Didn't get into SS... chances?

E

erinq2000

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Jun 16, 2017
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7
I am a female and I just finished my junior year of high school. I applied to the Summer Seminar, but was devastated when I got my rejection email. I know it's possible to still get accepted without having attended the Summer Seminar, but I'd like to see what I could improve upon to increase my chances of getting in.

I have had straight A's all of high school; I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA and a 4.52 weighted cumulative GPA as of the end of junior year. I am currently tied for rank at #1, and have completed 4 AP classes (10 by the end of senior year). I scored a 1510 on my SAT (applied to SS with a 1370 PSAT).

I have 3 varsity letters. I ran cross country my sophomore and junior year, ran indoor track my junior year, and played tennis my sophomore and junior year. I also was a gymnast for 10 years (not sure if that's relevant.)

I am in MESA, Key Club, National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, and Science National Honor Society. I am the vice-president of National Technical Honor Society. I also am a member of symphonic band (co-principal chair), concert band (principal chair), and marching band (I will be woodwind captain for my senior year). In addition, I was on flag line for Indoor Color Guard (not ROTC-- in association with marching band).

I have been an active member of Sea Scouts for approximately six months and am about to rank Apprentice. I am currently Purser of my Ship. I also completed a Teen Leadership Academy the summer before junior year (which I will attend again in a couple weeks).

I have volunteer experience at the Humane Society (approximately 35 hours). I also was a volunteer math tutor at a local tutoring center (where I later became a paid employee). I have participated in Wreaths Across America and the Polar Bear Plunge. In addition, I've volunteered for my school by partcipating in antique shows and mulch sales. I also have about 16 hours of community service from Key Club.

What do you think? I'm worried about getting rejected, and it would be very helpful if I could know what areas to improve in! Thank you.
 
SS has No bearing on the appointment process. I know it's hard to believe but it really is true.

You appear to have a very solid resume but no one here really knows and much of it comes down to who you are competing against and where you are from
 
Agree with above. Your resume is strong. Summer seminar won't have a bearing on your application. Also, more than anything, the last paragraph is what caught my attention. Stop the focus on the worry of being rejected. Your resume is impressive. Focus on the best application you can put together. That means an above average CFA, early coordination with teachers for letters, get your BGO interview done. Get it done right and early. In the end, if you can say you gave it your all, appointment or not, then you did it right. If your goal is to be a Naval Officer, what is your Plan B? Focus on that too.
 
Good advice above...focus on your application and don't look back as NASS. There are a lot of comments on here about Summer Seminar , and you will see many successful applicants who didn't get in to Summer Seminar. NASS is not a pre-screen, prequisite, or qualifier for appointment to USNA, and acceptance is not based on competitiveness of your profile as much as it is on demographics. (I would assume there is of course some minimum qualification level, but don't think that has ever been published) Keep in mind, NASS' primary purpose is recruiting and awareness . Those from areas where USNA is well known and poplular may not recognize this, but there are a lot of places in the country where USNA is not known and understood. There are limits on the number of people that can participate, and USNA will likely take the applicant from Montana or inner city Detroit over the kid who grew up in the mid-Atlantic states and has regular exposure to USNA.

OP - it sounds like you have a strong record. However, a lot depends on other candidates in your Congressional District. USNA is not like normal colleges where you have to be among the top applicants nation-wide for admission. In many cases, you need to be the top in your particular MOC slate. That's why it is important to apply to as many Nomination sources as possible, as that gives Admissions the best opportunity to find a slot for you.

Good luck...as Hoops said ..don't look back at NASS, but look forward and get that application in.
 
I was in your shoes a year ago. Got denied from Summer Seminar and thought it meant I wasn't competitive. I applied but I gave it all I had and was always finding new ways to improve my application. Also had to get a waiver for being red/green colorblind which was also holding me back. Anyways I stayed persistent and got an appointment my advice is don't worry about summer seminar worry about the actual application and if you truly want to go there do everything you can to get in. Constantly try to improve your application and talk to your admissions officer and BGO about anything else you can do.
 
DD received LOA but never got NASS or CVW. She got CVW through her BGO. Many of those appointed do not get either. Don't sweat the small stuff and concentrate on your application. It seems like a very good one. DD is now Captain USMC. Best of luck.
 
I am a BGO and my DS received an LOA and appointment without receiving admissions to SS. All of the other comments were right on point, and I agree with each one of them.
 
