying.

The reason MOST candidates don't receive appointments is, at some level, academics. (For a handful, it's leadership, athletics, or terrible recommendations -- but not for most). As indicated above and in the sticky, you should confirm with your RD what held you back.

The best way -- really the only way -- to improve your academics as a college freshman is to get all/mostly As in the plebe courses. The "biggies" are calc and chem. If you can't take chem, take physics. It's a youngster course and doing well in it will make up for not taking chem, providing you take and do well in calc.

The lack of English/history isn't necessarily fatal. However, I find it hard to believe there is NO English (with writing) or history course that you could take. If they're "more advanced" than the plebe courses, that's fine. If you aren't taking them, what are you replacing them with? Stuff like sociolgy, criminal justice, womens' studies, art history, etc. is not going to cut it with USNA -- just being honest.

So, if you were to tell me you're taking calc, physics or engineering, statistics and a high level history course, I'd say you were ok. If you told me you were taking psychology, calc, zoology, and criminal justice, I'd say you were likely doomed no matter how well you did. The one exception would be if you received an A in h.s. AP chem and a 5 on your chem AP test. That could obviate the need to take chem in college; even so, I still woudn't be thrilled with your schedule.
 
Thanks for the help. I didn't apply last year so i don't know if my high school grades and test scores would have gotten me in but i feel they are competitive for admissions, only my math could be better which is good because I was able to get a calculus class this year and can redeem myself. Forgive me if this was in the sticky at the top but my current school made me wait until I was accepted to to send my AP scores, will I be able to send those in as part of my admissions packet or do I need to wait until after the decision?
 
I hadn't realized you were applying for the first time . . . that makes some difference in my answer. If you did well in h.s. taking calc and chem and English and history and/or high level language and/or other core courses . . . and had solid SAT/ACT scores, that will certainly help and your college courses may not be as critical.

Still, USNA's view is that, for all college students, how well they do as freshman in the plebe courses is the best predicator of their academic success at USNA. USNA realizes it's much more difficult for college freshmen to demonstrate leadership or to do varsity sports, so you'll probably be largely relying on what you did in h.s.

You can send your AP scores now. Also, whatever courses you take 2nd semester of college won't count for admissions purposes b/c USNA won't see the grades before it makes a decision; if you are accepted, they may help with validation.
 
DS was a college freshman last year applying for the first time to USNA. Reading the stickies on this forum were immensely helpful, so I highly recommend that you do so. :smile: For instance, he didn't waste the time or money retaking SATs or ACTs as he knew his college performance would be more important than predictor test scores.

As for college classes, he tried to mimic USNAs freshmen classes, but it wasn't possible to manipulate his schedule completely as his college had certain requirements for engineers and freshmen. So he had to take one of those "soft" classes for his freshman seminar requirement, but was able to find a history class. He also took calc, two engineering classes, and a leadership class (for a leadership minor he was pursuing). Physics wasn't programmed for engineering majors until the 2nd and 3rd quarters (on the quarter not semester system), and writing not until the 3rd. Since acceptance to USNA was very uncertain, he made sure that he was set up for his sophomore year if he didn’t get an appointment. But he took 19 credit hours, had appropriately difficult/engineering classes, volunteered weekly for a service organization and played club water polo.

He remained very focused on getting the best grades he could and ended up receiving an appointment in early February. During plebe summer, he tested out of calc 1 and 2, physics 1 and French, so his year at college was helpful in several ways.

Good luck!
 
If applying for the first time and are now in college, one question you will expected to answer is why you didn't apply when in high school? Did you now just learn of the academy or was there some other circumstance that prevented you from applying (i.e. medical condition....etc.) Were not previously aware of or interested in a career in the military?

You should also look at the typical profile of those attending USNA since you can't make up for things you didn't do in high school at this point.
 
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