USMA Advice Needed

8

88bronco88

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
3
My situation:
I had an outstanding high school career (valedictorian, all 12 varsity letters, multiple leadership positions/awards). I was accepted to the Coast Guard Academy straight out of high school, but I decided that the Coast Guard wasn't the branch for me. However, I have not been performing well in college as an engineering major (2.8 GPA currently). I'm a four year national scholarship winner through Army ROTC and I have been doing great (and really enjoy) my military science classes. I don't really have the taste for the "college lifestyle" so I'm seriously considering applying to USMA. Everyone always says I was "built for academy life" lol :). I don't think it will be hard for me to get a service connected ROTC nomination through my current school's PMS.

Questions:
Do I even have a chance with my low GPA? Should I re-take classes to get my grades back up and then try to apply to USMA? Any and all advice to help out this future Army officer would be GREATLY appreciated.
 
Is the gpa after one semester or two? And how many classes were involved with lowering your gpa? If you retook them do they take out the old score? Many factors to consider, I think if the scores that brought your gpa down were core classes that you will have at the academy retaking them and showing competence could be helpful. I say never give up on a dream. Talk to someone in admissions and be honest. You will have the chance to explain the gpa and all in your essays and it gives you a chance to explain your choices. If you apply it’s up to them to decide, if you don’t apply you will never know.
 
88bronco88 said:
My situation:
I had an outstanding high school career (valedictorian, all 12 varsity letters, multiple leadership positions/awards). I was accepted to the Coast Guard Academy straight out of high school, but I decided that the Coast Guard wasn't the branch for me. However, I have not been performing well in college as an engineering major (2.8 GPA currently). I'm a four year national scholarship winner through Army ROTC and I have been doing great (and really enjoy) my military science classes. I don't really have the taste for the "college lifestyle" so I'm seriously considering applying to USMA. Everyone always says I was "built for academy life" lol :). I don't think it will be hard for me to get a service connected ROTC nomination through my current school's PMS.

Questions:
Do I even have a chance with my low GPA? Should I re-take classes to get my grades back up and then try to apply to USMA? Any and all advice to help out this future Army officer would be GREATLY appreciated.
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Talk to your RC for the best evaluation of your chances. Academics are a large part of the evaluation, but not the only part.

The bottom line is whether or not your academic record indicates that you can handle USMA academics. A 2.8 GPA is not likely disqualifying on its own. B-, not honors, but not bad for an engineering major. A lot depends on what courses you took, what college, etc. B+ in Calculus, Physics, and English Composition, with C in Art History and Archaeology at Princeton will be viewed differently than C's in math and sciences at a less competitive college.
 
You never know. You might excel there. You might not. A valedictorian that works hard and gets a 2.8 in a college where he gets to plan his own course offerings might struggle in an academy where there are few choices. You'll be taking a strict regimen of classes that have challenged many high school standouts.
I'd think long and hard before jumping into this frying pan.
 
You might also want to consider a SMA (a uni like VMA, Citadel, etc). Assuming your ROTC scholarship would transfer (and you'd need to find out about that), this would be another option for being in a 24/7 military environment while still pursing your goal of becoming an army officer.
 
88bronco88 said:
My situation:
I had an outstanding high school career (valedictorian, all 12 varsity letters, multiple leadership positions/awards). I was accepted to the Coast Guard Academy straight out of high school, but I decided that the Coast Guard wasn't the branch for me. However, I have not been performing well in college as an engineering major (2.8 GPA currently). I'm a four year national scholarship winner through Army ROTC and I have been doing great (and really enjoy) my military science classes. I don't really have the taste for the "college lifestyle" so I'm seriously considering applying to USMA. Everyone always says I was "built for academy life" lol :). I don't think it will be hard for me to get a service connected ROTC nomination through my current school's PMS.

Questions:
Do I even have a chance with my low GPA? Should I re-take classes to get my grades back up and then try to apply to USMA? Any and all advice to help out this future Army officer would be GREATLY appreciated.
Click to expand...

