West Point Admissions Chances

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MitchWalk

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Nov 17, 2019
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Hello there! I’m going into my senior year of high school and I want to pursue either a West Point Appointment, A Naval Academy Appointment, or an Army ROTC scholarship during the upcoming months. I’d like some advice on where I can boost my chances of getting an appointment and/or a scholarship. Thank you in advance!

Stats:
- 30 ACT (I plan on taking the ACT once more)
- 4.03 GPA weighted and 4.00 Unweighted, 1 AP Class my junior year (4 AP Classes my senior year)
- 4 Year varsity letter winner in football ( won our team’s unsung hero award my Freshman and sophomore years)
-Captain of our football team during my senior year
- 4 year varsity letter winner in track (All-state and all-conference my sophomore year)
- Played freshman and JV basketball my freshman year
- Member of NHS, my church’s youth group and weekly praise team, my school’s math competition club (3 years)
- 150 Volunteer hours my freshman year
- 140 volunteer hours my sophomore year
- 150 volunteer hours My junior year

JROTC
- Cadet Captain in my high school’s Marine Corps JROTC Program (Member of our unit drill team, our company staff)
- Was the team captain of our Unit Academic bowl team this year
- I’ve been a member of our unit’s admin team and public affairs team since my sophomore year (I’m the admin team commander this year)
- Won National Marine corps JROTC awards for leadership
- Won a meritorious promotion my freshman year
- Was an officer in our JROTC unit when we were awarded the title of Naval Honor School my sophomore year

Leadership positions
-Company commander for my JROTC Unit during my senior year
-Student Body President of my high school during my senior year
-Team Captain of our football team during my senior year
-Team Captain of my JROTC unit’s Academic Team during my junior year

Work
- Have been running my own pet and home business constantly since 6th grade (Dog walking/watching, mowing etc)
- Worked summer jobs every summer
 
One thing you’ll hear a lot is that no one can tell you exactly what your chances are. It depends on many factors: the competitiveness of your district, your medical/physical qualification, LOAs, etc. You have an impressive resume and as good a shot as any. One thing I can tell you is just by finishing the application and getting 3Qd and nominated, you will already have a 40-50% chance of getting in some way (direct or NWL). Trust me, as someone who obsessed over the numbers every second of every day while I was applying, it’s not worth the anxiety (even if the payoff could be wonderful beyond your wildest dreams). Just work at your application and present the best possible version of yourself to the academy. Fate (and the admissions board) will take care of the rest. Similarly for ROTC. Put your heart into it and they will see that.
 
From what I can see, you clearly have the physical aspect, as well as the leadership boxes, checked off. While I back up what country roads said (that no one can say a definitive yes or no), you're looking good. Be sure to be able to articulate all of this to both USAFA and your MOCs. What is your school's weighted GPA out of?
 
Agree with above. Of course we don't see your essays, and we aren't in your interviews, so while you look like a strong candidate on paper it's possible you're a total jerk in those environments, perhaps only on those days. All you can do is apply.

I know one question you will be asked in your interviews. Why would someone who is applying to all possible Army "scholarships", and also applying to USNA (presumably hoping to become a Marine Officer), not also be applying for an NROTC scholarship (especially Marine Option)? The interviewers will be mystified, but perhaps you have a good reason that you can adequately communicate in an interview. Think about it.
 
BrotherhoodofSteel said:
From what I can see, you clearly have the physical aspect, as well as the leadership boxes, checked off. While I back up what country roads said (that no one can say a definitive yes or no), you're looking good. Be sure to be able to articulate all of this to both USAFA and your MOCs. What is your school's weighted GPA out of?
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Sorry, meant USMA and USNA (habits)
 
When it comes to “leadership,” you have titles. That’s good. What’s better is if you have actual accomplishments that you can provide in essays and interviews.

