A Wake-up Call.

[DanMa1156]

My questions for you would be what did your essays say and what leadership positions did you hold? Those are 2 crucial elements you're leaving out. What did you get in those AP classes on the AP test? If you got a 2 on those tests and you got a 95 in the class you can be sure people were scratching their heads as to your academic validity.

My stats were fairly similar to yours and I did a Foundation year. I'm pretty sure I was on the road to being denied, and I realized that in January of the year I was applying (2005). I ended up writing them a letter telling them why I would succeed at USNA and that I would do whatever it takes and to work as hard as I can to succeed there. Sure enough, 2 or 3 weeks later, USNA Foundation wrote me a nice little letter, and I accepted their offer to do a prep year. I feel like their seeing my desire to attend and that it had been a lifelong goal for me helped tremendously.

 

[BerkeleyNROTC09]

If anything, I think my leadership positions were definitely the weakest part of my application. I got 3/4's on my AP tests, nothing spectacular, but nothing too horrible either. Again, I'm not mad I didn't get in, just curious.

 

[The Chief]

He said he had a VP nomination. That goes to military brats. It was an automatic nomination.Just enjoy the hand thats dealt. NROTC is better in a lot of respects. Everything is what you make of it. I partied harder at USNA than I have in the last 3 years in civilian school... and thats probably part of the reason I won't be graduating from the Naval Academy. Life is 2/3 attitude and how you respond. Best of luck.

Great post, good advice. In the final analysis it is all about what you make of the hand you are dealt.

Minor nitpik. VP has only 10 slots to fill, they are very political slots, most hard to get. The Presedential nominations are for military/retired military brats, and yes, is that is an automatic nomination, but not automatic that you are accepted by USNA.

 

[BerkeleyNROTC09]

Whoops sorry, you're right Chief. It was 2 years ago..

 

[xmid]

My mistake Chief.

 

[statesman]

Were you from California? Just curious.

Or are you a white male? Just curious.

 

[Afterburner76]

...so, wait... with those kinda grades, what % get jets?

 

[Srtitan89]

Or are you a white male? Just curious.

Surely you aren't referring to affirmative action!

 

[insanebikerboy]

...so, wait... with those kinda grades, what % get jets?

42

 

[TheBubba]

1290 SAT
4.3 GPA
7 AP Classes [Calc A-B, Bio, Physics C, History, English(Lit), Gov't, Stats]
8:53 1.5mi
VP Nomination, Gov Nomination
Varsity: XC, Track
20/15 Vision

And I did NOT get in.

Good Luck.

Some will still get in with less credentials.

I am Living Proof.

I've said it before, and its been said on here... USNA (and all of the service academies) are not looking at straight academics. They are looking for a well rounded and well grounded person who shows the POTENTIAL to grow into a responsible officer and leader. In other words, you need more than a stellar academic resume... you need leadership, community service and an over all willingness to serve as well as many other qualities.

Which begs the question... what exactly does admission to USNA mean?

Or, in other words... what does the marginal benefit to a USNA degree vs marginal return equate to?]

To give my $0.02 on TB's question, what it means is that my degree says "USNA" on it and I have a ring that says the same. It means I chose not to go to State-U, and the i dealt with the military BS in college as well as after. The degree... some grad schools will say that my 2.75 GPA is worth about a 3.something b/c I had to deal with a bunch of other crap. I say my 2.75 means I needed to study harder. We're supposedly faster, stronger, smarter than your average State-U grad, but that's a crock'o'sh*t...

The only time my being a USNA alum has gotten me anything over a State-U grad was when I got pulled over by a NY State Trooper just south of Albany... he let me off b/c his wife is a grad (poor guy... j/k), and wrote the other dude a ticket... even though I was going faster.


Cheers,
Bubba

 

[a_m]

I am Living Proof.

I've said it before, and its been said on here... USNA (and all of the service academies) are not looking at straight academics. They are looking for a well rounded and well grounded person who shows the POTENTIAL to grow into a responsible officer and leader. In other words, you need more than a stellar academic resume... you need leadership, community service and an over all willingness to serve as well as many other qualities.



To give my $0.02 on TB's question, what it means is that my degree says "USNA" on it and I have a ring that says the same. It means I chose not to go to State-U, and the i dealt with the military BS in college as well as after. The degree... some grad schools will say that my 2.75 GPA is worth about a 3.something b/c I had to deal with a bunch of other crap. I say my 2.75 means I needed to study harder. We're supposedly faster, stronger, smarter than your average State-U grad, but that's a crock'o'sh*t...

The only time my being a USNA alum has gotten me anything over a State-U grad was when I got pulled over by a NY State Trooper just south of Albany... he let me off b/c his wife is a grad (poor guy... j/k), and wrote the other dude a ticket... even though I was going faster.


Cheers,
Bubba

+1

 

[BerkeleyNROTC09]

Yes I am from California, and yes I am a white male. haha

 

[Pitchlock]

KUDOs for throwing your name in the hat!!!!!!!

I know exactly what you are feeling right now. I applied to the academy as well. I was not accepted. But I did get an NROTC Scholarship. I was disappointed. Looking back on it (20yrs) my parents where much happier about the scholarship than I was. Now I understand.

Anyway, I'm from Kansas and I decided I was going to make the best of the Navy's money and go to USC. At the time they had a good engineering school (they may still have, I don't know).

While getting my surfboard ready (like I had one) I got a call saying the original person (or people) declined their slot to the academy and it was mine.

I took it and graduated. Now can I say that I made the right decision? I HAVE NO F&*^%$ IDEA. The academy is a very unique experience only understood by those who went there. I will not try to explain how it is any better or worse than NROTC, because I don't know. I do know that I hated the place, most of the time.

My internet fatherly comment is that I respect you a hell of a lot more than most for even wanting to go to the academy. I have no doubt that the navy will benefit from your service in 4 or so years.

 

[navca09]

3.3, no AP,1200 on sat , capt. of baseball and soccer and i got in ... but that is just half the battle surviving there is another thing The academy is not predictable on the admisson process. I know of one girl that had a 1050 and got in but she was a basketball player too.. good luck

 

[purduenavy]

I got denied from the Academy, twice. Now I'm doing BDCP and report to OCS in a month. Honestly I'm glad I didn't go there.