USNA Website

Looks like USNA has made some changes to their website... trying to get into DS's application (he has a candidate number) but no where to enter candidate number, just username and password and it doesn't give you an option to request it if you don't have it. Am I missing something???

I don't think that you receive a password until Admissions reviews your preliminary application and invites you to become an official candidate. At least that is what I understand. My son also has a candidate number (via his Summer Seminar acceptance letter), but no password.

PW

No additional information communicated here either. Only canidate number on NASS letter for DD. I understand that info will be going out sometime this month. Makes sense timing wise since they are wrapping up final NASS invites and Appointments for current year.

One other thing -- my son's high school has three alumni currently attending the Naval Academy. One of the parents was kind enough to give me a whole file, sorted chronologically, of their son's application process. He received his letter notifying him (in has case), that he was NOT competitive enough to be named an official candidate at that time dated May 17, 2007.

Just to provide a little inspiration to those who are embarking on this process, he obviously stuck with it. He sent a letter back saying he still wanted to pursue an appointment, was eventually offered a spot at a Foundation School, completed that post-graduate year, and was finally accepted.

But I digress. The point was that it looks like the mid-May timeframe is when you can expect the decision on official candidacy, and with it, a password to the candidate information system.

Ok, just looked different and seems like before there was actually a place to enter candidate number. Suddensam... unless I'm WAY off, I think their invitation to NASS is essentially the confirmation that they are considered an official candidate, hence the official candidate number. Doesn't seem like they invite them if they are not considered qualified from the NASS app. Guess we will get more info later about password, etc. The video USNA just put out about NASS said they had over 8000 applications, so I guess they should be pretty happy to have been offered a spot!

I wouldn't say that you are "way off", but I do read the admissions steps on their website a little differently than perhaps you do. If you take a look at their Steps for Admission, "Official Candidate" is a distinct step, and it says the following:

"If the information provided in your Preliminary Application indicates your record is strong enough, you will become an official candidate for admission and you will receive a candidate information letter as early as the July prior to your high school senior year. Upon completion of your candidate file, the Admissions Board will review your record."

There is definitely a distinct step to being designated an official candidate.

I just dug further into the prior applicant's folder. In May 2007, he was informed that he was not qualified to be named an Official Candidate, but the letter also give him instructions on what to do if he still wanted to be considered as an Official Candidate regardless, e.g., retake the SATs, take the ACTs, respond in writing that you want to persevere, etc. He did those things, and in August 2007, he received a letter designating him an Official Candidate and providing a link to the Candidate Information System, a username and a password.

I think that you should expect a letter as early as May (bad news) or as late as August (good news) about designation as an Official Candidate. That's when, hopefully, you will see your password.

Is one considered an official candidate if they've been accepted into NASS or is this later down the road?

LakeErie69 said:

Is one considered an official candidate if they've been accepted into NASS or is this later down the road?

Click to expand...

The application for NASS is exactly the same as a preliminary application with the addition of workshop preferences. If you're selected for NASS, you are a candidate. Your NASS acceptance letter should have your candidate number in the top right ("Candidate #XXXXXX"). It's best to memorize this number, you will need it (and occasionally your SSN) for all correspondence with USNA.

If you are not selected for NASS, you may still be selected as a candidate. If you did not apply for NASS, you must submit a preliminary application.

There is a certain username and password for each prospective class to access the application. From there on, there is a login screen to enter first and last name, candidate number, and social security number. This information will be furnished to all candidates sometime in May, but I'm not sure when exactly. I was able to access my application right after Session I last year, so you should receive it a couple of weeks before you depart for NASS.

Thanks Nuensis... that's what I thought. Didn't seem logical that they would be accepted to NASS if they were not qualified to be an official candidate... especially considering how many I KNOW are qualified who have not been selected.

Please read some of the other discussions of NASS to get a better handle on what exactly NASS is about, and what it is not! Consider that there are about 2,250 slots for NASS, but the Class of 2016 is projected to have fewer than 1,200 members. Applying to NASS is one way to apply to NAVY, but many prospects totally bypass NASS and still get designated Official Candidates, etc. Do not get too caught up in things happening automatically, or if one candidate had this happen you also will have that experience... this really isn't a cookiecutter process. This last cycle there were a large number of candidates who thought that being Triple Q'd meant that an LOA or an offer of appointment was enroute in a few days. WRONG. Go back to the Admissions section of the USNA website and read it more closely so that you know better what you will be confronting. If you have questions go to the section with the roster of Area Coordinators and find your AC, contact the AC and request help with deciphering the process so you get the straight gouge rather than conjecture. ABOVE ALL ELSE - keep in mind that this is a very competitive process and your best course of action is to do your best to become the best candidate you can become. BEWARE playing the odds, taking calculated risks, or taking short cuts... they will bite you on your backside next spring. HONEST! Every year we have great candidates who do not make the cut, you really shouldn't relegate yourself to that category from fatique or impatience. Do your best all the way through the process - you will benefit from the extra effort and attention to detail. My sincere best wishes to you, this is an outstanding opportunity!

Thank you for your input 1964BGO... believe me, I've been reading everything I can get my hands on and am fully aware there are NO "sure things" until they walk on that campus on I-Day. I was just trying to figure out if their NASS selection got them across that first small hump of being in the system as an official candidate. We were trying to get into his application to update a few things while it was fresh on the brain... apparently the NASS acceptance DOES put them past that first (VERY SMALL) hump, but we still have to wait on the username and password. It does seem there are so many potential obstacles along the way, I sometimes wonder how anyone actually gets that brass ring!