Homeschooling and the USNA

USS_Oregon

Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2021
Messages
53
Hey, I was wondering if anyone has any advice for homeschooled applicants. I've looked online and I can't find much other than what's listed on the USNA's website, and it leads me to believe there are not many, if any, out there. I was also wondering how competitive my application will be: I'm seventeen (I turned 17 in February) and just graduated high school in December with an unweighted GPA of 3.9, I'm taking the SATs in May and will probably make around 1350, and I've got 150+ hours of community service but virtually no athletics. That's not to say I'm unfit, I work out a lot, I'm just not involved with any sports due to my frequent moving. I'm about to start applying for an MOC nomination and was hoping for some advice. Thanks in advance.
 
There are homeschooled Mids appointed every year. I know we have a couple parents here as well on the forums. It’s not uncommon, at all. And they do very well. One thing your post did not speak to was leadership. That’s one of the pillars of an appointment. It will be imperative to demonstrate leadership, whatever that is for you.
 
We went through the application process a couples years ago, and our homeschooled son is now a cadet at WP. Please message me if you need help. I would really work on a couple things at the moment if I were you. First, work really hard on SAT/ACT prep. Practice both and chose the one you do better. We focused on the SAT because that was the one he did well on. Our older child (not SA applicant)did better on the ACT and received a scholarship because of that. So try both before choosing one to focus your energy on. Definitely work on leadership opportunities available to you in your community or church group. You can even start your own club. If you see a need, you can step in and fill that need. Again feel free to message if you have more questions.
 
If you research the posts here, there is more information to glean - go back several years.......you will find more advice. As stated above USNA has had a bunch of homeschooled kids get in and succeed. Our DS graduated/commisioned last May and was homeschooled all the way through HS - he focused on all the aspects of admission requirements as any other prospective applicant. In his (and ours as parents) minds, homeschooled kids have the same shot as anyone else. Don't try, don't get. In terms of academic proof, the standardized test scores will be a big determinate - the proof is in the pudding there.
 
There are homeschooled Mids appointed every year. I know we have a couple parents here as well on the forums. It’s not uncommon, at all. And they do very well. One thing your post did not speak to was leadership. That’s one of the pillars of an appointment. It will be imperative to demonstrate leadership, whatever that is for you.
Absolutely, thanks for the advice. I'm looking at tutoring and starting a class(separate) to teach middle schoolers music. Do you think that that demonstrates leadership? Thanks again.
 
If you research the posts here, there is more information to glean - go back several years.......you will find more advice. As stated above USNA has had a bunch of homeschooled kids get in and succeed. Our DS graduated/commisioned last May and was homeschooled all the way through HS - he focused on all the aspects of admission requirements as any other prospective applicant. In his (and ours as parents) minds, homeschooled kids have the same shot as anyone else. Don't try, don't get. In terms of academic proof, the standardized test scores will be a big determinate - the proof is in the pudding there.
Ah thanks, I'll definitely look into that.
 
We went through the application process a couples years ago, and our homeschooled son is now a cadet at WP. Please message me if you need help. I would really work on a couple things at the moment if I were you. First, work really hard on SAT/ACT prep. Practice both and chose the one you do better. We focused on the SAT because that was the one he did well on. Our older child (not SA applicant)did better on the ACT and received a scholarship because of that. So try both before choosing one to focus your energy on. Definitely work on leadership opportunities available to you in your community or church group. You can even start your own club. If you see a need, you can step in and fill that need. Again feel free to message if you have more questions.
Thanks, I'll probably message you after my SATs. Thanks a lot, I love the community here.
 
There are homeschooled Mids appointed every year. I know we have a couple parents here as well on the forums. It’s not uncommon, at all. And they do very well. One thing your post did not speak to was leadership. That’s one of the pillars of an appointment. It will be imperative to demonstrate leadership, whatever that is for you.
That's really awesome to hear, I get nervous sometimes and am glad it was unfounded.
 
Yes ..plenty of homeschooled candidates for USNA, and a lot of information on this Forum. The key thing to remember is that USNA is looking for the same characteristics from Home School candidates as they do from traditional schooled candidates -- whole person, including Academic performance and aptitude, athletics, leadership, and community service. IMHO - Homeschooled candidates may have to work harder to find the athletic and leadership opportunities.
 
