What are my chances of getting in?!

A

Alan99

5-Year Member
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Jan 11, 2017
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Hey guys, I was just wondering if any of you could provide insight in what my chances are in getting in to the USNA. Here is my GPA, SAT and ACT.

4.75 GPA on 5 scale, all AP classes
670 Math 660 English and Writing
27 Math 31 Verbal

I'm also in National Honor Society, I'm the captain of our football team and I wrestle at the varsity level.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
 
KevPeña75 said:
Hey guys, I was just wondering if any of you could provide insight in what my chances are in getting in to the USNA. Here is my GPA, SAT and ACT.

4.75 GPA on 5 scale, all AP classes
670 Math 660 English and Writing
27 Math 31 Verbal

I'm also in National Honor Society, I'm the captain of our football team and I wrestle at the varsity level.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
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Scores are pretty good! Nothing wrong with improving them to be more competitive. Try to attend Boy's State and have leadership roles in some clubs> Good luck!!
 
None of us can tell you your chances. We have a half dozen data points where USNA is looking at dozens and dozens of data points that they are scoring. You say all AP classes. So you have only taken AP courses at your high school? So as you can see, judging things like this impossible. None of us know how they are scored or how they calculate the WCS. There is also your competition within your district if you have an unranked slate. None of us know who you are competing against. Take a look at the class profiles and see where you stand. You will see quickly what characteristics are seen as positives for an applicant... well because USNA felt the need to call it out in the profile and the majority of appointees have done it. If you looked at those numbers you would see you are on the low side of math scores. Leadership is also key. You don't have to have titles in clubs or sports to lead. If you have a title of a club or team, what did you do to impact and lead the team. Volunteer, apply for SS, Boys State. Get in shape, knock out your CFA early. Also, none of know how you will do with DODMERB. If you had surgery or a health issue at some point, work with your parents to start collecting your medical documentation. Calc, chem, physics are the big ones to excel in. Take a prep course and retake your ACT and SAT. Good luck.
 
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Also depends on where you are applying from ....some areas have a lot more applicants than others. More applicants = more competitive.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Also depends on where you are applying from ....some areas have a lot more applicants than others. More applicants = more competitive.
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Old Navy BGO has a really good point. Applying for an academy in Maryland or New York is 9 times out of 10 going to be a ton more competitive than a place like south Mississippi (where I'm from). I've got a buddy in the D.C. area who described how there were a ton of people applying for a nomination. In MS? Well, we had 18 people TOTAL in my congressional district (which covers basically the entire southern half of the state) apply for a nomination to any of the service academies:D. It truly does matter where you're applying from.
 
KevPeña75 said:
Hey guys, I was just wondering if any of you could provide insight in what my chances are in getting in to the USNA. Here is my GPA, SAT and ACT.

4.75 GPA on 5 scale, all AP classes
670 Math 660 English and Writing
27 Math 31 Verbal

I'm also in National Honor Society, I'm the captain of our football team and I wrestle at the varsity level.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
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I'm NOT putting this out there with the question, What are his chances? I'm putting this out there because there are so many posts asking what are my chances and I just want to reiterate how highly competitive the application process is. No matter how fantastic your credentials look, you need to have a Plan B. My DS is still showing "Complete Pending Review". He has a Congressional Nomination. DODMERB qualified. Physically fit (he's an athlete). He also received the NROTC scholarship 1st Board. I'm going to show his credentials (and this is not all inclusive) because I believe that he would be competitive, but you just never know how you compare to the application pool. He's focusing on his other college options (Plan B) since he hasn't heard anything yet.

