High School Sophomore looking for some advice

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eyesbright250

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Hello, I am a 15-year-old Korean-American girl entering my sophomore year of high school. My father was in the Army for 25 years which led me to think of being in the Army as a career. I've dreamed of attending USMA since eighth grade and now I want to turn this dream into something achievable through hard work.
I came here to ask what I could start doing to strengthen my application. I have a few of questions so apologies for the long post.

Academics:
I finished 9th grade with a 4.17 GPA (my school does not rank). I took Literature and Composition I (English), World History I, Advanced Environmental Science, Honors Algebra II, and Honors Mandarin II. Next year, I will take Honors Literature and Composition, World History II, AP Biology, Honors Algebra III, and Honors Mandarin III. I generally get A-range grade so I do not worry too much about my academics. I do have the option to take AP World History and my first question is: Is it worth it to take as many AP and Honors classes as possible? I originally decided not to take it because I thought I could put that effort into some more extracurriculars but honestly I don't think it would have a big impact on my schedule.
I really like economics and international relations (would maybe major in those?).

Extracurriculars:
I am the president of our school's refugee club and a co-chair for a committee on our school's Senate. I plan on joining our school's newspaper this coming year. This is as far as my extracurriculars go because I spend a lot of time invested in the refugee club. I've been working on a project with a few Army veterans to help Afghan refugees connect. I can't tell if I should have more extracurricular activities or not, would it benefit me to have more extracurriculars?

Sports:
I was captain of the freshman soccer team and this year I'm aiming for JV captain. I would say I am not the best soccer player, and I would struggle to make Varsity, but I am willing to put in my best effort. I am also on the varsity Ultimate Frisbee team (we placed top ten at nationals this year). I know that sports are a big part of the application to WP and I'm worried that I lack in sports. Is there anything I could do to strengthen the sports aspect of my application?
I am pretty athletic and already started to train for the CFA.


Some other questions:
  • In the "A Lot of Admissions Information" thread, they suggested that freshman/sophomores should talk to their MALO/FFR. How does the process of contacting a MALO/FFR work?
  • Are computer/coding classes desirable for the application?
  • I haven't started studying for the SAT/ACT and I saw a thread talking about the PSAT. Is it worth it to take the PSAT?

I know how hard it is to get into WP, but I'm ready to work my butt off to get there. Even if I don't get into WP, I would apply to ROTC. My dream is to lead like-minded people and to serve my country, just like my father did.
 
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Does the Frisbee Team offer a varsity letter?

Talk to the HS soccer head coach when you feel comfortable and ask for their evaluation and assistance. A varsity letter will certainly help your application .
 
Your resume is very impressive and already competitive. No, you don't have to take tons of AP classes, nor be involved in lots of extracurriculars. Show depth in what you are interested in and take active leadership roles, just as you are doing now. Most successful applicants report having taken 5-9 AP class during their high school career. As for sports, being a captain is a huge accomplishment. But you do need to try and make a varsity team, as those letters do count; and team sports are viewed more favorably than individual sports. Yes, take the PSAT. If you score in the top 10%, the service academies will begin mailing info to you and asking you to open an application. As for the FFR, they are tough to find. You have to really dig on the academy website. You can also talk to your counselor (you should be doing so anyway just to let them know your interested in academies), and ask them if they know the FFR or have sent any other kids to that academy; often times, they can put you in touch with them. Don't forget your LORs they are HUGE too. They must come from specific subject teachers, such as science etc.. Start thinking of who would write a great letter for you now. Computer and coding don't impress them, simply science and math. That said, if you excel at something and show true dedication to it, maybe win awards, etc, then that's of course positive. Applications are 65% academic based, with most of that coming from the SAT/ACT. GPA matters less than class rank too. I would suggest reading the "lot's of admissions info" posted on the home page of this forum. At your age, I highly suggest applying for the summer SLE at the end of this year.