So frustrating, right? I imagine you probably have been looking forward to this for years, and it just stings to be denied. Yup, been there, done that. It's obvious you have worked hard, your class rank, test scores and resume are awesome! It's always disconcerting when one's best efforts are not enough. But, I also think you can use this as a great learning opportunity. This is a chance to reset your mindset about this process. You can be the perfect candidate for any school you apply to and still not be admitted because you are not what they need to complete their class profile (referring to civilian colleges). And that's ok. It really does all work out. Use this situation for personal development. Remind yourself that this is life, and you won't always get what you want and nobody owes you anything. Not that your NASS rejection reflects on you at all! Eat some humble pie and apply some self-reflection and remember how disappointment feels, so you can be an encourager to someone else down the line, because life at Academies probably involves a lot of disappointing failures! It's intentionally set up that way.
But, remember, this is not a failure, this is just a numbers-issue and those of us with experience assure you that this summer experience does not mean you are not competitive. I suspect if you have already shown solid interest in attending they know that and maybe chose another kid who maybe had not ever considered herself at an Academy.
I am so sorry you won't be attending NASS, crazy that an application as solid as yours did not get picked, but oh well. Use this time to work on your CFA training. Transfer your frustration into your workouts and be sure you have a solid Plan B & C that you would love if USNA does not work out.
Did you go to Girl's State this summer?
 
ten042 said:
I am so sorry you won't be attending NASS, crazy that an application as solid as yours did not get picked, but oh well. Use this time to work on your CFA training. Transfer your frustration into your workouts and be sure you have a solid Plan B & C that you would love if USNA does not work out.
Did you go to Girl's State this summer?
Click to expand...

No, I actually don't know what Girl's State is. Mind telling me? Thank you for the words of encouragement, by the way, it means a lot.
 
Oldest son got into USNA SS, but was rejected for USAFA SS. Received USAFA appointment and wait-listed at USNA (USAFA 2017 grad). Youngest son applied to zero SSs and is a USNA appointee. So, no, I don't think it matters. . . but I don't have any "inside information," just my own experience.
 
You have probably missed out on Girl's State (here's a link to the states' schedules: https://www.alaforveterans.org/Programs/ALA-Girls-State-Locations/), but you will see it referenced a lot on this forum. According to Wikipedia: "Boys State and Girls State are summer leadership and citizenship programs sponsored by The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary for high school juniors. Boys and Girls are usually nominated by their high school during their junior year."

The service academies value Boys State/Girls State participation, and it is a recommended activity when building one's application for a SA. But, please, do not worry about missing this event, probably more students are admitted to service academies without it, than with it! I re-read your resume that you posted and see your area of focus has been service, music and Sea Cadets. You have taken on some leadership positions in each of these and that is wonderful. I think your academic position, your test scores and resume all reflect a candidate who has interest in service to others and leadership. The one thing that would concern me is your participation in 3 different sports, over 3 years, but you have not continued with any of them your senior year. I am sure you have a reason for that and you should probably find a way to address that in all of your college applications. If at all possible, you really should run cross country again this year. At a minimum, it shows you have endurance, an ability to run, and that you value fitness. Plus, the training should help you with your CFA. Any chance you can return to the team? I did not run XC my senior year and I have always regretted it.

But, as Navy Hoops posted above, you are not competing on a national scale for an appointment, your first hurdle is to get a nomination from your District Representative or your Senators. Depending where you live, application deadlines are probably early October and nomination decisions are usually posted late November, and as late as January. You absolutely need to treat this as a competition because you are not competing against all the other students in your district and state for one of these 3 nominations. I forgot to mention the 4th source, the Vice Presidential nomination, but then you are competing at a national level, so that reduces the odds of success very quickly.

Be sure to scour these threads and posts and really understand the nomination process. Christcorps has some of the very best explanations possible on the Nomination process. Once you understand how that works, you will have a better understanding of the selection for appointment process. If you don't earn a Nomination, then you are not 3Q (do you know what that means?) and I think your file is closed and not seen by the admissions board.

So, you really only have July, August, and September to improve your resume for a Nomination. Think about all the other nomination applicants that are top 10% in their class, great test scores, and team captains in your state. There are probably several also applying to service academies and trying to earn a nomination from their Member of Congress. What can you do to boost your resume between now and October? If I were deciding between you and another candidate that had participated in sports all 4 years, I would choose the candidate who showed commitment to their team, over the applicant who had left their team. I don't mean to be negative, I only want you to understand how high this level of competition is. So, if you are injured, offer to be a team manager. If you hate the coach, deal with it, and get your mind right and tell yourself that if you really want to be a Naval Officer, you will probably be exposed to a lot of sucky people making your life miserable in the process of trying to make you stronger. Now, if you have a fall project in one of your other activities, that will take up most of your after-school time, then I suggest you schedule a time to sit down with your coach and explain to them your desire to be a Naval Officer and that you really want to remain on the team, but that your after-school schedule will prevent you from running after school. There are probably several other runners who run before school and ask if your coach is willing to let you run an early morning practice schedule and that you will do your best to make all the meets, but you already know you have a conflict on XYZ dates, is it ok with them if you don't attend those meets. There is a way to make this happen if you really want it. And don't forget, at a service academy, Physical Training (PT) is a mandatory part of your day along with academics and military duty. You got to figure out a way to show them you can do all three areas if you are serious about becoming a Naval Officer.
 
