I am going to be in 10th grade next year (sophomore). I'm moving to a new school that's bigger than my old one so there will be more opportunities there for everything. My freshman year wasn't great though. I didn't really care about college the first semester, and I got about a 3.60 GPA. Then I realized that I want to go to the Naval Academy and really picked it up. I got a 3.91 GPA, but it even out to about a 3.73 (not very good). For school sports I only did cross country. Next year, I'm planning on doing soccer, lacrosse, and possibly alpine skiing (along with club baseball). I am going to work very hard and be more in the 3.85+ range for GPA hopefully. I am going to join as many clubs as I can and leadership positions etc. I just don't know if it will be enough because of my bad freshman year. Do I have any chance? What can I do to increase my chances? All help is appreciated, thanks.
Do I have any chance for the Naval Academy?
- Thread starter Briamo94
- Start date
harrynm034
Member
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- Nov 9, 2018
- Messages
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You can do as many as you want, but SA is seeking for commitment.
- Academics (H, AP, IB, DE)
- Athletic Sports
- Community Service
- Leadership Experience
- Strong mentality
- Strong physical Abilities
- Work Experience
Apply for USNA STEM; which application is opening up in January.
Are you sure you can balance them out?
- Academics (H, AP, IB, DE)
- Athletic Sports
- Community Service
- Leadership Experience
- Strong mentality
- Strong physical Abilities
- Work Experience
Apply for USNA STEM; which application is opening up in January.
Are you sure you can balance them out?
- Joined
- May 22, 2018
- Messages
- 6,031
Fear not! While USNA loves candidates with a consistently strong record throughout high school, they also have room for candidates with a positive progression, i.e. steady improvement from freshman through senior years. A 3.6 GPA is not a bad place to start and move up from.
That said, more important than GPA is your class rank and course rigor in the context of your school profile. In other words, take the hardest classes your school has to offer and do very well in them. An A in a standard course is not necessarily better than a B in an AP course.
Also, think quality, not quantity, when it comes to ECs. As @harrynm034 said, USNA wants to see commitment. And leadership is best demonstrated by “real impact,” not titles held. You have a chance. Just make sure your actions are genuine, not just attempts to put points on the board.
That said, more important than GPA is your class rank and course rigor in the context of your school profile. In other words, take the hardest classes your school has to offer and do very well in them. An A in a standard course is not necessarily better than a B in an AP course.
Also, think quality, not quantity, when it comes to ECs. As @harrynm034 said, USNA wants to see commitment. And leadership is best demonstrated by “real impact,” not titles held. You have a chance. Just make sure your actions are genuine, not just attempts to put points on the board.
davejean90
5-Year Member
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- Aug 18, 2015
- Messages
- 213
Yes
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- Oct 10, 2007
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- 3,181
MODS, this thread seems to be in the wrong place.
I'm in the same boat as you! I struggled my freshman year as well but steadily picked it up over my sophomore and junior years. I actually ended up receiving an LOA. This shows that they don't necessarily focus on one bad year, but how you recover from it. Ultimately, one year doesn't show everything about you. Just make sure you score well on your standardized tests and stay involved. Keep those grades on the rise!