When do admissions boards look at your file?

USNA_TF_12

5-Year Member
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Aug 2, 2014
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I am applying for the class of 2019 and trying to figure out what to do. My application is complete with the exception of one of the teacher recommendations. However, I would like to redo my CFA to try and get better scores. Should I have my teacher wait to submit my recommendation until after I retake the CFA? In other words, once my application is complete, can the admissions board accept or deny me right away? I was told that the board doesn't even look at the files until they are complete including a nomination, but I would like to confirm this. Thanks
 
I would definitely not advise a teacher to hold up a recommendation, especially knowing with the school year starting that teacher may have several recommendations to write for students. Send in what you have. I think they expect it to come in piecemeal anyway.
 
The Board does not look at files until they are complete. Complete does not include medical or the CFA. Nominations are separate from the Board review. Being qualified by the Board (along with CFA and medical) plus a nom allows you to compete for an appointment.

I would submit your teacher rec now. You can always retake the CFA (prior to Jan. 31).
 
File Review

Will the Candidate's file be reviewed if the only items missing are the BGO interview (doesn't schedule until September), and a nomination?
 
The Board does not look at files until they are complete. Complete does not include medical or the CFA. Nominations are separate from the Board review. Being qualified by the Board (along with CFA and medical) plus a nom allows you to compete for an appointment.

I would submit your teacher rec now. You can always retake the CFA (prior to Jan. 31).
If school just started, and teachers are learning students, I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to ask for a letter of recommendation just yet. We are currently needing a math instructor rec from senior year for a senators application. They specify senior year.
 
I believe it's junior year math and English teacher rec's they require.
Most teachers understand that writing college recommendations is part of their job in addition to their classroom obligations.
 
The Board does not look at files until they are complete. Complete does not include medical or the CFA. Nominations are separate from the Board review. Being qualified by the Board (along with CFA and medical) plus a nom allows you to compete for an appointment.

Thanks for the info. Just to clarify, does this mean that the admissions board does not take the CFA into account during their review process? i.e. do they review the CFA separately as a pass/fail, or is it part of the wholistic person during the review process?
 
Will the Candidate's file be reviewed if the only items missing are the BGO interview (doesn't schedule until September), and a nomination?

The Board strongly prefers to have the BGO interview before it reviews the packet. However, if 100% of the package has been complete for some time but no BGO interview, the Board will eventually proceed without it.

A nom is not needed for Board review and is not considered as part of the Board decision making process. MOC noms aren't due to USNA until Jan. 31 and most Board decisions are made well before then. Of course, a nom is needed when USNA considers whether to offer an appointment (a separate process from Board qualification).
 
Thanks for the info. Just to clarify, does this mean that the admissions board does not take the CFA into account during their review process? i.e. do they review the CFA separately as a pass/fail, or is it part of the wholistic person during the review process?

My understanding is that the CFA is considered as part of the Board process if it is complete. However, it's impact is limited in that an excellent CFA can give you a small boost. Also, when USNA is trying to decide among candidates to whom to offer an appointment, a strong CFA can have an impact.
 
I believe it's junior year math and English teacher rec's they require.
Most teachers understand that writing college recommendations is part of their job in addition to their classroom obligations.

Our Senator requires a senior year math instructor. (not referring to USNA's specifications)
 
My understanding is that the CFA is considered as part of the Board process if it is complete. However, it's impact is limited in that an excellent CFA can give you a small boost. Also, when USNA is trying to decide among candidates to whom to offer an appointment, a strong CFA can have an impact.

I have also heard, if it is clear from the candidate's record that they participate in a multitude of athletics, the board might review the candidate without the CFA. However, a candidate who has none or very little athletics in their record might need to complete the CFA before board review.
 
I am applying for the class of 2019 and trying to figure out what to do. My application is complete with the exception of one of the teacher recommendations. However, I would like to redo my CFA to try and get better scores. Should I have my teacher wait to submit my recommendation until after I retake the CFA? In other words, once my application is complete, can the admissions board accept or deny me right away? I was told that the board doesn't even look at the files until they are complete including a nomination, but I would like to confirm this. Thanks

I would recommend having the teacher complete recommendation. Especially if its someone who knows your work well enough to speak on it. I can only speak from prior experience, but my son had his application complete by August 30. USNA has rolling admissions and the application review process starts the first week of September. I know his app was one of the first reviewed because he received communications from them within a week.
 
