A few weeks ago, soon after returning home from USMA SLS, I received a letter with a recommendation to complete my application within 45 days in order to be considered for an appointment or an LOA, along with a bunch of envelopes pre-addressed to USMA Admissions. Does every SLS attendee receive this letter? Further, why 45 days? Thank you.
Complete app in 45 days
- Thread starter ArmyKid4
- Start date
Early is good, as has been said many times on this forum. But this is a gross overstatement; the admissions board undoubtedly knows the reasons for delay - teachers unavailable over the summer, delays in June SAT sittings, etc., DoDMerb testing, etc. They've only just finished with the last class. Don't send everyone into a panic. "Call everyone" can suggest that you're not able to control anxiety and work within a system. Major Belmont, are you on, and can you comment? Or someone else from admissions?
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 846
Just a dad who's DS just finished this process.... From memory, the LOA I saw and those mentioned here specified completing the file within 45 days as well.
So that may be standard language telling the candidate to move quickly more than any deadline. LOA's were certainly offered well after Aug 1 last year.
But who knows, maybe this is something new.
One thing for sure.... if you get a letter like the one mentioned by the OP or a LOA, you need to heed it! It's a good kind of problem to have.
On transcripts, you should be able to find some administrator at the school year round, explain the situation, and get a transcript.
To those looking ahead to next year, you need to line up recommendations & transcripts prior to year end. Most teachers will provide personal email or check their work email to help with this type of thing. You may need different ones for your nom process, so find out those requirements as well! (though usually the nom process runs later)
So that may be standard language telling the candidate to move quickly more than any deadline. LOA's were certainly offered well after Aug 1 last year.
But who knows, maybe this is something new.
One thing for sure.... if you get a letter like the one mentioned by the OP or a LOA, you need to heed it! It's a good kind of problem to have.
On transcripts, you should be able to find some administrator at the school year round, explain the situation, and get a transcript.
To those looking ahead to next year, you need to line up recommendations & transcripts prior to year end. Most teachers will provide personal email or check their work email to help with this type of thing. You may need different ones for your nom process, so find out those requirements as well! (though usually the nom process runs later)
Last year the date was aug 31st but its getting more competitive so im guessing thats the reason they moved the date forward
Date for what?
Last year, son got the 45-day letter in June, completed [most of] file mid-October, got LOA in November. (Good reasons for delay, and he kept his FFR in the loop). LOAs were issued through late November/early December as others in his class completed files.
Completing a file early has advantages, but I find it hard to believe that "any serious candidate" has to have it done by August 1.
Enough guessing; can someone with admissions verify?
I have already verified it!
The following is straight from admissions
PLEASE VERIFY THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL AND THE ATTACHMENTS BY SENDING A REPLY E-MAIL TO Walker Flint AT whflint@yahoo.com WITH “WP 2016 – Your Name” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
Please include the following additional information, to assist contact, with your reply:
1. Parent(s) Name(s)
If you have questions please call us -- we want to help you understand the process be as competitive as possible.
Regards,
Walker Flint, Admissions Rep NC13+ phone 919-553-2020
John Frederickson, Admissions Rep NC01,02,04 phone 919-481-4488
Dear West Point Candidate,
Please print and save this letter. You will refer to it often as you go through your admissions process.
WEST POINT CONTACTS
Your local Admissions Field Force representative and his/her contact information will be given to you when we receive your reply to this e-mail. Please call or e-mail your Field Force representative as soon as possible. We are eager to meet you personally and help you with any of your questions.
Your Admissions Officer is MAJ Tolman. He can be reached at Tom.Tolman@usma.edu. You may also contact him at any time, but you are encouraged to use the services of your local Field Force representative as your first line of communication. The local Field Force reports to MAJ Tolman.
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
Although we strongly encourage you to be involved with your local Admissions Field Force, this involvement is strictly voluntary on your part. If you are not interested, please let us know immediately and we will remove you from our contact list. If you are no longer interested in pursuing admission to West Point , please let us know and we can arrange to have your file closed.
If you are already being assisted in your application process by an Admissions Field Force representative or another member of the West Point community (West Point graduate, West Point parent, etc.), please let us know so we can properly coordinate our efforts.
