I think the academies look at class rank more so than gpa. GPA is hard to gauge between one school and another with grade inflation, different classes weighted and non-weighted, etc. A student can take a regular math course for an easy A vs an AP calc course and getting a B, but admissions can see through that. They will also look at the number of people in the class as well as the academic strength of the school (number of kids going to 4 yr colleges, etc). Admissions wants to see that you have challenged yourself academically and athletically because if not, it's gonna be a "long road to hoe" at the academy. JMHO.
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- Thread starter Integer1
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A little clarification...
Remember, there are not one, but two admissions processes, and you have to get both in order to get in. What am I talking about? A nomination is from a political office - Senators and Representatives get a few nominations each, with several of them being designated as their 'primary' candidate. The President, V.P., SecNav, and some other big shots get to nominate people, too. Oh, and if your Dad won the Medal of Honor, and you're otherwise qualified, that counts as a nomination too. Don't know how often that happens, but it is one of those Medal of Honor perks.
How does this shake out in the admissions numbers? Well, it guarantees geographic diversity, which can translate to really smart, well-qualified kids not getting in because they're in a very, very competitive congressional district, and less-than-stellar kids getting in because they were the only one to apply in their district, and are marginally qualified. For example, Norfolk or San Diego, where the Navy and Naval Academy are 'big', there's huge competition. Rural (or for that matter, urban) areas with poor educational systems also get an equal number of slots (I'm speaking specifically of House of Rep.s nominations, which are by far the most numerous), resulting in candidates who may be less-qualified than those applying out of better-educated and more Navy-minded areas.
Speaking from my own experience, rather than hear-say and conjecture, though, there are few drop-dead requirements. The admissions boards are looking at the 'whole person.' I had a 3.2 or 3.3 in high school, which 'should have' disqualified me, but the board was gracious enough to consider that I graduated in 3 years, got a 1480, and some other off-setting stuff. Incidentally, you may have some flexability in where you apply from; I'm not advocating that you 'game the system,' but... well, my own experience: I had lived in Lemoore, CA for one year when I applied to USNA, but I applied through my Texas congressman (my Dad being active duty and a Texas resident) and was fortunate enough to get in. In retrospect, it would have been much, much easier to get the nomination in a rural, agriculture-based area such as Lemoore, but it all worked out.
Finally, I resent this:
<<If you're more into the leadership stuff, then maybe OCS or ROTC is a better choice.>>
I'm not one to start a 'oooh, my commisioning source is better than your's' spat, but you have to realize that - despite your rather cynical anecdotal speculation - the vast majority of those accepted into USNA are very well qualified to lead, and were accepted in large part because they were leaders to begin with. As soon as you discover a reliable method to uncover the true moral fortitude and leadership potential of each candidate, be sure to let the admissions board know about it.
Remember, there are not one, but two admissions processes, and you have to get both in order to get in. What am I talking about? A nomination is from a political office - Senators and Representatives get a few nominations each, with several of them being designated as their 'primary' candidate. The President, V.P., SecNav, and some other big shots get to nominate people, too. Oh, and if your Dad won the Medal of Honor, and you're otherwise qualified, that counts as a nomination too. Don't know how often that happens, but it is one of those Medal of Honor perks.
How does this shake out in the admissions numbers? Well, it guarantees geographic diversity, which can translate to really smart, well-qualified kids not getting in because they're in a very, very competitive congressional district, and less-than-stellar kids getting in because they were the only one to apply in their district, and are marginally qualified. For example, Norfolk or San Diego, where the Navy and Naval Academy are 'big', there's huge competition. Rural (or for that matter, urban) areas with poor educational systems also get an equal number of slots (I'm speaking specifically of House of Rep.s nominations, which are by far the most numerous), resulting in candidates who may be less-qualified than those applying out of better-educated and more Navy-minded areas.
Speaking from my own experience, rather than hear-say and conjecture, though, there are few drop-dead requirements. The admissions boards are looking at the 'whole person.' I had a 3.2 or 3.3 in high school, which 'should have' disqualified me, but the board was gracious enough to consider that I graduated in 3 years, got a 1480, and some other off-setting stuff. Incidentally, you may have some flexability in where you apply from; I'm not advocating that you 'game the system,' but... well, my own experience: I had lived in Lemoore, CA for one year when I applied to USNA, but I applied through my Texas congressman (my Dad being active duty and a Texas resident) and was fortunate enough to get in. In retrospect, it would have been much, much easier to get the nomination in a rural, agriculture-based area such as Lemoore, but it all worked out.
