NAPS for what?

Thanks to everyone who responded to my query so thoughtfully and generously! It does seem like a long shot to not only get a nomination, but then get chosen for that one (or possibly two) open MOC spot to attend the academy. @Alchemist thank you for sharing your daughter's experience. So happy she got in after waiting patiently! We will be prepared for all of the above. If DS doesn't get in to USNA, he would attend a state school with NROTC (with or without scholarship) and reapply to USNA next year. I'm not sure if it's worth it to apply to a bunch of top tier schools (Ivy/privates) if his goal is to try to transfer out to UNSA. Thanks again for the good guidance!
 
Lkchrm said:
My son was offered NAPS this week... Top 3 % of highly competitive HS, 33 ACT, 2 CVW, exemplary leadership qualifications, MOC and ROTC nom...
Click to expand...
Kind of surprised with those stats...not sure what there is to work on at NAPS. Still...as they always say it can be a blessing. Year to prepare and be better ready for Plebe Summer! Congrats.
 
Future readers should be careful. We don’t know the rules, and people could assume the exceptions are the rules.
 
Last edited:
A1Janitor said:
Future readers should be careful. We don’t know the rules, and people could assume the exceptions are the rules.
Click to expand...
As a general rule, I don’t rule out that there may be exceptions to the rules, with the exception of rules that are exceptionally rule-bound, in which case, the exclusion of exceptions is expectedly executed without exception.
 
CVW, exemplary leadership qualifications, MOC My son was offered NAPS this week... Top 3 % of highly competitive HS, 33 ACT, 2and ROTC nom...
Click to expand...

Per USNA, these are the consideration items for any prep programs:
1. Candidate needs academic or physical fitness growth
2. High leadership potential.
3. Good academic history but away from academics for a year or more (fleet candidates)
4. Good grades but missing courses (i.e. Calc, Physics, etc.)
5. Concerns in Math track.
6. Under-represented districts.

Obviously, there are certainly more items they consider, but this gives a general idea. With that being said, congrats on the NAPS offer. I know many don't look at it that way, and are disappointed (or angry/insulted) by the offer, but it's not a bad 2nd choice if you don't get direct entry and you really want to go to Annapolis. My DS is in an extremely difficult district and would jump at the opportunity for NAPS. We see superstars every year that are virtually perfect in every way not get an appointment. Our BGO said it perfectly when describing the task that admissions had. In his view, they were "separating diamonds".
 
Last edited:
Lkchrm said:
My son was offered NAPS this week... Top 3 % of highly competitive HS, 33 ACT, 2 CVW, exemplary leadership qualifications, MOC and ROTC nom...
Click to expand...
The way to look at this is they want him in the class of 2029 so much, they are saving him a seat in the class and paying for a NAPS prep year. You just have to trust they have their reasons. He will have a year to mature, get past any homesickness, learn all that specific Navy stuff that is often a shock to direct HS admits (culture, language, customs, bedmaking, shoe shining, uniforms, drill, etc.), get fully primed for USNA, have a complete set of new friends who will go with him on I-Day, etc. If he wants USNA, he has been offered a golden ticket.

He’d be in enlisted status, so even though he has to apply for noms again, he can get a SECNAV nom.

DoDMERB exam is good for 2 years and will be updated with any changes.

The link below will be updated in the spring for the next NAPS class.
 
Lkchrm said:
My son was offered NAPS this week... Top 3 % of highly competitive HS, 33 ACT, 2 CVW, exemplary leadership qualifications, MOC and ROTC nom...
Click to expand...
.
Not a problem …. If your son wants NAVY* … both you & him can start the “Happy Dance”

Congratulate your son for me …. This really is good news
.
 
Last edited:
Just speculation. It could be that top 3% of class and a 33 on ACT suggest that HS might not be as highly competitive as assumed (how was math ACT compared to other parts?). DS encountered many in his USNA class who were at the top of their HS class but struggled academically at USNA. They typically had ACT or SAT scores (particularly math) that were lower than HS class rank would infer. Again, purely speculative.
 
ders_dad said:
Just speculation. It could be that top 3% of class and a 33 on ACT suggest that HS might not be as highly competitive as assumed (how was math ACT compared to other parts?). DS encountered many in his USNA class who were at the top of their HS class but struggled academically at USNA. They typically had ACT or SAT scores (particularly math) that were lower than HS class rank would infer. Again, purely speculative.
Click to expand...
33 ACT is in at least the top 2% nationally.

