Golden Ticket to Admissions

[Haveaniceday]

Math - For all those future applicants thinking about USCGA, or any service academy or college, take as much challenging math as you can handle and do well in. You are applying to an Engineering School. STEM matters.

To show you how important it is, Swab summer has about 30 hours of math instruction to get Swabs ready for the school year. Other than the required 1 unit USCG history class, it is the only subject taught over the summer before your freshman (4/c) year. Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 struggles are the primary reason engineering majors get derailed at the Academy. To a lesser extend Chem and Physics, but again both those classes are significantly easier with a Calculus background. If you can take any level of Calculus in HS, do it, and your 4/c year just got much easier.

Those considering EA now, if you are taking calculus, make sure the academy is aware and send your quarter/semester grades.

Once you are admitted, get out the math book and review the concepts, you will use them soon.

If you are beginning HS, take as much challenging math as you can handle successfully and it will open up many doors and options in college and beyond.

Good Luck!

 

[StPaulDad]

As long as you are discussing math this might be a good time to review the differences between Necessary and Sufficient. Because while math is very important at the academies, which you correctly noted, it's only Necessary. But a phrase like Golden Ticket implies Sufficient and that's not nearly true. There are many other factors that go into acceptance that are also Necessary and there's not enough math in the world to replace them if you don't have them.

So study math, get good at it, but don't spend a lot of time looking for golden tickets. They just tempt you into complacency that's never helpful. Good luck, work hard, have fun.

 

[rjb]

There are no golden tickets for admissions, no secret formulas, etc.

The whole package is what's important!

 

[No1Fanof2]

The only time I have heard the phrase Golden Ticket, (and really had meaning) it was used for CGAS. However it went with “..its up to you to lose…”

 

[rjb]

However it went with “..its up to you to lose…”

I knew a young man that didn't male it through NAPS. He applied to Annapolis the next three years only to receive TWE's. He graduated from a quality Engineering school, but lost interest in becoming a Naval officer.

 

[IronmanDaremo]

If someone was given a shot at NAPS, it was because the Academy thought they had some room for improvement, but they still wanted them. If they then went on to drop out of NAPS, or didn't make the year academically, then I can totally understand getting TWEs. They were given a shot and didn't make it (for whatever reason).

The "Golden Ticket" is an appointment letter, either to a prep school or the SA directly. At that point, it is the candidate's thing to lose.

 

[TheRightStuff]

To show you how important it is, Swab summer has about 30 hours of math instruction to get Swabs ready for the school year. Other than the required 1 unit USCG history class, it is the only subject taught over the summer before your freshman (4/c) year.

Not correct. The military etiquette class is taught during SS as well.

There are no golden tickets for admissions, no secret formulas, etc.

The whole package is what's important!

Absolutely correct.

 

[ekb1398]

Not correct. The military etiquette class is taught during SS as well.

There's lots of "classes" taught over swab summer. @Haveaniceday is absolutely correct that only math and USCG History (a new addition in the past year or two, before which it was taught during 4/c Academic Year) are the only academic subjects taught over Swab Summer.

 

[TheRightStuff]

There's lots of "classes" taught over swab summer. @Haveaniceday is absolutely correct that only math and USCG History (a new addition in the past year or two, before which it was taught during 4/c Academic Year) are the only academic subjects taught over Swab Summer.

OP didn't say "academic subjects" or "academic" at all. OP said "subject" and etiquette is a subject:

Other than the required 1 unit USCG history class, it is the only subject taught over the summer before your freshman (4/c) year.

It is taught in a classroom environment with a lecture, etc. It is indeed a "class" for the Swabs.