Is this enough

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Maxwell

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During my junior year i was admittedly not a very good student. I took very rigorous AP courses and passed all of them but had Bs and Cs which landed me a 3.6 weighted gpa. To compensate I am aiming for a high 1400 and preferably 1500+ SAT. Would this be enough to offset my low gpa and is there anything else I can do to help on the academic side of my application. Also I will be taking some easy AP classes my senior year to try to salvage my gpa just a bit but i am unsure if westpoint even looks at senior transcripts.
 
West Point (two words) looks at transcripts up to 7th semester (half of your senior year) grades and also requires 8th semester (last half of senior year) grades when they come out. If you get a 1500+ SAT, the whole candidate score you'll receive would help compensate for a lower GPA. Taking the AP classes is a good idea.
 
Maxwell said:
During my junior year i was admittedly not a very good student. I took very rigorous AP courses and passed all of them but had Bs and Cs which landed me a 3.6 weighted gpa. To compensate I am aiming for a high 1400 and preferably 1500+ SAT. Would this be enough to offset my low gpa and is there anything else I can do to help on the academic side of my application. Also I will be taking some easy AP classes my senior year to try to salvage my gpa just a bit but i am unsure if westpoint even looks at senior transcripts.
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try to maximize your whole candidate score --- in your case, you may focus on your SAT/ACT (1500 will certainly help!)

You may read this article

nobody is good enough but everybody is putting his/her best application !
 
The SAs cafe less about your GPA — there’s no national standard — and more about your transcript in the context of your school profile. They prefer candidates who take the hardest classes their school has to offer and excel at them, especially in STEM and English. Of course, very high SAT/ACT scores can help compensate for lower grades.

But remember that it’s a competition. There are candidates with high test scores AND high grades in the hardest courses their school has to offer. It’s impossible for any of us to know your chances beyond that, because there are many moving parts beyond grades and test scores.
 
I recommend to all of my students to put together a Plan A - B - C. "A" is USMA (and the SAs), Plan "B" is one or several ROTC scholarships, and then "C" is the set of civilian universities that you apply to as part of the ROTC application process. By following one of your alternate plans, you demonstrate to the SAs that you can do college-level work on a campus. You will also strengthen your résumé by being a member of an ROTC unit as well as learning about the profession. What's more, you will be working out three or four times a week with the unit. Some 25 - 30% of all cadets at USMA did not come directly out of high school as many attended a prep school, or a year or two of college, prior to becoming cadets.

I have had three students who won a ROTC scholarship or simply joined ROTC on campus (as part of Plan C) and then won an appointment (3 of 3) the following year. One of the students graduated last June, USAFA C/O '23.
 
Your unweighted GPA at present is, statistically, not a strength for your application as compared to the accepted typical candidate. The good news for you and other candidates is that West Point does consider a Whole Candidate Score (WCS). If you excel in your standardized testing to the levels you are aiming for, that certainly would be a benefit toward your WCS. Please research the points that West point values - scholar, athlete, leader, civic impact ranging from the classroom, activities, the athletic field/ pitch, student government, did you go to Boys/Girls State, are you an Eagle Scout/ were you the Senior Patrol leader in scouts? Are you a team captain in athletics? Are you a standout athlete who could add value to one of the USMA varsity teams? How have you made a difference in your community? How else can you articulate that you stand out (Private pilot), rescue / service, etc.? How about JROTC or Civil Air Patrol leadership and advanced rank? Are you a distinguished scholar with strong AP scores? Do you have rock star essays? can you prepare for and rock your interview to shine on why you want to serve as an officer?

With regards to your SAT/ ACT goal, how consistent is that goal with your PSAT/ early SAT attempts, mock test scores? without pause, it all goes into the pot of the whole candidate score, and your competing against some rocks stars in your graduating global class (and reapplicants, some enlisted applicants). So, across the board, go for it, and deliver results not excuses.

I like the guidance in the post above by @Academician - I'll just add that each candidate can choose which category is their Plan A-B-C - for some candidates, for them - ROTC is Plan A, while others it's a hard tilt to prefer a service academy as their plan A.

Go for it and good luck.
 
As far as I'm aware USMA doesn't look at your weighted GPA; only unweighted. Colleges in general are considering weighted GPA less and less every year. They do take AP classes into account, however. What's your unweighted GPA?
 
Agree with all above - what also helps: rock your CFA and have great leadership positions. Reapply after taking a year of junior or community college if you have to in order to show more upward trending on grades and strength / breadth of course work.
 
Concentrate in leadership positions as well. My son was not in the top rank of his class /SAT / GPA ( they were high but not top ). He did have amazing leadership in JROTC and Boy Scouts and he received an LOA last September. I trust that admissions is looking at strong students in all areas and based on strong applications and recommendations they are making determinations not solely on GPA's / test scores.

Good luck
 
Which APs have you taken that were rigorous? What math and science are you taking?
 
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