Nominations

IcedZealot

5-Year Member
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Dec 3, 2013
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75
I understand that you need at least one nomination to be considered by USMA admissions, but does acquiring more than one nomination increase your chances at being accepted?

Thanks!
 
I would recommend searching "multiple nominations". I just did and saw at least a dozen pertinent threads on the subject. But yes, in a way, it helps. If you want a better explanation, become friends with the search bar:cool:

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Simple answer. Yes. More nominations = more pools you can be put into. No nomination = no appointment. USMA can only take so many of each type of nomination, and they often move nomination appointment types around to better select who they want. If you have A pres., congressional, and two senatorial nominations, then you are in 4 different pools and can be given a nomination under any of those, thus increasing your chances.

Conversely, if you are in only one pool to choose from, then you must beat out the rest of the applicants fighting for that same nomination appointment. Since USMA can only take 100 Presidential appointments, if you have only a presidential appointment, you would need to be in the top 100 for that type of appointment (in theory) to receive an appointment. So, if you have only one nomination, your chances are slimmer than an applicant with more (provided he or she has a similar profile).

Remember though: If you receive the primary nomination from your Representative's source (or you are ranked #1 on your MOC's slate, as in many cases), then you will receive an appointment if you are fully qualified.
 
Remember though: If you receive the primary nomination from your Representative's source (or you are ranked #1 on your MOC's slate, as in many cases), then you will receive an appointment if you are fully qualified.

cadet85, thank you very much for the info! Of course, I will apply for all potential nominations, and do my best in the process, but I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to say in this portion. What's the difference between a primary nomination and a regular nomination? Does a primary nomination = instant appointment (being fully qualified, of course)?

Thanks again!

P.S. Congrats on the appointment!
 
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cadet85, thank you very much for the info! Of course, I will apply for all potential nominations, and do my best in the process, but I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to say in this portion. What's the difference between a primary nomination and a regular nomination? Does a primary nomination = instant appointment (being fully qualified, of course)?

Thanks again!

Primary nomination (or something like that), or the Primary Vacancy winner for your MOC's slate (both are the same thing essentially) is the #1 spot:

Your MOC can choose to select one candidate he or she deems fit for the slot, and since each MOC gets at least 1 (depending on circumstances) or sometime more slots per class, that candidate, if fully qualified, will automatically be offered an appointment due to the rules of the acceptance process.

However, some MOC's choose to select 10 candidates that they deem fit for an appointment and supply USMA with that list. After USMA is given the list of 10 candidates, the admissions board will rank order each candidate from 1-10 respectively based on file strength, 1 being the strongest and so on. As in my case, and many others, I was ranked #1 out of the 10 submitted on my Congressman's slate, giving me the title of "Primary Vacancy Winner" and the corresponding offer of appointment. This meant that, since I was fully qualified, I would receive an appointment due to my situation.

Either way, it is an automatic appointment, and it is what everybody is trying for. If you are not #1, or next in line should somebody turn down the offer, then you will go on the NWL for later selection or denial.

Side note: Candidates are not informed of their position until they are offered an appointment. So you will not know, but it is the goal you are working for, because it secures the offer of appointment.

(I think, of course it is a complicated process, but this is how the process was explained to me)

Hope this helps! :thumb:
 
My daughter was offered an ROTC/active duty appointment. But we still went through the political nominations process. She ended up with a Primary Appointment from a congressman, then was also selected for slots by two senators. she was slotted using the active duty appointments, since so many of those go unfilled, thus allowing some of the civilian nominees in her district to be eligible to use the political slots. Get as many as you qualify for!!


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For what it's worth, none of the Missouri Senators do primary nominations - all competitive slates. I do not know which district you live in so I can't speak for your Representative.
 
For what it's worth, none of the Missouri Senators do primary nominations - all competitive slates. I do not know which district you live in so I can't speak for your Representative.

I live in District 8. My Representative is Jason Smith.

And thanks, Cadet85, for the very useful information!
 
Congressional Nominations point system

I'm a 2019 hopeful and I heard that there is a point system that nomination selection decisions are based on. Does anyone know how that works?

Thanks!
 
What's the difference between a primary nomination and a regular nomination? Does a primary nomination = instant appointment (being fully qualified, of course)?

I would suggest you read the many posts on the USNA forum. You'll see that many qualified candidates with "Principal" nominations this year did not receive appointments to the Naval Academy. Some were offered NAPS; some were waitlisted. Some received the TWE. Whether this is an anomaly this year, a misinterpretation of "Principal" nomination, or a midunderstanding between candidates and the SA is still anyone's guess. A lot of the long-time posters on here would have told you that "Principal" nomination = automatic appointment. Maybe that's still true at USMA/USAFA ... it wasn't this year at USNA. As others have said, you should apply for every nomination you are qualified for (even the VP nomination, even though it's a long shot). Do everything within your control to make your application the best it can be.
 