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE FIELD FORCE AND EARLY FILE COMPLETION
If you are interested in West Point, communicate this interest as early as possible. The competition to gain admission to West Point is very keen, and it is very important that you diligently pursue completion of your admissions requirements. Once you have submitted your initial Candidate Questionnaire, online and you meet the basic qualifications for admission, you will be sent Access to the Second Step Kit or Candidate Portal sometime in June. The USMA application process is now completely web based/online. If you do not receive access to the Second Step kit by July before senior year, please contact your Field Force representative.
YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT ALL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Complete by August 1st, if possible for early evaluation – complete by October 1st to still be competitive in the process.
FAILURE TO DO SO CAN INDICATE A LACK OF EFFORT OR COMMITMENT AND MAY CAUSE ADMISSIONS TO CLOSE YOUR FILE AFTER SIXTY DAYS.
If you want to maximize your chances for admissions, you should PROMPTLY provide these Second Step admissions documents to include: your official transcripts from HS counselor, test scores forwarded by ACT (2976) & SAT (2924), personal data record, activities report (verified by counselor), essay, and teacher evaluations – all online.
If you are currently a high school junior, before the school year ends make sure you have email addresses for your Math, English, and Science (Chemistry or Physics) teachers and your guidance counselor. You will alert them and provide to USMA Admissions the emails to start the process in the mid-summer to complete their on-line evaluations to support your application.
The first two items on the “USMA Admissions Check List” included in your Second Step Kit or Candidate Portal involve getting your Department of Defense Medical Evaluation and Review Board (DODMERB) medical examination, and completing Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA). All the information you need to complete these requirements is in the Second Step Kit. Candidates who do not complete these items by the time Congressional nomination applications are decided place themselves at a severe competitive nomination disadvantage.
As you complete each of these individual admissions requirements, send them to West Point. Do not wait to complete all the tasks before submitting a complete admissions package. West Point uses a rolling admissions process and files are evaluated as they are completed. Your Field Force representative will help you if you have any questions. You can always submit update information.
Most admissions decisions and offers of admission are made long before the official admissions cut-off date of Feb 28, 2011. Do not use this as your target date even though it is officially the last date to submit your seventh semester transcript and any supplemental information to support your application.
ADMISSION IS BASED ON A COMPETITIVE PROCESS
The USMA admissions process is competitive. Each candidate is evaluated using a Whole Candidate Score WCS system (60% for academics, 30% for leadership potential (sports, activities, teacher evaluation) and 10% for CFA). Standardized test scores are very important. We suggest you study for and take both the SAT and ACT multiple times – include the writing test. Admissions will use your highest element scores. A recent admitted profile includes: 70% of candidates ranked in their HS top 20% and had test scores on:
ACT Scored Range Eng Math and on SAT Scored Range Verbal Math
................31-36.....31%...29%.............................700-800.....20%...25%
................26-30......50%...58%............................600-699......46%..52%
................21-25......18%...13%............................500-599......31%..23%
OBTAINING A NOMINATION
The process to be admitted to West Point actually involves submission of multiple applications: one to West Point and the others to your members of Congress and the Vice President. Apply to both senators. Verify your Congressional Representative by using zip code + 4 digits at: http://www.house.gov/writerep/ for your legal residence.
NC01 Rep. Butterworth www.house.gov/butterfield/ deadline15 Nov
NC02 Rep. Ellmers -- www.ellmers.house.gov deadline 31 Oct
NC03 Rep. Jones -- www.jones.house.gov deadline 31 Oct
NC04 Rep. Price -- www.price.house.gov deadline 1 Nov
NC13 Rep. Miller -- www.house.gov/bradmiller/ deadline 1 Nov
Sen Hagen -- www.hagan.senate.gov deadline 31 Oct
Sen. Burr -- www.burr.senate.gov deadline 1 Nov
You can find the specific application process for each of your members of Congress on their website. Each member of Congress has their own process for requesting a nomination. Follow these instructions carefully and submit your application for a nomination before their deadline. Congressional nomination deadlines vary between 31 October and mid November. The application form for the Vice President is found in the Second Step Kit or Candidate Portal.
