Hello,
I am a Senior with a 3.3 UW, 3.5 W GPA. My SAT is a 1270/1600, 650 Math, 620 EBRW, but I plan to retake it on the 26th of August. I go to a competitive GA public School, which I have gone to since 9th grade. This school has a Magnet program, of which I am a part of.
My ECS:
• Competitive swimming- More like my life outside of school. I swim competitively year round for my Club. Also am a Varsity swimmer since freshman year at my school. So far reached a semi national level (Sectionals in every event). Am trying to get athletically recruited for this sport in college. Am willing to walk on. Started out in the lowest group at my club. Moved up to the top group.
•VEX Robotics- Started VEX Junior year. My robotics team went to state and placed top 10. Will continue this year as a captain of my own robotics team.
More stuff about me:
•I speak English, Russian, and Polish fluently.
•My family is well off, and Financing college won’t be a problem for me. Getting in might.
I want to study EECS and finance in college, and have devised a list of my top schools (Not in any specific order):
•Virginia tech
•Auburn
•West Point
•Air Force Academy
•Naval Academy
•UT Austin
•Texas A&M
•California Poly- Pomona
•University of Michigan
•The Ohio State
•Purdue- West Lafayette
•NYU
•U Virginia
•U Penn
•Columbia
My Questions/Concerns:
What are my chances for getting into these schools?
Would my current SAT score, ECs, Great Essay, great recs, and other stuff makeup for my low GPA at the schools on my list?
I am retaking the SAT later this month. What score should I aim for that would put me in reach for the top/most selective schools on this list? (Besides a Perfect Score)
What should I focus on for my essays? Should I talk about Swimming (starting at the lowest group, working my way up to the top group through grit and patience?)
Should I wait to retake the SAT and for the results to get back before applying to any of these colleges?
For the Service Academies: Similar question as above. Do I retake the SAT and wait for the results in late September and then apply for a congressional letter, or do I go ahead and apply now?
What, if anything, can I do to increase my chances at some of the more selective schools on this list?
Transferring to the top and most selective schools on this list if I don’t initially get in. Is that feasible?
Anything else that I should know ?
I think applying to Columbia, U Penn, U Mich, and maybe Virginia Tech will be a waste of time. The chance of you getting in is less than 1% I hate to be mean but you wanted truth. Those are the only schools I know.
Also, if you’re interested in one of the military academies, you might consider applying to all five (you did not mention Coast Guard or Mercator Marine)
You’re best chances from that list are Auburn, A&M, Purdue, and maybe Va Tech. Your GPA is too low for the top schools, even if you get a 1600.
Are you being recruited for swimming? Sports help at the service academies. Your GPA is still low but if you could score a 1450-1500 it would help. I’m not sure how competetive GA is. Probably not as much as VA or MD but not near the range of ND or SD (for USNA).
You are behind the curve on service academies but not too late. Start by contacting a Blue and Gold Officer for USNA and then equivelent for other academies. But, do not attend a service academy unless you want to be a military officer and don’t mind a strict, structured environment. You will hate life otherwise.
Thanks, but I’d rather not go to the CG or Merchant Marine Academies. I think that there are some better schools that I could get into for EECS and Finance.
Thanks for the reply. I checked out the Majors at USNA again. Quantitative Econ or just Econ would do nicely for me. And EE, CE, ME, and Systems Engineering at USNA are all ABET Accredited. What does ABET Accreditation mean? And is it good?
Cross off all the competitive swim schools if you want to swim in college, e.g. UT, A&M. Even if accepted (not likely), you wouldn’t make the team, even as a walk on. I also agree that you have no shot at the Ivies.
Hi @HRSMom. I live in GA, which is my home state. Both of my parents are immigrants from Russia. My mom majored in arts and drama in a university there before she came here. My dad did not go to college. So I guess that makes me a first generation student? My family is well off. My father is a successful business owner who started from basically nothing when he came to this country. That’s about it. I don’t know if that would count as a hook, because by the time I was born, my family was already in good financial shape.
Also, my school does not rank its students. But I think that I fall within the top quarter of my class.
As for the academies: I have not yet applied for a nomination from a congressperson, senator, etc. Nor have I submitted a preliminary application to any school yet. I was wondering if I should go ahead and send a preliminary application and apply for a nomination now, with my current SAT Score, or wait until after I retake the SAT, receive my score in mid-late September, and apply then.
Then the top schools would be super tough. Retake your SAT and make sure you have a good safety and a couple of matches. Then apply where you want and see what happens!!
Blue and Gold officers are regional representatives who help with the process for USNA. You can find your POC from the USNA website. I’m sure other academies have the same. Start there. A B&G officer can give you best advice on how to apply and whether to wait for SAT score.
ABET accreditation is good. However, you don’t actually practice engineering in the Navy so your skills could get rusty. Best advice would be from someone who took that route and got out to practice engineering. As a Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) you could focus on engineering of a gas turbine propulsion plant or even apply to go nuke. The Navy loves engineering majors and requires technical skills but not the same as working for civilian firm. Closest parallel would be civil engineers who are Seabees.
@Sportsman88 Just sent an email to my state B&G Officer. Thanks.
When you say that you don’t actually practice Engineering in the Navy, what does that mean? The Navy is made of of many complex Electra-mechanical systems that require skilled technicians to maintain them, and engineers to devise new and improved ones. These same systems often get passed onto the private sector, especially to the Defense Industry, which is where I am interested in getting a job in after completing my service. Are you saying that just being assigned to a naval job wouldn’t mean working with these systems, unless one applies as a SWO?
It’s complicated - at least to explain on a message board. The technicians are the enlisted Sailors. They go to school for specific technical systems whether that is maintenance or operation. That includes avionics on aircraft, combat systems on a surface ship, or propulsion plants on a ship. Officers lead and must understand systems but are not the technical experts except for chief warrant officers or limited duty officers who are prior enlisted. There are engineering duty officers but you have to qualify SWO first and then apply to be a engineering duty officer. An ensign will serve as a division officer and lead 25-35 Sailors day one while getting qualified as Officer of the Deck Underway, etc. Engineering quals (like Engineering Watch Officer) are usually worked on after OOD Underway and SWO pin.
Design is mostly on the civilian side. USNA is a five year active duty commitment. Nothing says you can’t do five years (five and dive) SWO or Subs and then get out and work in defense industry in engineering. You will not be designing systems as a junior officer.
@Sportsman88 I see. Yeah that makes sense. They wouldn’t want an inexperienced college grad designing and building weapons systems. Still, I really want to go to the Naval or Air force Academies. If I don’t initially get accepted, there is a prep school for each academy. How would the process for getting into a prep school work if I don’t get in because of my low GPA, but excellent score on the fitness exam? And thanks again for your help.
I’m not sure exactly but I think NAPS (Naval Academy Prep School) is sort of like deferred admission with a built in year to shore up academic weaknesses.
Go over to the different service academy forums and you can find more information there as well.