hello, i am a junior trying to receive an appointment. However my academic scores heavily conflict. Im sure everyone is tired of the standard west point looks at more than grades and the what are my chances posts. however i have a different situation. I have high test scores (ACT 30 PSAT 1400) however I have 3 Cs this semester, it s worth noting they are in IB classes (AP level with international focus and for international college credit) how badly will this affect my application? Also i know plebes have many responsibiliies, so how do they play sports? also how can i join a sports team or special team (Sandhurst, Parachute, weapons, etc) If i wasnt recruited or invited to them?
Conflicting academic scores and plebe myth questions
- Thread starter fhs1775
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- Oct 15, 2017
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I just want to say that I clicked on your thread because I mis-read the last part as "plebe meth questions" and was exceedingly glad that you weren't asking about prior use of methamphetamines. 
1. Your test scores are in the upper echelon of the USMA average for candidates.
2. Three (3) grades of "C" this semester is certainly not good, but does not a cumulative GPA make. From a Service Academy point of view, making the distinction that these classes are IB or AP level won't amount to anything, because they expect you to take these types of classes to be competitive as a candidate.
3. Plebes are expected (required) to be in certain sports during the Summer and can usually pick what they want to do during the academic year, outside of a Varsity team (if they aren't on one - or not quite that caliber - which covers a lot of that incoming class). The Summer may be a chance to try something out (like Boxing) that may interest them enough to stick with, during the academic year. As for a special teams, there are usually screeners ("tryouts") for inclusion on those teams. Many special teams may take only 1 or 2 Plebes every year, so if it's something that a lot of Plebes want to try out for, you'll find yourself participating in one (or more) physical screeners, followed by a skills screener, and possibly an interview-type screener (to see if you would fit within the mindset of the special team). These things sometimes start out with seventy-five (75) hopefuls who are pared down to say, 25, then cut some more until there are a handful from which to choose. I would fully expect that the parachute team or combat weapons team (as examples) would be very similar to what I suggest, as far as difficulty-to-get-on. Not impossible, but not very probable.
1. Your test scores are in the upper echelon of the USMA average for candidates.
2. Three (3) grades of "C" this semester is certainly not good, but does not a cumulative GPA make. From a Service Academy point of view, making the distinction that these classes are IB or AP level won't amount to anything, because they expect you to take these types of classes to be competitive as a candidate.
3. Plebes are expected (required) to be in certain sports during the Summer and can usually pick what they want to do during the academic year, outside of a Varsity team (if they aren't on one - or not quite that caliber - which covers a lot of that incoming class). The Summer may be a chance to try something out (like Boxing) that may interest them enough to stick with, during the academic year. As for a special teams, there are usually screeners ("tryouts") for inclusion on those teams. Many special teams may take only 1 or 2 Plebes every year, so if it's something that a lot of Plebes want to try out for, you'll find yourself participating in one (or more) physical screeners, followed by a skills screener, and possibly an interview-type screener (to see if you would fit within the mindset of the special team). These things sometimes start out with seventy-five (75) hopefuls who are pared down to say, 25, then cut some more until there are a handful from which to choose. I would fully expect that the parachute team or combat weapons team (as examples) would be very similar to what I suggest, as far as difficulty-to-get-on. Not impossible, but not very probable.