What should I do?

collatz-conjecture

collatz-conjecture

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Oct 12, 2022
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Hi, I am a 15-year-old interested in applying to West Point when the time allows. I had a few questions regarding future steps to take from here. I'm primarily focused on strengthening my profile, but my situation is complex.

Academics:
Here's the complex piece. I currently have a 4.0 GPA (4-point scale), but these grades are from a community college. I have not attended high school for the first two years of the time I should have since I decided to study at a college instead. I already have professors that I could have write recommendation letters for me in the future. By the end of this semester, I will have completed 15 credits with 19 credit hours (one course was developmental). I initially sought a GED but seeing that USMA prefers standard diplomas and substantial involvement in extra-curricular activities, I believe the path I'm taking won't suffice for them. I'm sure my grades in each college class would be impressive if I switched to a high school now. Though, will my starting Junior year as my first high school year hinder my chances even if I get good grades and scores on the ACTs? I'm currently trying to decide if I switch over after this semester (end of 2022) or not so that I have more time.

Extracurriculars:
Since I haven't been in high school yet, I'm only involved in 2 group activities: I am in the acapella group at my community college, and I've been volunteering for a non-profit service dog on the Youth Board of Directors for the past four years. If I were to transfer to a high school, I would join track and focus on involvement in the student body.

Sports:
All my sports have been done outside of an educational environment, so I doubt they'd count for anything -- especially since they were not team sports. COVID hindered my ability to join sports teams that I've wanted to join. If I switch to a high school, I can quickly begin to participate in sports. I'm unsure if it's too late to make it to the varsity level.

Other Questions:
  1. I emailed admissions about my mental health conditions and the medications I take for them. They stated that DoDMERB may allow it since it's case-by-case but would require significant documentation. I can get this documentation, but are candidates allowed to have prescribed psych meds? I would assume so since they mentioned that it's possible if I were to provide documentation from medical professionals I work with. However, I wasn't sure if anyone else knew of unique cases like mine.
  2. Based on the information I've provided thus far, would you suggest switching to a public high school? Would I even have a chance to build up my application this far into the high school experience?
  3. I'm aware candidates can be up to 23 years old, but I feel that attending community college may have put me at a social disadvantage.
Thank you, everyone.
I think I accidentally deleted my post before I apologize if this was uploaded twice).
 
Hi,

Regarding your sports question, my children have attended college while being a high school student. They were still eligible to participate in all of their zoned school activities from sports to drama to clubs. I highly recommend you look into this. Good luck on your chosen path!
 
OrlandoMom said:
Hi,

Regarding your sports question, my children have attended college while being a high school student. They were still eligible to participate in all of their zoned school activities from sports to drama to clubs. I highly recommend you look into this. Good luck on your chosen path!
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Ideally I'd be able to do this. I'm more so just interested in getting involved which may require going to a high school. I have 15 credits which I wouldn't want to earn any more since you can't transfer them to USMA unfortunately. It'll also probably be easier to take SATs if I'm not involved with the college atmosphere for the last half of earning my degree.

Thank you!
 
You have a lot going on here, definitely not the usual path!

With regard to the medical question, you will want to go to the DoDMERB website and work your way through the menu items on the left. DoDMERB manages the medical qualification process for military accession, which occurs during the application cycle year. DoDMERB finds candidates to either meet standards or not (Q or DQ). If it is a DQ, additional information may be requested. The service academies and other commissioning sources are in charge of the waiver process.

This is the website, but it’s down right now for unplanned maintenance due to outages.

If you post the medical part of your question in the DoDMERB Forum, it’s likely Mr. Mullen, DoDMERB Deputy Director, will offer to communicate with you offline to discuss your situation and clarify how the process works. You will want to ask if the medications you are taking are allowed when taking standardized tests such as SAT and ACT.

The good news is you are asking all these questions early. You can also browse the DoDMERB forum for similar questions and use the Search tool.
 
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Academics.
I hope you have found this plus embedded links.

The SAs tend to like AP courses because there is a standard. The rigor of community college courses can vary.


More on Medical:
USNA has this, which is a general overview of DoDMERB accession standards. I didn’t find the USMA version, but the DoDMERB standard is the same for all SAs. Waiver policies may differ.

 
Capt MJ said:
Academics.
I hope you have found this plus embedded links.

The SAs tend to like AP courses because there is a standard. The rigor of community college courses can vary.


More on Medical:
USNA has this, which is a general overview of DoDMERB accession standards. I didn’t find the USMA version, but the DoDMERB standard is the same for all SAs. Waiver policies may differ.

Click to expand...
That's interesting! Based on DoDMERB standards, rules surrounding mental health aren't as strict as if I were to attempt to directly enlist in the army. Good to know, thank you.
 
Capt MJ said:
You have a lot going on here, definitely not the usual path!