You may be qualified to obtain a nomination in a “service-connected” category if either or both of your parents have served as career military, are a disabled veteran or died while on active duty. You may also be qualified for a service nomination if you are serving in the reserve or active armed forces or are a member of ROTC. Info about “service-connected” nominations can be found at http://admissions.usma.edu/Prospectus/step_02a.cfm
SOLDIERS
If you are a member of the active duty Armed Forces or are otherwise competing for a nomination in the active or reserve component category, you can receive assistance through the West Point Admissions Field Force. Your file will be monitored by West Point admissions officer MAJ Brian Easley, Brian.Easley@usma.edu Look at website www.usma.edu nominations 2a.
RECRUITED ATHLETES
If West Point notifies that you are a recruited athlete, NCAA regulations and West Point's own policies limit contact that the Field Force can have with you. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT A FIELD FORCE MEMBER TO HELP YOU WITH THE REGULAR ADMISSIONS PROCESS, but under NCAA regulations you must initiate that contact. A separate admissions officer, MAJ Matthew Childers, Matthew.Childers@usma.edu and gene.mcintrye@usma.edu, will handle the candidate files of recruited athletes.
WEBSITES
You can obtain information about West Point through the official West Point website at http://www.usma.edu. You should also carefully study the Prospectus Online which can be found at http://admissions.usma.edu/Prospectus. The Prospectus Online will enable you to learn what life as a cadet is like and what steps are involved in applying for admission to West Point . The prospectus
also includes instructions for the CFA: http://admissions.usma.edu/prospectus/CFA_Instructions05.pdf.
Volunteers in the West Point Community maintain a moderated e-mail forum called Prospective-Net at http://www.west-point.org/parent/prospective-net/. On this site candidates and their parents can ask questions and participate in discussions pertaining to West Point admissions. You can subscribe to this valuable and informative site by contacting the moderator, Pam Sutey at Psutey@yahoo.com.
OTHER WEST POINT RESOURCES AND LINKS
1. West Point Multimedia: http://www.usma.edu/multimedia.asp
The Links to West Point videos include video clips of recent local and national news about West Point and West Point graduates.
2. Virtual West Point: http://www.virtualwp.org/home.htm
Links to various sites feature current and historical information about West Point . For example, you can view a graduation parade and the journey for new cadets arriving at West Point , and their transformation from civilians to cadets and future Army officers.
3. Surviving West Point , a National Geographic video presentation. 14 half-hour programs about a year in the life of a group of real West Point cadets. Available through school and public library systems and on-line sellers of VHS/DVD media.
4. David Lipsky. "Absolutely American - Four Years at West Point', Houghton Mifflin C., 2003.
5. Ed Ruggero. 'Duty First: A Year in the Life of West Point and the Making of American Leaders', Harpers 2002.
Your Field Force representative may also direct you to very specific sites or other references which contain information that may be helpful as you apply for admission.
There was more but I deleted it because it was too long
The following is straight from admissions
PLEASE VERIFY THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL AND THE ATTACHMENTS BY SENDING A REPLY E-MAIL TO Walker Flint AT whflint@yahoo.com WITH “WP 2016 – Your Name” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
Please include the following additional information, to assist contact, with your reply:
1. Parent(s) Name(s)
If you have questions please call us -- we want to help you understand the process be as competitive as possible.
Regards,
Walker Flint, Admissions Rep NC13+ phone 919-553-2020
John Frederickson, Admissions Rep NC01,02,04 phone 919-481-4488
Dear West Point Candidate,
Please print and save this letter. You will refer to it often as you go through your admissions process.
WEST POINT CONTACTS
Your local Admissions Field Force representative and his/her contact information will be given to you when we receive your reply to this e-mail. Please call or e-mail your Field Force representative as soon as possible. We are eager to meet you personally and help you with any of your questions.
Your Admissions Officer is MAJ Tolman. He can be reached at Tom.Tolman@usma.edu. You may also contact him at any time, but you are encouraged to use the services of your local Field Force representative as your first line of communication. The local Field Force reports to MAJ Tolman.
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
Although we strongly encourage you to be involved with your local Admissions Field Force, this involvement is strictly voluntary on your part. If you are not interested, please let us know immediately and we will remove you from our contact list. If you are no longer interested in pursuing admission to West Point , please let us know and we can arrange to have your file closed.
