Appointments per state, is there a minimum??

ymg

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I was wondering if the Academy has to pick a certain number of applicants from each state? Does anybody know?
Thanks!
 
I was wondering if the Academy has to pick a certain number of applicants from each state? Does anybody know?
Thanks!

My understanding is that the Academy has to take one person minimum from each slate, a.k.a. one candidate from each member of Congress (MOC).

I work as an intern for my U.S. Senator and his Academy Coordinator told me that they nominate 10 (that is the max each MOC can nominate) and they usually have 5 or 6 of their nominees appointed.

Each state is different, some are extremely competitive (think Colorado and Florida) and others not so much (think Alaska).

The staff at the Senator's office have intentionally kept me out of the nomination process paperwork and all that for obvious reasons, but I do know that they received a little over 100 apps for 10 USAFA nomination slots.

Unfortunately they did not nominate me, but I did receive nominations from the other MA Senator and my Congressman.

Hope this helped.
 
Each MOC is authorized to have 5 cadets at the academy at any one time. So; if the MOC has an opening (Which they normally do); and they submit a slate of up to 10 people; then the academy must take one of them. "Assuming at least one is qualified scholastically, physically, and medically".

MOC's can have more than 5 at the academy from their state/district, but the others aren't assigned against the MOC's slot. I.e. They were selected out of the national pool to top off the class. (There's only 553 moc's, so one each still leaves quite a few slots left). Plus there are some that received appointments with presidential nominations, ROTC, LOA's, etc...

Anyway; hope that sort of explains it. Normally each MOC has at least 1 slot per year; but hypothetically, they could have 3 slates available one year and filled them; and 2 more the next year and filled those; and technically wouldn't have any slots available for the next 2 years because they have 5 slated. But that's almost unheard of. Just wanted to point out that it isn't actually a MINIMUM, but a MAXIMUM of 5 slotted against them at the academy at any one time.
 
My understanding is that the Academy has to take one person minimum from each slate, a.k.a. one candidate from each member of Congress (MOC).
Does the USAFA have to take one candidate from each state OR one candidate from each MOC (providing they are qualified)? There is a difference in these two options.

I have heard that the USAFA has a special dispensation that allows them not to accept any candidates from Tennessee. :wink:
 
Oh my heavens...can u imagine if they don't pick anybody from TN!!!!:frown:
I like ur sense of humor!!!
Thank you all for the responses...although we are coming to the end of 1 yr of torture waiting on this...I'm still hopeful. Who cares who is last...as long as u make it right!

(by the way I can't write in English very well so forgive my grammar issues :biggrin:)
 
Christcorp-
So, in my son's case, he had a nomination for USNA but not for USAFA. He completed his application for USAFA and is currently listed on his online app as a candidate but no nomination. We found out he is likely now not qualified for USNA due to a colorblindness issue. However, he is qualified for USAFA medically. Does the lack of a nomination hurt him as far as the national pool is considered? The MOC office told us to pick one and if interested, the other academy would tell them and they would issue the nomination. We selected USNA because we believed there would be more opportunities in the field he wants to study (Mechanical Engineering). As far as other reasons, he was favoring USAFA. Did we shoot down his chances? I appreciate input from you or any others on this....
 
I realize that you posted this to Christcorp, but I've been trolling on these threads for a while now and my understanding is that you must have a NOM to the acdemy to which you are applying. They are all independent in terms of the application process and NOMS can't be shared back and forth. I'm SURE that someone will correct me if wrong, and for your DS's sake I hope I am!
 
Christcorp-
So, in my son's case, he had a nomination for USNA but not for USAFA. He completed his application for USAFA and is currently listed on his online app as a candidate but no nomination. We found out he is likely now not qualified for USNA due to a colorblindness issue. However, he is qualified for USAFA medically. Does the lack of a nomination hurt him as far as the national pool is considered? The MOC office told us to pick one and if interested, the other academy would tell them and they would issue the nomination. We selected USNA because we believed there would be more opportunities in the field he wants to study (Mechanical Engineering). As far as other reasons, he was favoring USAFA. Did we shoot down his chances? I appreciate input from you or any others on this....

Without a nomination, he can't be selected for appointment to USAFA. That is written in law.

NOW...USAFA/MoC/YOU can all try to "see what can be done" in this case...and if your son is high enough on the USAFA list that they would offer him an appointment, if he were a nominee, they "MAY" be able to do something...that falls into the area of "ONLY the folks at USAFA know what can/can't be done ultimately and they do NOT tell anyone."

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Flieger83, thank you for your always very helpful info. It has really educated a first-time SA applicant "mom".

I do have somewhat related question for you: How often does it occur that the principal nom is DQ'd? Just curious and not that I would wish that on anyone! The noms are given w/o benefit of knowledge of the medical or fitness parts assessments so it seems possible that a portion of the Prin. Noms end up DQ'd due to those areas OR possibly even scholastic depending on senior year grades.
 
Flieger83-

Thanks for your response. I did call the MOC academy rep and told her the situation. At the time my son applied, they already had a list of nominees but had one slot left on USNA and USAFA. The rep told us to pick one in case there was someone else applying late. As explained above, he picked USNA. It turned out there was nobody else that came in late.