With regard to the medical question, you will want to go to the DoDMERB website and work your way through the menu items on the left. DoDMERB manages the medical qualification process for military accession, which occurs during the application cycle year. DoDMERB finds candidates to either meet standards or not (Q or DQ). If it is a DQ, additional information may be requested. The service academies and other commissioning sources are in charge of the waiver process.

This is the website, but it’s down right now for unplanned maintenance due to outages.

If you post the medical part of your question in the DoDMERB Forum, it’s likely Mr. Mullen, DoDMERB Deputy Director, will offer to communicate with you offline to discuss your situation and clarify how the process works. You will want to ask if the medications you are taking are allowed when taking standardized tests such as SAT and ACT.

The good news is you are asking all these questions early. You can also browse the DoDMERB forum for similar questions and use the Search tool.
Click to expand...
Okay thank you. The medical piece was my main concern since not passing the DoDMERB completely disqualifies you from applying.
 
collatz-conjecture said:
Okay thank you. The medical piece was my main concern since not passing the DoDMERB completely disqualifies you from applying.
Click to expand...
You can be DQ’d by DoDMERB. It may be waiverable. Service policies differ, because mission, environment, gear and equipment differ.

The accession standards are set very high. Military members can operate in austere, harsh, high-pressure, chaotic, high-risk situations, far from regular medical care and advanced medical support. In situations where every military member must be at mental and physical peak condition, the loss or inability of even 1 member for medical reasons can put the entire group at risk. Readiness and safety of the team is paramount.
 
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Another thing to consider, are other pathways to commissioning (everyone should consider this!), should an appointment not ultimately be offered. For example, ROTC programs are a plan B, which will provide additional nomination sources. And/or, your unique path may bode well for a prep school offer. One never knows!! But the point is that there are several paths, beyond an appointment on your first try.

The other piece you will have to maneuver is obtaining a nomination. Your story is unique! You will still have to show that you have what it takes to be developed into an Officer (what leadership will you be able to demonstrate?)….that won’t automatically happen should you choose to attend traditional high school. Conversely, leadership can be demonstrated OUTSIDE of high school (every year there are home schooled appointments).

Maybe it would be a good idea to meet with your high school counselor and have a discussion about your goal, and the best path there. And yes, you will have to have competitive standardized test scores, or something about you that makes USMA think you’ve got what it takes, with lower test scores. The last piece you cannot know, is your slate competition.

Good luck to you!! As is advised for all, make sure and tend to plans b,c,d…..

No comment on the medical stuff.
 
justdoit19 said:
Another thing to consider, are other pathways to commissioning (everyone should consider this!), should an appointment not ultimately be offered. For example, ROTC programs are a plan B, which will provide additional nomination sources. And/or, your unique path may bode well for a prep school offer. One never knows!! But the point is that there are several paths, beyond an appointment on your first try.

The other piece you will have to maneuver is obtaining a nomination. Your story is unique! You will still have to show that you have what it takes to be developed into an Officer (what leadership will you be able to demonstrate?)….that won’t automatically happen should you choose to attend traditional high school. Conversely, leadership can be demonstrated OUTSIDE of high school (every year there are home schooled appointments).

Maybe it would be a good idea to meet with your high school counselor and have a discussion about your goal, and the best path there. And yes, you will have to have competitive standardized test scores, or something about you that makes USMA think you’ve got what it takes, with lower test scores. The last piece you cannot know, is your slate competition.

Good luck to you!! As is advised for all, make sure and tend to plans b,c,d…..

No comment on the medical stuff.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the information!
 
Capt MJ said:
You can be DQ’d by DoDMERB. It may be waiverable. Service policies differ, because mission, environment, gear and equipment differ.

The accession standards are set very high. Military members can operate in austere, harsh, high-pressure, chaotic, high-risk situations, far from regular medical care and advanced medical support. In situations where every military member must be at mental and physical peak condition, the loss or inability of even 1 member for medical reasons can put the entire group at risk. Readiness and safety of the team is paramount.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I completely understand that. The big thing would be seeing if they allow me to be on my meds. As long as I'm able to take those I am able to function under very high pressure/stressful situations. I do not need therapy or anything like that.
 
With respect, no one really knows if they can operate successfully in real-life combat situations or other dangerous scenarios, where others are dependent on you to keep them safe, but the military does its best to choose those with the lowest level of pre-existing issues.

Be sure to research other paths and alternate plans.

If you continue to be interested in serving your country, and military service is a path closed to you, federal civil service departments and agencies have HS and college programs. Most Federal civilian roles don’t have that high medical accession standard.

Here’s an example:

DoD STEM Scholarships & Grants - SMART Scholarship

The SMART Scholarship Program provides STEM students with full tuition, annual stipends, & employment with the Department of Defense (DoD) after graduation.
www.smartscholarship.org
 
Capt MJ said:
With respect, no one really knows if they can operate successfully in real-life combat situations or other dangerous scenarios, where others are dependent on you to keep them safe, but the military does its best to choose those with the lowest level of pre-existing issues.

Be sure to research other paths and alternate plans.