If you are already being assisted in your application process by an Admissions Field Force representative or another member of the West Point community (West Point graduate, West Point parent, etc.), please let us know so we can properly coordinate our efforts.
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE FIELD FORCE AND EARLY FILE COMPLETION
If you are interested in West Point, communicate this interest as early as possible. The competition to gain admission to West Point is very keen, and it is very important that you diligently pursue completion of your admissions requirements. Once you have submitted your initial Candidate Questionnaire, online and you meet the basic qualifications for admission, you will be sent Access to the Second Step Kit or Candidate Portal sometime in June. The USMA application process is now completely web based/online. If you do not receive access to the Second Step kit by July before senior year, please contact your Field Force representative.
YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT ALL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Complete by August 1st, if possible for early evaluation – complete by October 1st to still be competitive in the process.
FAILURE TO DO SO CAN INDICATE A LACK OF EFFORT OR COMMITMENT AND MAY CAUSE ADMISSIONS TO CLOSE YOUR FILE AFTER SIXTY DAYS.
If you want to maximize your chances for admissions, you should PROMPTLY provide these Second Step admissions documents to include: your official transcripts from HS counselor, test scores forwarded by ACT (2976) & SAT (2924), personal data record, activities report (verified by counselor), essay, and teacher evaluations – all online.
If you are currently a high school junior, before the school year ends make sure you have email addresses for your Math, English, and Science (Chemistry or Physics) teachers and your guidance counselor. You will alert them and provide to USMA Admissions the emails to start the process in the mid-summer to complete their on-line evaluations to support your application.
The first two items on the “USMA Admissions Check List” included in your Second Step Kit or Candidate Portal involve getting your Department of Defense Medical Evaluation and Review Board (DODMERB) medical examination, and completing Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA). All the information you need to complete these requirements is in the Second Step Kit. Candidates who do not complete these items by the time Congressional nomination applications are decided place themselves at a severe competitive nomination disadvantage.
As you complete each of these individual admissions requirements, send them to West Point. Do not wait to complete all the tasks before submitting a complete admissions package. West Point uses a rolling admissions process and files are evaluated as they are completed. Your Field Force representative will help you if you have any questions. You can always submit update information.
Most admissions decisions and offers of admission are made long before the official admissions cut-off date of Feb 28, 2011. Do not use this as your target date even though it is officially the last date to submit your seventh semester transcript and any supplemental information to support your application.
ADMISSION IS BASED ON A COMPETITIVE PROCESS
The USMA admissions process is competitive. Each candidate is evaluated using a Whole Candidate Score WCS system (60% for academics, 30% for leadership potential (sports, activities, teacher evaluation) and 10% for CFA). Standardized test scores are very important. We suggest you study for and take both the SAT and ACT multiple times – include the writing test. Admissions will use your highest element scores. A recent admitted profile includes: 70% of candidates ranked in their HS top 20% and had test scores on:
ACT Scored Range Eng Math and on SAT Scored Range Verbal Math
................31-36.....31%...29%.............................700-800.....20%...25%
................26-30......50%...58%............................600-699......46%..52%
................21-25......18%...13%............................500-599......31%..23%
OBTAINING A NOMINATION
The process to be admitted to West Point actually involves submission of multiple applications: one to West Point and the others to your members of Congress and the Vice President. Apply to both senators. Verify your Congressional Representative by using zip code + 4 digits at: http://www.house.gov/writerep/ for your legal residence.
NC01 Rep. Butterworth www.house.gov/butterfield/ deadline15 Nov
NC02 Rep. Ellmers -- www.ellmers.house.gov deadline 31 Oct
NC03 Rep. Jones -- www.jones.house.gov deadline 31 Oct
NC04 Rep. Price -- www.price.house.gov deadline 1 Nov
NC13 Rep. Miller -- www.house.gov/bradmiller/ deadline 1 Nov
Sen Hagen -- www.hagan.senate.gov deadline 31 Oct
Sen. Burr -- www.burr.senate.gov deadline 1 Nov
You can find the specific application process for each of your members of Congress on their website. Each member of Congress has their own process for requesting a nomination. Follow these instructions carefully and submit your application for a nomination before their deadline. Congressional nomination deadlines vary between 31 October and mid November. The application form for the Vice President is found in the Second Step Kit or Candidate Portal.