Just my two cents but NASS and CVW are recruitment tools for USNA. Ask all BGOs and probably many will say that their top candidates did not get either. Good Luck and keep striving.​
 
Leadership. NROTC as a backup plan. Both paths turn out fine officers.
 
ten042 said:
You have probably missed out on Girl's State (here's a link to the states' schedules: https://www.alaforveterans.org/Programs/ALA-Girls-State-Locations/), but you will see it referenced a lot on this forum. According to Wikipedia: "Boys State and Girls State are summer leadership and citizenship programs sponsored by The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary for high school juniors. Boys and Girls are usually nominated by their high school during their junior year."

The service academies value Boys State/Girls State participation, and it is a recommended activity when building one's application for a SA. But, please, do not worry about missing this event, probably more students are admitted to service academies without it, than with it! I re-read your resume that you posted and see your area of focus has been service, music and Sea Cadets. You have taken on some leadership positions in each of these and that is wonderful. I think your academic position, your test scores and resume all reflect a candidate who has interest in service to others and leadership. The one thing that would concern me is your participation in 3 different sports, over 3 years, but you have not continued with any of them your senior year. I am sure you have a reason for that and you should probably find a way to address that in all of your college applications. If at all possible, you really should run cross country again this year. At a minimum, it shows you have endurance, an ability to run, and that you value fitness. Plus, the training should help you with your CFA. Any chance you can return to the team? I did not run XC my senior year and I have always regretted it.

But, as Navy Hoops posted above, you are not competing on a national scale for an appointment, your first hurdle is to get a nomination from your District Representative or your Senators. Depending where you live, application deadlines are probably early October and nomination decisions are usually posted late November, and as late as January. You absolutely need to treat this as a competition because you are not competing against all the other students in your district and state for one of these 3 nominations. I forgot to mention the 4th source, the Vice Presidential nomination, but then you are competing at a national level, so that reduces the odds of success very quickly.

Be sure to scour these threads and posts and really understand the nomination process. Christcorps has some of the very best explanations possible on the Nomination process. Once you understand how that works, you will have a better understanding of the selection for appointment process. If you don't earn a Nomination, then you are not 3Q (do you know what that means?) and I think your file is closed and not seen by the admissions board.

So, you really only have July, August, and September to improve your resume for a Nomination. Think about all the other nomination applicants that are top 10% in their class, great test scores, and team captains in your state. There are probably several also applying to service academies and trying to earn a nomination from their Member of Congress. What can you do to boost your resume between now and October? If I were deciding between you and another candidate that had participated in sports all 4 years, I would choose the candidate who showed commitment to their team, over the applicant who had left their team. I don't mean to be negative, I only want you to understand how high this level of competition is. So, if you are injured, offer to be a team manager. If you hate the coach, deal with it, and get your mind right and tell yourself that if you really want to be a Naval Officer, you will probably be exposed to a lot of sucky people making your life miserable in the process of trying to make you stronger. Now, if you have a fall project in one of your other activities, that will take up most of your after-school time, then I suggest you schedule a time to sit down with your coach and explain to them your desire to be a Naval Officer and that you really want to remain on the team, but that your after-school schedule will prevent you from running after school. There are probably several other runners who run before school and ask if your coach is willing to let you run an early morning practice schedule and that you will do your best to make all the meets, but you already know you have a conflict on XYZ dates, is it ok with them if you don't attend those meets. There is a way to make this happen if you really want it. And don't forget, at a service academy, Physical Training (PT) is a mandatory part of your day along with academics and military duty. You got to figure out a way to show them you can do all three areas if you are serious about becoming a Naval Officer.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, it's too bad it has already passed. It sounds like a really great opportunity. And yes, I am currently looking into nominations now! So much to do ad so much to work on. It's quite exciting. Oh, and I didn't include most of the things for my senior year, but yes, I am running cross country and indoor track, as well as playing tennis my senior year. In fact, I hate indoor track with a passion, but I'm only doing it to keep up endurance for my Candidate Fitness Assessment... haha. Also, no, can't say I know what 3Q means.
 
Make sure to read all the 'stickies' and the entire USNA admissions webpage. The stickies are the items at the top of the USNA forum. These are the common questions asked over and over again. It's a wealth of information. The USNA admissions page has a long list of items that you will need to do. The process can seem overwhelming but just map out s plan and take it one step at a time.
 
Being 3Q and getting a NOM are two separate processes and one has nothing to do with the other. You ARE competing on a national basis to become 3Q as USNA applies the SAME criteria for that regardless of where you live.

I agree as mentioned above, you should read ALL of the available official information on the USNA website and the moderator stickies posted here. The same questions get asked every year and the answers to those don't change. No one on here can assess an individual candidate's chance of getting appointment, no matter how many different ways that gets asked.

Also good to recognize the difference between fact and opinion/conjecture when reading the various posts people are making.
 
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