How does USNA determine competitive candidates?

What are the steps in this process for the USNA?

Do some homework.

This is like asking "Who am I? " "Is there God?" "Is the ball blown up or stuffed?" "Will the Navy love me?"

Get off your duff. And eat your pablum.

Start by reading the stickies on this forum. After that, ask away.

Thanks Whistle

I did not come here to be treated rudely, but if it makes you feel bigger Whistle Pig, please continue. Get off my duff?

I did read through what I had time to read and let me try to ask this in one question. In states where the all of the nominations have not been made, (interviews may or may not be completed, but choices have not been made), do they determine competive candidates again, after all of the nominations are in for that state?

Thank you very much in advance to the person that answers this.

Why I ask

Perhaps I need to state why I am asking. I love the term "things start falling off the walls" that I think I heard here. That is what I imagine happening after all of the nominations are in....things begin to fall into place. So, I hope that someone can answer my question.

First of all, MOC's must submit their nomination slate by the end of January (IDK what it is but there is an exact date). When they submit the slate they submit the names on it as well as whether it is prinicipal, competitive, ranked, etc.

However, candidates who are not charged to their member of congress are able to enter what is known as the national pool. In order to get an appointment from within the national pool, a candidate must be extremely competitive. Having said that, it does happen. Appointments from the national pool are charged to......the Secretary of the Navy??? maybe......

I hear the nominations have to be turned in by January 31st.

Thank you

for the answer. I appreciate it very much.

question

This was the question I posted earlier.

I did read through what I had time to read and let me try to ask this in one question. In states where the all of the nominations have not been made, (interviews may or may not be completed, but choices have not been made), do they determine competive candidates again, after all of the nominations are in for that state?

This was the question I posted. Thanks USNA1985.

When an application is complete, some administrative type in the CGO sits down with it an assigns WPM (Whole Person Multiplier) points to every item in the application. Each and every item mentioned in the application is very objectively weighed and assigned a certain number of points. The record is then presented to the Admissions Board which further assigns more points, called RABs (Recommendations of the Admissions Board). These points are much more subjective and are mostly based on the board's feelings of how well that individual will succeed. Since certain combinations of points might not determine a successful candidate,usually great extracurriculars and marginal academics, the Board’s other primary function is also to determine whether or not the candidate is overall scholastically qualified. The record is then set aside, for all practical purposes, complete. However, later, as amplifying information such as upgraded SATs/ACTs, Eagle Scout, winter sports captain, etc, etc, is received, points are simply added to the above total. In certain unusual cases, the record may go back before the Board to change whether it is qualified. Each year in order to obtain the correct number of qualified candidates, a bottom level of total points is determined by Admissions. To the best of my knowledge it is still in the upper 50k range. Above this cutoff, one is ’competitive’, below it, they are not. As slates from each nomination source, including Presidential, SecNav, and each MOC are finalized, candidates are simply ranked by WPM/RAB totals and, generally, except in the case of MOCs who nominate with a principal slate, the top candidates receive the appointments. When the slates are submitted really has nothing to do with the process.

Thanks Mongo

That is a wonderful explanation. Another question or two. Does having more than one nomination add more points so to speak? Does having a competitive nomination (no idea what that means) add more points? I understand what a primary nomination is and I guess that would add the most points via a nomination.

blueridge said:

Does having more than one nomination add more points so to speak? Does having a competitive nomination (no idea what that means) add more points? I understand what a primary nomination is and I guess that would add the most points via a nomination.

Click to expand...

No. None will "add more points". However, more than one might enhance one's chances of an appointment. For each opening which a MOC has, he may nominate 10 individuals. He may submit the list three ways; Principal with ranked alternates, Principal with competitive alternates, or competitive. With the Principal (primary) method, the MOC selects his preferred candidate. If that candidate is 3Qed, he will receive an appointment. With the Competitive method, the MOC simply submitgs an alphabetical list, and the Academy, utilizing the aforementioned WPM/RAB totals, selects the most qualified candidate who is 3Qed. If the listed Principal candidate is not 3Qed, either the Academy picks his replacement (competitive alternates) or the MOC selects the alternate (ranked alternates). Once all the mandatory appointments have been designated (MOC, SecNav, Presidential, VP, etc), there are still openings in the class. Federal law states that most of these openings go to those qualified alternates (the other nine) from the MOCs slates. These appointments will go to those alternates nationwide ranked by order of merit (those with the highest WPM/RAB totals). So, for individual MOC competitive appointments, the successful candidate only has to have more WPM/RAB points than the other 3Qed individuals from his district with whom he is competiting directly. However, for the remainder, to be successful in the national pool, they have to have more points nationwide than their competitors. So, to ask the question you kinda but really didn't ask. How does more nominations increase ones chance of selection? Very common is the candidate who receives a nomination from his senator and then, for one reason or another, does not pursue a nomination from his local congressman. Since the state-wide slate is, by definition, very competitive, unless a candidate knows that he is the principal, primary, most competitive candidate on the slate, he should never forego the local slate where he will be much more competitive and have a greater chance of being the top candidate. In this instance, the second most qualified candidate on a senator's slate who would likely be the most qualified on his local congressman's slate, not competitive in the national pool, unless, he pursues the local nomination, has just lost out. Bottom line. Unless an appointment can be made from a nomination, it is worthless. A candidate may be competitive on some slates and not on others. By and large, the candidate will not know which of these slates he is competive on and which he is not. In many cases no one knows until the end of the cycle when things are being finalized. The catalog states to pursue ALL nominations for which one is eligible. Follow those instructions.

Thanks again Mongo

Excellent and I thank you.

Mongo, awesome response to appointment process question.

DS just completed "re-apply" process. All info submitted including (2)nominations along with 1st semester college grades.

Much less stressful this year because DS really enjoys NROTC and college.

SKC, to encourage your son, USNA just named a new Brigade Commander -- the highest-ranking midshipman leadership position at the academy. He was not accepted out of h.s., then USNA wait-listed him after his first year in college, and he got the word he was in just a few weeks before I-Day.

Good luck to your son.

NortherCalMother,
Thanks for the info and the encouragement. I will forward to DS. DS met and spent an hour or so with Brigade Commander during Feb 2010 CWV.

What does Ds mean? I know that you guys are talking about your son/daughter

DS=Dear Son, DD=Dear Daughter

Or, for some, Darling Son and Darling Daughter - depends on the degree of "gushiness" that is tolerable, I guess. Your choice.