Striving to join the USNA

[Striver'24]

Hi! I'm a sophomore in high school who has been determined to join the Navy since I could remember. I stumbled across this website while looking around at websites that deal with the USNA and have read a few of the threads on here. I know that the question I'm about to ask is most likely going to be stupid (there are such things as stupid questions) and might not get many responses because of how generic it is. However, there's no point in not asking it.

I have been looking into as many things as possible that may provide beneficial advice and/or little known facts that could help me improve my chances or guide my effort better into being accepted into the USNA. I am active in many sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling. I wrestled on the varsity team for the last part of the season and am a state qualifier as a sophomore. My grades have not been optimal partly because of the situation last year but mostly because I was not as studious as I know I should have been and am now suffering the consequences. My unweighted GPA is only a 3.215 but I am ranked 74th out of 798. I have taken 2.5 years of Spanish and have done some other eca such as marching band for 2 years (not doing it anymore because I have decided to focus on wrestling), and did quite a bit of service as president of my NJHS (middle school, don't think it would count though). I also have been on the presidency in my church organizations which also include a bit of service. I was wondering if anybody on here had any advice or facts for me to help guide me on the path to becoming a student at USNA.

Joining the Navy (and hopefully USNA) and serving my country proudly is my main (if not only) goal in life and has been for a very long time. If this post is way too bulky and seems annoying with the amount of unnecessary content please don't hesitate to tell me as I won't take it personally and am only looking to better myself in any way possible. If you have any other questions ask away (I just joined so I don't know if I can dm yet).

 

[Heatherg21]

First, welcome to the forum. It is a great resource. 100’s of high school students before you have posed this question. Use the search function and read everything you can related to “improve my chances”, “how can I improve” and see what you find.

After you’ve done that, sit down with your guidance counselor and map out a plan.
Enlist your coaches, teachers, and counselor in your goal and build a plan.

And let us know what your game plan is. It may help others in the future.

 

[Striver'24]

First, welcome to the forum. It is a great resource. 100’s of high school students before you have posed this question. Use the search function and read everything you can related to “improve my chances”, “how can I improve” and see what you find.

After you’ve done that, sit down with your guidance counselor and map out a plan.
Enlist your coaches, teachers, and counselor in your goal and build a plan.

And let us know what your game plan is. It may help others in the future.

Thanks for the advice! I've seen you helping out alot of people on the forums and it's pretty cool that you replied that quickly. I'll be sure to look at other threads related to mine. I haven't really talked to anybody at my school about building a plan and don't exactly know how to start about doing that stuff. Thanks!

 

[Heatherg21]

Thanks for the advice! I've seen you helping out alot of people on the forums and it's pretty cool that you replied that quickly. I'll be sure to look at other threads related to mine. I haven't really talked to anybody at my school about building a plan and don't exactly know how to start about doing that stuff. Thanks!

So does your school have a guidance counselor in the office? That person needs to be your go to.
They may not know anything about SA’s, it’s not uncommon. So you should go through every inch and drop down menu of the USNA site and look at the courses they expect you to have taken and excelled in.

Take that list to the appointment you schedule with your counselor/advisor at your campus.
From that point you explain your goal and bring them aboard your journey.

You enlist them to help you achieve your goal. You are dedicated, focused, and driven to achieve this and you need their help and support.

Hopefully they help you build a class schedule and game plan to make you a qualified candidate. Let your coaches know your goal. Ask for their support.

Don’t waste anyone’s time. If you are serious, follow through and show it with your success and improvement in your GPA.

Apply for Boys/Girls state via the counseling office or your local American Legion.

Seek leadership positions and make a positive impact.

And I’m happy to help. I have a lot to pay forward on this forum and to those who supported and continue to support our son. GO NAVY BEAT ARMY!

 

[Heatherg21]

One more thing. Look up on the USNA site who your local BGO is. Prepare a professional email and introduce yourself.

