GPA and ROTC

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Blackhawk88

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Oct 5, 2017
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Hello, I am currently a high school junior with a decently high gpa going into the start of the school year( possibly around 3.8). I have all honors courses and 1 AP course currently, and in the honors courses have all 96's and above but in the AP course I have a 75, which seems like it is going to stay where it is and not move much due to how my test scores look.

I was wondering if anyone can help me decide whether to stay in the AP course and get a 75-77 or leave and go to honors course and get 96 or above?, ps- the course is US history.

Facts about me: Attend private high school, joining swim team (hopefully varsity letter), hopefully NHS, spanish club, over 40 hours community service, part time job. I want to apply to the Army ROTC scholarship in the summer. ( I know my application and facts don't look too great but it is worth a shot)

Thank You.
 
You can't get the scholarship if you don't try.

My son, 3 year scholarship winner, had a 3.82 GPA, 30 ACT, part time job, Athlete Scholar award, club soccer team captain, HS soccer varsity and leadership. Remember its the whole person concept they look for. And if you don't get it on the first try when you go to college, work hard and you might earn one while there.
 
School started barely a month ago. How do you know what your final grade for the course will be? Is 75-77 the only grade the teacher gives?
 
No, I am just giving an educated guess on what it will come out as. I am not trying to be overly negative saying I won't get any good grades, but the scores I am receiving seem to be in that point range. The first quarter for my school ends in only a few weeks, which is a long time but I just don't know if I should take a risk possibly getting a 77 or get a 96 plus in a class I know I would excel in.
 
If you want to get the full points on the academic section of the interview sheet, you will need to have taken at least one AP course. If this is the only AP course you will have on your transcript then you should keep it and put in the added effort to keep a decent grade. AP courses usually start out tough, once you get in a rhythm for the class things tend to improve.
 
If you want to increase your chances to achieve your goal of an ROTC Scholarship, Keep the AP class, seek help from teacher, ask for extra study materials, study with a classmate, study some more, and keep all other grades up.
It will take a lot of hard work to get there, but so will your future career choice.
You can do it!
 
Blackhawk88 said:
Hello, I am currently a high school junior with a decently high gpa going into the start of the school year( possibly around 3.8). I have all honors courses and 1 AP course currently, and in the honors courses have all 96's and above but in the AP course I have a 75, which seems like it is going to stay where it is and not move much due to how my test scores look.

I was wondering if anyone can help me decide whether to stay in the AP course and get a 75-77 or leave and go to honors course and get 96 or above?, ps- the course is US history.

Facts about me: Attend private high school, joining swim team (hopefully varsity letter), hopefully NHS, spanish club, over 40 hours community service, part time job. I want to apply to the Army ROTC scholarship in the summer. ( I know my application and facts don't look too great but it is worth a shot)

Thank You.
Click to expand...

One thing that jumped out at me when helping my son apply for AROTC scholarship: the board does not take rigor of course load into account. My son’s 3.8 weighted GPA had to be entered in raw format - 3.45. He’s got great test scores, so hoping that will outweigh the GPA. Good luck - you’ll do great.
 
PMR said:
One thing that jumped out at me when helping my son apply for AROTC scholarship: the board does not take rigor of course load into account. My son’s 3.8 weighted GPA had to be entered in raw format - 3.45. He’s got great test scores, so hoping that will outweigh the GPA. Good luck - you’ll do great.
Click to expand...

Remember that while the GPA is submitted un-weighted, they also require a copy of their high school transcript which will show the types of classes that were taken and at which level. The interview form has a section for academics that asks if any AP courses were taken, they need these courses if they want to get the full points for that section of the interview. While it doesn't look like it on the surface, those higher level class do come in to play in different places.
 
Blackhawk88 said:
Hello, I am currently a high school junior with a decently high gpa going into the start of the school year( possibly around 3.8). I have all honors courses and 1 AP course currently, and in the honors courses have all 96's and above but in the AP course I have a 75, which seems like it is going to stay where it is and not move much due to how my test scores look.

I was wondering if anyone can help me decide whether to stay in the AP course and get a 75-77 or leave and go to honors course and get 96 or above?, ps- the course is US history.

Facts about me: Attend private high school, joining swim team (hopefully varsity letter), hopefully NHS, spanish club, over 40 hours community service, part time job. I want to apply to the Army ROTC scholarship in the summer. ( I know my application and facts don't look too great but it is worth a shot)

Thank You.
Click to expand...
This is a college level class and as such, the amount of time as well as the method needed for mastering this material is going to be different than what you are used to doing to in your high school classes. Chances are if you think back to the first day or look at the syllabus your teacher gave out, teacher made students aware of this (I remember reading this over and over again when my DD brought home course introductory letters from AP teachers). Your current grades reflect that you are not yet aware of what is required to excel in this class. You might as well stick with it and figure this out while a junior in high school, rather than later. I agree with other posters that say you will need some AP course work on your transcript in order to be noticed by the board. Suggestions:
  • stay for extra help offered by teacher
  • meet with teacher privately
  • utilize online learning resources, such as quizlet (teacher may have suggestions)
  • join or form a study group, (get with those who are excelling in the class and see what is working for them!)
  • get a tutor
You can conquer this but only if you make a plan and consistently put forth the effort.
 
A ROO at one of the schools my DD visited said that being a national scholarship that the board is not sophisticated enough to take into account weighted GPA. He was not suggesting she not taking any advanced courses (her HS had IB not AP) however the grade is more important than then the level for scholarship purposes. Advanced classes help prepare her for college. So she decided to keep her advanced science classes because she wants to be a nurse, however classes like history she went with the regular class. She received a 3 year AD class with a 3.57 gpa. She had a few advanced classes which still helped her with interview score but over a certain number it doesn't has an additional benefit.
 
This reminds me of AP Government when I was in 11th grade. Much like yourself, my experience in the course was difficult for the first half of the year. Our teacher treated it like a true college course, providing us with lectures and activities that only covered a portion of what we were tested on; leaving us to our own devices to figure out the rest. He of course was happy to help when sought out. I ended up getting a B in the class and it was worth it because it helped me refine my study methods and work ethic so that I would be ready for the college leap.

I understand that you find this as a serious problem/challenge to achieving your goal. In ROTC, you will learn quickly that officers are expected to be problem solvers; some times those problems are very complicated. This is an opportunity for you to develop your problem-solving skills. You have three more school terms to turn this around; that's ample opportunity. So, as others have said, don't give up on the class.

With that said, understand that your grades are not the end all be all to the scholarship assessment; SAT and ACT scores will be considered in addition to GPA. Do not catastrophize (love using those MRT words) if you end up with a C in the class. I and certainly others got a C or two in high school and we were still offered scholarships. Why? Because the Army uses a whole-person approach when selecting candidates; academics are one part of the puzzle. They are looking for students who are smart, fit, and well-rounded. You mentioned volunteering, joining a sports team, taking part in clubs, etc. The Army likes seeing those on applications and NHS will be a good plus if you are invited. You will also have the opportunity to sell yourself in essays and an interview with an officer; those too will play an important role. Bottom line: right now AP History looks like it might turn into a bump on the road, but it is certainly not a dead-end.
 
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