Concerned

bobby

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Messages
8
Hey, I'm new to this forum, but I have been reading it for awhile, and everything here has been so helpful and informative, so thank you, everyone!

But anyway, I've been worrying about my gpa for this semester. I'm a junior and I am taking four AP and honor classes, but my gpa for this semester dropped from what it usually is, so from a 3.8 to a 3.5. I know I can turn it around this upcoming semester and get it back up to where it should be, but I'm just freaking out that this one semster can ruin this whole process. If I were to start the appliction process before I have my second semster gpa, would admissions just look at my application with the bad gpa and say I'm not qualified? and also, if i were to apply to SLS, would they do the same?

I think I'm on the right track when it comes to leadership and athletics, but I guess I'm just concerned with my academics. I'm not sure if I'm just paraniod because I've been waiting a long time for my oppertunity to apply, but this is making me worried. Thank you all so much!
 
Don't worry! Normally, class rank is looked at more than GPA. I think that you are worried about filling out the preliminary application in april/may, however, they ask for your accumulative GPA. By the time you actually send in your transcripts for the application, you will have your 2nd semester grades (6 semesters overall). And if it helps, I have had a steady 3.2/4.0 GPA throughout high school, received a principal nom and am waiting... I know that it is case by case basis, but you don't need a perfect 4.0 to get in. I don't think that a minor slippage in GPA in your case is going to affect you.
 
Hey, Bobby!

Speaking from experience, fretting over your GPA will do nothing to help you. I currently have a cumulative 3.496 (but about to go up!), and spent much of my time worrying about it being too low. Now that I have my LOA, I realize how useless all of my fretting was (or perhaps I just have senioritis?). Instead of worrying, put your energy towards raising it.

Remember that, even if you are not accepted into SLS, the majority of cadets who show up at R-Day do not attend, either. It is often more competitive to get into SLS than it is to be offered an appointment.

They will probably put more emphasis on your junior year grades than freshman and sophomore, but they also take into effect the difficulty of your classes as well as your class rank. Seeing as I do not work in admissions, I do not know for certain, but I'm willing to bet that they'll probbably look more favorably on a 3.5 in four AP classes than a 3.8 in normal classes.

Good luck!
 
i often hear it is more competitive to get into SLS than USMA. If I attended SLS, recieved a nomination, but don't have an LOA, are my chances still good for being admitted even though i didnt recieve an LOA? thanks!
 
I was a little perplexed about the whole LOA thing a few weeks ago. It seemed like LOA's were flowing like beer in a wild west saloon. But then I checked into the whole LOA thing and knew some that received them. They are fairly rare from what I found and many are sent to either athletes or students from competitive private schools. My son has a 4.2, went to SLS, ranked #2 in his class, varsity letter, etc. and no LOA. We were wondering what else he needed to do. But the LOA thing is proabably blown out of proportion. Someone made the point that out of the 1,000 plus appointments that will go out only a fraction of LOA's are accounted for on this board.
Sit back and enjoy the holidays and if it's mid May and you haven't heard anything just be glad you applied for an ROTC scholarship too.
 
do not worry about GPA. they dont care so much about that or class rank. if one were to hold more weight, class rank is bigger. i have a 3.2 and im going. just score well on SAT and youre good. but max out everything if you have a lower GPA. SAT is 50% of the entire process.
 
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