 

[Striver'24]

One more thing. Look up on the USNA site who your local BGO is. Prepare a professional email and introduce yourself.

As in email him right now? Or should I wait until summer before junior year

 

[Heatherg21]

Some BGO’s are happy to speak with a potential applicant. Can’t hurt to try.
Also, don’t assume they answer to sir. I’m considering becoming one and there are valuable contributors on this forum who are BGO’s and answer to ma’am.


Keep an eye on your congressional nomination source websites. They may host service academy seminars/forums that are a great way to interact and gain insight. Dress well, listen, firm handshakes.

 

[Striver'24]

Some BGO’s are happy to speak with an potential applicant. Can’t hurt to try.
Also, don’t assume they are men. I’m considering becoming one and there are valuable contributors on this forum who are BGO’s and answer to ma’am.


Keep an eye on your congressional nomination source websites. They may host service academy seminars/forums that are a great way to interact and gain insight. Dress well, listen, firm handshakes.

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind while emailing them. Congratulations on your DS getting accepted!

 

[Heatherg21]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind while emailing them. Congratulations on your DS getting accepted!

He’s finishing his youngster year now. Thank you.

 

[justdoit19]

Hi! I'm a sophomore in high school who has been determined to join the Navy since I could remember. I stumbled across this website while looking around at websites that deal with the USNA and have read a few of the threads on here. I know that the question I'm about to ask is most likely going to be stupid (there are such things as stupid questions) and might not get many responses because of how generic it is. However, there's no point in not asking it.

I have been looking into as many things as possible that may provide beneficial advice and/or little known facts that could help me improve my chances or guide my effort better into being accepted into the USNA. I am active in many sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling. I wrestled on the varsity team for the last part of the season and am a state qualifier as a sophomore. My grades have not been optimal partly because of the situation last year but mostly because I was not as studious as I know I should have been and am now suffering the consequences. My unweighted GPA is only a 3.215 but I am ranked 74th out of 798. I have taken 2.5 years of Spanish and have done some other eca such as marching band for 2 years (not doing it anymore because I have decided to focus on wrestling), and did quite a bit of service as president of my NJHS (middle school, don't think it would count though). I also have been on the presidency in my church organizations which also include a bit of service. I was wondering if anybody on here had any advice or facts for me to help guide me on the path to becoming a student at USNA.

Joining the Navy (and hopefully USNA) and serving my country proudly is my main (if not only) goal in life and has been for a very long time. If this post is way too bulky and seems annoying with the amount of unnecessary content please don't hesitate to tell me as I won't take it personally and am only looking to better myself in any way possible. If you have any other questions ask away (I just joined so I don't know if I can dm yet).

Another piece of advice, is to make sure and tend to back up plans, including NROTC. Especially at this point in the game, we see applicants who didn’t. And are scrambling. It’s exciting to apply to a SA/NROTC program, but the reality is, you may not get in. And need a solid plan B.

Good advice to speak with your counselors, but make sure they are familiar with the unique process. Some are, some aren’t. Your counselor/school should have BGO assigned to them and it’s a good idea to connect with them, especially if your school isn’t familiar with the process.

Your nominating sources will PROBABLY host Service Academy Days, where they provide info about their processes, and often bring in current Mids/Cadets and reps from the different SA’s. So look for those opportunities to get first hand info. Additionally, USNA hosts Admissions events, both live and virtual! Tune in to those of you can. Info on their website, and the Admissions official social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

Make sure and get on the USNA.edu admissions page! That’s where you will find their primary info about applying. And of course here, on the forums, especially the tabbed sticky info at the top.

Be a student that your school knows. That they can attest to your leadership and skills. Be a leader. In the classroom, and elsewhere. Be someone they want to support in your journey. And GO NAVY ️

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

With your gpa as low as it is for a SA (presently) I have to ask

How good can you become in wrestling?