5.795 GPA on a 5.0 scale
Class rank 1 of 517 unweighted; 3 of 517 weighted
32 Composite ACT - 35 Math 31 Verbal

Sports:
Captain Football Team Jr and Sr year (played Varsity football Sophomore - Senior). Won the Football leadership Award / Conference Honorable Mention. Iron Man Award all 4 years for never missing a practice. Helped with Youth football camps during the summer. Drove underclassman without license to early morning practices and summer practices.
Captain Baseball Team (pitcher and 1st Base) Played Varsity baseball end of Sophomore - Senior year. Also plays Summer High School Baseball and is on a Summer Club Baseball Team.
League bowls (Age 3 - present) / Played underclassman Basketball

Other:
Linked Crew - Jr and Senior year mentors incoming freshman as they transition to high school. Provided tour at orientation; meets with assigned freshman weekly to check to see how they are doing throughout entire year. Takes a Leadership Class as part of his school curriculum to be in Link Crew. Participates in fundraisers - Strike out Diabetes, Strike out Leukemia. This year he is planning and organizing a Military Appreciation Weekend during baseball.
Wildcat Athletic Leadership Club - community service and role models for those students with demonstrated leadership on and off field.
Tutor - Tutors AP Calculus BC and AP Physics 2 and C during lunch and study hall.
National Honor Society / Key Club / Illinois State Scholar
Community Service - Just a few that he does annually on his own: Back to School Fairs, Salvation Army, Hoops for Hearts American Heart Association, Food Pantry, Scorekeeper Holiday basketball tournaments (doesn't include those activities needed to meet school club requirements)

I shared this info just to demonstrate that on paper, you might look really good. He said his BGO interview went well. He has that outgoing personality type, so I'm certain it did....but you are not competing with other students from your school; you are now competing on a much broader level and with the pool so competitive and the number of spots so few, you just never know. Even the 4year NROTC scholarships are just as competitive with a small number offered in comparison to the number of applicants. All I can recommend is that you try to do everything you possibly can. Don't get senioritis - keep taking the difficult classes senior year and do your best....I was in the registrar's office yesterday picking up transcripts and she told me that she was sending my DS senior year 1st semester grades to USNA and two other schools because they received additional requests for them.

Just keep at it but make sure you keep all your options open and always have a backup plan.
 
Don't get senioritis - keep taking the difficult classes senior year and do your best....I was in the registrar's office yesterday picking up transcripts and she told me that she was sending my DS senior year 1st semester grades to USNA and two other schools because they received additional requests for them.

Just keep at it but make sure you keep all your options open and always have a backup plan.[/QUOTE]
Thanks. One clarification - did USNA ask for 1st semester senior grades from your DS directly to the school? Does that mean they have already reviewed his application and wanted to make the final decisions when the grades were received? I wonder if that means others should be sending their 1st semester senior grades if the application was complete in August.
 
goirish1 said:
No matter how fantastic your credentials look, you need to have a Plan B. My DS is still showing "Complete Pending Review".
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Maybe I am reading too much into your post, but regardless of your credentials (and your sons's are great), being "complete pending review" on January 12th is completely normal and no need to doubt path A. We are in the first quarter of this ball game. There is a lot game left.

I don't state this to diminish your recommendation to have a plan B. That is great and necessary advice. But as I read your post I sense a bit of feeling that plan A isn't looking as good. Its way too early to feel that way.

I apologize if I read too much into your post if that isn't the sentiment.
 
USNA2021NC said:
Don't get senioritis - keep taking the difficult classes senior year and do your best....I was in the registrar's office yesterday picking up transcripts and she told me that she was sending my DS senior year 1st semester grades to USNA and two other schools because they received additional requests for them.

Just keep at it but make sure you keep all your options open and always have a backup plan.
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Thanks. One clarification - did USNA ask for 1st semester senior grades from your DS directly to the school? Does that mean they have already reviewed his application and wanted to make the final decisions when the grades were received? I wonder if that means others should be sending their 1st semester senior grades if the application was complete in August.[/QUOTE]
The Registrar told me that his Guidance Counselor received an email from USNA asking for his 1st semester transcripts. She even showed me where she had it written in her calendar to send once the system updated class rank and overall GPA. The grades were posted, but the class rank needed updated so she put it in her calendar to ensure that they go out. So it sounds like USNA may have reached out to them. That's all I really know. Our school uses the Naviance system for students to request transcripts and we never input USNA into the system because he picked up copies of his transcripts over the summer before seniors could access Naviance, so I was surprised when she told me she had a request....
 
jebdad said:
Maybe I am reading too much into your post, but regardless of your credentials (and your sons's are great), being "complete pending review" on January 12th is completely normal and no need to doubt path A. We are in the first quarter of this ball game. There is a lot game left.

