Plan B

U

UrgentFury

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Joined
May 25, 2022
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I am trying to stay realistic about my chances and have an actionable "plan B." Currently, my GPA is a 3.2 (chem crushed me this year) cumulative 1250 SAT. I am entering senior year hoping to get a tiny GPA boost from some easier APs like government and lang-comp. I feel like my relatively low GPA could be compensated for my course selection. I'm on track to graduate with ten college credits and seven AP and honors classes. I will also graduate with six science classes, including honors chem and AP physics, and five years of math, including Alg1-2, geometry, pre-calc, and calc AB.

Regarding sports, I have played Varsity water polo and swam all four years of high school with a season of varsity tennis and JV soccer mixed in.

Regarding ECAs, I'm currently interning for the county GOP and managing my city pool.

Regarding clubs, I am the Editor of my school newspaper and even managed to get a real news story published in a state paper, a member of the science olympiad team, a student gov rep, a student ambassador, leadership club, and speech and debate.

At this point, I feel I might have a decent shot at NAPS or the foundation schools. But I still want to have a solid "plan B" that will give me another chance to reapply if I don't get in next year. I have already applied for NROTC marine option. I have already looked into other schools besides the academy and will most likely try for VMI, the citadel, and a few less competitive UCs and do ROTC while enrolled. I have also been looking into potentially enlisting or trying for the new navy warrant officer flight school and reapplying to USNA from the fleet. I have read that the 100 allocated slots for prior enlisted are usually never filled. My main goal in attending the academy is to commission into the USMC. So I wouldn't have an issue spending four years in the corps or the Navy.

So I guess my main question is should I stay optimistic about the academy or further flush out plan B?
 
UrgentFury said:
I am trying to stay realistic about my chances and have an actionable "plan B." Currently, my GPA is a 3.2 (chem crushed me this year) cumulative 1250 SAT. I am entering senior year hoping to get a tiny GPA boost from some easier APs like government and lang-comp. I feel like my relatively low GPA could be compensated for my course selection. I'm on track to graduate with ten college credits and seven AP and honors classes. I will also graduate with six science classes, including honors chem and AP physics, and five years of math, including Alg1-2, geometry, pre-calc, and calc AB.

Regarding sports, I have played Varsity water polo and swam all four years of high school with a season of varsity tennis and JV soccer mixed in.

Regarding ECAs, I'm currently interning for the county GOP and managing my city pool.

Regarding clubs, I am the Editor of my school newspaper and even managed to get a real news story published in a state paper, a member of the science olympiad team, a student gov rep, a student ambassador, leadership club, and speech and debate.

At this point, I feel I might have a decent shot at NAPS or the foundation schools. But I still want to have a solid "plan B" that will give me another chance to reapply if I don't get in next year. I have already applied for NROTC marine option. I have already looked into other schools besides the academy and will most likely try for VMI, the citadel, and a few less competitive UCs and do ROTC while enrolled. I have also been looking into potentially enlisting or trying for the new navy warrant officer flight school and reapplying to USNA from the fleet. I have read that the 100 allocated slots for prior enlisted are usually never filled. My main goal in attending the academy is to commission into the USMC. So I wouldn't have an issue spending four years in the corps or the Navy.

So I guess my main question is should I stay optimistic about the academy or further flush out plan B?
Click to expand...
Always develop plans B and C.
 
Regardless of one's odds for anything, it is good to have multiple plans in place to reach the target objective. Good on you for thinking of different options. If your goal is to commission USMC, then target USMC programs. The Academy is a great place to get a USMC commission, but NROTC, PLC, and OCC all produce phenomenal officers. PLC is a good way to work towards a commission through college if you do not participate in NROTC. Enlisting to become an officer typically is inadvisable. While the USMC has pretty robust enlisting commissioning programs, there aren't any guarantees.

On the Navy Warrant Officer AVO Program, you are commissioned as a Warrant Officer in the grade of W-1. In other words, you are not enlisted. You attend Officer Candidate School and you have a 7 year service obligation upon earning your wings. Since you are commissioned, you are ineligible to apply for other commissioning programs.
 
UrgentFury said:
So I guess my main question is should I stay optimistic about the academy or further flush out plan B?
Click to expand...
You're doing everything right. Developing plan B further doesn't make you any less prepared for plan A, it just helps ensure you get to your ultimate destination one way or another. Keep it up!
 
First, do what you can to improve your USNA package? If you can, retake the SAT or try the ACT, as some do better on it. You mentioned GPA but not class rank. USNA focuses more on class rank. You're better off taking math and science and getting As (even if at non-AP level) than taking AP language comp. Train for the CFA and get the best score possible. Talk to your math and English teachers and let them know how important a SA is to you. Prep for your MOC interviews.

If you're really good at water polo, you might contact the USNA coach. It can't hurt.

Be sure to look at other SAs, including USCGA and USMMA (which are great schools that not as many people know about).

In terms of Plan B . . . VMI and Citadel are great schools. However, you don't have a better shot at USNA from one of those schools than any other college. Always think about what school will make you happiest in the long run. As I often say, there are many paths to success in life that don't run through a SA.

You mentioned enlisting as a way to get to USNA. There are numerous threads on this topic on this forum and I won't repeat the advice here. I do suggest you search them as there IS a lot of great advice in them.

Best of luck!
 
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