Many candidates are club joiners and title collectors. The ones that stand out are those who can actually explain how they made a “leadership impact” on an organization. That is, how they identified an issue, devised a solution, rallied others to the cause, and executed the plan to make things right. That, not titles, is how true leadership is measured.
 
country_roadsNY said:
One thing you’ll hear a lot is that no one can tell you exactly what your chances are. It depends on many factors: the competitiveness of your district, your medical/physical qualification, LOAs, etc. You have an impressive resume and as good a shot as any. One thing I can tell you is just by finishing the application and getting 3Qd and nominated, you will already have a 40-50% chance of getting in some way (direct or NWL). Trust me, as someone who obsessed over the numbers every second of every day while I was applying, it’s not worth the anxiety (even if the payoff could be wonderful beyond your wildest dreams). Just work at your application and present the best possible version of yourself to the academy. Fate (and the admissions board) will take care of the rest. Similarly for ROTC. Put your heart into it and they will see that.
[/QUOTE
Thank you for the advice!
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BrotherhoodofSteel said:
From what I can see, you clearly have the physical aspect, as well as the leadership boxes, checked off. While I back up what country roads said (that no one can say a definitive yes or no), you're looking good. Be sure to be able to articulate all of this to both USAFA and your MOCs. What is your school's weighted GPA out of?
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5.0. But it’s hard to get your accumulative GPA to that level. My senior year GPA should be like a 4.75 or 4.8, but accumulative like a 4.25 or 4.3
 
kinnem said:
Agree with above. Of course we don't see your essays, and we aren't in your interviews, so while you look like a strong candidate on paper it's possible you're a total jerk in those environments, perhaps only on those days. All you can do is apply.

I know one question you will be asked in your interviews. Why would someone who is applying to all possible Army "scholarships", and also applying to USNA (presumably hoping to become a Marine Officer), not also be applying for an NROTC scholarship (especially Marine Option)? The interviewers will be mystified, but perhaps you have a good reason that you can adequately communicate in an interview. Think about it.
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You hit it right on the head! Marine Corps Officer would be the intention with USNA. Thank you for the interview ideas. That is a tough one to answer
 
MitchWalk said:
You hit it right on the head! Marine Corps Officer would be the intention with USNA. Thank you for the interview ideas. That is a tough one to answer
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Well, that's good, but my real point was why are you not applying to NROTC MO? Seems to me you should be. If you don't, you'll still need the answer.
 
kinnem said:
Well, that's good, but my real point was why are you not applying to NROTC MO? Seems to me you should be. If you don't, you'll still need the answer.
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I’d love to be a marine corps officer, my only concern going into it would be the 3 mile run on the PFT for the scholarship. I’m not a distance kind of guy at the moment, that’s why that mile run on all the other tests will be a cake walk. Should I get a USNA Appointment, i’d obviously train for that 3 mile. Thoughts? I just think it may be too late for that three mile
 
USNA gets 19 applications for every slot in their plebe class so you can see the kind of competition you are up against, somewhat less harder to get in WePo. First rule of thumb is have a backup plan, apply for all 3 service ROTC scholarships and identify other colleges you are interested in attending.
 
Well, it's almost July. You wouldn't need to do the PFT until Oct to be in time for the first board. So you have at least 3 months to prep. You can also often retake it for the second board. You've plenty of time to train. Football is not an excuse. Get up early and run. You'll be doing it as a midshipman anyway. Get used to it. I'm sure there is a 'preparing for the Marine PFT' that you could find with Google. Alternatively train with the Poolees. You can do this if you want it and have some determination. If my DS, who was a wrestler, can do it, so can you.
 
You asked... so here it goes: ... "where I can boost my chances?"

ACT 32-35 will definitely seal the deal... standardized tests are the best markers of teacher's success, and student's discipleship.
 
MidCakePa said:
When it comes to “leadership,” you have titles. That’s good. What’s better is if you have actual accomplishments that you can provide in essays and interviews.

Many candidates are club joiners and title collectors. The ones that stand out are those who can actually explain how they made a “leadership impact” on an organization. That is, how they identified an issue, devised a solution, rallied others to the cause, and executed the plan to make things right. That, not titles, is how true leadership is measured.
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While this is great advice, Student Body President, Company Commander and Captain of the football team are hardly "club joiner and title collector" territory. They are inherently active leadership positions and OP should be proud of those. Those positions, at least to me, jump out as "real deal" leadership positions. Quite a combination I must say.

President of the Valley High School Automatic Water Sprinkling Supervision Club was my club joiner title in HS. :)🙂
 
so where does the explanation about what someone did in leadership positions goes in the application?
Is that the candidate has to carefully weave in these leadership impacts in the essay?
 
txfwindian said:
so where does the explanation about what someone did in leadership positions goes in the application?
Is that the candidate has to carefully weave in these leadership impacts in the essay?
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Perhaps. Personally I would at least be prepared to discuss how I improved the organization(s) in interviews.
 
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