Envelopes

Dedham

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
41
Now that DS is within weeks of receiving an envelope, what kind of envelope (BFE or TWE) do the following appointments come in:

  • Conditional appointment to the Academy
  • Appointment to the Scholars Program; and
  • Conditional appointment to the Scholars Program?
Thanks.
 
Dedham, Our son is at the Academy right now for CFAD. I'll try to ask your question. During the Q and A yesterday, after the host cadets took our kids, the AO said that the applications would be read in the order that they were received...and that the first acceptance letters would be going out very soon. BTW, our son is having a great time...(he texted me at midnight!) He even got to shoot with the rifle team and said the got to spend nearly an hour with the Rifle Team Coach. The Academy makes a very good impression! We have to pack up and leave the Hotel now...I'll try to find out what comes in what kind of envelope.
 
Unfortunately when we picked him up this morning there was no opportunity to talk to an ao so I didn't get to ask your question. Sorry! I hope you get a bfe...can't be a bad thing to find a bfe in the mail box!:thumb:
 
Now that DS is within weeks of receiving an envelope, what kind of envelope (BFE or TWE) do the following appointments come in:

  • Conditional appointment to the Academy
  • Appointment to the Scholars Program; and
  • Conditional appointment to the Scholars Program?
Thanks.

Admissions Committee for Round One concluded today and we will begin mailing out results on Tuesday. Conditional appointment (to CGAS or 2016), wait list, and non-selection letters are each a single page and therefore the envelope looks the same sitting in your mailbox. Full appointment (to CGAS to 2016) letters come with additional paperwork and information, so it's a bigger envelope that may not even fit in your mailbox.
 
Thanks Objee and Educat8,

I suspect that DS was in Round One given that he has heard from DoDMERB and received a letter a week ago from Admissions saying that his application had been submitted to the Review Board and he should let Admissions know ASAP if he didn’t want to be considered for EA. Given where DS is in the DoDMERB process, I expect good news, if that is what he receives, will be conditional. I appreciate knowing that the receipt of a TWE isn't necessarily bad news.
 
Thanks Objee and Educat8,

I suspect that DS was in Round One given that he has heard from DoDMERB and received a letter a week ago from Admissions saying that his application had been submitted to the Review Board and he should let Admissions know ASAP if he didn’t want to be considered for EA. Given where DS is in the DoDMERB process, I expect good news, if that is what he receives, will be conditional. I appreciate knowing that the receipt of a TWE isn't necessarily bad news.

My ds hasn't received anything from admissions yet. Is it standard practice to inform a candidate that their application is going before the board? I was suprised to hear that as I assumed that once submitted it was essentially in line for review without notice.

I thought that once the application was completed and all of the recommendations had been submitted and the dodmerb process was complete....that we would be able to rest a little easier....I was wrong....now that ds has visited the Academy he is now MUCH more uptight ....he went through the mail at least three times today looking for envelopes with USCGA stamped on them! Nothing yet...
 
I read the letter to mean "we're starting to process your application for EA, so if that isn't what you want, speak now or forever hold your peace." So I think the question is whether all EA applicants get that letter, or only those in Round One.

I know that on the Common App, the applicant checks a box as to the type of addmissions they are applying for, but I don't remember if the USCGA has that. If they don't, then it's appropriate for them to not make an assumption based on the date an application is completed.
 
Admissions Committee for Round One concluded today and we will begin mailing out results on Tuesday. Conditional appointment (to CGAS or 2016), wait list, and non-selection letters are each a single page and therefore the envelope looks the same sitting in your mailbox. Full appointment (to CGAS to 2016) letters come with additional paperwork and information, so it's a bigger envelope that may not even fit in your mailbox.

Ahh Yes...but the letter that stopped my wife's heart today:eek:(All she knew was that good things come in large envelopes.)...with the letter inside that said "Is the Coast Guard Academy for you?"....also comes in a largish envelope. My son wondered aloud how, at this point in the application process, the Academy could have any doubt about his interest in the USCGA.

The last sentence says "The challenge awaits you - if you are willing to embrace it. Semper Paratus!" He was jokingly shouting..."I'm willing!!!...pick me, pick me!!":yllol:
 
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DS received that letter yesterday. I wasn't there when he opened it, but I'm sure his heart jumped when he saw it despite having received the TWE on Saturday.