When we found out about the medical issue yesterday, we called the MOC rep and she is looking into it. I guess the earlier mention of each MOC being allowed 5 nominees at the academy at any one time is what threw me. Once the academy chooses the MOC nominee to fill the principal slot, then the others are thrown into the national pool. So, I am under the assumption from what is being stated here that the pool only consists of those 3Q'ed and had been nominated (even though they are not the principal nominee).

The biggest problem is that he was getting a bit on the cocky about getting in and didn't follow up with ROTC or any other scholarships. We kept on him, but it was considered as nagging and we figured it was better to let him learn some hard lessons. This may be the case here, but we are at least doing due diligence with it to make sure all bases are covered. If he strikes out, he already has a plan set on how to take a shot at it (and ROTC) next year.

He is planning to take his AP tests this spring in Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics (he is in the classes this year) and if successful, will start up in more advanced classes at a local 4 year college. He also has a plan to continue his workout regimen as well as extra curricular activities. The college also has AFROTC, so he will be talking to them as well.

Thanks everyone for your input!
 
As a follow-up, we called the MOC's liaison and she told us that she had placed an inquiry as to the availability of nominations. She suggested we call his AFA Counselor about it. I did so this morning and she put me in touch with the AFA Congressional liaison. He reviewed my son's file (he is 3Q'ed) as well as the others that had received nominations previously. He said that there was at least one who was not qualified and he would recommend to the Congressman's liaison that a nomination be issued. So, now we wait and see what happens....

Just figured I'd post an update to let others know how it went....:thumb:
 
Listen to Flieger, no nom = no apptmt.

I am confused here how is it your MOC liaison is not your Congressional liaison, unless you are stating MOC nom is a Senator?

Otherwise what I am inferring is that your MOC liaison told you to call the AFA and the AFA told you to call them:argue1: I used argue because this site does not have a graphic of a dog chasing their tail.

I know this doesn't give you any encouragement, but right now by what I understand from the procedural process that you cannot get on a slate after it has been submitted:frown:
 
Thanks!

Just got a call from the MOC liaison. He is now nominated. The MOC called as he was leaving town and she told him she had the letter ready for him to sign. He made it a point to go there just to sign it before leaving. I have always had a great deal of respect for him (he is a West Point grad.), but this only reinforced my opinion.

groupwave.gif
 
The MOC liaison is the person who works at the MOC office. The Congressional liaison is a person who works in the academy admissions office. Needless to say, we've been on the phone quite a bit... It does feel like this sometimes:
headbang.gif
 
YAY evilleramsfan!
This makes me so happy!
I'm hoping we have similiar luck with our friend. Her admissions counselor is going thru this process now with her. She has an LOA to USAFA, no nom, and 2 noms to USNA, but no LOA--its very frustrating.
I'm just happy that when my daughter goes thru this next year, we at least know she'll have a presidential nom, it takes some of the edge off the nomination process at least!
 
I interviewed back in 03 with the AFA at the Pentagon, I understand now what you mean by the Congressional liaison. However, I will say they are not MOC liaisons, they brief the MOCs on apptmts and charging, prin/rank/no rank. They have a wall of charges and a wall of slate noms. They are color coded, and back in 03 they were on the D ring of the Pentagon.

I mean no offense, and I defer to Flieger in this situation, BUT, the slate had to be submitted by 1/31 and the board for the candidate file had to be submitted by 2/15.

I am curious, how 4-6 weeks later they can add someone when they closed the files?

Not trying to be antagonistic, trying to comprehend how.

I always thought and believed the MOC slate rules were hard and fast...1/31 end of subject. That candidate files were hard and fast 2/15; for this yr.

I always took it as AFA closed the door on that date.

I am not an ALO, I will defer to Flieger, but I am curious if there is the ability to use a back door option.
 
falconchic88,

I do know of a cadet that had a nom to AFA, but not to the USNA. He wanted the USNA, the parents contacted the MOC and switched the slate with another candidate. That candidate had no nom to the AFA, but one to the USNA.

Both are now C2Cs at their dream SAs (she is at the AFA, he is at the USNA).

It can be done, just not sure at this late of date, with the AF going through force shape restructuring that it is going to be easy compared to 3 yrs ago.

I would also get on that medical dq. Some dqs can be cleared up quickly others can take months and we are now looking at @ 90 days from I day. Can't go to I day and be medically dq.
 
I mean no offense, and I defer to Flieger in this situation, BUT, the slate had to be submitted by 1/31 and the board for the candidate file had to be submitted by 2/15.

I am curious, how 4-6 weeks later they can add someone when they closed the files?


I could talk about West Point. Simply, exceptions can be made. Most cases a nomination after the deadline won't screw the admission process too much.

If an appointment is already made in the MOC's vacancy, the late nominee, if 3 Qed, goes to the national waiting list. The vacancy is not filled, the late nominee competes with other nominees in the MOC vacancy.

Adding a late nomination will create more work for the admissions office, as they might have to delay a decision on filling a Congressional vacancy, another additon to the NWL, and perhaps another applicant to consider for the prep school. But extra work is not a good reason to not accept a late nominee.

We also have to remember nomination does not equal appointment.
 
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