Current Junior: How's my resume looking?

S

Snako7205

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Joined
May 17, 2022
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10
I'm in my junior year of high school and I was wondering if you could give me any feedback on my current resume.

GPA (My school uses the 4.33 system)

9 - 4.33

10 - 4.30

11 - 4.23

SAT: 1340 (I was getting around low 1400s in practice tests and I plan on retaking)

Classes: I'm taking as many AP and dual enrollments as I can at the moment. 3 AP classes and 1 dual enrollment for PreCalc. I took AP US history last year and got a 5 on the exam.

Extracurriculars:

Band (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)(In the highest bands available at the high school level)
Jazz Band (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)(Also in high level bands)
Pep Band (10, 11)
Chess Club (10, 11) (VP at the moment)
Student School Board Representative (Our local school board created the positions for student representatives that attend and participate in all meetings in a non-voting capacity)
Rocketry Club (11) (Founded the club this year, we compete in a nationwide high school rocketry competition known as "The American Rocketry Challenge")
Job(8,9,10,11,12)
Cross Country(6, 7, 8, 9, 11) (Sports are my weak point at the moment, I did not run sophomore year for a couple of reasons but I don't really want to make excuses, I was running lower JV times, but this year I sustained stress fractures to both of my legs and was unable to complete the full season, I'm working with physical therapy at the moment and I should be able to get to low JV and possibly varsity times by next season, but varsity is unlikely. I will get my letter this year though. I was also diagnosed with low bone density through a radiology study but I hope to apply for a waiver.)

(I plan on applying to the national honor society this year. There is also a reasonable chance that I will be able to get leadership possibilities in band as well as the chess club presidency)


Also, I've started reading that now is the time to apply for congressional nominations, how exactly does that work? What do I need to worry about in terms of the application right now? Additionally, I'm pretty weak after my injury and still can't start running until around march. In the meantime, does anyone have any exercise recommendations or specific workouts that I can do? I'm kind of a skinny cross country kid so I'm looking to improve push ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups. I do not have access to a pull up bar so it will mostly have to be body weight workouts.


Thank you!
 
I would take the SAT again and try the ACT (it was much easier for me), if you pm me I can give you some of the resources I used for ACT prep.
 
Work on improving SAT/ACT scores. They are the #1 discriminator to being competitive.
More sports. Make sure you are healthy enough to compete and go out for Track in addition to CC.
Anything before high school doesn't count, so you don’t need to list middle school items.
Get your medical records together for your waiver.
Read your Representative and Senator’s websites for nomination timelines.
Do push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups to get better. Doing them is how you improve.
Get creative for a pull-up bar. There has to be something at school or home that you can use.

Stealth_81
 
You can find a tree somewhere. Go to an elementary school playground and use the monkey bars. Do pullups while at school during study hall, gym class, lunch.

Look to take a class for the SATs.

Learn the Sicilian dragon defense. :)
 
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I recommend using Stew Smith's guide on the CFA along with his online resources. I use his reference material with all of my students. Go to StewSmithFitness.com. By the way, he is a USNA grad and former SEAL.

Also, consider applying the the summer seminars at the different SA's. USAFA is closed. But you can apply to the others over the next month or so. Best of luck with you applications!
 
Apply for American Legion Boys/Girls State. Application is usually about now. Talk to your school counselor about it. Great leadership opportunity and good for your resume.
 
Stealth_81 said:
Work on improving SAT/ACT scores. They are the #1 discriminator to being competitive.
More sports. Make sure you are healthy enough to compete and go out for Track in addition to CC.
Anything before high school doesn't count, so you don’t need to list middle school items.
Get your medical records together for your waiver.
Read your Representative and Senator’s websites for nomination timelines.
Do push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups to get better. Doing them is how you improve.
Get creative for a pull-up bar. There has to be something at school or home that you can use.

