What am i supposed to do??

USNAChrisKim

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5-Year Member
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Jan 10, 2009
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LAST YEAR, WHEN I WAS APPLYING, My grades were highly inconsistent, which showed my laziness throughout high school academics (i ranged from 2.27 one quarter to a 3.57). this is the main reason why I didn't get accepted into the Naval Academy. Besides academics, I got 1940 on the SAT (it's mediocre)
, varsity indoor and outdoor track captain, blablabla, was involved in swimming and basketball, had 400+ ssl hrs, club leader,church youthgroup, missions work in third world countries and whatnot.... but academics really screwed me over. so basically, I'm re-applying of course, because I still have not and won't give up my goal...

i'm in college now, and i'm focusing on getting straight A's, my classes are Chem, Calc, Eng, Hist, and ROTC...

What I'm concerned about is... basically what difference I can make in my application this year that will outshine what I had last year.
the few achievements and things I've done since my rejection last year, was,

I graduated as valedictorian of my class, basically giving the student speech at graduation. oh, and I received the honor not based on my academics.. or else i would've been screwed. haha. But will that even change anything?/ I also went to Korea for a missions trip,

During my senior year after I got rejected, I submitted an abstract of some research (photochemical interactions on spider silk proteins/amino acids) I completed for a national science competition (Junior Science and Humanities Symposium) , and out of all the abstracts submitted, i was chosen to do an oral presentation, and had the chance to win and go international.... but due to complications at the time, I never got to submit my research paper... so is that even something I can use???

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and ... that seems to be so far, the major things I've done since my rejection last year. So I'm troubled right now, because I dont' want to submit my application for senators and USNA right NOW, because I haven't gotten the grades yet to prove my academic rigor... but then, I'm painfully aware of the rolling admissions process... so what the heck am I supposed to do?? I think at this point, no matter the valedictorian and the science and missions and oh yeah, a music scholarship to the college I'm currently attending..... (violin) and majoring in chemical engineering...

I can only get to USNA if I get the grades... but that's not possible until the semester ENDS.......... so then as I wait for my academics to continue, I'm stuck here waiting, decreasing my chances evermore... I'm just feeling like by the time I get my grades to prove my academic rigor, the slots will be filled up and.. I'll get rejected again. Just for the USNA, I'm taking ENGLISH AGAIN, whereas I took AP LANG, AP LIT, and now ENGLISH 100, ... and then if I make it to USNA i have to take ENGLISH AGAIN!!....... ugh.

I need some suggestions, or comments, PLEASE!!!!

Respectfully,
Christopher Kim

-- It is my dream to make my dream a reality, to attend the naval academy. To serve and protect.
 
USNAChrisKim-

I am really intrigued by how you could be class Valedictorian if it was not based on academics? To my knowledge isn't the Class Valedictorian the highest ranking student based on grades? So... how does this happen?

Since you applied last year to the academy you have your entire Senior Year behind you plus your first few months of college. Once you receive your grades you can submit them- you don't need to wait.
 
I'm interested as to how "basically" giving the speech at graduation qualifies you as valedictorian...

Unless you had the grades, you were not valedictorian. I would hesitate to put that on any short of application to the academy or nomination sources, because it tends to give the impression that youre lying. Dont "inflate" your accomplishments just because you think its what the academy wants to hear. Be honest.
 
Sounds like you are doing the right things. I don't know what you are talking about having to "Wait" for your grades. Did your Liaison Officer recommend that action? Apply now! Also, all your angst about taking "English-Ugh" is wasted effort. Get accepted first. Plebe summer you'll get a chance to validate (test out of) many classes, including English if you have the skills. Not sure how to comment on the science project that was not submitted due to complications. A best case scenario would be that some drastic event stopped you and became something that you can write about in your essay. The worst case is... that you are easily derailed from your objectives. That you are continuing the process and taking the right courses is great. ROTC is also great. Looks like you have done all that was asked of you. If the interviews go well and your grades are improving (including SAT's) I would think your chances are improving too.
Good Luck!
 
I don't know what you are talking about having to "Wait" for your grades.

I believe that applicants coming from college cannot submit any grades from college, as they will not be available until the end of the 1st semester.
 
