mbergq9632
Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2016
- Messages
- 19
What Does WP and congressmen look at the most in determining acceptance? And is weighted GPA above a 4.4 safe if the unweighted is 3.6?
Congressmen look at how the nomination will affect their re-election status. Their preferences have absolutely nothing to do with what the academy is looking for.
While mostly true with a member of the HOR, some candidates (nominees) don't have to be qualified at all if the MOC has less than 10 applicants.
Some congressmen have also been notorious for nominating on the basis of sex and race, not to mention political influence.
Of course I'm not talking about all, or even most, but some. There should be a better way to geographically represent the population of the US, but I can't think of any.
Luckily, it's not up to me. I'd end the nomination process as we know it. I'd certainly make MOC''s publish their nominees after selection, and I'd eliminate principal nominees. I might also censure representatives that did not fill their nomination lists with qualified nominees. It happens all the time.
The academies are wonderful institutions, and the chance of a lifetime for a lot of kids. Shamefully, there are MOC's out there that not only don't fill their alloted nomination lists, they don't nominate anyone at all.
As for looking at class rank... often a kid will post a high class rank with dismal SAT or ACT scores. I think it's a head scratcher when a kid ranks high in their school, but has ordinary or even subpar test scores. That indicates to me that their high school may be under achieving or isn't very demanding. Sometimes it also is indicative of a student that gets lots of help (parents, tutoring, etc) throughout the school year, then has to take the standardized tests alone.
I'd look very closely at kids with high class ranks and low test scores. Something doesnt jive.
Congressmen look at how the nomination will affect their re-election status. Their preferences have absolutely nothing to do with what the academy is looking for.
As for looking at class rank... often a kid will post a high class rank with dismal SAT or ACT scores. I think it's a head scratcher when a kid ranks high in their school, but has ordinary or even subpar test scores. That indicates to me that their high school may be under achieving or isn't very demanding. Sometimes it also is indicative of a student that gets lots of help (parents, tutoring, etc) throughout the school year, then has to take the standardized tests alone.
I'd look very closely at kids with high class ranks and low test scores. Something doesnt jive.
Congressmen look at how the nomination will affect their re-election status. Their preferences have absolutely nothing to do with what the academy is looking for.
While mostly true with a member of the HOR, some candidates (nominees) don't have to be qualified at all if the MOC has less than 10 applicants.
Some congressmen have also been notorious for nominating on the basis of sex and race, not to mention political influence.
Of course I'm not talking about all, or even most, but some. There should be a better way to geographically represent the population of the US, but I can't think of any.
Luckily, it's not up to me. I'd end the nomination process as we know it. I'd certainly make MOC''s publish their nominees after selection, and I'd eliminate principal nominees. I might also censure representatives that did not fill their nomination lists with qualified nominees. It happens all the time.
The academies are wonderful institutions, and the chance of a lifetime for a lot of kids. Shamefully, there are MOC's out there that not only don't fill their alloted nomination lists, they don't nominate anyone at all.
1. No unqualified candidates get into service academies, although some on the lower end of qualified are given special consideration. Most MOC's nominate through a fair evaluation process using a panel of academy graduates, former military officers, and other responsible individuals to make selections. Of course, as with any process, there are a few outliers, that through ignorance or calculation, make poor selections. Those poor selections will not be 3Q and will not receive appointments.
2. I agree with the comments on class rank. Most colleges today have chosen to ignore "strength of school" in evaluating academic potential. A 3.50 GPA or top 20% at (pick your top school) carries the same weight as a 3.50 GPA or top 20% from (pick your weaker school); thus the disconnect between class rank and test scores. Sometimes students just don't test well, but, arguably, that aberration from class rank/GPA is less common than differences in school rigor.
Differences in rigor make class rank an unreliable indicator. An NFL team doesn't draft a quarterback from a Division III football program just because he threw for more passing yards than quarterbacks from Division I programs.
and I tried to answer the question on what West Point will think. Not if they should or what it the best way.And is weighted GPA above a 4.4 safe if the unweighted is 3.6?
In the absence of a reported class rank, West Point builds a class rank based on test scores.It is my belief that USMA does not use GPA in calculating your WCS. (The exception is if you school does not rank students, then somehow they convert GPA to a class rank equivalent).
It is better to have the numbers in your favor to start - a top 10% class rank earns a specified number of WCS points regardless of the school.Thanks this helped a lot. But I just think that my class rank will bring me down, and yet I still have good stats compared to others.