Because right there can be your golden ticket to a SA. Qualifying for states.,placing at states, winning at states can all lead not so much to a SA directly for you with your present gpa but to USNA Prep School for a year.

Followed by USNA the following year.

 

[Capt MJ]

Below is my standard advice for anyone just starting the SA journey, which I copy and paste several times a year. Some of it may be helpful to you. Good luck!

———————————————————
This is my standard advice, which I copy and paste several times a year.

You are at the right time to begin serious research.

The service academy application process itself tests for qualities and attributes desirable in future junior officers: attention to detail, executive planning and organizing, time management, task prioritization, humility, perseverance, patience. Take ownership of the process.

If you haven’t read every page, link and menu item on your sa.edu of choice sites, taking notes and starting to build out an extended timeline of action items and long-term due dates, now is a great time. That is your primary source, and most answers are there.
Do the same kind of research into alternative paths to commissioning, such as ROTC and related scholarships. That is a prudent thing to do, and shows no lack of commitment to an SA. Additionally, a college ROTC unit is another nomination source, if you find yourself re-applying after a SA turndown. There will be thousands of candidates building HS resumes with similar stats, plus college re-applicants; leave no opportunity unexplored. Presumably, your prime goal is to commission as an X officer, with USXA your preferred path. It’s not the only path. Re-applicants to SAs make up a chunk of each class.
Take this time to research all five of the Federal service academies, and subsequent career paths, so you can make an informed decision about ruling them in or out. It’s very important to look past the interim waystation of 4 SA or college ROTC years to see if there are at least a good handful of career paths you could see yourself doing for a minimum of 5-6 years or whatever the applicable minimum active duty service obligation is.
For those interested in a Navy career, don’t overlook the Navy Nuclear Power Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program and the Civil Engineering Corps (CEC) officer program (think SEABEEs). These are college programs with financial assistance, but no ROTC time commitment.
Go to your elected officials’ websites (2 Sen, 1 Rep), read and take notes on their service academy nomination process. They can choose submission deadlines, interviews or not, panel interviews, any method they want. If they are having a F2F or virtual info session, sign up and soak it in, so you are well-prepared for your cycle, even a few years out. Stay current with that site, in case the elected official changes.
Apply for all nominations for which you are eligible, including the VP at the DOD service academies. This gives the SA max flexibility, if they want to offer you an appointment, as to what nom authority they eventually charge the appointment to.

Go to the DoDMERB website, the entity which does the physical qualification of candidates. Explore each menu item on the left. This often turns into one of the most frustrating and time-using aspects of the process. Get smart on it now so you won’t be surprised. There are some medications that must be discontinued for a certain period of time. IEPs and accommodations also are off the table at a certain point.

Research the CFA or applicable fitness test for the SA or program of interest. Assess yourself and develop a training plan. Women, learn to do pull-ups. It’s worth more points, and you will value that strength and confidence. Do not procrastinate when it’s your cycle. Leaving it too late invites illness, injury, bad weather, family emergency or sudden non-availability of your test administrator or video person, if that is required. There are YouTube videos on various techniques Google Stew Smith’s website and YouTube videos; he’s a USNA grad, former Navy SEAL, now a fitness pro. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE on your CFA. Knock it out in the summer or fall of your application year. You will have had months to get it done. Bad weather, injury or illness on your part, family emergency, test administrator sudden unavailability, venue unavailability - things like this can derail your planned CFA. If you have left it too late, you are in a bad position when compared with your competition. Leave a generous cushion of time.

If you are a non-swimmer or not a confident swimmer, take some adult swim classes at the Y or other program to get more comfortable in a pool. Though the SAs will teach you to swim to meet various required tests, you don’t want to spend precious time in remedial swim. It’s a good life skill anyway.
Here on SAF, read the Stickies pinned at the top of the Nominations and DoDMERB forums. There is also The Acronym List on the Home page if you haven’t found it yet.
There is a Search function tool inside SAF, and google works well when you include “site:serviceacademyforums.com” in an external search string. The same questions come up every year. The “Chance Me” and “stats” threads can be illuminating as to ideas for summer leadership programs such as Boys State and Girls State, and other competitive elements. The SA summer programs in your rising senior summer are worth looking into to get a feel for that SA.
There is no one cookie-cutter magic formula; a class is made up of individuals who bring different combinations of strengths.