I don't state this to diminish your recommendation to have a plan B. That is great and necessary advice. But as I read your post I sense a bit of feeling that plan A isn't looking as good. Its way too early to feel that way.

I apologize if I read too much into your post if that isn't the sentiment.
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No need to apologize. The sentiment probably did seem less than optimistic. I think it's the waiting. We view USNA as a "reach". He's also waiting Regular Decision on his "reach" school for the NROTC scholarship. On a positive note, he has the NROTC scholarship and was already been accepted into his 2nd choice school....when I mentioned that we were looking at his other college options, I basically asked him......if none of your other options (USNA and 1st Choice NROTC) come to fruition - what are your plans, where do you want to go.....all I want is for him to be thinking about the other options just in case, and he was able to give me a definite answer without hesitation.....I just want to keep him in check.....since we don't always get what we want. But yes, the waiting can be taxing.
 
goirish1 said:
I think it's the waiting.
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goirish1 said:
But yes, the waiting can be taxing.
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As previously stated, it's still really, really early. My DS was CPR until April 13 last year (did not get in). USNA did not work out for him, but his plan B did and he is happy.

Plan on not hearing until April 15 and hopefully you'll hear sooner. Your DS's stats are good and it looks like he has done all he can do. All he has done will serve him well no matter where he ends up. Having plans B, C, etc. is the prudent thing to do.

Good luck
 
goirish1 said:
No need to apologize. The sentiment probably did seem less than optimistic. I think it's the waiting. We view USNA as a "reach". He's also waiting Regular Decision on his "reach" school for the NROTC scholarship. On a positive note, he has the NROTC scholarship and was already been accepted into his 2nd choice school....when I mentioned that we were looking at his other college options, I basically asked him......if none of your other options (USNA and 1st Choice NROTC) come to fruition - what are your plans, where do you want to go.....all I want is for him to be thinking about the other options just in case, and he was able to give me a definite answer without hesitation.....I just want to keep him in check.....since we don't always get what we want. But yes, the waiting can be taxing.
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USNA is viewed as a reach by just about anyone, right? I mean these kids are the best of the best but there are so many factors out of their control; geography, your MOC's staff and schedule, a case of dry skin that their MD labeled as eczema, etc.. All they can do is keep pushing on plans B-... whatever and keep hoping. Unless you got a LOA way back in Aug, of course :)
 
In addition to Plan B, I'd strongly recommend a Plan C and Plan D. You really need to think about other options. For example Plan C could be foundation school. You could begin looking at the many wonderful foundation schools (Bridgton, Hill, Northwestern Prep, etc) and start scoping their programs out. Spending a year at one of these schools to improve upon your academics and extracurricular activities is also an option. Plan D could be looking at civilian institutions (universities and colleges). You could begin looking at the many wonderful universities (Ohio State, Maine, Arizona, etc) and many wonderful colleges (Oberlin, Connecticut, Providence, etc) and start scoping their curricula out. Spending a year at one these schools to improve upon academics and extracurricular activities is also an option. I hope this helps!
 
goirish1 said:
Thanks. One clarification - did USNA ask for 1st semester senior grades from your DS directly to the school? Does that mean they have already reviewed his application and wanted to make the final decisions when the grades were received? I wonder if that means others should be sending their 1st semester senior grades if the application was complete in August.
Click to expand...

goirish1 said:
The Registrar told me that his Guidance Counselor received an email from USNA asking for his 1st semester transcripts. She even showed me where she had it written in her calendar to send once the system updated class rank and overall GPA. The grades were posted, but the class rank needed updated so she put it in her calendar to ensure that they go out. So it sounds like USNA may have reached out to them. That's all I really know. Our school uses the Naviance system for students to request transcripts and we never input USNA into the system because he picked up copies of his transcripts over the summer before seniors could access Naviance, so I was surprised when she told me she had a request....
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Many posters here had commented the same request were received, but many others also reported no such requests have been received. My guess is admissions want to see how some candidates did in their senior year before finalizing their file review.

Hence the importance of continue to push hard in your senior year.
 
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