I also had a classmate who’d been sent to NAPS despite a very high GPA and ACT score, it’s hard to say why. Maybe they couldn’t find a nomination despite liking him. NAPS candidates are eligible for a Supe’s nomination I believe so it gives Admissions another option to get them in.
 
We can speculate all day… USNA may be looking at all kinds of things. Focus on the positives that Capt MJ mentions. I wish I had gone to NAPS. On paper I had all the quals, was a principal nom and blue chip athlete. And I nearly flunked out Plebe Year. The extra year of maturity alone makes a massive difference. If he wants USNA, this is a great path. NAPS takes placement exams so he will challenged accordingly.
 
Capt MJ said:
The way to look at this is they want him in the class of 2029 so much, they are saving him a seat in the class and paying for a NAPS prep year. You just have to trust they have their reasons. He will have a year to mature, get past any homesickness, learn all that specific Navy stuff that is often a shock to direct HS admits (culture, language, customs, bedmaking, shoe shining, uniforms, drill, etc.), get fully primed for USNA, have a complete set of new friends who will go with him on I-Day, etc. If he wants USNA, he has been offered a golden ticket.

He’d be in enlisted status, so even though he has to apply for noms again, he can get a SECNAV nom.

DoDMERB exam is good for 2 years and will be updated with any changes.

The link below will be updated in the spring for the next NAPS class.
Click to expand...
Once again Capt MJ is spot on.

CONGRATULATIONS on NAPS! It is the Golden Ticket.
 
SWO28 said:
My academics are pretty good, I have taken 9 APs and all honors classes with a 96.2 weighted overall average (my school doesn't go over a 100). I may be fine with academics but could you be offered admissions to NAPS if you lack athleticism where although you qualify, you have low scores the CFA? I am a varsity athlete but I just keep doing bad on the CFA, please let me know if NAPS is an option for me. Thank you!
Click to expand...
NAPS is used for a variety of candidate profiles but is indicative of a number of scenarios with a common theme being “could use a little strengthing in one area”. Could be academic (maybe you didn’t get to take physics in HS), physical fitness (see mediocre to poor CFA results), or maybe leadership experience.

In any and all cases, NAPS shows they want you to be successful and are willing to invest an extra year in you to increase the chances that you will be successful at the Naval Academy..
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Probably* not... NAPS is not intended to be an alternative means of entry for a runner up...

Historically, the purpose of NAPS was to provide Fleet Sailors and Marines and opportunity to brush up on academics before entering the Academy. NAPS is probably still the most common point of entry from the Fleet, but is also used to help build up the academic base of candidates that USNA sees good potential in.

* There are exceptions to every rule , I'm sure that somewhere, sometime, USNA used NAPS to get someone in because they didn't have a Nomination, but look at it this way -- If someone isn't in the top 10 of a MOC applicant's pool, is that person going to be competitive enough that USNA is going to jump over the MOC nominees and send them to NAPS. Doesn't make much sense to me
Click to expand...
That was my case. I applied for USNA from the FMF. At that time ALL Marines and Sailors applying for USNA were sent to NAPS. Personally I needed the academic rigor of NAPS and the multiple opportunities to boost my SAT scores. I was surprised to learn when I got there that NAPS was also used as a prep school for promising high school athletes to improve their academics. These midshipmen candidates attended an abbreviated boot camp in Great Lakes as Navy reservists then were sent to NAPS. As I recall most who wanted to, successfully completed NAPS and got either SecNav or congressional appointments. I suspect the program has changed a bit in the past 50+ years.
 
.
A NAPS Offer means that NAVY “Wants” you … and is willing to spend a lot of $$$, before you enter the next year’s Academy class … so that you will be “Much More” prepared …

NAVY doesn’t want a NAPS select to fail at the Academy … it’s that simple

For example, our daughter had +1400 SAT (taken 1 time) in Junior year of HS … but needed extra work in Physics, Chem, and Calc (C’s & B’s) in HS … and NAVY wanted her to get a head start at NAPS

She’s a little bit of an enigma … Full tuition scholarship to UVA because of all her Writing and Piano Guild Awards ….

She chose NAVY instead … she didn’t want to teach other UVA undergraduates creative writing, narrative & character development … she doesn’t even know how she does it so well …. If something comes naturally, it’s hard to teach …
.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top