Board Review and 3Q

USNA1985 and other BGO's thanks for all your timely answers.
On another USNA thread, CVW, a poster indicated that their DD is 3Q for c/o 2019 already. Seem early to know this.

Our DS has had his app fully complete-except for MOC nom for several weeks now. He's 2Q-Dodmerb and CFA, awaiting on word of that 3rd Q. How would he get notified one way or the other?

Thanks for any info.
 
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USNA1985 and other BGO's thanks for all your timely answers.
On another USNA thread, CVW, a poster indicated that their DD is 3Q for c/o 2019 already. Seem early to know this.

Our DS has had his app fully complete-except for MOC nom for several weeks now. He's 2Q-Dodmerb and CFA, awaiting on word of that 3rd Q. How would he get notified one way or the other?

Thanks for any info.

MJP - You may have already heard this but USNA doesn't tell you about 3Q. If your DS speaks to his BGO or Admissions Coordinator he may get an indication of whether GPA and ACT/SAT are competitive. IMHO - above 3.5 GPA and 1300 SAT (Math + Critical Reading) or 29/30 on each of Math and English on ACT are pretty like Q for academics. You can see stats for Class of 2018 so if your DS is in the ranges then pretty much will be 3Q.

In any case, it's the whole person that matters and there were many with what appeared to be very competitive packages including high GPA and test scores last year who didn't ultimately get an appointment. As many have said on this forum, all your DS can do is put the best package forward. It's a long process and most don't know much until early 2015.

Good luck!
 
JS
Thanks and I'll have him reach out to his AC. His BGO said would not know if 3Q'd.
He's at/above those ranges with solid EC's and CFA but that said he is going to take SAT again on Oct to see if he can raise math as high as possible since that is an aspect he can control. We do know how competitive it is and have plans A2, B and C already under consideration.

Thanks again for response-as a newbie I appreciate the patience.
 
I find it hard to believe that anyone is 3 Q'ed at this point b/c, to my knowledge, the Admissions Board has yet to meet in order to determine scholastic qualification.

It may be that the candidate's BGO is making an educated guess as to status based on his/her experience.

You will know if you are qualified medically and your BGO can tell you whether you passed the CFA -- although USNA will tell you if you failed. The ONLY official source for determining whether you are Board qualified is USNA Admissions. To the extent BGOs have such info, it is not official and we are told not to share such with candidates because it isn't official. Asking your BGO for such info puts him/her in a very difficult position. Please don't do it.
 
usna1985 you echo what our BGO said exactly.
She may or may not know about scholastic q but is not to share such info if she did. We respect her and that rule and would not ask her that.
She did tell us that DS passed CFA and that admissions could/would handle everything from here on in.
Thanks for your info.
 
Sorry to keep beating on this topic, but we are currently unable to reach our BGO and this forum is always very helpful with answers. Our son (as of today) has all his academic items submitted. He has not done his BGO interview (BGO can't be reached...we are dealing with that) and has not submitted his CFA as he's working on maxing out a couple of the numbers (but expects to do it by September 15). Here's my question: what happens if a candidate is considered at an early board and the board makes a decision but the candidate submits another CFA before the deadline? If the board has already made their decision, how does a later (presumably improved) CFA factor in? Followup question: Do candidates get any notification after their application goes before the board? I know LOAs are pretty rare, but do applicants normally get any other status updates along the way aside from DoDMERB and not hearing that they failed the CFA? Thanks.
 
The CFA is not necessary for a Board determination. It does factor into whether you will receive an appt. You can receive an LOA w/o your CFA but the LOA is of course contingent on passing the CFA.

The Board typically will not review your package until the BGO interview is complete. Once they start meeting to review records, they will notify Area Coordinators (basically, the BGO's "boss") that a packet is 100% complete but for the interview. That usually gets things moving. After a certain time (typically about a month), if there is still no interview, the Board will consider the record without it.

You are not told when your record goes before the board. Usually, other than the few communications you have described, there is no communication from the Board as to your status. Candidates can contact their RDs if they have specific questions about their status. I don't know whether RDs will indicate your Board status -- anecdotally, I've heard that sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't.
 
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