Competitive Alternate Nomination

Our DS, received in the mail today a Letter from our Congressman that he will receive a Competitive Alternate Nomination. I wanted to check to see if anyone has ever experienced this type of nomination and if they know if someone has received an appointment with this type of nomination?

morgan04 said:

Our DS, received in the mail today a Letter from our Congressman that he will receive a Competitive Alternate Nomination. I wanted to check to see if anyone has every experienced this type of nomination and if they know if someone has received an appointment with this type of nomination?

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To the best of my knowledge, competitive means there isn't a principle nomination on the slate or the slate isn't ranked. My state gives out competitive nominations, meaning that the senator/rep gave the academy an unranked slate and academy will choose whichever candidate has the highest WCS (or at their discretion).

Someone more knowledgeable could confirm this?

I'm pretty sure this means that someone else was named a principal and that your DS is a competitive alternate to that person. So, if the principal doesn't meet one of the requirements (academic, medical, fitness) then your DS will compete with the other alternates at the Academy's discretion for the nomination.

Make sure he is seeking other nominating sources as this one should be considered a likely "no" and you want to make sure he has a nomination that doesn't hinge on someone else being found unqualified.

I got a prin to USMA and got competitives to afa and USNA. Competitive puts you as an alternate to the prin. As the post above me states.

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2018midmom said:

I'm pretty sure this means that someone else was named a principal and that your DS is a competitive alternate to that person. So, if the principal doesn't meet one of the requirements (academic, medical, fitness) then your DS will compete with the other alternates at the Academy's discretion for the nomination.

Make sure he is seeking other nominating sources as this one should be considered a likely "no" and you want to make sure he has a nomination that doesn't hinge on someone else being found unqualified.

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He has applied to all of his nominating sources and has received interviews with our two senators.

It has to be understood that if EVERY congressman designated a principal nominee on their slates that, still, quite a few alternates would have to be selected in order to fill a typical incoming class. Many congressmen do not submit a ranked slate and simply leave it up to the service academy to choose any one of them - or more.

Each slate of 10 represents ONE vacancy allotted to that congressman. But it is not the least bit uncommon for several of them to be selected.

The bottom line - you should not be too discouraged that your nomination has the word "alternate" attached to it. If the academy really wants you, they will find a way to get you an appointment. Sometimes the academy admissions board is impressed more with the credentials of an alternate than they are with the principal. Yet, if the principal nominee is qualified, they are obligated to offer him/her an appointment.

morgan04 said:

Our DS, received in the mail today a Letter from our Congressman that he will receive a Competitive Alternate Nomination. I wanted to check to see if anyone has ever experienced this type of nomination and if they know if someone has received an appointment with this type of nomination?

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YES! My DS received a Competitive Alternate nomination from our junior Senator in October and received an appointment to USMA on 1/18/14. I too thought this type of nomination meant someone else was listed as a Principal. If that's the case, it could be that the Principal nominee was not 3Q or had another (ie Presidential) nomination. We may never know. Either way though, the answer is YES to your question.

Just curious about your location. My daughter is a plebe at USNA and went to an Olathe school. Can you send me a message? I have never posted before and I have to post 5 times before I can send a message.

proudksmom - sent you a PM