If you are not involved in a sport, be sure you prepare well for the CFA to prove basic physical ability, and also ensure your other activities supply the leadership, collaboration skills, work ethic, time investment and discipline learned in a sport.

Don’t overlook the Senior Military Colleges (SMCs), which offer a military-type environment and structure, as well as paths to a commission. Some are only Army ROTC; some have Army plus other service ROTC.



List of Colleges & Universities | GoArmy.com

The Army ROTC training program is held at select schools across the country. Visit goarmy.com for a list of these military colleges & universities.



Research the state maritime academies, which also offer commissioning programs.

Maritime Academies | MARAD

Studying merchant marine operations at the university level is a core component of MARAD's education strategy; particularly its essential responsibility to meet national security needs and maintain maritime defense readiness. The six maritime academies and USMMA meet that need by educating young...



www.maritime.dot.gov



Create your organization system - binders, folders, spreadsheets, calendars, wall boards, whatever works for you to plan, track and execute. Many apply to multiple SAs, nom sources, ROTC scholarships, ROTC schools, etc.
Finally, stay flexible and open to the paths that open before you. The key is to show sustained performance, personal growth and achievement in a well-rounded person.

 

[snshsfsg]

Hi! I'm a sophomore in high school who has been determined to join the Navy since I could remember. I stumbled across this website while looking around at websites that deal with the USNA and have read a few of the threads on here. I know that the question I'm about to ask is most likely going to be stupid (there are such things as stupid questions) and might not get many responses because of how generic it is. However, there's no point in not asking it.

I have been looking into as many things as possible that may provide beneficial advice and/or little known facts that could help me improve my chances or guide my effort better into being accepted into the USNA. I am active in many sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling. I wrestled on the varsity team for the last part of the season and am a state qualifier as a sophomore. My grades have not been optimal partly because of the situation last year but mostly because I was not as studious as I know I should have been and am now suffering the consequences. My unweighted GPA is only a 3.215 but I am ranked 74th out of 798. I have taken 2.5 years of Spanish and have done some other eca such as marching band for 2 years (not doing it anymore because I have decided to focus on wrestling), and did quite a bit of service as president of my NJHS (middle school, don't think it would count though). I also have been on the presidency in my church organizations which also include a bit of service. I was wondering if anybody on here had any advice or facts for me to help guide me on the path to becoming a student at USNA.

Joining the Navy (and hopefully USNA) and serving my country proudly is my main (if not only) goal in life and has been for a very long time. If this post is way too bulky and seems annoying with the amount of unnecessary content please don't hesitate to tell me as I won't take it personally and am only looking to better myself in any way possible. If you have any other questions ask away (I just joined so I don't know if I can dm yet).

Start prepping for your SAT/ ACT if you haven't already. Best of luck!!

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

And this is the advice I’d be giving to my own if they were in your situation ( which they were)

Try to identify for this summer the best wrestling camp you can find that you can attend. Or find the best local summer training situation for wrestling in your area. Do more than you would normally do.

If you are spotted as a rising junior with potential it may not get you a Blue Chip you have been recruited offer to the USNA but it could make your application a lot stronger as a wanted walk on.

At worst prep school could be a (great) option.

 

[PV35]

Good on you starting early.

Lot of great advice^^^^^^. I hate posting after the legendary @Capt MJ (she always has sage, spot- on advice).

