A little bit of help for a newcomer please...

katamonk

USAFA 2015 Appointee
5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
78
Dear whoever is reading,

I am a female applicant to the USAFA for the class of 2015. I have a major question that google hasn't been able to answer for me....what in the world is LOA short for? And what is it?

Thanks for helping me from mental stress!! :)
 
I have already received a nomination from my congressman. Actually, I received a dual nomination to the USAFA and USNA. Just thought I'd clarify so that it doesn't seem like I'm a random kid with no shot of getting in since I don't know the lingo.
 
http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=11568

Here's the acronym list that will help you out if any others come up.

Basically a LOA is a letter from the academy stating that as long as you satisfy the terms in the LOA (normally a nomination or DoDMERB), you will receive an appointment. Air Force gives the least out of all the service academies. It's only around 150/yr and those are normally what one would consider shoo-ins. Don't worry if you don't have an LOA, just concentrate on yourself and you'll be fine. An appointment is an appointment and whether or not you had an LOA you'll still all be known as a New Cadet.

Congratulations on the two nominations and continue to update your file or finish it if you haven't yet :thumb:
 
LOA's for the AFA are rare, about 10%, and trust me if they gave you an LOA you would know it.

Nobody is going to think less of you for not knowing the lingo...in time you will.

It is also true, that as a cadet you know what they call you...cadet! Not one person will give a rats hiney if you had an LOA or not.

Just like you know what they call an AFA grad at UPT compared to the AFA grad at Intel? LT!

Just take the time now and enjoy the last of your hs yrs. The books will be closing in a few short weeks and there will be nothing more you can control.

Good luck.
 
Pima:

Thank you so much. :) This website is pretty amazing. Everyone seems genuinely happy to help each other out. If only every person in life was like that. I am finding it is a little bit hard to enjoy the last of hs while waiting for acceptance letters. I will definitely try though.
 
If you do get that letter, I can guarantee it will be worth the wait:thumb: Good luck!
 
Welcome to the AF katamonk.

That is how AF life is...we may argue with each other like siblings do, but got forbid anyone from the outside touches you and we are will circle the wagons.

You will find that the people you become friends with in your AF career be it AFA, AFROTC or AD, will become lifelong friends, and you will travel the world to be there with them 20 yrs later.

I mean this when I say it, if I had one wish it would be to roll back the hands of time and relive every moment again, the good, the bad and the ugly. That is how much I loved that life as a spouse.

I think it also speaks volumes of how great the life is when our own DS has decided it is his dream to live the life as an AD officer after living 18 yrs as an AD dependent....think about it his 1st opportunity to not carry a military i.d. card would be when he is 27 yos, and that is if he doesn't go flight, in that case he would have been connected to the AF for 32 yrs.

I am sure CC would agree with me on that note!
 
My ALO expressed many of the same opinions that you seem to have. The whole reason I'm interested in the service academies is because of that sense of family and security that comes from working closely with people who share your same passion. And, being an only child, I'm more than willing to live a lifestyle with countless brothers and sisters. :)
I think it is awesome that your DS has decided to become an AD officer. I speak honestly when I say that every person who enlists or goes to an Academy is my hero. The humility and bravery each person posseses makes me proud to want to join them. Now, I just have to wait and see if I'll get the chance. :)
 
If you do get that letter, I can guarantee it will be worth the wait:thumb: Good luck!

Thanks! Although I don't think I'll be getting one, to be honest. I'm a strong candidate, but I know that there are many people more qualified than I am.
 
People really get wrapped up in the LOA thing, and they shouldn't. An LOA is not a predictor of success at the AFA.

I will also say I have seen over the yrs a trend when it comes to LOAs for the AFA. If the AFA gets wind that one of their candidates received an LOA from WP or USNA within days they usually offer one to that candidate in hopes that they will not jump over to the other side because of the security when it comes to an LOA.

LOAs are also used for athletic recruitment.

Again they are rare and don't wrap yourself up a pole if you don't get one.

Also, as you wait this out don't get frustrated reading the apptmt threads. Remember the mass mailing in MARCH is the big one. I believe that statistically 75% of the apptmts come down at that time. ****It also occurs over a few weeks in March, drips in the 1st week, bulk the 2nd week, drips in the 3rd .

The one thing to remember is that every SA has a different feel when it comes to their lives. I hope because you said academies not academy, that you understand there is a different feel at each and everyone of them. It is important to comprehend that SAs are like colleges, they all are different.
 
I can definitely tell that there is a different feel to each SA. To me, it is obvious through the interviews. My CGA admissions rep was a lot more impersonal than my BGO or ALO. But, that could just have been because I had 15 minutes with her, rather than the 2 hours I had with the other reps.

Thank you for the reminder not to get frustrated over the apptmt threads. It is very easy to forget that. Also, I'm not worried about getting an LOA since they are so rare. I'm okay being in the other 90%. :)
 
Good on you...because to me that says a lot. It states that at this young age you understand some things are out of your personal control and you will deal with cards dealt to you in a mature way and make the best of it...i.e. you accept the fact that sometimes there are outside forces that impact your life.
 
Thank you so much for the compliment Pima. You are probably the nicest person I've ever talked to on the internet. :) This website is quickly becoming my favorite.
 
This website is quickly becoming my favorite.

I almost live on this website after only being a member for a couple months. I don't really post everywhere but I constantly check it and read everything. You'll start doing that too, it's great.

And it's good to not get your hopes up too much I think, like not expecting an LOA. I'm not negative, but I don't like getting my hopes up to have them crushed. I'm currently a candidate with only a Presidential Nom. I'm in a super tough situation, but knowing that helps me to push myself. I'm still waiting for awesome/above average CFA scores to submit them, it's the last thing on my application. I keep telling myself "there's always next year" though so I'm prepared for the worst.
 
I was also in similar shoes senior year, always coming back to this website to see what others have to say, but remember you're in high school! Be motivated about the Academy but don't get too wrapped up and remember to still enjoy your time in high school!
 
I second that comment by PDub. This is an awesome site, but once you have everything in, go enjoy your senior year! Trust me, you will miss it once you get here.:thumb:
 
I second that comment by PDub. This is an awesome site, but once you have everything in, go enjoy your senior year! Trust me, you will miss it once you get here.:thumb:
I don't think I'll mentally be able to enjoy my senior year until I have an acceptance letter from at least one of the SAs :)
 
Katamonk, please don't say that! I know the anticipation is very tough, but ENJOY YOUR SENIOR YEAR! Especially if you do wind up at a service academy, you'll have a very different experience than your high school buddies who go off to civilian colleges next fall. Also, you'll not be spending the summer flipping burgers and hanging at the pool.

Sure, there is a cloud of anxiety which surrounds all college decisions, but don't let it be your end-all/be-all.

If you aren't offered an appointment, make sure you have a civ college (with ROTC?) lined up. If you still feel you belong at USNA or USAFA or USMA, CGA, or MMA, re-apply, while keeping up your grades, your work, your fitness, etc.

Remember, the LOA is rare; of my two sons, one got one, one didn't, and it didn't matter a hill of beans on I-Day, or since.
 
I can't tell you enough to enjoy your Senior year. Even if you go to a regular college, you should always remember high school is one of the greatest times of your life. Senior year should be the best year out of your 4 years of high school.
 
Back
Top