What are my chances?

I

imk3vin

5-Year Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Messages
7
Hi, I am fairly new on the forum.

I know you guys get a lot of these "What are my chances?" questions but I need to ask.

I did not know about the Academies until the beginning of my senior year. When I found out about it, I quickly applied and talked to my counselor and got the recommendation applications.

My school is a dual credit program that allows students to enroll in college classes for high school electives credit. I am graduating with my Associates of Arts before I get my high school diploma. I will have 62 college credits by then.

I've been in NHS for two years and Secretary for one year. I just joined a college club called Circle K International. I work for 20+hrs a week.

My highschool and my past highschools did not offer sports since they were "selected" schools in which they focus only in academics.

My GPA is far below average: 3.54 UW
My Class Rank is 25 of 109. Our school is really competitive.

I know my stats are trash.
I've already called the academies and they said that I am not competitive. They said to me that I must set high SAT scores in order to be "competitive."

I have not received my SAT scores yet and I am about to take my ACT next week.

I'm freaking out and I'm a bit depressed since they have told me I am disqualified until I get a good score.
 
WHAT?! My uw gpa is the same as yours and I have been labeled "competitive" by my ALO and counselor. Do you take challenging classes?
 
Yes, I think its my PSAT scores I took my sophomore year.
I submitted it, since they had nothing on my file and I thought it would help even if my scores were terrible.

Did you play sports? If so, that's probably why. My extracurricular isn't that bad, except I did not play sports, but I'm fairly athletic.
 
Your school will send a report to the academy telling them just how competitive your school is. And of course, you'll have to have the colleges send reports for your scores there.

If the AFA has told you that you are "not competitive", they must be basing it on some factor which you have not yet told us. 3.54 is not the highest but I was under the impression that no S.A. would tell a prospective candidate that they are not competitive based simply on what you have given us here - an unofficial gpa.

Perhaps you forgot to tell us something?
 
If they have opened a file and they have deemd you an applicant by sending you info regarding your ALO, DODmerb and CFA, than you are not disqualified. Now if you got a 49 on your V portion of the PSAT, they may have deemed you non-competitive, since a 490 SAT V or 24 E on the ACT is deemed non-competitive.
 
I still have time to be deemed competitive right?

All I have to do is score highly on the SAT's correct?
 
Yes, but you are really behind the 8 ball, where do you stand with your noms? AT this point most have closed out already and that might be why you are disqualified...no nom, no appointment.

Also, make sure you try for an AFROTC scholarship.
 
Re. What are my chances

Pima you mentioned a 490 in the verbal section of the PSAT as being a disqualifying score, do you happen to know what the math disqualifying score would be? thank you!
 
I'm seeking nomination through my Rep, and two of my senators.

The deadline is at the end of the month. I am just waiting for my SAT scores.
 
Well, I don't know the exact DQ score for the math section, but I do know that the academy is not going to let anyone in (even athlete recruit) with under 500 SAT (or the equivalent in ACT). I would guess that the min is somewhere around 500, but anything under 600 is not competitive at all (maybe the verbal, but definitely not the math). Study hard, it is really more of a game on those tests. Try to get one of those study guides that tell you the "secrets of the test." I did that and raised my score by 200 points. Not because I was really smart about the material, I have known many very smart kids that to terrible on the SAT because they don't know the tricks. Those books provide you with excellent tips and tricks that will definitely help you out even if math isn't your best subject.

Later,

Brian
 
The thing is that those are my PSAT scores from sophomore year.
I just submitted it for early evaluation, my mistake I think.
 
I'm sure you will do great on your SAT. I didn't score so well on my PSAT as well and submitted them, but after I took the SAT a couple times and did well, they didn't really care about those scores anymore.

Later,

Brian
 
imk: Have you spoken to your ALO? What is his/her advice to you? Their advice would certainly be more useful under the circumstances.
 
PSAT scores don't mean as much as SAT and ACT scores. There probably most important for the SLS. I hate that math scores are needed to be high. I blow at math bigtime, verbal's my thing.

Remember though, The AFA is an engineering school, so if you take the ACT, high scores in preferbly math and science are essential, while SAT's most important score is Math. Just my thoughts.

USMAalltheway
 
What's the maximum amount of times I can take the SATs?

I just want to be deemed competitive and I can stop stressing. Haha.

I have not spoken to my ALOs but I spoke to my USAFA counselor.
They say I should just wait for my SATs.

I received a letter today saying that "we cannot copletely evaulate your application until we receive your SAT and/or ACT scores."

So I don't think I am complete disqualified.
 
imk3vin:

You can take the SAT as many times as you can. The Academy will take your highest scores.

As for the letter you got, a friend of mine is in the same situation - so she took up a preparation course through a local learning center and was able to significantly raise her score. Does she think it was worth it? Definitely! She raised all of her scores by about 80 - 100 pts, if I remember correctly.

I don't know the cost. Since my SAT's were already accepted, but I still wanted to raise them, I took a SAT Prep Course at my school, and ordered a book that taught the "tips and tricks" for the SAT. It's definitely worth it!
 
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