You have already identified the grades as a place for improvement. In addition, Four things that might help you move the needle: (1) see if you can make the USNA wrestling camp. Get to know the coaches. A favorable impression could lead to a letter in your "file."
https://navysports.com/sports/2018/5/23/camps-navy-wrestling-camps-html.aspx

(2) contact your Navy recruiter now and get on their radar - if nothing more than to say hello. Come senior year, the recruiters will be in high gear and they can recommend you for a streamlined ROTC process for your "Plan B."

(3) your application process will require recommendation letters from your English and Math teachers from your junior year. Max out your time with them. Go early, stay late, offer to help and ..... get good grades.

(4) practice your SAT prep (Khan Academy is free). Treat it like a job (it is). Test taking is a frangible skill; you will be tested on content and how well you take a test.

God speed. Keep us posted.

 

[USNA_STEM_Prof]

I am active in many sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling.

Many years of BJJ here, with some judo and a little MMA back in college. I'm the career purple belt super heavy weight mat enforcer.

Regarding serving in the Navy, you're in the right place and asking the right questions.

+1 to engaging the USNA wrestling team. +1 to grades. And as I find myself frequently saying, USNA is amazing but the end result is commissioning, so make USNA your primary plan, NROTC secondary, and OCS tertiary. Keep focused and you'll get commissioned.

 

[Striver'24]

Good on you starting early.

Lot of great advice^^^^^^. I hate posting after the legendary @Capt MJ (she always has sage, spot- on advice).

You have already identified the grades as a place for improvement. In addition, Four things that might help you move the needle: (1) see if you can make the USNA wrestling camp. Get to know the coaches. A favorable impression could lead to a letter in your "file."
https://navysports.com/sports/2018/5/23/camps-navy-wrestling-camps-html.aspx

(2) contact your Navy recruiter now and get on their radar - if nothing more than to say hello. Come senior year, the recruiters will be in high gear and they can recommend you for a streamlined ROTC process for your "Plan B."

(3) your application process will require recommendation letters from your English and Math teachers from your junior year. Max out your time with them. Go early, stay late, offer to help and ..... get good grades.

(4) practice your SAT prep (Khan Academy is free). Treat it like a job (it is). Test taking is a frangible skill; you will be tested on content and how well you take a test.

God speed. Keep us posted.

Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to go this summer to the wrestling camps and if what I believe is right registration is during junior year. I fear that if I did the wrestling camp summer before senior (the camp itself seems very valuable, not just meeting the coaches) it would be too late to make an impact on admissions.

 

[Striver'24]

And this is the advice I’d be giving to my own if they were in your situation ( which they were)

Try to identify for this summer the best wrestling camp you can find that you can attend. Or find the best local summer training situation for wrestling in your area. Do more than you would normally do.

If you are spotted as a rising junior with potential it may not get you a Blue Chip you have been recruited offer to the USNA but it could make your application a lot stronger as a wanted walk on.

At worst prep school could be a (great) option.

My team does a pretty much year round practice schedule, we have pre-season, season, post-season, and summer practice (with July off), PV35 did bring up a good point of meeting the coaches through a camp but I don't think I would be able to go this summer before my junior year. Do you think you could give me a guesstimate about how impactful being a good wrestler (hopefully placing at state junior year) would be on the application?

 

[Striver'24]

Some BGO’s are happy to speak with a potential applicant. Can’t hurt to try.
Also, don’t assume they answer to sir. I’m considering becoming one and there are valuable contributors on this forum who are BGO’s and answer to ma’am.


Keep an eye on your congressional nomination source websites. They may host service academy seminars/forums that are a great way to interact and gain insight. Dress well, listen, firm handshakes.

I emailed my BGO last night and have been looking for a response anxiously all of today, I'm probably trying to rush it too much but they are probably pretty busy with applicants finishing things up or waiting for responses from USNA. Do you think it is usual for them to get a lot of emails from younger people like this?

 

[Heatherg21]

It is totally dependent on the area and interest in USNA. Bear in mind all BGO’s are volunteers and many of them have full time jobs. Be patient when expecting a response.