LOAs?

nsbUSNA

5-Year Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2013
Messages
71
I've asked about how common they are before but I have another question: are people with LOAs people that USNA has looked at for athletics? and if not what are the grades and test scores that most LOA recipients have, or is it a case by case thing?
 
I was not a recruited athlete and I received a LOA on Nov. 14(only two weeks after I submitted my finial application). My GPA is 4.1, and my ACT is 33. I think it's a case by case decision.
 
Over the years, I've had 2-4 candidates each year receive LOAs. I would estimate fewer than 10% of those recruited athletes. Certainly some LOA recipients are recruited athletes but many are not.
 
DS got an LOA dated 29 Sept; his file was complete on 18 Sept. School doesn't give GPA (or class rank) but calc'd GPA estimate was 3.7 with SAT/ACT at time of LOA of 740 Math and around 650 English (it was 28 on English ACT so I'm estimating conversion).
 
I think as the sticky in the forum points out, it's hard to figure out why some get LOAs and some don't. My son's buddy got one and my son didn't. Same academics since they have had the same classes, so class rank theoretically would be the same as well as their GPAs. Both would rank in the top 10% of a class around 1200.

Something beyond academics had to be different. DS's buddy had private pilot's license and ran xcountry. DS is section leader in national champ band, but did better on CFA than his buddy.

Academics "plus" whatever other RABs probably figured into the decision. If my son makes it in, it's all a moot point and the lack of LOA won't matter.
 
My son got an LOA at the first candidate visit weekend in Sept. He had a 740 math and a 630 English I think. 33 eng and 33 math in ACT. 4.4 GPA and 3 sport athlete ( non recruited).
 
Lots of LOA Questions

I have noticed that there are a lot of questions about LOAs on this fourm. Obviously, they are considered to be a golden ticket, so there is much interest. I don't know too much about the critiria for LOAs but I have a BGO training session soon and I will try to find out more about them and post what I can.
 
It has been my casual observation that there is an ongoing effort to find some predictable pattern of action and events that says "...if this is done in this manner at this time, then this will be the result..." Such is not the case in USNA's process. Look over the various headings at this time: LOA, Nomination... when do I get the BFE?, Will there be more LOA;s?, etc. Those of us who have been BGO's for a while have seen the use of LOA's wax and wane, just as we have seen other facets of the admissions process change from time to time. A few years ago this area had four candidates receive LOA's at the beginning of September, completely unannounced, following a period where there were virtually no LOA's.

We see the same thing with being triple Q'd leading to questions re how soon should they expect to receive their LOA. In this instance I believe there is a misunderstanding of the significance of being designated as triple Q'd. There is, unfortunately a broad range of degrees within that designation: from barely to supremely, but that isn't publicized for whatever reason. I am certain that there are other BGO's who have several candidates who are triple Q'd who have not and will not receive LOA's.

Another facet that seems to be obscure is the fact that the LOA is a practice necessitated by the fact that there are requirements of the admission process that proceed at a rate beyond the control of the Admissions Office; eg, physical exams, nominations, etc. The LOA exists, IMHO, to allow Admissions to let highly desirable candidates know that USNA is highly interested in them to the extent that it will commit an offer of appointment to them if the candidate successfully completes outstanding facets of his/her packet.

Finally. to those who still are pursuing a LOA, as we get closer to the deadline, this year 31 January, the LOA is supplanted by an offer of appointment, ergo there will be a diminishing number of LOA's issued over the next couple of weeks.

I sincerely hope I have shed more light than heat on this topic of discussion.
 
I know this sounds cynical but I'm of the opinion that many of the LOAs go out to academic superstars, mostly to bring up the class average to make up for those who are appointed for reasons other than their academic abilities.
 
ACT composite of 26…GPA of 3.9…..Received an LOA in September…..just goes to show that test scores and grades are not the only components looked at. I am not a recruited athlete either. LOA's are case by case, as said above. Personal statements, extracurricular activities, community involvement, physical fitness, and leadership positions all come into play. No component alone will get you through the academy. This is why the admissions board looks at the 'whole person' aspect of things. Someone with a 36 on their ACT who can only do 3 pushups will meet the same fate as the kid with no intelligence who can do 100 pushups; they will both fail. The academy wants kids that they feel will endure the rigors of the academy and work to polish their strengths and hone their weaknesses. Only 3q'd candidates get in after all. While an LOA is very comforting, it is not a guarantee.
 
I know this sounds cynical but I'm of the opinion that many of the LOAs go out to academic superstars, mostly to bring up the class average to make up for those who are appointed for reasons other than their academic abilities.

Hardly. ACT 30 super scored and I can frankly admit I have not nearly as many academic and leadership credentials as some of the aspiring users of this site. I come from a small school in Michigan where the average class size is around 100. I'm the second kid in this school's history that will be attending a service academy, the first one attending Air Force Academy.

