Nominations

How can I increase my chances of receiving a nomination? Thanks in advance.

Move to N. Dakota...

OK maybe that's not practical. By now you should have studied the NA Admissions site to find out all of the steps needed. You should have done the same for each nominating source (2 Senators and your Rep. + VP) Know the requirement and follow them exactly. My MID made a spreadsheet with all of the requirements and checked off them as they were completed.

You'll be competing with other well qualified candidates so it's important that you do everything you can to make your packet as strong as possible. Example: Did you get 800/800 on the SAT? If not think about taking them again and again until you're satisfied that you've done as well as you can.

Basically make your packet 100% complete and as strong as you can then submit it.

Thank you!

There are probably a number of threads on here that talk about the NOM process. It is basically an interview, so I think it would be good to do some research to understand the types of questions likely to be asked and how you would respond. Being well prepared is the best way to do well during those interviews.

NAhopeful18 said:

How can I increase my chances of receiving a nomination? Thanks in advance.

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1. Be neat and thorough with everything you submit. Make their job easy in assembling your file. Do not task them in any way.

2. Make sure you complete everything. It's easy to confuse the requirements of one MOC with those of another. When you think you've completed everything, call them and ask if there is anything else they need. They're probably not going to call you and tell you that you're missing something.

3. Be polite in all your correspondence, whether it be by phone, letter or email.

4. Never dismiss the Service Academy Coordinator as just another secretary who works for the MOC. In all likelihood, that individual will be selecting the slate of candidates and will simply forward those names to the MOC for his/her final approval. Do you really think the MOC is going to sift through all that data? Not likely.

++Memphis

And for pete's sake, DRESS for the part. Mom and I attended our DS's Representative interview. I was disappointed to see several likely most talented young men and women blow it by wearing country club outfits.

Remember, this is essentially a job interview and not just any old job. This job requires formality and attention-to-detail with every breath. Even the workout gear is formal!

DRESS like you are interviewing for a spot on "The Apprentice."

I'll throw in as a practical matter: don't be shy about contacting your MOC's office and finding out who the staffer is who handles service academy nominations (in Illinois, my DS contacted the offices in March of his junior year). Check the website first to see if they offer any information. Then, with good manners and a cheery tone, call the office, request the staffer who handles the noms, and introduce yourself and let him/her know you're just making sure you're on track. And every office is a little different. My Youngster's nominating MOC, e.g., doesn't even do interviews, the decision was based solely on his initial application. Another one of his other MOC's told him that they actually didn't have enough qualified applicants to fill the 10 nomination spots each year, and therefore his chances were very, very good! For those staffers, this is part of their job, and even though you're asking for something, you are still the MOC's constituent. They are usually younger folks in their 20s and 30s, very happy to assist and admiring of the young men and women attempting the process. Good luck!

MOC staffers

I'll second Dolphins2012 recommendation. My DS became acquainted with the MOC's staff. Too, he was told that MOCs talk and almost coordinate their Noms. Our Repreentative and Senator, both, for example discussed the applications and seemed to work together. One staffer told me, he'd prayed that he didn't have to tell my DS no, but they were very close to the limit. DS ended up getting a Nom from both!

Another note, my DS applied only to USNA. Our Rep. thought that was a positive, but the Senator questioned the decision. You never know!

I would not advise calling your MOC on an ongoing basis or inventing reasons to call, since you might get 'noticed' but for the wrong reasons. Getting a NOM is not about who you know.