If you continue to be interested in serving your country, and military service is a path closed to you, federal civil service departments and agencies have HS and college programs. Most Federal civilian roles don’t have that high medical accession standard.

Here’s an example:

DoD STEM Scholarships & Grants - SMART Scholarship

The SMART Scholarship Program provides STEM students with full tuition, annual stipends, & employment with the Department of Defense (DoD) after graduation.
www.smartscholarship.org
Click to expand...
Yeah, I know there's no real way to tell. It's one of the reasons why I would not be directly applying to USMA, I'd try the week program for SLE. There's no permanent decisions based on that -- it allows you to get a brief idea of the scenarios you will be put into on a regular basis when there.

If it doesn't work out, I may choose to explore down the math of musical arts but that's a backup plan.
I'll try to contact them at some point and see how they would expect this to play out.
 
It sounds as if you have been home schooled. If this is the case, then please know that many USMA cadets have also been homeschooled. And in this case, WP will not expect your transcript to look the same as the transcript of a student who has been traditionally schooled. However, you will still need to meet the same standards, so you'll need the same kind of coursework so look at the West Point website to see what courses they will expect to see on your transcript.

About sports, just join the sports team at your college. My son, who was homeschooled, participated in town sports and this was acceptable to West Point. He also attended out local community college and had earned about 30+ credits by the time he entered WP. Having college credits on your transcript shows WP that you are ready and able to tackle college level coursework.

And to echo what justdoit19 wrote - do look into ROTC. The requirements are a bit different but in the end, you also become an army officer. Both paths are excellent.

About standardized tests - you can take them as a homeschooled student. There is no requirement that you must attend a public school. My kids all took standardized tests (SAT) as homeschooled students. It was not a problem at all. You can read about how to do this. This should not be a roadblock.

I wish you well on this journey.
 
collatz-conjecture said:
Yeah, I know there's no real way to tell. It's one of the reasons why I would not be directly applying to USMA, I'd try the week program for SLE. There's no permanent decisions based on that -- it allows you to get a brief idea of the scenarios you will be put into on a regular basis when there.

If it doesn't work out, I may choose to explore down the math of musical arts but that's a backup plan.
I'll try to contact them at some point and see how they would expect this to play out.
Click to expand...
SLE doesn’t give you a peek at true dangerous combat situations, which is ultimately what you will be placed into as an Officer…making decisions and leading other in high stress, dangerous situations (potentially life and death). Rather, it gives you a glimpse of attending a service academy. Also know, that you may not be selected to attend SLE, which is a recruiting tool for USMA. Designed around spreading the word about this path. An overnight weekend visit, during the year, will be a better look at the academic side of a SA.

Get a good handle on expectations for your medical stuff via a private email convo with Mr Mullen on the DODMERB thread.
 
justdoit19 said:
SLE doesn’t give you a peek at true dangerous combat situations, which is ultimately what you will be placed into as an Officer…making decisions and leading other in high stress, dangerous situations (potentially life and death). Rather, it gives you a glimpse of attending a service academy. Also know, that you may not be selected to attend SLE, which is a recruiting tool for USMA. Designed around spreading the word about this path. An overnight weekend visit, during the year, will be a better look at the academic side of a SA.

Get a good handle on expectations for your medical stuff via a private email convo with Mr Mullen on the DODMERB thread.
Click to expand...
Okay, thank you. Yeah, it's not really possible to be in that kind of situation before being in the army itself.. I will definitely take a visit if it is still a potential option in my future.
 
From the website:

"To qualify academically at West Point you should have an above average high school or college academic record. A complete transcript of your academic achievement will be evaluated to determine your qualification. You should perform well on the ACT, Inc. Assessment Program Test (ACT) or the SAT Reasoning Test. These tests demonstrate an indication of your potential for academic success during your first year in college."

Note the "or" there.

"Keep in mind there is not a dedicated score as we evaluate several areas. Academics are 60% of our evaluation while 30% is your leadership potential (based on high school and solider experiences) and 10% is your physical aptitude. Competitive scores for USMAPS in the past were SAT 1100 and ACT 23."

That was taken from the section for priors but I'd guess that ratio goes into everyone's application.

Most importantly:

"You can apply with a GED. Be aware your SAT/ACT score will carry more weight in your academic evaluation."

So you could apply with a GED if that's what is most achievable. Honestly, I'd call the admissions department and ask them specifically, as you have a very unique case. If nobody calls you back (I had some trouble getting in contact with them) DM me and I can see about talking to someone in the admissions office and forwarding them your information.
 
Regarding medical, that's a question for DODMERB. I do know meds are allowed at BEAST under strict control, but mental health issues is another thing entirely. Drugs are case-by-case, as you said.

Regarding sports, it probably isn't too late to make varsity if you're competent in the sport. It tends to be a meritocracy in high school with regards to varsity appointments (at least in my experience).
 
Do extracurriculars that YOU are interested in, not what you think USMA prefers. You will be more likely to succeed in these, instead of flying under the radar. Good luck.
 
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