What? Does that make any sense? I understand grades are available at the end of the semester. Is the candidate holding back the application for these 1st semester grades? If so, I encourage him/her/anyone to apply now. As 1/3 of Naval Academy appointees have some college/prep school classes, it is not logical to think the evaluation for them is held later than everyone else because we're waiting for 1st semester grades to arrive. College courses are an advantage, as is re-applying. Submit your application now unless you Liaison Office has given you specific other advice.
 
What? Does that make any sense? I understand grades are available at the end of the semester. Is the candidate holding back the application for these 1st semester grades? If so, I encourage him/her/anyone to apply now.

...it is not logical to think the evaluation for them is held later than everyone else because we're waiting for 1st semester grades to arrive.

It shouldn't stop him from submitting his application, but USNA Admissions requests the 1st semester grades of applicants coming from college.

Are you stating that USNA is awarding appointments without seeing those 1st semester college grades from college applicants?

That doesn't seem logical, does it?
 
I am not sure for college, but wouldn't they still have to give the most current gpa, since it would show on their ap that they are in college, he cannot get a PAR without the gpa, thus if I am reading Luigi correctly he is saying you will have to wait to go up to the board since you have no new gpa. You can submit, but the package would be incomplete since they do not have a current gpa.

Since the OP is in ROTC, go to the det and talk to the commander. Are you even asking for a ROTC nom? I can tell you that DS elected ROTC over the AFA, the det commander came to him late Sept/early Oct, and asked him if he intended to re-apply, because he had promised him when they recruited him that if he changed his mind they would give him 100% support and put him in for a ROTC nom. He declined, but I do know that it does occur. It never hurts to apply for more noms.
 
For validation tests, we took tons of them like the first week of plebe summer- all together in King Hall.
I agree though- apply now and submit your first semester college grades when they become available!
 
LAST YEAR, WHEN I WAS APPLYING, My grades were highly inconsistent, which showed my laziness throughout high school academics (i ranged from 2.27 one quarter to a 3.57). this is the main reason why I didn't get accepted into the Naval Academy.

Re-take SAT or ACT. Improvement on these scores would certainly show a trend. I know your college grades won't be available until the end of the semester, but what about the second semester of your senior year? I would assume that those grades weren't taken into accout for admission last year because they wouldn't have been available by the time the decision was made last year. I would hope that your senior year grades would have shown your grades trending upward if your problem with inconsistency was due to your "laziness" as you put it.

Good luck and keep working hard!
 
USNA said that the single biggest item of importance from college applicants is their first semester grades. You can submit your application but USNA will NOT evaluate college students until first semester grades are in. That is NOT the same for h.s. students.

If you do really well in plebe courses in college, that will generally trump whatever you did in h.s. academics. The other major things are keeping your life clean (no DUIs, assaults, etc.) and ensuring you stay physically fit.

You do NOT have to do a bunch of activities in college -- it's fine if you do but they understand that, as a freshman, you're basically limited to being members of things, not taking on leadership positions and you don't need to do varsity sports -- organized sports are good but not mandatory if you stay in shape otherwise.

The above assumes that academics were your downfall. If it was something else (poor teacher or BGO recs, lack of leadership, lack of sports or fitness), you may need to do other things this year. Hopefully, you checked with Candidate Guidance to understand what your packet was missing/lacking so that you could improve in that/those area(s).
 
USNA1985 has it absolutely correct! I currently have two post-secondary candidates. You need to complete another application and the appointment process for college students follows an entirely different route.
Recommendations need to be from your college profs (this means you really need to somehow build an academic relationship with those profs).
DoDMERB is good for two years. You'll need to reapply for nominations and complete another CFA (beware of the freshman 15). New BGO interviews also need to take place; believe me, this can be to your advantage.
Unfortunately, the new route means that you will have to sent your COLLEGE transcripts from any college courses that you completed post-secondary.
For most college students finals take place in early December. I would get into the registrar's office before you leave campus in December, fill out your transcript request, pay the fee, have a self-addressed stamped envelope and beg with them to mail the transcript out as soon as humanly possible.
The board will not review your package until those transcripts have been received and reviewed.
 
actually, "by academic standards" is the general meaning- the whole basis of the title represents the student who delivers the commencement speech. But I understand your point, I thought I was just the.. graduation speaker haha. but in actuality, your meaning is referring to how students are given the title to speak, (to be valedictorian), and is usually through the means of academic achievement!!
 
These are some excellent answers!!!!

I'm still open for more, but so far from what i've read, I've gotten a lot of help :)

THANKYOU
 
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