Reapplying - a few questions

[Infiniduck]

1. How much will senior year grades impact me compared to first semester college grades? Because senior year I was working 3 jobs while in school and had mediocre grades.


2. How much will a job help me, because I'm considering not getting one so I can focus more on grades and improving my ACT and CFA?

 

[usna1985]

1. College grades are obviously more important. If you are taking the plebe courses at a 4-year college and knock it out of the park (all As) AND do something other than study such as ECAs and/or sports, that will certainly help overcome less than stellar h.s. grades. If your college grades are middling (mostly Bs) or you aren't taking the plebe courses or similar, then they will be less help.

2. There is no need for you to take a job for USNA purposes. If you need to work to help pay for college, then that's a different story. As stated above, USNA does expect college students to do SOMETHING other than go to class to demonstrate they can handle college academics plus the other stuff USNA will throw at them. Other things you can do are ECAs (in or out of college), sports and work. What you choose depends on your interests, time, ability to participate, etc.

 

[Norfolk63]

Agree with above. Since you are asking about a job while being a college re-applicant, I am assuming that you either did not apply for or did not receive a NROTC Scholarship. If this is true, might I suggest you join your college Navy ROTC unit as a college programmer ("walk-on") instead. Accordingly, make it your "job" to become the best 4th Class Midshipman in the unit (best grades, best PRT scores, best overall performance) AND apply for a NROTC Nomination to USNA from the unit CO.

This will accomplish several things: 1) It will GREATLY improve your chances of receiving an Appointment to USNA; 2) It will offer an alternate path to Commissioning; 3) It may also give you an opportunity to earn a "sideload" NROTC Scholarship, which is better than any campus job you could find.

 

[DKTKT]

Agree with above. Since you are asking about a job while being a college re-applicant, I am assuming that you either did not apply for or did not receive a NROTC Scholarship. If this is true, might I suggest you join your college Navy ROTC unit as a college programmer ("walk-on") instead. Accordingly, make it your "job" to become the best 4th Class Midshipman in the unit (best grades, best PRT scores, best overall performance) AND apply for a NROTC Nomination to USNA from the unit CO.

This will accomplish several things: 1) It will GREATLY improve your chances of receiving an Appointment to USNA; 2) It will offer an alternate path to Commissioning; 3) It may also give you an opportunity to earn a "sideload" NROTC Scholarship, which is better than any campus job you could find.

FWIW Exactly the route my DS took and it worked! He is now a plebe. And the NROTC scholarship to his civilian dream school made him stop and think long and hard about what he wanted and why. All in all, a great growing experience for him (the turn down from USNA, the NROTC experience, and finally the choice between NROTC and USNA).