Overqualified for NAPS?

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wnsham96

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My son has an interview appointment with both our Congressman panel and Senator panel this weekend. His grades are good (top 5% of class, 3.95 GPA), he's an Eagle Scout, is a team leader at his job, in NHS, taking AP Chinese, 1st tenor sax in jazz band, lots of service hours.

However, his SAT scores are a bit low (670/670) and he hasn't done any sports since his sophomore year (basketball club team). He's working out to improve his CFA scores, and will be taking the SAT (or ACT) again, but there's not a lot he can do about his lack of participation in sports now. So, he's competitive ... but average.

He's also not a minority. Just a white young male who works hard in school and at his job.

He's completed his DoDMERB and had his BGO interview, so he's moving along.

So - would he qualify for NAPS if he didn't get an appointment? Or are his grades too high? How does a candidate get an appointment if they can't check the athletics box? A miracle? 😂
 
From what I've read and heard, the SA prep schools tend to lean towards the jocks (especially recruited athletes) with lower grades and test scores.
 
My personal experience with 5 NAPSTERS, none of them were athletes. At all. One enlisted, and 4 others.

No athletes.
 
wnsham96 said:
My son has an interview appointment with both our Congressman panel and Senator panel this weekend. His grades are good (top 5% of class, 3.95 GPA), he's an Eagle Scout, is a team leader at his job, in NHS, taking AP Chinese, 1st tenor sax in jazz band, lots of service hours.

However, his SAT scores are a bit low (670/670) and he hasn't done any sports since his sophomore year (basketball club team). He's working out to improve his CFA scores, and will be taking the SAT (or ACT) again, but there's not a lot he can do about his lack of participation in sports now. So, he's competitive ... but average.

He's also not a minority. Just a white young male who works hard in school and at his job.

He's completed his DoDMERB and had his BGO interview, so he's moving along.

So - would he qualify for NAPS if he didn't get an appointment? Or are his grades too high? How does a candidate get an appointment if they can't check the athletics box? A miracle? 😂
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Disclaimer. I am not a BGO nor have I ever sat on an Admissions board. On the face of it, I would say that your son would not qualify for NAPS. Your post does not indicate what part of the USA your son is applying. Those cursory stats you listed may be perfectly competitive in different parts of the States. Anecdotally, my roommate was from the Midwest where there was little interest in the services academies. He was drowning in nominations an appointment offers. As mentioned in other posts, athletics is just a piece of the pie in obtaining an appointment. Not sure if you were meaning to imply that NAPS is just for minorities. It isn't. There are many young white males and females at NAPS and USNAA Foundation schools that are working hard at this very moment for an appointment to the Class of 2027.

Good luck to your son on his interviews.
 
WT Door said:
Disclaimer. I am not a BGO nor have I ever sat on an Admissions board. On the face of it, I would say that your son would not qualify for NAPS. Your post does not indicate what part of the USA your son is applying. Those cursory stats you listed may be perfectly competitive in different parts of the States. Anecdotally, my roommate was from the Midwest where there was little interest in the services academies. He was drowning in nominations an appointment offers. As mentioned in other posts, athletics is just a piece of the pie in obtaining an appointment. Not sure if you were meaning to imply that NAPS is just for minorities. It isn't. There are many young white males and females at NAPS and USNAA Foundation schools that are working hard at this very moment for an appointment to the Class of 2027.

Good luck to your son on his interviews.
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Sorry for any confusion - I'm not under the impression that NAPS is just for minorities. I do know that there is a percentage of appointments reserved for recruited athletes and minorities (these are known as Additional Appointees, or AAs). My main question is can candidates qualify for NAPS based on a lack of athletic participation - but it sounds like it's more about an academic deficiency.

So, it seems that if he doesn't get an appointment, then NAPS will probably not be an option. I think ROTC would be the next step (if he's not waitlisted), and then reapply next year.
 
None of can say one way or another. His test scores are middle of the road. None of us can tell if he will be scholastically qualified. They look at school profile, grades, scores and many other items. A 3.9 GPA is solid but there is so much that goes into that. Does that school send 2-4 kids a year to an Ivy. Is it a powerhouse that sends a dozen or more? Highest level of math taken? Maybe the school only offers to a certain level. I have seen Valedictorians get NAPS. They were the school jock, class president and #1 in class. But their school had 200 kids and highest math was Trig with very middle of the road test scores. This is why it’s hard to estimate. None of us know the formula admissions uses. All your DS can do is put his best app forward and let the cards fall where they may.
 
Are you asking if your son is to smart for NAPS? I think you have a misconception as there are many academic excellent cadets at NAPS who are there for different reasons not just because they are minorities or athletes. Also there are many current NAPS cadets who have better SAT scores then 1340 and had just as high or higher gpa.
 
