Question about college courses for reapplication

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cmb1230

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My DD is planning on reapplying to USNA as a college re-applicant for class of 2024. She is also on a NROTC scholarship. We have a question regarding classes. She is taking calculus, chemistry, an entry level engineering class, a Naval science class and a Corp of Cadets class. She has AP credit for English and will be taking an elective to fulfill the required hours for her scholarship. She is concerned about how not having an English class will effect her application. She is able to get a letter of recommendation from her high school English teacher. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I have no more knowledge of the subject than you do, however I bet it’s not the end of the world as long as she got a good grade in high school English class and did well on the English section of the standardized tests.
 
NROTC requires folks to take one year of English Composition and Grammar (or whatever it is called there). She should ask the cadre if she needs to take it at the college, or if it will be enough that her AP credits cover it. (assuming it does). What she learns there can be applied to everything else, including NROTC when writing those 5 paragraph orders.

Alternatively she could address the world culture and language requirement.

Don't just focus on USNA, also focus on her requirements there in case she is not appointed. Strike a balance. Just one man's two cents.
 
The recommendation from admissions is to take a "plebe like" schedule and do well. They say "plebe like" as there is not one size fits all approach. Her class load looks challenging enough to demonstrate that she can handle the work load. My DD fit a music history class as her elective in her first semester of college as a re-applicant. Of course the other classes were all Stem bases and she did well. As @kinnem says, balance is important.
 
Anytime a young person is willing to forfeit 30 college credits and start over, they are to be commended and appreciated for their willingness to sacrifice and push ahead! It is just my opinion, but the lack of a Freshman English class should not be harmful especially with HS AP English (as long as it was comp and not lit). Of more importance I would just think is her re-application. Concentrate on her essays, get "new" letters of recommendation from College Professors, and excel at BOTH NROTC and her college courses. I think the USNA Director of Admissions may favor College Reapplicants and give them preference because of their willingness to in reality repeat freshman year, put the extra effort into re-applying, and the fact they are a year more mature.

Your DD has Plan B in effect which is always a good feeling, but is to be commended and given as much guidance and support as possible in her re-application.....Best of Luck, I will be rooting for her!!!
 
Good advice above and probably won’t go wrong either way. But I offer this: A plebe schedule includes all the STEM and naval classes she’s taking plus English. Even plebes who got a 5 on the AP test and also validated English 1 (the former doesn’t guarantee the latter, by the way) must take English 2.

Why is she taking an elective rather than English. Is it because she wants to lighten her load? Taking English — presumably the heavier load — is the best match of a plebe schedule. Is it the end of the world if she doesn’t? No. Is it a competition where others are taking the harder path? Yes.
 
My son was faced with the very same dilemma. During his freshman year he took Calculus, Physics (at his NROTC college they require all engineering freshmen to start with Physics instead of Chem), Naval History, and Intro to Engineering. Because he was nervous about the Physics instead of Chem requirement and didn't want to stray too far from the recommended courses, he opted to disregard his AP English placement credit and take English Composition for Engineers instead. He re-applied and received his appointment that year. The key thing to remember, regardless of what classes you take, is that you need to get A's in all those classes This also means that you need to have a sit-down with your Calculus and English profs early in the term and let them know you would like their Evaluations for the USNA re-app prior to the end of the semester. Both profs told my son that if he had a solid A on all exams and homework at mid-terms they would be more than happy to give him a positive evaluation.

Also, make sure your Mid requests a Nomination from their NROTC CO. Don't give up the ship!
 
FWIW My DS was a successful college reapplicant coming from 1 year of college & NROTC . He did not take English his freshman year because he didn't need it for plan B (staying in NROTC).
 
Is there another writing intensive class she could take instead?
 
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