I would definitely apply to USMA. If you can improve in your ACT or SAT Math do it. Test scores count a lot. However, college record will count too. Supposed to give you bonus points but with 2.8 maybe not. Ace your fall term! That will cubby more than your freshman grade I would think. Usually your most recent performance is a better indicator where you are. And retake your test. You should do even better with maturity and testing experience.
 
88bronco88 said:
My situation:
I had an outstanding high school career (valedictorian, all 12 varsity letters, multiple leadership positions/awards). I was accepted to the Coast Guard Academy straight out of high school, but I decided that the Coast Guard wasn't the branch for me. However, I have not been performing well in college as an engineering major (2.8 GPA currently). I'm a four year national scholarship winner through Army ROTC and I have been doing great (and really enjoy) my military science classes. I don't really have the taste for the "college lifestyle" so I'm seriously considering applying to USMA. Everyone always says I was "built for academy life" lol :). I don't think it will be hard for me to get a service connected ROTC nomination through my current school's PMS.

Questions:
Do I even have a chance with my low GPA? Should I re-take classes to get my grades back up and then try to apply to USMA? Any and all advice to help out this future Army officer would be GREATLY appreciated.
Click to expand...
How far along in years are you in your current ROTC Program. As a rule the further you are along, the harder it is to get to USMA. You can be selected by your chain of command to go to West Point. What I will tell you however is if your GPA is 2.8 at a regular school, then it will be worse at the Academy. All cadets have a minor in engineering. If your considering going to USMA the classes you took would have to be looked at for transfer. Grades are no joke at West Point. You have so much going on from Sports, Drill, Acedemics and pressure from all. You should consider why your not doing well and make sure you can handle the stress of every aspect of your life being under a microscope while you are there. If you can handle that stress and grades I say go for it.
 
Bladestall1 said:
88bronco88 said:
My situation:
I had an outstanding high school career (valedictorian, all 12 varsity letters, multiple leadership positions/awards). I was accepted to the Coast Guard Academy straight out of high school, but I decided that the Coast Guard wasn't the branch for me. However, I have not been performing well in college as an engineering major (2.8 GPA currently). I'm a four year national scholarship winner through Army ROTC and I have been doing great (and really enjoy) my military science classes. I don't really have the taste for the "college lifestyle" so I'm seriously considering applying to USMA. Everyone always says I was "built for academy life" lol :). I don't think it will be hard for me to get a service connected ROTC nomination through my current school's PMS.

Questions:
Do I even have a chance with my low GPA? Should I re-take classes to get my grades back up and then try to apply to USMA? Any and all advice to help out this future Army officer would be GREATLY appreciated.
Click to expand...
How far along in years are you in your current ROTC Program. As a rule the further you are along, the harder it is to get to USMA. You can be selected by your chain of command to go to West Point. What I will tell you however is if your GPA is 2.8 at a regular school, then it will be worse at the Academy. All cadets have a minor in engineering. If your considering going to USMA the classes you took would have to be looked at for transfer. Grades are no joke at West Point. You have so much going on from Sports, Drill, Acedemics and pressure from all. You should consider why your not doing well and make sure you can handle the stress of every aspect of your life being under a microscope while you are there. If you can handle that stress and grades I say go for it.
Click to expand...

I am not sure if the OP is still around but I am most of these statements are just a little off. Pulling a 2.8 in a pre-engineering schedule is not that bad and is probably better than half of the kids that go off to college their first semester. There are many different changes and the adjustment from high school to college can be significant. While there is room for improvement, that 2.8 will not disqualify you if you have Bs in the core classes.

There also is no rule about it being harder to get accepted the further you are along in college. Each applicant is evaluated on their merits. A candidate with a weaker application will always be a long shot for an appointment if they do not improve, but a strong candidate that demonstrates success in college will always have a good chance. It does not matter how long you have been out of high school. (Unless you hit the age limit)

There is also no rule as to your GPA will be worse and it is usually the opposite. Cadets with a year of college usually do much better as they have already had a year to figure it out. While the rigor and time demands can be stressful, the actual learning environment is much similar to high school. There are no classes in an auditorium where professors do not know your name or even care that you showed up. Everyone at the academy is there to support the cadets and help ensure their success.
 
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