questions.

[nielsenkc]

Hello I am in my freshmen year of highschool and I have a couple of questions about what classes i am taking.

My first question is how do my odds look if i do not take the course per calculus?
Right now my math grades aren't the best so my teacher recommended me for
Geometry as seen here http://www.pmschools.org/files/news/program of studies 12-13[dec 8].pdf if you go down to the math section I will not be able to take pre calculus. I am current trying my best to get my math grades up. I even have a friend of mine helping me understand it.

How many years of Spanish do you recommend? My Spanish grades right now is high 80s

Also do they look at any music or art courses you take? Right now I am taking chorus this year and next school.

Other that courses i am taking next year is a second year of AFJROTC
AP World History, Earth Science, English 10R, Spanish second year of taking it in high school.

Thank you for helping me out.

 

[Whistle Pig]

Compliments on your insight on this, noting that your current path has potential to diminish your profile and candidacy for a Service Academy. As you are inkling about your awareness, you are correct in that math is important, the more you have and the better you perform, notably on standardized testing (SAT/ACT), the better your shot.

And this would likely be especially important for your area which is highly competitive.

Language requirements and expectations are outlined in the USNA info. Fine arts courses and activities are fine, but they don't carry a lot of weight in the assessment process absent them leading you to your own concert at Carnegie Hall or exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum. These activities as ECs? Fine.

You are asking good questions and seeking sound answers. Keep doing so. And consider figuring out how you can enhance your mathematics and science academic program in both substance and performance. Without these your desired and highly challenging path becomes monumentally more challenging.

btw, there are several alternatives in math (on-line, local CC, correspondence, etc.) to accelerating your path. If you've not done so, perhaps you and your parents should sit down with your school counselor and discuss these. And being thorough to ensure the answer(s) you might receive offer you every option.

Keep going! You're on a good path. Best blessings to you!

 

[nuensis]

Get yourself up to Chemistry/Physics too. AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics will make you the most competitive. Remember, USNA is a school that puts a heavy emphasis on math, science, and engineering, and the Navy in general wants more engineers.

I took two years of Spanish; USNA was fine with that.

Consider taking summer classes. Wrap up Geometry this year, take Algebra II/Trigonometry over the summer, and land yourself in Precalculus next year so you can be at Calculus AB by junior year and BC by senior year. Having two years of Calculus under your belt will really be helpful. Try high school chemistry next year. If you do well, take a chemistry course over the summer, then put yourself in AP Chemistry in junior year. On your last summer, take a physics course and put yourself in AP physics senior year. With that prep course you took over the summer, AP Chemistry and AP Physics should be no problem, as long as you keep up with the coursework and work hard. Get tutors, ask for help, do whatever you need to do.

Yeah, you won't be having too much fun for the next few years, but getting As in AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics will make you very competitive. Worth it, right?

 

[Whistle Pig]

... and the Navy in general wants more engineers.
...

A subtle correction bordering on quibbling ...

The Navy has not indicated need for more engineers. The Navy has indicated intent to fulfill its requirement that a certain proportion of its officer corps will be graduated engineers. So more precisely, this means reducing the number of non-engineering grads, I believe.

Said another way, the Navy in general wants more of its officers to have engineering degrees.

 

[nielsenkc]

thanks for the suggestions!
but i will be unable to take a math class over the summer only because i have to many programs i decide my summers to is us naval sea cadet corp- where i can be as long as 2 weeks at a time. and boy scouts- where i am gone for a week. maybe i might be able to fit because i need to!

 

[dunninla]

Being average in math hits you triply --

1) gives you average grades in Math class
2) results in an average score on the SAT, Math portion
3) impairs your ability in the quantitative portions of Chemistry, Physics classes

I'm not exagerating to say that Math proficiency is the SINGLE most important academic criterion in evaluating candidates for AF or Naval Academies, or for AF or Navy ROTC. Marine Option NROTC and Army ROTC and West Point are less focused on math proficiency than the others.

You need to decide how to prioritize your time... getting good at math, or spending more time doing other valuable things.

If you simply can't or won't get really good at math, then stick to Army or Marines. Exceptions to this are if you are a recruited athlete, or are a candidate that helps the Unit/Academy hit its diversity targets.