Finally, I resent this:
<<If you're more into the leadership stuff, then maybe OCS or ROTC is a better choice.>>
I'm not one to start a 'oooh, my commisioning source is better than your's' spat, but you have to realize that - despite your rather cynical anecdotal speculation - the vast majority of those accepted into USNA are very well qualified to lead, and were accepted in large part because they were leaders to begin with. As soon as you discover a reliable method to uncover the true moral fortitude and leadership potential of each candidate, be sure to let the admissions board know about it.
usunkmybship
Registered User
Integer, how is the application process going for you know?
futrMarineBlueAngel
Registered User
Usna
Integer1 said:
futrMarineBlueAngel
Registered User
Usna
How early is very early Integer 1? I have two friends that have recently been accepted into the USNA. They are cool people, but I have them both when it comes to athletics, grades, and other extra stuff. The problem for me is that I graduate at 16 and wont be 17 until nov of my freshman year, so i have to wait to go in. Lucky for me, the Academy has yet to answer any of my questions. Gotta love the Navy.
I was told you have to be 17 to join ROTC, is that true?
How early is very early Integer 1? I have two friends that have recently been accepted into the USNA. They are cool people, but I have them both when it comes to athletics, grades, and other extra stuff. The problem for me is that I graduate at 16 and wont be 17 until nov of my freshman year, so i have to wait to go in. Lucky for me, the Academy has yet to answer any of my questions. Gotta love the Navy.
I was told you have to be 17 to join ROTC, is that true?
I think to start any officer programs you have to be 17. If you want to enlist you have to be 17 and a half. You could always join ROTC the next semester. If you still want to go to the academy concentrate on taking the basic courses that you can validate out of in the academy. It would make your life a lot easier if you didn't have to take all the calc courses and such. You can also validate up to 4 semesters of a foreign language. Keep pushing on getting your questions answered. Just call them every day until they tell you what you want to know. If you want to go next year you should already have your package in. So how early? I would say right now.
Integer1
Banned
Blue, my best advice for everybody is to call the Admissions office. Yes, even if one of us might know the answer. This way, they can see that you are interested, as well as give you the most up-to-date information. Finally, if people were not afraid to call admissions, the admissions office would be able to gather a lot of information on what candidates want to know about.
For example, I can tell from your posts that you are interested. But how will the Academy know? And Academy Admissions has more weight in your selection than what I feel/say right now about you.
So make sure the Academy knows how much you want to attend, as this forum already does!
The one thing to avoid asking are questions that are clearly answered on their web site. But questions about special cases, such as yours, should definitely be brought to their attention. Keep calling until they say you are old enough to apply, which would be about 17 or 18 years old. But, call now! And, ask what kind of stuff you could do in the meantime.
Hey Bship, my BGO said that he thought a lot of me, and I learned today that I'm supposed to call my regional director tomorrow. I don't know what that's about! How is NAPS?
For example, I can tell from your posts that you are interested. But how will the Academy know? And Academy Admissions has more weight in your selection than what I feel/say right now about you.
So make sure the Academy knows how much you want to attend, as this forum already does!The one thing to avoid asking are questions that are clearly answered on their web site. But questions about special cases, such as yours, should definitely be brought to their attention. Keep calling until they say you are old enough to apply, which would be about 17 or 18 years old. But, call now! And, ask what kind of stuff you could do in the meantime.
Hey Bship, my BGO said that he thought a lot of me, and I learned today that I'm supposed to call my regional director tomorrow. I don't know what that's about! How is NAPS?
usunkmybship
Registered User
Life is stressful at Nimitz High. I'm doing very bad academically but I'm passing. Our finals start Monday. Last night I had watch from 1-5am and the battalion sl** wouldn't get out of our platoon bay. Too much "naps after taps" here and I did my best to monitor that, er. Anyways we live for weekends and I'd rather be here than anywere else.
Last week was our battalion trip to USNA and I like the place, especially Rickover Hall and the engineering labs. The mids don't like us Napsters though.