Don't even get me started on how horrible the academics of my hick town high school are. They offer 3 AP classes (4 on even years) and essentially only 2 of them are known to prepare students well for the AP test.

Getting a LOA was a dream come true for me. But I can assure you the criteria for selecting LOA recipients is not merely through examining the academic aspects of candidates. It is most definitely on a case-by-case basis and somehow through other means they must have determined that I will do well at the Academy.
 
But I can assure you the criteria for selecting LOA recipients is not merely through examining the academic aspects of candidates. It is most definitely on a case-by-case basis and somehow through other means they must have determined that I will do well at the Academy.

I'm sure LOAs are offered for a variety of reasons - no doubt. Yet, I would maintain that the most common trait among most LOA recipients is probably academic excellence.

From your description, the geographic issue may be weighing in heavily - where the academy is eager to appeal to an area that is historically underrepresented.
 
Going back to the sports thing for a moment, if you ask to be considered for recruiting and the coaches dont like you, can that hurt your chances of either an LOA or just an appointment in general? if so how much?
 
The message you should be receiving here is that there are too many variables and too many combinations of factors to make the prediction you are requesting. I would venture on conjecture only that the prospect would fare better with the coach's endorsement. Please put your focus on being the best candidate you can become, and best wishes.
 
Going back to the sports thing for a moment, if you ask to be considered for recruiting and the coaches dont like you, can that hurt your chances of either an LOA or just an appointment in general? if so how much?

Both of my sons (twins), after their sophomore year, attended the Naval Academy's summer baseball camp. They were both very accomplished high school pitchers. Both of them were 6' 4". During the camp, the Navy's head baseball coach talked to them individually and asked how interested they were in attending the Naval Academy and he also asked about their high school grades. After returning home from the camp, they each got a few phone calls from the assistant baseball coach. It certainly seemed as if the baseball program was interested. It seemed they were being recruited but it was not clear.

And then, inexplicably, all interest from the baseball program seemed to vanish. The communications completely stopped. [We later found out that the baseball program had recruited some very outstanding pitchers - with certainly more impressive high school sports credentials than either of my sons.]

Nonetheless, each of my sons received an LOA that was obviously completely unrelated to sports. They never played, nor were asked to play, baseball at USNA during their four years.

I will say this, however; each of my sons had impressive enough academic credentials to not really need the added boost recruited athletes get in the admission process. Let's face it, if it were not for their athletic ability, many of the recruited athletes would not be remotely competitive for admission and it largely explains why the vast majority of those who attend NAPS are recruited athletes.
 
Do LOAs count against a congrsssmans 5 total cadets that can be in the academy or are they part of the national pool?
 
I dont know about other LOA recievers but my DS' s I believe it's gjven based on his academic status. He has been straight A's, has done 8 AP courses so far SAT 1 math 800, eenglish 670, writing 710. SAT ii subject tests math 800 chdmistry 710. He is triple Q'd but.not really outstanding in sports not an athlete. I guess Memphis is right.
 
Do LOAs count against a congrsssmans 5 total cadets that can be in the academy or are they part of the national pool?

I assume you mean an LOA recipient who recevies an appointment.

They can be charged to the MOC or to an alternate source. That determination depends on a lot of things. For example, if the LOA appointee is the principal nominee for an MOC, he/she will almost certainly be charged to the MOC. If the LOA appointee has both a competitive MOC nom and a Pres nom, he/she could be charged to the MOC, to the Pres, or be appointed out of the national pool (assuming another candidate from the MOC's slate is appointed).
 
I assume you mean an LOA recipient who recevies an appointment.

They can be charged to the MOC or to an alternate source. That determination depends on a lot of things. For example, if the LOA appointee is the principal nominee for an MOC, he/she will almost certainly be charged to the MOC. If the LOA appointee has both a competitive MOC nom and a Pres nom, he/she could be charged to the MOC, to the Pres, or be appointed out of the national pool (assuming another candidate from the MOC's slate is appointed).

It always makes the MOC look good the more of his nominees who get an appointment. That being the case, it would be a tactical error on the part of the MOC to give an LOA candidate a principal nomination - because that candidate is going to get an appointment one way or the other, as long as the MOC nominates them. This way, the MOC will have his principal nominee (if so designated) receive an appointment and the LOA candidate - all from the same slate - even though the MOC has only one vacancy.

For example, our congressman had only one vacancy for USNA the year my two sons were applying. They both received LOAs and were both nominated to the congressman's slate of 10. Neither of my sons were designated as a principal nominee. Three nominees from that slate of 10 were offered appointments. I assume only one was charged to the MOC.

I think many of the service academy coordinators are aware of this dynamic and know it is wise to nominate an LOA candidate but unwise to nominate them as a principal.
 
Back
Top