As a side note, ROTC has some great scholarships and opportunities for students taking needed languages such as Chinese, Arabic etc. You should not rule those out, as they are very competitive and based on similar qualifications. Plus, you could get your degree, and become an officer in a different environment and a shorter time period (AP classes count as college credit in ROTC, but not for academies). Good Luck
 
Taking the higher level courses show dedication and motivation but are not a requirement. Also, taking these will land you in higher level courses when you get to WP so keep this in mind.
Extra curricular activities are a big deal. What are you doing away from school? Are you involved in service projects? Community projects, etc…

Take the PSAT! This test will help you understand the testing process and is a great experience on the type of testing you’ll see during the ACT/SAT.

Unless you’re working towards an athletic approach to WP, lettering isn’t that big of deal. When you get to WP, you’ll be required to participate in sports.
 
madiyeeeun said:
Hello, I am a 15-year-old Korean-American girl entering my sophomore year of high school. My father was in the Army for 25 years which led me to think of being in the Army as a career. I've dreamed of attending USMA since eighth grade and now I want to turn this dream into something achievable through hard work.
I came here to ask what I could start doing to strengthen my application. I have a few of questions so apologies for the long post.

Academics:
I finished 9th grade with a 4.17 GPA (my school does not rank). I took Literature and Composition I (English), World History I, Advanced Environmental Science, Honors Algebra II, and Honors Mandarin II. Next year, I will take Honors Literature and Composition, World History II, AP Biology, Honors Algebra III, and Honors Mandarin III. I generally get A-range grade so I do not worry too much about my academics. I do have the option to take AP World History and my first question is: Is it worth it to take as many AP and Honors classes as possible? I originally decided not to take it because I thought I could put that effort into some more extracurriculars but honestly I don't think it would have a big impact on my schedule.
I really like economics and international relations (would maybe major in those?).

Extracurriculars:
I am the president of our school's refugee club and a co-chair for a committee on our school's Senate. I plan on joining our school's newspaper this coming year. This is as far as my extracurriculars go because I spend a lot of time invested in the refugee club. I've been working on a project with a few Army veterans to help Afghan refugees connect. I can't tell if I should have more extracurricular activities or not, would it benefit me to have more extracurriculars?

Sports:
I was captain of the freshman soccer team and this year I'm aiming for JV captain. I would say I am not the best soccer player, and I would struggle to make Varsity, but I am willing to put in my best effort. I am also on the varsity Ultimate Frisbee team (we placed top ten at nationals this year). I know that sports are a big part of the application to WP and I'm worried that I lack in sports. Is there anything I could do to strengthen the sports aspect of my application?
I am pretty athletic and already started to train for the CFA.


Some other questions:
  • In the "A Lot of Admissions Information" thread, they suggested that freshman/sophomores should talk to their MALO/FFR. How does the process of contacting a MALO/FFR work?
  • Are computer/coding classes desirable for the application?
  • I haven't started studying for the SAT/ACT and I saw a thread talking about the PSAT. Is it worth it to take the PSAT?

I know how hard it is to get into WP, but I'm ready to work my butt off to get there. Even if I don't get into WP, I would apply to ROTC. My dream is to lead like-minded people and to serve my country, just like my father did.
Click to expand...
What's your home state?
 
Small Team Bacsi said:
Does the Frisbee Team offer a varsity letter?

Talk to the HS soccer head coach when you feel comfortable and ask for their evaluation and assistance. A varsity letter will certainly help your application .
Click to expand...
They do offer varsity letters, I got one last year (along with rookie of the year!)
 
VasilyZaytsev said:
Your resume is very impressive and already competitive. No, you don't have to take tons of AP classes, nor be involved in lots of extracurriculars. Show depth in what you are interested in and take active leadership roles, just as you are doing now. Most successful applicants report having taken 5-9 AP class during their high school career. As for sports, being a captain is a huge accomplishment. But you do need to try and make a varsity team, as those letters do count; and team sports are viewed more favorably than individual sports. Yes, take the PSAT. If you score in the top 10%, the service academies will begin mailing info to you and asking you to open an application. As for the FFR, they are tough to find. You have to really dig on the academy website. You can also talk to your counselor (you should be doing so anyway just to let them know your interested in academies), and ask them if they know the FFR or have sent any other kids to that academy; often times, they can put you in touch with them. Don't forget your LORs they are HUGE too. They must come from specific subject teachers, such as science etc.. Start thinking of who would write a great letter for you now. Computer and coding don't impress them, simply science and math. That said, if you excel at something and show true dedication to it, maybe win awards, etc, then that's of course positive. Applications are 65% academic based, with most of that coming from the SAT/ACT. GPA matters less than class rank too. I would suggest reading the "lot's of admissions info" posted on the home page of this forum. At your age, I highly suggest applying for the summer SLE at the end of this year.

