Hello, everyone. I am planning to apply for California Maritime Academy next fall. I am a Junior in High School. I was hoping to learn a little bit more about the college from this forum. What does it look for in regards to applicants? What should I know about the college? Anything someone who is applying like me should know?
I have visited the campus twice. I plan to major in Naval Engineering and get a job on the ocean right after graduation.
The most important questions are why do you want to be a marine engineer or naval architect, and why do you want to work in the industry? What’s your background like?
For comparison I went to Maine and we had an interview instead of an essay. Having a background on the water and a love for the job can go a long way towards admission over grades etc.
Don’t just limit yourself to Cal Maritime if you want a career at sea.
[QUOTE=Traitor Yankee;159633]The most important questions are why do you want to be a marine engineer or naval architect, and why do you want to work in the industry? What’s your background like?
For comparison I went to Maine and we had an interview instead of an essay. Having a background on the water and a love for the job can go a long way towards admission over grades etc.[/QUOTE]
Some years ago, my family bought a small sail boat. Ever since then, I have developed a passion for the sea. So I decided I wanted to spend my life on the water.
None of my relatives have been in this field before.
I realize CMA is not the only path into this field, but it is the closest Maritime school to me.
SAT scores, grades and community service like any other college I would assume. Math and science intense major (Calculus 2, Physics 2, Thermodynamics, etc) so hope you have good grades in those subjects. Apply to the other academies as well…don’t put all eggs in the Cal Maritime basket. Look at Maine, Mass, SUNY and KP…good luck bud.
CMA is a relatively chill place. I came from the Navy and arrived at school thinking it would be militaristic and what not. Pretty much not so much at all.
In the MT major there are lots of diligent students and some not-so-serious-about-their-studies students.
For engineering side of things, it seems as though those guys all took math and science pretty seriously in high school and are continuing to do so. I recommend taking as much math and science your next few semesters in high school prior to applying in order to ensure acceptance as well as making things go smoother while you are here.
Thanks for all the responses, guys! My grades in Math and science are pretty average, but I am thinking of taking a summer course for those. A’s and B’s are what I’ve gotten. I don’t really have a background in the industry, as none of my relatives have been in Maritime Shipping before. My family got a boat a while back, and ever since then I’ve wanted a career on the water. I really love the ocean; the idea of traveling to many different places, while doing satisfying and meaningful work is quite tempting. I know there are other Maritime Schools in the country, but this one is relatively close to me.
In regards to academic stuff, I seem to be pretty average when considering CMA applicant’s school performance. I have a 3.2 GPA and a 1770 SAT score.