Last week was our battalion trip to USNA and I like the place, especially Rickover Hall and the engineering labs. The mids don't like us Napsters though.
jacksonwt2g
Registered User
It's not that the mids don't like you, it's that they just don't care.
Kinda hijacking the thread, but one question. Anyone know anyone who reapplied to the academy while at a normal college? I'm in NROTC right now and considering reapplying using NROTC as my nomination source. Does anyone know the process for this, success rates, etc? I got an LOA my first time around when applying for class of 2008.
CommodoreMid, I'm no expert, but here's what I've heard from a couple of Mids/the Soccer coach at USNA. The acceptance rate the second time around is much lower, and I'd imagine that it'd be even harder for you since you were actually accepted and turned it down. But like I said, I'm no expert.
Ok ... CM, I went through and did the same thing you are thinking about. The process is exactly the same. Parts of your application can be reused (DODMERB and I forget what else). From ROTC you can apply for a nomination through your unit (SECNAV has something like 10 nominations/year to appoint from ROTC). If you apply again, be sure to apply for any nomination for which you qualify (Senator, Representative). Make sure you get good grades 1st semester (3.5+) and that you are ranked high in your ROTC unit. PM me if you have any questions.
UsnaFury, I'm not sure where you got the information that acceptance is more difficult when reapplying. When you total up the number who went to NAPS, prep schools, or have a college background, it is more than 30% of the incoming class. The admissions board has a difficult time determing whether or not someone will stay the whole four years. Reapplying shows that you are determined to go to USNA.
ghost
UsnaFury, I'm not sure where you got the information that acceptance is more difficult when reapplying. When you total up the number who went to NAPS, prep schools, or have a college background, it is more than 30% of the incoming class. The admissions board has a difficult time determing whether or not someone will stay the whole four years. Reapplying shows that you are determined to go to USNA.
ghost
Oh I didn't turn down the LOA. I had a temporarily disqualifying condition that rendered me ineligible for a waiver then, but it would be fine for the class of 2009.
viv
Midshipman 4/Trash
Reapply
Hey CommodoreMid,
I was not accepted into the class of 2007 (for whatever reasons that I don't even care about anymore) and did NROTC on scholarship at Georgia Tech for a year. I reapplied at college and now I'm a member of '08. Maybe I'm living proof that doing ROTC and reapplying increases chances of getting accepted. I tried to get a nomination through my unit but I didn't get a nomination from ROTC (probably because I already got a couple of congressional nominations). My unit's letter for nomination, however, did end up being like another recommendation letter. So don't be bashful...it's not gonna hurt you to reapply. If you get accepted to '09, you can always turn the academy down. You'll still end up in the same Navy.
Hey CommodoreMid,
I was not accepted into the class of 2007 (for whatever reasons that I don't even care about anymore) and did NROTC on scholarship at Georgia Tech for a year. I reapplied at college and now I'm a member of '08. Maybe I'm living proof that doing ROTC and reapplying increases chances of getting accepted. I tried to get a nomination through my unit but I didn't get a nomination from ROTC (probably because I already got a couple of congressional nominations). My unit's letter for nomination, however, did end up being like another recommendation letter. So don't be bashful...it's not gonna hurt you to reapply. If you get accepted to '09, you can always turn the academy down. You'll still end up in the same Navy.
Hey CM,
I am in the same boat as viv. I didn't even apply to the academy out of high school because I didn't really know about it being from a small town in Oklahoma. I applied my first year in college and got turned down. So I reapplied and was accepted. The difference was I took almost two full semesters of math and science. I think I took two semesters of calc, two semesters of chem, biology, trig, basically whatever I could take. I also went to take the SAT again and scored higher. I can't say what was the deciding factor, but I got in the second time around. I graduated in 2001 and now fly E-2's.
I am in the same boat as viv. I didn't even apply to the academy out of high school because I didn't really know about it being from a small town in Oklahoma. I applied my first year in college and got turned down. So I reapplied and was accepted. The difference was I took almost two full semesters of math and science. I think I took two semesters of calc, two semesters of chem, biology, trig, basically whatever I could take. I also went to take the SAT again and scored higher. I can't say what was the deciding factor, but I got in the second time around. I graduated in 2001 and now fly E-2's.
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