Post-high school work experience and community college GPA making up for bad high school GPA?

[spocko]

Hi, I recently applied to the USCGA having just turned 21 this month, so I'm an older candidate. Being a few years out of high school, I have three years of professional experience in the field of my intended major (Cyber Systems), currently with NASA. I earned a 2260 on my SAT (roughly equivalent to a 1500 on the 1600 scale) and a 36 on my ACT, but my high school GPA was a pretty mediocre 3.0 unweighted (3.5 weighted), brought down significantly by my senior year. I have my explanations for the dip, but I didn't want to make excuses on the application because at the end of the day I just should've done better. I graduated in 2017.

I was able to list several awards (coding, robotics, National Merit, etc.) and get some good letters of recommendation, which I hope carry some weight. I was also a lead in a musical in high school, Varsity in double's tennis, and Captain of the Math Team. I'm still a little underweight (5'5"ish and 100 pounds at the start, female) but my PFE scores were at least passing. Since high school I've been mostly working full-time and also attending a local community college part-time, where I currently have a 4.0 and am due to get my associate's degree in computer science in May. I also have an inactive security clearance from a previous position, which I hope indicates I lead an honorable lifestyle (or you know, that I don't smoke weed at least). Oh, and I still do community theater and volunteer at a linguistics museum.

My question is, am I totally damned because of my high school GPA, or can work experience and a community college GPA make up for a little bit of that? I know it's not an exact science, but I want to know if I should even bother wondering if I'll get accepted. I am working out and drinking tons of Ensures to fix at least the weight issue. All of your stats I see on this site are so impressive, and I know a 3.0 for high school is pretty shabby, but I figured I'd still give it a shot. Thank you for reading, and good luck to you guys!

 

[Physicsguru]

What I tell my students is as long as you don't hear a no, you are still in the game. So, do you have a chance? Yes, you do. Are you competitive? I can't answer that, because while numbers are easy to scale, the intangibles are not. It all comes down to what you can offer the academy and the Coast Guard and what is available in the rest of the applicant pool.

Each year the admissions accepts some older candidates; some with community college experience, some prior enlisted in the Coast Guard. I can say that they will look at your entire package and see how you have grown. But at this point, with the applications and paperwork complete, all you can do is cross your fingers and see how it goes. Keep in close contact with your AO, and if there is a CG admissions partner in the area keep working with them.

Good luck to you.

 

[Capt MJ]

Think of it like this - yes, you were not a scholastic Captain America in HS, but look at what you have proven you can do, actually working in the cyber field with a not-to-be-sneezed-at NASA pedigree. You have proven you can handle college coursework. You write like a thoughtful and educated adult. You would also bring a maturity and focus, and ability to function in the adult world, that many of your teenaged classmates will not yet have. USCGA values diversity in all kinds of ways, and I bet no one else has many of the items on your resume.

You are taking action to address your other issues. Think positively until you are informed otherwise.

If you are unable to get into USCGA, and desire to serve, I sure hope you have looked at the college programs and internships offered by NSA, FBI, CIA, and I would bet NASA. They are hungry for cyber-oriented bright young minds and a desire to serve.

Let us know how it goes. I would think CGA might grab you right up with a collective high five in Admission, but there is no way of actually predicting the outcome. You are a unique puzzle piece, and it remains to be seen if you fit into the 2024 Bear Puzzle.

 

[Bubby'sDad]

With a 36 ACT and 1500 SAT, and now showing that you can get straight A's with college level courses, I would think that you have a great chance.

Academics at the SA's are tough, and being smart counts for a lot.

While your, um, UN-distinguished grades in high school might be interpreted as a lack of motivation and work ethic (you obviously have the intellect to have done much better, based on your standardized test scores), one could say that your 2 years of college work show that you have matured.

Good luck.

 

[cave9269]

Think of it like this - yes, you were not a scholastic Captain America in HS, but look at what you have proven you can do, actually working in the cyber field with a not-to-be-sneezed-at NASA pedigree. You have proven you can handle college coursework. You write like a thoughtful and educated adult. You would also bring a maturity and focus, and ability to function in the adult world, that many of your teenaged classmates will not yet have. USCGA values diversity in all kinds of ways, and I bet no one else has many of the items on your resume.

You are taking action to address your other issues. Think positively until you are informed otherwise.

If you are unable to get into USCGA, and desire to serve, I sure hope you have looked at the college programs and internships offered by NSA, FBI, CIA, and I would bet NASA. They are hungry for cyber-oriented bright young minds and a desire to serve.

Let us know how it goes. I would think CGA might grab you right up with a collective high five in Admission, but there is no way of actually predicting the outcome. You are a unique puzzle piece, and it remains to be seen if you fit into the 2024 Bear Puzzle.

Puzzle similes are the best.