USNA vs West Point vs ROTC and athletics?

[wqm37]

Please help any advice needed! Im a D1 athlete at the University of California, Berkeley. But after my freshman year I have decided I want to join the military. But I also have had a very positive experience at Cal. I love the water and to travel so I was instantly drawn to the Navy but am also considering Army. I would be extremely happy with either. Cal has an ROTC program that I'm planning on enrolling in but my question is: should I apply to the academies and "transfer" using athletics to help get in and have 6 years of college total or stay at Cal for 3 more years and join ROTC? Which option is the better one? Would I graduate with the same rankings? Is Cal's ROTC program good?
Here is a little about me:
Im a huge crossfitter on the side of playing a D1 sport so the Candidate Physical Assessment would go very very well(Im 5 11 female and can do 5 strict pull ups and have a 6:55 mile).
My grades are okay I had a 3.2 unweighted in high school and 3.0 at Cal taking hard classes. I got a 27 on my ACT my sophomore year and am planning on retaking it. I have multiple leadership roles on my resume and reputable internships such as working at Harvard University.
Do my chances seem high?
Thank you!!

 

[wannabeplebe]

You'll graduate as an officer whether you choose ROTC or an SA. I'd say apply to the SAS, join your ROTC unit and apply for scholarship and once you've heard back from all 3, that's when you've got a decision to make. Right now, it's best to just ensure all your options before stressing about which to hypothetically choose.

Based on what I've read here and my own research, the SA's want an ACT score in the 30's to be competitive so definitely study for that! And hopefully you're a STEM major, as it is something all three options listed above put preference towards.

 

[fnatic fanatic]

should I apply to the academies and "transfer" using athletics to help get in and have 6 years of college total or stay at Cal for 3 more years and join ROTC?

That's your decision to make, it's hard to say which one is better. Both programs commission ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps, and once you have the commission, you are in the same exact playing field as all the other new junior officers.

My grades are okay I had a 3.2 unweighted in high school and 3.0 at Cal taking hard classes.

A 3.0 is straight B's, yes? Not to discourage but that is more of what I would view as a weak point in your application, and may need some explaining to congressional boards if you decide to continue with the USNA application and nominations.

Im 5 11 female and can do 5 strict pull ups and have a 6:55 mile

That's pretty good for pull-ups, but there's no reason not to shoot for the max of 7. Get on that pull up bar. Additionally, a 6:55 mile has 55 seconds of room for improvement for the max score for the USNA CFA, so you know what to do.

You have a major leg up over most candidates because you have a year of college in your resume, but only time will tell how competitive of a candidate you are.

 

[Old Navy BGO]

Your call...would you be willing to accept being a Plebe and starting all over after two years of college ? Some would do it..some wouldn't .

It might be a moot point...your academic profile doesn't stand out, and athletics alone may not be enough to get you in. That being said -- I don't want to discourage you, and it can't hurt to try. Contact the Coach at USNA and they can give you better Answers than we can.

Finally, if you want to serve as an Officer in the Navy -- there are multiple ways to get there. While I do believe there are at least short term advantages to the USNA experience, everyone starts off as an Ensign with a level playing field and what you do from there is purely up to you.

 

[time2]

The CFA is a consecutive series of events, where fatigue is a factor, so you can't just look at your standalone mile time for comparison.

You can review the hundreds of other 'what are my chances' threads on here to see what is typically discussed. No one can assess your chances since: 1) we don't work in admissions and don't know the formula currently used and 2) there are aspects of your application (i.e. teacher recommendations, BGO & NOM interviews, etc.) we will never have access to.

 

[mjm]

something to consider..... you said you will have had 2 years at Cal participating in D1 athletics? That would mean you only have 2 years of eligibility left and that might not be attractive to a service academy.

 

[jl123]

3.0 at Cal taking hard classes.

Could be a strength or weakness depending on distribution of grades. Cal is a top university - there will be no question about the quality of the academic program. If you have B or better in calculus, physics, chemistry, English comp, it demonstrates that you can do well in college level work in the academies' toughest subjects.

FYI. 3.0 meets the academic qualification for Commandant's List at USNA and Dean's List at USMA.

 

[trini1066]

3.0 at Cal taking hard classes.

Could be a strength or weakness depending on distribution of grades. Cal is a top university - there will be no question about the quality of the academic program. If you have B or better in calculus, physics, chemistry, English comp, it demonstrates that you can do well in college level work in the academies' toughest subjects.

FYI. 3.0 meets the academic qualification for Commandant's List at USNA and Dean's List at USMA.

I would believe a 3.0 at the USNA would be a little more difficult then at Cal . Hard to compare the two. couple of insights . If she is an athlete , I would contact the coaches of both the USNA and the USMA . If she is good and they want her , she will get in .

 

[time2]

Being a recruited athlete doesn't guarantee an appointment, coaches for some sports have more pull then others and the OP didn't indicate which sport. There is also the factor of limited remaining eligibility as mentioned above.

 

[jl123]

3.0 at Cal taking hard classes.

Could be a strength or weakness depending on distribution of grades. Cal is a top university - there will be no question about the quality of the academic program. If you have B or better in calculus, physics, chemistry, English comp, it demonstrates that you can do well in college level work in the academies' toughest subjects.

FYI. 3.0 meets the academic qualification for Commandant's List at USNA and Dean's List at USMA.

I would believe a 3.0 at the USNA would be a little more difficult then at Cal . Hard to compare the two.

Would agree if the comparison were to a community college or lower tier university. USNA is not a cakewalk, but neither is Cal.

Should be a reasonable comparison if she is taking comparable courses such as chemistry, physics, calculus - STEM versions and not the watered down versions for other majors to fulfill GE credits. A "B" at Cal is proof of ability to do college level work and should be enough to be academically qualified for a service academy - of course getting the appointment depends on the competition. Not sure about USNA, but USMA favors those with prior college experience.