USMAPS 2025 vs USMA 2028?

[aranders75]

DD (rising senior) just received a conditional appointment to the USMAPS class of 2025, which is very exciting! BUT isn’t it a bit early? Does this mean they won’t be considering her for a USMA 2028 appointment? Thanks for any insights!

 

[NCA]

DD (rising senior) just received a conditional appointment to the USMAPS class of 2025, which is very exciting! BUT isn’t it a bit early? Does this mean they won’t be considering her for a USMA 2028 appointment? Thanks for any insights!

The only logical scenario this makes sense in my mind is if she is a recruited athlete with could-be-better academics… just speculating.

 

[aranders75]

The only logical scenario this makes sense in my mind is if she is a recruited athlete with could-be-better academics… just speculating.

She’s not a recruited athlete. Her unweighted GPA is 3.33 and weighted 4.15. SAT 1260. ACT 29. She went to SLE and did really well on her interview. Did not pass CFA (she’s working on those pulls ups everyday!)

 

[MidCakePa]

Fulfill whatever conditions were set, then take that USMAPS appointment and run with it! It’s virtually a golden ticket — a guaranteed place in the following year’s West Point plebe class, as long as she fulfills the obligations of that prep-school year.

USMA clearly wants her. They just want her to have an additional year of seasoning. Nothing wrong with that. It’ll make her a better cadet, student and leader.

 

[Academician]

This scenario is interesting and good news for your daughter. As you probably already anticipate, she must complete the entire USMA application process to finalize the USMAPS 'appointment.' Clearly, to be eligible for a USMA appointment this year, she must also apply for and receive a nomination. Point is that she must complete the entire process, and she can still earn an appointment. As noted, at least she has the USMAPS invitation in hand now. I happened to have two student there now.

One important point that I note routinely for the CFA: I tell all of my students that the CFA is a 'beginning' not an end. Your daughter should commit to her 'best fitness' as a military officer candidate. Her workout routines should be 'routine' and continue throughout the school year and summer as she prepares to arrive at the Academy, or the Prep School, ready to meet the fitness requirements for either program, USMA or USMAPS.

 

[aranders75]

This scenario is interesting and good news for your daughter. As you probably already anticipate, she must complete the entire USMA application process to finalize the USMAPS 'appointment.' Clearly, to be eligible for a USMA appointment this year, she must also apply for and receive a nomination. Point is that she must complete the entire process, and she can still earn an appointment. As noted, at least she has the USMAPS invitation in hand now. I happened to have two student there now.

One important point that I note routinely for the CFA: I tell all of my students that the CFA is a 'beginning' not an end. Your daughter should commit to her 'best fitness' as a military officer candidate. Her workout routines should be 'routine' and continue throughout the school year and summer as she prepares to arrive at the Academy, or the Prep School, ready to meet the fitness requirements for either program, USMA or USMAPS.

Thank you! Yes, she is very fit and she works out every day. She’s a rower and has great endurance, great core and lower body strength, but her upper body strength needs work so that’s what she’s focused on! I appreciate the tips!

 

[NCA]

She’s not a recruited athlete. Her unweighted GPA is 3.33 and weighted 4.15. SAT 1260. ACT 29. She went to SLE and did really well on her interview. Did not pass CFA (she’s working on those pulls ups everyday!)

I’d think she will be consider for direct appointment with her completed app and nomination. I think it’s great that she has USMAPS as the fallback option so early in the process!

 

[DrMom]

She should accept the USMAPS appointment and speak to her West Point-based Regional Admissions Officer. It is early...she can continue her application for this year (so she can get picked up during the admissions cycle). But. she might want to join the gym and work with a personal trainer. Or watch videos or do the training for Ranger School work out--to move quickly toward physical fitness.

 

[aranders75]

She should accept the USMAPS appointment and speak to her West Point-based Regional Admissions Officer. It is early...she can continue her application for this year (so she can get picked up during the admissions cycle). But. she might want to join the gym and work with a personal trainer. Or watch videos or do the training for Ranger School work out--to move quickly toward physical fitness.

She is working very hard at the pull ups/arm hang. She’s got some advice from a trainer on how to build those shoulder and back muscles and is working at it at least twice a day. She is just weaker in those areas but with this conditional appointment to USMAPS, she’s even more excited and told me she’s bumping it up to 3x a day. I just don’t want her to get injured and not be able to do them at all! I’ll have her check out the videos for Ranger School! Thank you!

 

[jl123]

DD (rising senior) just received a conditional appointment to the USMAPS class of 2025, which is very exciting! BUT isn’t it a bit early? Does this mean they won’t be considering her for a USMA 2028 appointment? Thanks for any insights!

This is a very good thing in the long run.

Although there are exceptions, offers for USMAPS go to otherwise excellent candidates who are found academically unqualified for a direct appointment to USMA.

USMAPS is an outstanding path to USMA. Those who complete USMAPS are well prepared for the rigors of plebe year and tend to adapt to USMA more readily than the typical candidate right out of high school. And USMAPS will take care of those pull-ups.

In any case, there is something admissions sees that they want at USMA.

 

[ehunter]

DD (rising senior) just received a conditional appointment to the USMAPS class of 2025, which is very exciting! BUT isn’t it a bit early? Does this mean they won’t be considering her for a USMA 2028 appointment? Thanks for any insights!

Would she consider taking the SAT again to be more competitive? Our son took it multiple times (current 2027 new cadet) Our advisor says he needed a 1400 or higher. He took it well into the fall and kept updating his portal with his new score, then received an appointment with his highest scores.

 

[aranders75]

Would she consider taking the SAT again to be more competitive? Our son took it multiple times (current 2027 new cadet) Our advisor says he needed a 1400 or higher. He took it well into the fall and kept updating his portal with his new score, then received an appointment with his highest scores.

Yes! She’s signed up for the August SAT and will also take it in October. She will likely also do ACT in September. If she doesn’t see scores she wants she will take both again in December.