Admissions Board Process

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MOSD

MOSD
5-Year Member
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Sep 2, 2010
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Say your application is reviewed by the board of admissions today, Sept 2nd. What is actually determined at this time? Do they assign a numerical score to your application to be used once moc nominations are received?

Do they grant LOAs at this time or is that a separate process? If you don't receive an LOA in the mail within a week or so after your application is reviewed, does that mean that you will not get an LOA?
 
The Admissions Board assigns a score, called variously on this forum WPS (Whole Person Score) and WCS (Whole Candidate Score). As I understand it, if they see something they REALLY like in your application, they send you an LOA. Unless there is a significant change in your application, it will not be reviewed again by the Admissions Board. If you send in updated CFA scores, ACT/SAT scores, etc, the board will not look at your whole package again, rather, someone will adjust the WCS based upon the formula used for assigning points for such things.

I think you would be correct in assuming that if you did not receive an LOA within a few weeks of the Board reviewing your file, you probably cannot expect one.

I caution against even giving any thought to LOA. The Admissions Board is reviewing THOUSANDS of applications. Thousands. Not hundreds, THOUSANDS. In the past, they have reported sending out 100-150 LOA's.

An LOA is not an appointment. It is possible to get an LOA, fail to get a nomination, then not receive an appointment. USNA1985 had this happen to a candidate she advised last year.

Your goal is an appointment. Those who receive LOA's still have much work to do. For those of you involved in applying for a nomination, you have probably figured out by now that applying for an MOC nom is just as much work as applying to USNA......times three.

If you allow yourself to be disappointed because USNA is not sending you an LOA at this stage of the game, you are in for an excrutiatingly long fall, winter and spring. There were candidates last year on this forum with lots of leadership, multiple varsity sports, 34 ACT who failed to receive an appointment. It is a mysterious process, one the Admissions Board holds closely to the chest. There is nothing to be gained in worrying about it.

Focus all your energy, ALL OF IT, into putting together the best package for your application to USNA, whether that means studying harder for the ACT or working harder for the CFA or having one more person review your essay.........because some other candidate is doing all that and more. Then focus equally as diligently on the applications for nominations. The SA's can be very choosy these days. Put your best foot forward and have a plan B.
:thumb:
 
So for those who aren't competitive enough for an LOA, is their application reviewed and assigned a score even before they recieve an appointment? Meaning when/if the nomination comes in, there is no further review...it's just based off of the first time it was reviewed?
 
goldfarb1 said:
So for those who aren't competitive enough for an LOA, is their application reviewed and assigned a score even before they recieve an appointment? Meaning when/if the nomination comes in, there is no further review...it's just based off of the first time it was reviewed?
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It was explained to me by someone in the Admissions Office that yes, they do assign scores as they are evaluated. Let's say there are 15 applicants from your congressional district. Their apps have been getting reviewed variously throughout the fall months. When nominations begin pouring into USNA in Dec and January, ten names will be on the slate receiving nominations. Those scores enable USNA to select a nominee to assign to that MOC (there are various ways a slate may be submitted by the MOC, that is a whole 'nother discussion! We are assuming unranked slate of ten, the most common way...) The other nine may be offered appointments as well, charged to another MOC, Supt, Sec Navy, etc. Or they may shuffle around.....maybe the kid with the highest score appears on two slates of nomination sources. So, he gets an appointment from one source, and USNA chooses the second highest ranking candidate from that particular slate. Throw in nomination sources from Supt, Sec Navy, ROTC, Presidential, etc and you can see how they will shuffle and arrange to build the class they want.

Now, applications are due March 1. Nominations are due to USNA from MOC the last day of January. So, it is possible that while you have your app in early, say September and it is reviewed early on, someone else on the slate may not have their application completed. USNA Admissions will often wait until all ten appearing on the slate have completed their applications.

And, no, at no time will you know your score or how competitive it is against others from your nomination source.

USNA cannot possibly look at all application packages multiple times. There are too many. Hence the score. Many updates to your package will result in updates to your score without the Admissions Board ever looking at your package again.

As I stated before, most of this, nearly ALL of it is totally beyond your control or concern,. Focus on putting your very best foot forward. Do all you can to score as many points as possible.
 
Think about it this way. Admissions board meets once per week. They will review in detail at least 5000 applications, likely many more. How many Thursdays are there from 01 Sept to 30 Apr? That's a lot of applications in a day even if they only look at them once! :eek:
 
I think you would be correct in assuming that if you did not receive an LOA within a few weeks of the Board reviewing your file, you probably cannot expect one.
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My son was reviewed the first week of September at least that was what was told to him that he would be in the first seating of the admissions board. He received his LOA on October 12th (letter was dated that day) Letter arrived at our home the next week. So if you will it was about a 6 week process.
 
