USAFA Class of 2025 Candidate essay question

F

FezR

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
36
3. Please provide any additional information or background you believe will be of assistance in evaluating your application. (400 to 500 words, 3000 characters max)

^ I was wondering if I could use this essay to clarify what I have done about a poor grade. I know Algebra is something the academy cares about heavily and my sophomore year of high school I got a B- in Algebra 2 H. I have done quite a bit to improve my math and while it may not show on my transcript much (Got a B in Pre Cal H but at my school, the failure rate of Pre Cal H is much higher than AP calc and overall the course is considered much more difficult) I also got an SAT math score which wouldn't reflect my sophomore year's poor performance. I was wondering if this is a good idea or if it will just annoy whoever is reading my application.
 
I'm a fellow candidate. Here's what I think
I got a b too in algebra ( not the same as algebra two but close) if what you said is true then you've already proven that you learned your lesson and improve. Saying it again would be like showing someone a picture of a running dog then saying "it's moving". It's just not needed. They read alot of essays, this third essay should strengthen your application not cover up. If you want a topic you could show how much perseverance you put towards academics.

Also this sounds more like a set back so if you really think it'll hurt you and don't have any better topics maybe try using it for the first essay? You improved it would be a better fit and they're more likely to see what you want them to see by saying "hey this what happened" if that makes sense
 
Think of the third "optional" essay as an open opportunity to "close the sale" and tell the selection committee why they should select YOU over 6-7 other similarly qualified candidates (basing that purely on statistics). It's a very broad open prompt, you can essentially write about anything. Describe a leadership situation or a challenge that you've overcome. You can expand on the poor algebra grade and how it helped you grow as a student and put in extra effort, how you drove yourself toward a goal, how you wanted to prove to yourself that when you apply extra effort to a task you were able to get it done, how it drove you to "put your nose to the grindstone" to overcome and grow as a student. Keep in mind your SAT math score gives them a good indicator of where you rank math wise. You should consider if you'll be better served providing a more complete picture about YOU, something your transcripts, SAT/ACT scores don't tell. It's an opportunity to sell them on you, how selecting you over 6-7 other candidates seeking the same appointment makes a better class of 2025. Think about situations that demonstrate how you grew personally through adversity, or chose the better option in a bad situation, or something that demonstrates you've learned something new about yourself and made adjustments in your outlook because of it. The question can really be thought of as "Ok, Candidate Smith, I have 6-7 candidates who seem equivalent on paper, why should we offer you an appointment over these others?" Or more succinctly, "Why you?"

You've got the answer in you, explain it in essay 3.
 
Ditto what Dad_2024 said.

A B- in Algebra is not a big deal in the scheme of things. (A B- Sophomore year, and a C in Pre-calc Junior year would not not have been great since it suggests a trend, but even then, if all your other grades are solid, its not the end of the world.)
;
Piggybacking on Dad_2024, focus on: why you?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top