I would suggest you read the many posts on the USNA forum. You'll see that many qualified candidates with "Principal" nominations this year did not receive appointments to the Naval Academy. Some were offered NAPS; some were waitlisted. Some received the TWE. Whether this is an anomaly this year, a misinterpretation of "Principal" nomination, or a midunderstanding between candidates and the SA is still anyone's guess. A lot of the long-time posters on here would have told you that "Principal" nomination = automatic appointment. Maybe that's still true at USMA/USAFA ... it wasn't this year at USNA. As others have said, you should apply for every nomination you are qualified for (even the VP nomination, even though it's a long shot). Do everything within your control to make your application the best it can be.

3Q'd + P-nom = Appt.

If you are fully qualified and the P-nom, then you will be offered an appointment.
 
If you dig down into title X there is a line in there that basically says that service academies have the option not to fill all the nominated vacancies; HOWEVER, there is a caveat. If they don't fill at least 4 of the 5 for a requesting MOC, then they are then limited in the number of service connected nominations they can give. Fill 3, penalty kicks in. Fill 4, no issue legally. MOC nominates 2, Navy fills 1 spot (bringing them to 4/5) and wait lists the other.

My guess is Navy filled too many with early decisicion and/or under their service connected noms and then bit a big one when all the principal noms came rolling in. MOC gaming the system to maximize their number of appointees. A couple of years ago, they might have been able to get away with a larger class (like USMA 2014), but not with the drawdown in full swing.

Also in the law, the MOC has the right to know who is charged against their vacancies. So if they wait list a principal and then put a prepster in under that vacancy, the MOC has a right to know...and possibly get upset...
 
I agree with Buff81's previous posting (#11 above). If you are the principle nom AND are 3Q, you are guaranteed an offer of appointment.

Those other threads being referenced from earlier this year on the USNA forum are a mixture of other factors (and perhaps someone's misunderstanding of the correct terminology), none of which dispute the prior statement. If you read carefully some of the statements from the referenced thread it includes statements such as 'my BGO said I am overqualified......'.......none of which proves anything.

An example is where certain people were 'assuming' their candidate was 3Q without actually knowing for sure. NAPS is only offered to those who are 2Q and lacking the scholastic Q. That was also true in prior years and there has never been any official indication from USNA that this has changed for the current application cycle. Other statements to the contrary are more conjecture then based on anything factual.
 
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I agree with Buff81's previous posting (#11 above). If you are the principle nom AND are 3Q, you are guaranteed an offer of appointment.

Those other threads being referenced from earlier this year on the USNA forum are a mixture of other factors (and perhaps someone's misunderstanding of the correct terminology), none of which dispute the prior statement.

An example is where certain people were 'assuming' their candidate was 3Q without actually knowing for sure. NAPS is only offered to those who are 2Q and lacking the scholastic Q. That was also true in prior years and there has never been any official indication from USNA that this has changed for the current application cycle. Other statements to the contrary are more conjecture then based on anything factual.

Several people with principle nom's were told by their BGO's that USNA 3Q'd them. Also several people were wait listed, which means they were 3Q'd.
 
Much as Buf81 has done, we can only speak to what is factual.

I don't know those other candidates and what they were/were not told by 3rd parties and/or perhaps misunderstood. BGO's don't issue offers of appointments only USNA admissions does that. Therefore, I don't get involved in speculation about the status of candidates where my only knowledge of them is based on their postings here.
 
Several people with principle nom's were told by their BGO's that USNA 3Q'd them. Also several people were wait listed, which means they were 3Q'd.

I don't see too many principle norms, worked with three different Congressman and a Senator. And none of them used it. Somehow I get skeptical when someone claims that they have a principle nom. It is what it is as we are talking about candidates that ask questions that are on SA web site plainly, but some how they know that they have a principle nomination? Call me a skeptics as I am one.

Lastly, I wasn't aware that SA gave out "wait list" notification. There are about 1000 plus candidates that are 3 Qed and don't get appointments.
 
I don't see too many principle norms, worked with three different Congressman and a Senator. And none of them used it. Somehow I get skeptical when someone claims that they have a principle nom. It is what it is as we are talking about candidates that ask questions that are on SA web site plainly, but some how they know that they have a principle nomination? Call me a skeptics as I am one.

Lastly, I wasn't aware that SA gave out "wait list" notification. There are about 1000 plus candidates that are 3 Qed and don't get appointments.

I had a principle nom, and was told I was 3Q'd by my BGO, so it does happen.

As for a "wait list" notification, the USNA does, other academies may do it differently.
 
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