Questions about applying to USNA

Missilerider

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Joined
Apr 5, 2020
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46
Hi,I am a 9th grade student.I am interested in applying for the naval academy my senior year.I have a 4.0 unweighted gpa and my rank 1/110 at my school.I am a cap cadet and I will start flight training when the COVID-19 ban gets lifted.I don’t participate in sports but I workout daily.I am a member of ecybermission and Spanish club at school.What are my chances of me getting into USNA?Also,I have a clean record with no arrests,tickets,etc.
 
Edit your name out.

There is plenty of great stuff to read on this site. Read the pinned threads and do searches.

Look for leadership roles. Take AP classes. Prepare and do well on standardized tests. Volunteer. Boys state.

Your chances will be based on your whole profile as it compares to others in your congressional district, your state, and the country.
 
I suggest having your member profile deleted by an Admin Like @TacticalNuke. Come back (sign up again) with no photo of yourself and a member name that is more anonymous, since this is a public forum.

Your chances are good. Keep getting good grades.
 
Beyond the good advice above, go on the USNA website and review every page, tab, link and pulldown. More than 90% of your questions will be answered there.
 
No idea what your chances are of getting into USNA. But if you do get in, your chance of catching crap for having your name and picture in a junior cadet uniform on here is close to 100%.

Stats are good though, keep up the good work.
 
OP -- Congrats on thinking ahead ..Starting your Freshman year gives you the opportunity to shape your resume. Interest and Motivation is great, but sustained academic performance, athletics, and demonstrated leadership is even more important. There is plenty of good information on this Forum --but first and foremost, everything you really need to know is on the USNA.edu Admissions website --- that, and any correspondence you receive directly from USNA, is what you should rely upon. Don't get caught up in the minutia of the Admissions process now (you can do that in April 3 years from now -- the discussion really doesn't change year to year). Finally, if you didn't get the message ..change your screen name ! Good Luck ..
 
Hi,I am a 9th grade student.I am interested in applying for the naval academy my senior year.I have a 4.0 unweighted gpa and my rank 1/110 at my school.I am a cap cadet and I will start flight training when the COVID-19 ban gets lifted.I don’t participate in sports but I workout daily.I am a member of ecybermission and Spanish club at school.What are my chances of me getting into USNA?Also,I have a clean record with no arrests,tickets,etc.

Join a sport. 95% of admits did a varsity sport. Not doing one will put you at a disadvantage.
 
Hi,I am a 9th grade student.I am interested in applying for the naval academy my senior year.I have a 4.0 unweighted gpa and my rank 1/110 at my school.I am a cap cadet and I will start flight training when the COVID-19 ban gets lifted.I don’t participate in sports but I workout daily.I am a member of ecybermission and Spanish club at school.What are my chances of me getting into USNA?Also,I have a clean record with no arrests,tickets,etc.
 
Congratulations..thinking ahead and starting to plan your HS path as a Freshman is a good first step. Use this summer to learn everything you can about USNA and the application process -- starting with the USNA.edu Admissions web site. Read all...including dropdowns and links. Watch these Forums, as there are a lot of good questions and answers here (but there is no need to do get into the weeds. Keep in mind that every Applicant is different, and what works for one doesn;t necessary apply to all. (One data point doesn't make a trend).

Nobody here can "chance you" or predict chances of Admission. As a Freshman, you have a long way to go. You've got a good start, but by all means, get involved in some team sport , strive to get leadership positions in both athletic and extracurriculars, and continue to do well in school. Establish rapport which your teachers --particularly Math and English..at some point they will be evaluating you and you want them on your side. Finally, after you have read and understand the USNA.edu website, reach out to your BGO with questions.

Good Luck !
 
Do the service academies look at your social media profiles,followers,messages etc????I have been cleaning accounts up!
 
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Stick to Trade/Technical/Content(Book,Music,Sport etc) related forums. These are subjects and passions that are in your “Wheelhouse”.

Constructive critique only — No offending language and always compliment the Cook.