Stealth_81
Click to expand...
Sounds good! Do you think track would be worth it? I was told in a previous post that I shouldn't try to overextend myself. Due to my injury as well it is unlikely that I would be able to compete in the upcoming season. Would it be worth it to try senior year? For the congressional nominations, do the representatives have to be from my district, or can they be from anywhere in the state? If you were to look at this resume right now, assuming an average, to possibly above average CFA in some areas (the mile), what do you think my chances of admission are?
 
Athletics. Academics. Leadership. The entire process revolves around these. Think of it as a three-legged stool. No such thing as a two-legged stool.

You have access to a pull-up bar, guaranteed. CFA is a hurdle for many "skinny" kids, so instead of tackling it early and often, they wait until the last minute, and that never works out well. I would get a good baseline for your CFA now, and go from there. Track this spring, summer swim team, and cross country in the fall, community 5Ks, triathlons, etc. Not to mention CFA practice. You have time to prepare.

Junior Volunteer fireman is another great way to distinguish yourself, learn about leadership, and maintain control. You'll get lots of tell me about a time stories.

You've missed the boat on traditional Boy Scouts, but Venture Crew (part of BSA) is for youth 14-21 years old and provides lots of leadership opportunities, with an Eagle Scout level award. Contact your local BSA council office and they can put you in touch. Along with that, you could be a scout camp counselor.

Retake the ACT/SAT early and often. USAFA super scores.

Get your medical records together. Doctors, contact information, everything. Assuming you need a waiver having that organized now will reduce stress later.

Are you in the marching band? Lots of leadership opportunities there. Drum Major, Captain, section leader, president, all the way down to librarian. District and county bands to show excellence. Tri-M?

Read everything you can find on the application and nomination process. Your school counselor may be able to help or point you to someone who can. For example, the ALO for your area.

There is a difference between "over-extending yourself" and "working your tail off". The applicants that are most successful have "done everything" and rescued a kitten from a tree. :)

It is impossible to "chance yourself". Do everything you can to make yourself as competitive as possible and go from there. Just good enough is never enough.
 
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A1Janitor said:
You can find a tree somewhere. Go to an elementary school playground and use the monkey bars. Do pullups while at school during study hall, gym class, lunch.

Look to take a class for the SATs.

Learn the Sicilian dragon defense. :)
Click to expand...
Haven't seen the dragon variation before, I'll have to look into that😄
 
Snako7205 said:
Haven't seen the dragon variation before, I'll have to look into that😄
Click to expand...
Lol

My identical twin played a 2400 rated player when getting his phd. Beat him like once or twice out of 100 games. We were roughly equal. We used to practice the dragon.

A grandmaster was at the destiny mall challenging 16 players at same time. So I went and played. Ten moves in were textbook. He destroyed me.

The bozo next to me was trash talking him. Opened with rook pawn moving up several moves. Hilarious.

I tried getting my son into chess. Never was interested. He casually picked it up his senior year. Good for a beginner. 2c year he was best player at USNA and won the tournament as best player at academies.

So I drove down to NJ to watch him play a sanctioned tournament. Missed his first match. He got killed by a yen year old. The number 2 player got beat by the kids 8 year old sister. Lol wished I watched.

Luckily for him I saw him beat the number one player for
West Point. Excellent game.
 
As a Jr you should apply for your local Boys State which is ususally open right now as a summer camp.Its a great leadership adventure esp if take adv of running for their "fake city positions" while at camp. Great opp to usually meet Senator or their rep for face to face discussion(my son meet the senator who nominated him there).Get on top of your local nomination sources and attend their events when possible for face to face interactions.Work on physical stuff for CFA, my son passed his in Sept of his Sr year.Gathering all this info takes time and you MUST meet their deadlines so start working on stuff now.Leadership roles where ever you may find them! Best of luck!
 
What is the breakdown of your 1340 SAT? Is on section significantly higher, or both about equal? Strategize - for example, if you are at 600 EBRW and 740 Math, then focus more on the weak section due to superscoring. SAT also has predetermined curves, so you don't know if you will get an easy test (which is "bad") or harder (which is "better"). So take it several more times, if possible.
 
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