You may be qualified to obtain a nomination in a “service-connected” category if either or both of your parents have served as career military, are a disabled veteran or died while on active duty. You may also be qualified for a service nomination if you are serving in the reserve or active armed forces or are a member of ROTC. Info about “service-connected” nominations can be found at http://admissions.usma.edu/Prospectus/step_02a.cfm
SOLDIERS
If you are a member of the active duty Armed Forces or are otherwise competing for a nomination in the active or reserve component category, you can receive assistance through the West Point Admissions Field Force. Your file will be monitored by West Point admissions officer MAJ Brian Easley, Brian.Easley@usma.edu Look at website www.usma.edu nominations 2a.
RECRUITED ATHLETES
If West Point notifies that you are a recruited athlete, NCAA regulations and West Point's own policies limit contact that the Field Force can have with you. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT A FIELD FORCE MEMBER TO HELP YOU WITH THE REGULAR ADMISSIONS PROCESS, but under NCAA regulations you must initiate that contact. A separate admissions officer, MAJ Matthew Childers, Matthew.Childers@usma.edu and gene.mcintrye@usma.edu, will handle the candidate files of recruited athletes.
WEBSITES
You can obtain information about West Point through the official West Point website at http://www.usma.edu. You should also carefully study the Prospectus Online which can be found at http://admissions.usma.edu/Prospectus. The Prospectus Online will enable you to learn what life as a cadet is like and what steps are involved in applying for admission to West Point . The prospectus
also includes instructions for the CFA: http://admissions.usma.edu/prospectus/CFA_Instructions05.pdf.
Volunteers in the West Point Community maintain a moderated e-mail forum called Prospective-Net at http://www.west-point.org/parent/prospective-net/. On this site candidates and their parents can ask questions and participate in discussions pertaining to West Point admissions. You can subscribe to this valuable and informative site by contacting the moderator, Pam Sutey at Psutey@yahoo.com.
OTHER WEST POINT RESOURCES AND LINKS
1. West Point Multimedia: http://www.usma.edu/multimedia.asp
The Links to West Point videos include video clips of recent local and national news about West Point and West Point graduates.
2. Virtual West Point: http://www.virtualwp.org/home.htm
Links to various sites feature current and historical information about West Point . For example, you can view a graduation parade and the journey for new cadets arriving at West Point , and their transformation from civilians to cadets and future Army officers.
3. Surviving West Point , a National Geographic video presentation. 14 half-hour programs about a year in the life of a group of real West Point cadets. Available through school and public library systems and on-line sellers of VHS/DVD media.
4. David Lipsky. "Absolutely American - Four Years at West Point', Houghton Mifflin C., 2003.
5. Ed Ruggero. 'Duty First: A Year in the Life of West Point and the Making of American Leaders', Harpers 2002.
Your Field Force representative may also direct you to very specific sites or other references which contain information that may be helpful as you apply for admission.
There was more but I deleted it because it was too long
This e-mail came from 2 Congressional District Coordinators in NC.
This August 1 'deadline' was specified by the SE RC.
It may not be what other RCs are requesting.
I just don't want candidates to panic if they have not received communication about an August 1 deadline from their RC.
This MAY be Region specific.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 846
Just a dad here... but this is not a letter that many reported receiving last year. It also does not sound like a LOA, more of a pre-LOA. LOA's last year had similar wording about completing your file, however.
I'd certainly heed it's recommendation.
The email from the NC applicant's field force that was just posted has lot's of good information in it. While they do not explicitly state it, you want to keep expressing interest, and move your file along. So if you receive a letter like the one you mentioned, and do not act, it can be interpreted as lack of interest. Note: There is a difference between the field force and admissions.... You should listen to both, but the field force is telling you things to do to be competitive and have the best chances. Admissions is largely telling you deadlines. Hint: You should not wait for the deadlines!
If you have extenuating circumstances which will prevent you from getting the critical basics complete you should communicate with Admissions. DS did not pick up on the "complete your file in 45 days" in his LOA, and ended up running against that deadline based on not finishing his essays. He called admissions and obtained permission to submit when he returned from a trip.
Likewise, if you cannot get an official transcript, you may be able to send a copy of your 6th semester report card until your transcript is available. Talk to admissions.