After seeing DD and so many others on this board go through this process last year, I don’t think anyone can explain definitively the admissions process. DD was told by our congressional representative that she could only receive a nomination for one service academy, but to put a first and second choice . She received nominations for both . Her FFR told her he thought she had an excellent chance for appointment to first choice . She was notified in late April that she didn’t receive an appointment . DD signed NCAA paperwork to attend a SMC and was content with the decision and was gearing up to reapply because “no one ever comes off wait list “ . She was notified in late May after being placed on wait list that she received Naval Foundation . She is currently at a Naval Foundation prep school with several students , one who she studies with is a physics genius and had an SAT score in the high 1400s . He is also an incredible athlete , she has no idea why he didn’t receive an appointment . He’s “squared away” according to her . Honestly, all the candidates and parents have my complete sympathy as they navigate the application process this year . I honestly think I still have PTSD from last year . Submit the package, cross your fingers and know that if his goal is to serve in the military , there are other ways that he can achieve that including SMC and ROTC . Best of luck , it’s a roller coaster .
 
Ghostjwm said:
Are you asking if your son is to smart for NAPS? I think you have a misconception as there are many academic excellent cadets at NAPS who are there for different reasons not just because they are minorities or athletes. Also there are many current NAPS cadets who have better SAT scores then 1340 and had just as high or higher gpa.
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Good to know, thank you!
 
Banshee Mom said:
After seeing DD and so many others on this board go through this process last year, I don’t think anyone can explain definitively the admissions process. DD was told by our congressional representative that she could only receive a nomination for one service academy, but to put a first and second choice . She received nominations for both . Her FFR told her he thought she had an excellent chance for appointment to first choice . She was notified in late April that she didn’t receive an appointment . DD signed NCAA paperwork to attend a SMC and was content with the decision and was gearing up to reapply because “no one ever comes off wait list “ . She was notified in late May after being placed on wait list that she received Naval Foundation . She is currently at a Naval Foundation prep school with several students , one who she studies with is a physics genius and had an SAT score in the high 1400s . He is also an incredible athlete , she has no idea why he didn’t receive an appointment . He’s “squared away” according to her . Honestly, all the candidates and parents have my complete sympathy as they navigate the application process this year . I honestly think I still have PTSD from last year . Submit the package, cross your fingers and know that if his goal is to serve in the military , there are other ways that he can achieve that including SMC and ROTC . Best of luck , it’s a roller coaster .
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Thank you, very encouraging!
 
OP: Sons SATs are just a slightly low (considering USNA averages). Likely he will not be offered NAPS or a Foundation year (but we don't know for sure). Depending on other factors, including how his Nom slates are "served up" (principle with ranked 9, non ranked, Principle with 9 non-ranked), class rank, and considerations by his Nom sources, he may or may not be competitive on for a Nom. Lack of sports combined with a low CFA is not a strong Candidate and may raise concerns. If he wants to be a Naval Officer, his plans B&C should be things like NROTC, State Maritime Academies (many are direct commissions sources). He should tend to Plans B & C-while working on what he can control. Best of luck.
 
wnsham96 said:
He's also not a minority. Just a white young male who works hard in school and at his job.
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Huh? OP, are you saying that he’d be a better SA candidate if he was a minority who doesn’t work hard at school and job? After two candidates and multiple SA and ROTC applications, I’m not aware of any WCS/WPS points for this. 🤔
 
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It really is the "whole package" ... and the SAT is the "Great Equalizer" ....

Our daughter went to NAPS on a ~730/740 Verbal, 690 Math SAT ... taken one time in May 2018 .... Her BGO told her to take it more times .... I said her score is perfect .... my wife, a Loudoun Teacher, said her score is perfect too .... Done .... move on .... The SAT is not a "Sport" and Don't guild the Lilly.

NoVA District 10 (Fairfax/Loudoun) Nominations board wrote a letter to the Academy in late 2018 recommending NAPS because of daughter's low/average grades in Calc/Chem/Physics .... She got all Middle-to-Low C grades, and her GPA at an extremely competitive NoVA HS was 3.4

She said the board asked her about grades .... She told them what we tell her .... If you are happy with your grades, then we (the Parents) are happy with your grades ... and I am a PhD EE ...

She's competitive in sports, she is Piano Classical pianist, piano guild member .... Music is Everything to me .... She was offered a music scholarship at the University of Virginia .... She chose NAVY and the extra year at NAPS .... she got tired of music .... and I probably pushed pretty hard there :)

My wife is the Boss ... she is also a Pianist ... and she said GO NAVY.
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NAPS is there for people they really want, but think need a little more development to see if they cut the mustard.

Or ..... for potential recruitable athletes that may be low in some areas and they want to see if they can improve.

Or ..... for enlisted who have been out in the real world for a while, and need a refresher (that was my case).
 
CSHhawk said:
From what I've read and heard, the SA prep schools tend to lean towards the jocks (especially recruited athletes) with lower grades and test scores.
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What is it that you can confirm? .... just say'n ... him-haw'n ... and such
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MidCakePa said:
Huh? OP, are you saying that he’d be a better SA candidate if he was a minority who doesn’t work hard at school and job? After two candidates and multiple SA and ROTC applications, I’m not aware of any WCS/WPS points for this. 🤔
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Are you suggesting the Academies / ROTC don't use race and gender based admissions?
 
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