The TWE came in a regular sized letter envelope.

DS has received four mailings since applying: a brochure about USCGA sports that came via priority mail in a thin cardboard envelope; the "speak now or forever hold your peace about applying EA" letter that came via first class mail in a regular letter sized envelope; the TWE that came via first class mail; and the "is the USCGA right for you letter" that came via first class mail in a large paper envelope.
 
I'm sure that the Admissions staff has enough to do with the record number of applicants this year. Perhaps in the future the database that lists completed applications, those who have already been offered appointments, and those who were not selected could be cross-referenced with the general mailing list to prevent unnecessary mailings...and heart attacks...and bad feelings.

There are, no doubt candidates who need to be encouraged to complete their applications...or need to be convinced to accept their appointment(we won't have that problem here!).

However unfounded, after receiving a letter that says something like "Have you ever thought about the Coast Guard Academy?" - after attending CFAD, completing the AIM application, the 2016 Application for EA, having been interviewed by an Admissions Partner, compulsively reading this forum...and stalking the mailman relentlessly...I could see how a candidate might wonder if their application material has indeed been processed, or if there has been some mistake and their materials have somehow been misplaced after receiving a mailing like this. After all, it reads almost like this is your first introduction to the CGA.

In the case of Dedham's son, it is really unfortunate. If our son gets the non-selection TWE - I'll be sure to try to screen the mail afterward to prevent the heart wrenching roller coaster he would surely feel as he opened the letter with the hope that perhaps there was some mistake...only to find that it is a generic mailing saying "Have you ever considered the USCGA?" Ouch.

From an objective viewpoint, I can see how easily this happened and why there are mass mailings to everyone...from a biased and "immersed up to our earlobes in the effort of our son to attend the USCGA" point of view, it would be nice to try to prevent such mailings.
 
I'm sure that the Admissions staff has enough to do with the record number of applicants this year. Perhaps in the future the database that lists completed applications, those who have already been offered appointments, and those who were not selected could be cross-referenced with the general mailing list to prevent unnecessary mailings...and heart attacks...and bad feelings.

The catalog mailings / glossy literature etc do not come from admissions, they come from a separate mail fulfillment house with no knowledge of application status or decision, or even whether the application has been started.

The information serves an important purpose for those who may not have started their application, or are perhaps still pondering completing it under EA or waiting until RA.

I'm certain they don't mean to confuse or cause bad feelings to the candidate who is awaiting an appointment decision (or his/her family), but the limited budget of the USCGA and their admission department sometimes leaves them no choice on how they proceed with recruiting future classes and generating future interest, while at the same time making current appointment decisions.

:cool:
 
Don't worry about the envelope! Read what is inside.

To begin with, all appointments to the Academy and scholars program are conditional. At the very minimum, they are conditioned on completing your academic year and maintaining approximately the same grades as were previously submitted. They are also conditioned on successfully qualifying medically or if need be getting a medical waiver. Conditions also apply to having trouble with the law or with drug use or with injuries which could disqualify you so that technically you become qualified after you report in on R day and undergo a physical and medical examination.

The first time my son applied to the Academy, he received a TWE (thin White envelope) around the end of April which stated that he was triple qualified but unfortunately the Academy did not have sufficient space available for an appointment. He reapplied the following fall and received a BFE (big fat envelope) around March 16. The envelope contained acceptance forms for him to sign and directions on how to prepare and a fold open bound document offering him an appointment. The document was in fact gorgeous and looked like a very fancy high school diploma in color. Needless to say, he was ecstatic when he heard the news. He is now in his first class year and a candidate for flight school. His scores when entering or around the 25 percentile mark but he has managed to get to his senior year in the top 11% of his class. The first year is quite demanding but things letup somewhat as time goes by and he has really enjoyed being at the Academy.

I have noted that not all cadets receiving an appointment get a BFE as their first notification. At times there were delays in sending out the large envelopes and the original notification was sent out in a small envelope.

Good luck to will the applicants as this is a fantastic school.
 
It definitely was an "ouch" moment, but didn't cause bad feelings. The circumstances were apparent to both of us.

I can sympathize with the Academy over the difficulty of coordinating mailings.

I listed the mailings DS received, including the forms of envelopes those mailings came in, so that families can have a better sense as to what they have probably received when an envelope appears in the mailbox.
 
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