hopeful in PA

sgtpenn

5-Year Member
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Mar 28, 2011
Messages
20
Hi Everybody,

I'm the father of a young man who has his heart set on going to the USCGA. He is very bright, an Eagle Scout, and has lots of community, work, leadership, band, track and competitive shooting listed on his resume and his SAT scores are pretty good. However, his grades are just "good". He didn't use his high IQ until recently...when he finally heard what I have been saying all along. He is hoping that he is CGA caliber. He has applied to AIM and will be attending Boy's State here in PA this summer. I know he would excell if given the chance, I'm just not sure the admissions staff will be able to see past the 3.3 GPA.
 
He still has his senior year grades. You will be sending his trancripts to the admissions after 1st semester grading period. Maybe he will be able to raise the gpa up with better grades this coming semester. My son was also not as motivated in his first 2 years of high school. He was bright, but didn't have a plan back then and thus didn't have the drive to excel. Once focused, with a goal of attending the USNA, his grades became what they should have been. Now in college he earned a 4.0 A lower GPA can hurt , if you are in a competitive district. Might be a prep school candidate?
 
Hi Everybody,

I'm the father of a young man who has his heart set on going to the USCGA. He is very bright, an Eagle Scout, and has lots of community, work, leadership, band, track and competitive shooting listed on his resume and his SAT scores are pretty good. However, his grades are just "good". He didn't use his high IQ until recently...when he finally heard what I have been saying all along. He is hoping that he is CGA caliber. He has applied to AIM and will be attending Boy's State here in PA this summer. I know he would excell if given the chance, I'm just not sure the admissions staff will be able to see past the 3.3 GPA.
They look at EVERYTHING. He can bump it up a bit and if he has taken a challenging schedule loaded with AP classes a 3.3 might not be so hideous as you think, especially if the HS he goes to sends their graduates to competitive colleges successfully. A 3.3 at one school might be equivalent to a 4.0 at the next. If that's not the case then have him work his tail off during the time he has left and hit the study guides for the SATS/ACTS. If he pulls off a really high score there, then that will show them academic competence. I've seen some weird things on SAF since I've been here. Kids that you would think would be a shoe in get rejected and others that appear to be marginal get appointments. Although I believe they have set standards they go by and they are fair, its hard to say what the exact formula is for success or failure on any SA or ROTC scholarship application. Weakness in one area can be offset by stellar performance in the next, especially if he has improving grades overall. Don't give up.
 
Hi Everybody,

I'm the father of a young man who has his heart set on going to the USCGA. He is very bright, an Eagle Scout, and has lots of community, work, leadership, band, track and competitive shooting listed on his resume and his SAT scores are pretty good. However, his grades are just "good". He didn't use his high IQ until recently...when he finally heard what I have been saying all along. He is hoping that he is CGA caliber. He has applied to AIM and will be attending Boy's State here in PA this summer. I know he would excell if given the chance, I'm just not sure the admissions staff will be able to see past the 3.3 GPA.

I'm from PA too! What town are you from? I live in Harleysville, Montgomery County.
 
Thanks for the replies. We have an aquaintence who's son attended the USCGA (and who used to be some sort of regional admissions screener or interviewer?) who is strongly supportive and really thinks he has a shot. He has picked up his academics so we are hopefull, but realistic. BTW we live near Pittsburgh.
 
Greetings! I'm a PA native from Johnstown (GO STEELERS!)

To better help your son have him take tha ACT if he hasn't already. While it is similer to the SAT, the ACT has enough differences that he may score higher in the various areas. Also, since there is no "quess penalty" on the ACT a different "test psychology" can be used.
 
Get your son to look at the USMMA, he can still do the same thing in the USCG as he would out of the USCGA, but he has two chances of doing it instead of just one. :thumb:
 
In addition to all of the good info already posted on this thread I suggest that DS get some leadership postions in clubs and sports to put on resume. My DS also was appointed to USMMA before getting his USCGA appointment. He took a gamble when going before Nomination Board in Fla for USMMA - he told the Board that his goal was to be an officer in the USCG. DS said that the USMMA Board Rep seemed a bit miffed by response but he got the Nomination inspite of his honest/candid answer.

Good luck to DS and Go Phillies:shake:
 
Greetings! I'm a PA native from Johnstown (GO STEELERS!)

My mom is from Johnstown!...she went to Conemaugh HS...lived in Davidsville and Holesopple. (My spelling may be off a little!) Thanks for all of the responses. He is scheduled to take the ACT, has taken the SAT twice.n He is an Eagle Scout, is going to Boy's State this summer, is in a competitive shooting league and is going to the State comp. this summer. His is also a Big Brother/Big Sister, Very active in Church, has a job, runs track, plays 4 instruments, section leader in band, has a Ham radio Lics. ....everything but stellar grades. They are improving. He would be honored to accepted into a prep program, but would, of course, rather go direct.
 
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