Here is what happens. When your packet is complete other than medical and CFA, it will be reviewed by the Admissions Board. They determine you are qualified, not qualified or deferred (they will wait to make a decision). If you're not qualified, you will automatically be considered for NAPS/Foundation. A decision on an LOA can occur before your packet is complete or after it is complete.

Just because your packet is complete on a certain day does NOT mean it will be reviewed at the next Board session. You can imagine that there is a large backlog and I'm not sure if it's FIFO (first in, first out). Some may hear right away; for others, it may be literally months after your packet is in.

If something changes -- new SAT/ACTs, new grades, better CFA (if you submitted it), etc. -- the Admissions Board may review your file again and your status could change to a more favorable one. Once you're deemed "qualified," this won't be revisited unless you basically flunk out of h.s. or get into serious legal trouble.
 
To add to what jennyp said regarding nominations, I do not know if my DD is being charged against the Senator who nominated her or through some other means. And, it matters not one bit. Likewise, it matters not one bit that she had a LOA. Once they raise their hand on I-day they're all just Plebes.
 
usna1985 said:
Here is what happens. When your packet is complete other than medical and CFA, it will be reviewed by the Admissions Board. They determine you are qualified, not qualified or deferred (they will wait to make a decision). If you're not qualified, you will automatically be considered for NAPS/Foundation. A decision on an LOA can occur before your packet is complete or after it is complete.

Just because your packet is complete on a certain day does NOT mean it will be reviewed at the next Board session. You can imagine that there is a large backlog and I'm not sure if it's FIFO (first in, first out). Some may hear right away; for others, it may be literally months after your packet is in.

If something changes -- new SAT/ACTs, new grades, better CFA (if you submitted it), etc. -- the Admissions Board may review your file again and your status could change to a more favorable one. Once you're deemed "qualified," this won't be revisited unless you basically flunk out of h.s. or get into serious legal trouble.
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Okay you said everything except medical and CFA. So if my BGO interview isn't in, they won't look over it yet?
 
Just a quick question.

I've been hearing DoDMERB is the place to look first if you receive an LOA or an appointment (NALOA / Offer Extended). Does it also notify you when your application has been reviewed? Right now mine says nothing except Qualified but I've heard others say it says "In Process." Will mine change to that once they review my app? It's 100% complete.
 
d.mcknight said:
Okay you said everything except medical and CFA. So if my BGO interview isn't in, they won't look over it yet?
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I do not believe Admissions would review an app that lacked BGO interview.
 
SAT subject tests?

I know that subject tests are not required, but is there a way to ensure that they will be taken into consideration by the admissions board if you have taken them? or do they just not care? I did well on Chemistry, Physics, and Math II and want them to see that. Also, for things such as any awards like for math competitions or the ap scholar award, will they have any effect on your application and how can they see it?
 
jennyp said:
I do not believe Admissions would review an app that lacked BGO interview.
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Does anyone know how long it should take to get the BGO interview in? I had my interview the second week of August and my portal shows it isn't in yet. I guess this would be the last thing I need before I get reviewed. I only have my CFA left. I've taken it once, but was not satisfied with my scores, so I'm going to retake and submit in October.
 
After a week or so, I e-mailed my BGO with a "polite e-mail" to get the interview report in. :p He had it in the next day, so it works! Good luck guys.
 
d.mcknight said:
Okay you said everything except medical and CFA. So if my BGO interview isn't in, they won't look over it yet?
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As a general rule, no. However, if your packet has been in for a long time and the BGO interview is still outstanding -- and attempts to get the BGO to conduct the interview have failed -- they may look at it w/o the interview. They prefer not to do that b/c they want the benefit of the interview if at all possible.
 
Hmm. DS's all complete except his BGO interview that he did 3 weeks ago isn't showing up as received. He got a letter for a CVW, does that mean his has been looked at?
 
ranger said:
Hmm. DS's all complete except his BGO interview that he did 3 weeks ago isn't showing up as received. He got a letter for a CVW, does that mean his has been looked at?
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CVW's are reserved for highly qualified candidates. The admissions board may not have reviewed you DS's file, but has possibly been looked at somewhere along the line. BGO's nominate candidates for the CVW's as well.
 
jumprope_11 said:
BGO's nominate candidates for the CVW's as well.
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Actually, we don't "nominate" candidates for CVWs, nor are we asked to do so. We can suggest someone be given a CVW but I'm not sure it carries any more weight than the candidate him/herself requesting one. I've done that a few times over the years and sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. I don't want anyone to have the mis-impression that your BGO can get you a CVW nor do I want every candidate to ask his/her BGO to request one as this will create chaos. The CVW decision, along with decisions on appointments, rests entirely with USNA.
 
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