Middle School Student Looking For Tips On How To Get Started

[whplayshockey3063]

I am currently an 8th grader and ever since I was little have dreamed about going to USNA. I do well in school maintaining straight A's (obviously it is middle school so it doesn't count), I am the President of my Middle School's Students Government, I am in Civil Air Patrol, and play lot's of sports. Wondering if anyone has any tips on what to focus on or try as I enter High School. Any Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kl3661]

I would say grades and sports (but you probably know about that already), lots of volunteer and leadership
If you're thinking about what courses to take, make sure to take world languages, chemistry, physics, English, calculus, (if you can) sometime in high school
As you go into junior year you can look into summer seminar at USNA or boys/girls state

Sorry can't think of much on top of my head right now

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[GoNavyPro]

Straight forward answer, you can never do enough.

Get involved with as many organizations/activities/leadership positions you can while maintaining the quality of your work (ie grades). Take the ACT/SAT multiple time and don't be afraid to take prep courses for them. This is just a couple things but just remember there's going to be many applicants along side you with an impressive resume and all you can do is keep doing things to add to it to make you look better.

(Note: also don't build your resume just for the sake of building a resume. If your the USNA type, you'll enjoy most of the stuff you get involved with anyways)

 

[Midwest]

Perhaps you can convince your family, relatives and or friends to do some road trips or "education vacations" as my dd calls them. I'm not sure where you live, but a family trip or two to Washington DC and the Naval Academy may help to fuel your goals and dreams. My dd just returned from a weekend (CVW) visit to the Naval Academy and loved it, especially just walking around the campus checking out the buildings, attending classes and even going to a rock concert.

However, if your family is more interested in having you stand in 2 hour lines at Disney World for 2 minute rides, then you should probably make a suggestion that what you really want for your birthday, holiday and whatever gifts should be directed to future Naval Academy opportunities, such as summer STEM & Sports programs, Naval hockey games and road trips. Disney is okay, but if money is limited, choose well where the $$ are spent.

Also, if you are planning to apply for ROTC as part of your Plan B program, you will need to select at least five or more colleges. Anytime we were on a road trip, we made an effort to visit the campus of a big name college just for fun and usually had lunch or dinner at the student center. If you are visiting the East Coast, the Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and West Point Academies are great destinations. It's a fun way to learn history too.

And one more idea... if you can attend a college graduation, that's also a good time to check out a college. Of course, attending a Naval Academy graduation would certainly be a plus if you can figure out how to get invited.

Hope this helps!

 

[MammaMia]

DD is a rising 9th grader and aspires to follow her brother to a SA. My advice to her, now that we've been through this process:
- Take the hardest classes you can succeed in, and include math and lab sciences every year, even if they are not required (especially chem and physics). Grades and class rank seem to weigh more in the process than other factors.
- Find an activity in 9th grade you love, and stick with it for all 4 years. You want to be able to tell a heartfelt story about why it is meaningful to you and how you made an impact through it. Also, being involved over the long haul increases your chances of leading the club/cause you care so much about. It's more important to have one activity where you make a difference and demonstrate leadership, than to be involved in six things that don't mean as much to you, just to "look good."
- Give back to your community - through your neighborhood, church, school and volunteer opportunities. You will be a better person for it.
- Be active in high school and/or club sports. Stick with them. Working toward getting a captain's armband is great, but not absolutely necessary. Sometimes captains are chosen/not chosen for reasons beyond your control, but make yourself competitive for the job by working hard, helping coaches and teammates, continually striving to improve, demonstrating sportsmanship.
- Work on your physical fitness aside from your sport. The eventual goal is to max as much of the CFT as possible, and that information is available to you now.
- Talk to your high school guidance counselor early about your goal to attend a service academy - they will probably be familiar with other grads from your school who have gotten appointments, and will help you stay on track.
- Never take your eye off your goal - take good care of yourself physically, mentally and morally.

Good luck to you!

 

[NavyHoops]

Great advice on here. Recommend you continue to follow along on this and really read the stickies at the top of the USNA forum. Keep working hard, have a positive attitude and also research the STEM program for USNA.

 

[mke4me]

During your Junior year apply to Boys State throught the American Legoin. It is a great opportunity to learn about government and is a bonus on your application. See your high school guidance counselor for assistance.