Yes ..plenty of homeschooled candidates for USNA, and a lot of information on this Forum. The key thing to remember is that USNA is looking for the same characteristics from Home School candidates as they do from traditional schooled candidates -- whole person, including Academic performance and aptitude, athletics, leadership, and community service. IMHO - Homeschooled candidates may have to work harder to find the athletic and leadership opportunities.
Yeah, thanks. I'll definitely keep all of this in mind through out the summer.
 
Your CFA will be REALLY important since you're homeschooled and indicate you have no athletics. You can practice the elements of the CFA and the CFA itself on your own. Start NOW, so you can take it for real in the summer and be done.

If you can do any type of organized sports, I encourage you to try. Depending on where you live, it may be very hard during COVID. But, if things open up this spring / summer, look for opportunities, such as city / county leagues, Catholic youth leagues -- anything. It's not just the athletics, it's being a member of a team.

In addition to the above, developed a formal, documented workout plan for yourself. Suggest you model it on the plan they give soon-to-be plebes to get ready for PS. That demonstrates you take fitness seriously, not just kind of work out when you feel like it. You can discuss this plan with your BGO.

Agree with looking for leadership opportunities. You do NOT need to be elected to something. As I've said many times, start with an activity about which you are passionate. Find an organization that supports this activity. Join it. Then look for something the organization is doing that you can lead or come up with your own idea. Alternatively, come up with an idea outside of a formal organization.

For example, are there elderly people in your neighborhood? Could you arrange to mow their yards, weed, paint the outside of their house, plant flowers, repair their fence, go shopping for them (leaving stuff on the doorstep)? All of these are COVID-safe and demonstrate leadership. Can you get a bunch of people to bake home-cooked food that you could deliver to a local nursing home or assisted living facility (you would not need to enter the facility, just drop off stuff at a distance). Are you into art? Can you set up an on-line art show or auction with local artists? The possibilities are endless -- just requires some ingenuity, drive, ambition and maybe elbow-grease.
 
Hey! I'm a homeschool Dad and my DD just got accepted to the USNA.

Here's what I know:
1) Rigor of curriculum is weighted highly-- esp hard science and math classes, if you can take a college class do it.

2) SAT/ACT - the Navy process is unknown. HOWEVER, in the Kirkland West Point Admission book, it says that West Point double weights the SAT/ACT for homeschoolers. They do this because class rank gives you points, and as we homeschoolers don't have class rank, they base rank on SAT scores. I think it stands to reason that although SAT/ACT is weighted about 30% for other candidates, it may be as much as 50% for homeschoolers. Take REAL tests (the old tests). Do at least 8 3 hr practice tests, hopefully many more. It is worth 100+ hours of practice for the payoff. DO consider trying out the ACT too (you have an advantage there if you are a good reader, and the science section requires no science knowledge (not much anyway) it's just "WHERE's WALDO" with graphs.

3) Leadership -- find a Civil Air Patrol or JROTC or ANYTHING in your area and join, even if it's just for 9 months before you apply. It will help bring that score up and put you in face to face contact with people applying for SA/ROTC

Good luck!
 
Unless I'm reading this wrong, you are applying for the class of 2026. If you graduated in December 2020 you have a lot of time to fill between now and when applications are due. Are you currently attending college, or doing something significant with your time? USNA will certainly want to see that your time is used well.

My son was homeschooled. My advice to any homeschooler is to do everything possible to show academic achievement, leadership, and athletic involvement. You don't get a pass on anything because you were homeschooled; if anything you need to work harder to show you can compete.
 
My son is USNA class of '24 and we homeschooled K-12. Definitely search these forums for "homeschool". There's a lot out there. If you have any specific questions feel free to message me.
As an earlier poster noted, if you are applying to '26, you have a lot of time to show focus, excellence and leadership in something. Don't waste that time. Get a job where you can own something, start a business, get involved in your community. Pick something that motivates you, do well and use it to show your strengths on the application.
 