I am a “Caveman Lawyer“ when it comes to things like Instagram, Tweeter, Snap-whatever. They confuse me and I don’t understand their meaning. So do like me .... stay away from these online places. You don’t want to get caught in a bear trap.
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Social media posts and other public forums are fair game. They are the 21st-century public square. As an employer, I routinely do a quick social media search of any candidate that I interview. I'm sure USNA and other colleges may do the same.

Never post anything you would not want your mother to see :cool:
 
@Missilerider

It is definitely part of security clearance background checks at some point.

You will also want to check your settings in terms of who/when your image can be tagged (your sites may be sparkly clean, but how about you in that group shot on someone else’s account), who can see what you post, etc.

Many regrettable life moments are followed by “well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Enjoy your social media but be thoughtful and intentional.
 
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Do the service academies look at your social media profiles,followers,messages etc????I have been cleaning accounts up!
I would assume so. We have a friend in D1 university athletics who shared there are multiple people on staff in the athletic dept who just monitor social media accounts of potential recruits. They pass on student athletes based on social media activity.
 
The chances USNA has someone reviewing social media of a Mid or candidate is probably near zero. Now if there is an issue or complaint from someone, sure they would. Private accounts are that. But if someone files a complaint with a screen shot of something, sure it will be investigated. Do the coaches for many teams look at players stuff... most do. Pretty standard practice for D1 programs and revenue sports. I could definitely see an investigator reviewing social media while doing security clearances. I know some company’s review social media prior to hiring. I never have for any applicant and I don’t believe my company does as SOP. I will review their Linked In if they have one.

Bottom line is social media is here to stay and it’s part of the younger generation’s lives. If being a future officer is your goal... remember, it’s key to understand who might be looking at your social media... your future Sailors or Marines. If you have something divisive on there, they will know and they will talk about it. The officer corps has traditionally remained non-political. It’s a good place to remain on social media. Your job is to lead... any and all who serve. Trust me, you will have Sailors and Marines who believe all kinds of things and come from every background possible.
 
My son just showed me a post made by a local HS girl. She made a video 2 years ago. Very inappropriate racial language. I am sure she made it as a 'private' video with no intent of the public seeing it. However, it has been leaked and has been retweeted 1200 times in only 24 hours. People are sendng her emails. They are contacting her school (she is a rising senior). She is a champion runner with probable scholarship offers. Let's see how this goes for her...

NOTHING is private on social media. Ever.
 
I second what @Old Navy BGO said regarding stressing about the application this early. When you open your application, likely when you apply for summer seminar, that is the beginning of a very long 18 month journey. In the meanwhile you have the goal in mind early, and that is a positive.
Use the search function on this forum to look for answers before you ask them, read all of the USNA site and sticky threads on the forum.

Make sure you take STEM classes that meet what USNA requires and do well in those classes.
Build healthy positive relationships with your teachers, they will be asked to evaluate you in the application.
Start a resume and update it with each accomplishment, award, membership etc. Easier to keep it as a living document than try to create it 3 years from now.
Take the PSAT. Use Khan Academy to prep for SAT and ACT. Take them more than once if your scores are not where they need to be.
Boys State is huge, apply for it your junior year. You seem to be in a relatively small school, that can be a positive. Let your school counselor and teachers know you are interested in being a representative at Boys State.
Join a sport, not just for your resume, but because it is fun, and fulfilling. It is an opportunity for you to be coachable, work with teammates and potentially show yourself as capable of leadership as a captain or co captain. Also, you need to be in excellent shape to pass the CFA with strong numbers, athletics can only assist with that.
Take opportunities to compete in speaking and essay contests. You will need to be really strong during numerous interviews that are NOT easy. And you will need to write stellar essays for each application, practice practice and get teachers on board with your goals so they are happy to edit and critique your work.
Stay anonymous on all forums and don't post anything on social media you wouldn't want on the front page of the paper or on a billboard.
Good luck to you!
 
On the social media side, would not having any social media accounts benefit me or would it retract from an application?
 
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