As a side note, ROTC has some great scholarships and opportunities for students taking needed languages such as Chinese, Arabic etc. You should not rule those out, as they are very competitive and based on similar qualifications. Plus, you could get your degree, and become an officer in a different environment and a shorter time period (AP classes count as college credit in ROTC, but not for academies). Good Luck
Click to expand...
Thank you for this reply, I find it very helpful. I am 100% considering ROTC as an alternative. Good to know that AP classes count towards college credit in ROTC.
 
Dustoff17 said:
Taking the higher level courses show dedication and motivation but are not a requirement. Also, taking these will land you in higher level courses when you get to WP so keep this in mind.
Extra curricular activities are a big deal. What are you doing away from school? Are you involved in service projects? Community projects, etc…

Take the PSAT! This test will help you understand the testing process and is a great experience on the type of testing you’ll see during the ACT/SAT.

Unless you’re working towards an athletic approach to WP, lettering isn’t that big of deal. When you get to WP, you’ll be required to participate in sports.
Click to expand...
I am working on a non-profit organization with some Army vets. It is still in the planning stage but we are looking to create a digital platform where refugees can connect! I also do community service (my school requires 40 hours to graduate) and I currently have 100+ hours.
 
I suggest taking both SAT and ACT. Some people do better on one test over the other. DS scored significantly better on SAT.
 
My son didn't take the PSAT. Instead, he focused on the SAT. He took an online course to assist him with that. We felt that his time was better spent focusing on the SAT instead of learning how to take the PSAT and then learning how to take the SAT. Your Mileage May Vary - but this worked for my son. He got in to WP on his first try and he graduated a couple years ago.

He applied to both WP and ROTC/ other colleges. His plan was to become an army officer.
 
bookreader said:
My son didn't take the PSAT. Instead, he focused on the SAT. He took an online course to assist him with that. We felt that his time was better spent focusing on the SAT instead of learning how to take the PSAT and then learning how to take the SAT.
Click to expand...
The PSAT is basically the same thing as the SAT, except it has a few less questions per section. Taking the PSAT is also a good way other colleges and scholarships can find you if you score well (unrelated to SA).

I guess the PSAT isn’t necessary if you don’t care about the other stuff as long as you take timed practice tests and get to know what the SAT is like. I didn’t do well on the PSAT so, now thinking back, it was kind of pointless for me. Just 3 hours out of the school day.
 
bookreader said:
My son didn't take the PSAT. Instead, he focused on the SAT. He took an online course to assist him with that. We felt that his time was better spent focusing on the SAT instead of learning how to take the PSAT and then learning how to take the SAT. Your Mileage May Vary - but this worked for my son. He got in to WP on his first try and he graduated a couple years ago.

He applied to both WP and ROTC/ other colleges. His plan was to become an army officer.
Click to expand...
I think just studying for the SAT would be a better use of my time. Thank you for your response!
 
madiyeeeun said:
I think just studying for the SAT would be a better use of my time. Thank you for your response!
Click to expand...

Check out Khan Academy SAT practice. My DD found it useful and focused. Khan Academy is partnered with the College Board and has official practice tests/diagnostics that link back to personalized practice based on how you do and what you need to work on. You can also connect it with your College Board account so that any official tests you take link back to practice you might need to improve your scores ... and, its FREE! Good luck!

www.khanacademy.org

Khan Academy

Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.
www.khanacademy.org www.khanacademy.org
 
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madiyeeeun said:
I live in MA, not sure if it is a competitive Congressional district.
Click to expand...
Hello,
We're from Southern California. Our nephew graduated 2007. Our son is there now. I'd be glad to talk to you and your parents to answer any questions.
ee ir sam yuk yuk sam sa par sa sa
 
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