Your CFA will be REALLY important since you're homeschooled and indicate you have no athletics. You can practice the elements of the CFA and the CFA itself on your own. Start NOW, so you can take it for real in the summer and be done.

If you can do any type of organized sports, I encourage you to try. Depending on where you live, it may be very hard during COVID. But, if things open up this spring / summer, look for opportunities, such as city / county leagues, Catholic youth leagues -- anything. It's not just the athletics, it's being a member of a team.

In addition to the above, developed a formal, documented workout plan for yourself. Suggest you model it on the plan they give soon-to-be plebes to get ready for PS. That demonstrates you take fitness seriously, not just kind of work out when you feel like it. You can discuss this plan with your BGO.

Agree with looking for leadership opportunities. You do NOT need to be elected to something. As I've said many times, start with an activity about which you are passionate. Find an organization that supports this activity. Join it. Then look for something the organization is doing that you can lead or come up with your own idea. Alternatively, come up with an idea outside of a formal organization.

For example, are there elderly people in your neighborhood? Could you arrange to mow their yards, weed, paint the outside of their house, plant flowers, repair their fence, go shopping for them (leaving stuff on the doorstep)? All of these are COVID-safe and demonstrate leadership. Can you get a bunch of people to bake home-cooked food that you could deliver to a local nursing home or assisted living facility (you would not need to enter the facility, just drop off stuff at a distance). Are you into art? Can you set up an on-line art show or auction with local artists? The possibilities are endless -- just requires some ingenuity, drive, ambition and maybe elbow-grease.
Yes sir, thanks for the advice. I am getting ready for my CFA but I'll definitely get more serious about it. Will it look bad if I jump into a leadership position a few months before my application deadline, would that still count towards my application? Also, when am I supposed to contact my BGO?
 
Unless I'm reading this wrong, you are applying for the class of 2026. If you graduated in December 2020 you have a lot of time to fill between now and when applications are due. Are you currently attending college, or doing something significant with your time? USNA will certainly want to see that your time is used well.

My son was homeschooled. My advice to any homeschooler is to do everything possible to show academic achievement, leadership, and athletic involvement. You don't get a pass on anything because you were homeschooled; if anything you need to work harder to show you can compete.
Right now I'm preparing for my SATs in May and doing community service. I plan on getting a part-time job this summer working construction(although part-time is very hard to find in that field) and starting a team of youths at my church to volunteer regularly. Do you think that would look good?
 
Actually a "ma'am," here. WRT leadership, it's more about what you do than the position(s) you hold. You have the rest of this school year and all summer. Find a project or event or something where you can take the lead. Doing that right before your application is better than just being elected / appointed to some position and doing nothing in it.

You do not need to contact your BGO at this point, but can do so if you have questions. BGOs won't have their 2026 candidates until at least May 1. While some do interviews over the summer, many wait until the fall. Once you have submitted ~50% of your package, you can expect to hear from your BGO -- if he / she hasn't contacted you earlier.
 
Actually a "ma'am," here. WRT leadership, it's more about what you do than the position(s) you hold. You have the rest of this school year and all summer. Find a project or event or something where you can take the lead. Doing that right before your application is better than just being elected / appointed to some position and doing nothing in it.

You do not need to contact your BGO at this point, but can do so if you have questions. BGOs won't have their 2026 candidates until at least May 1. While some do interviews over the summer, many wait until the fall. Once you have submitted ~50% of your package, you can expect to hear from your BGO -- if he / she hasn't contacted you earlier.
Yes ma'am, sorry about that. I plan on organizing / leading a club of high schoolers my age to volunteer regularly this year, starting in April. Would that be an ideal spot? Sort of a "two birds with one stone" thing? Thanks again for your advice.
 
Like others say, keep in mind that an SA or a college doesn't know the real rigor of your curriculum, so anything that can validate that is good.
SATs/ACTs
AP Test Scores
or for your "work outs"...the CFA score.
 
Like others say, keep in mind that an SA or a college doesn't know the real rigor of your curriculum, so anything that can validate that is good.
SATs/ACTs
AP Test Scores
or for your "work outs"...the CFA score.
Yes Sir, thank you. I'll definitely start gearing my work outs for the CFA.
 
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