Letter of Assurance

Hello,
I am a candidate for the class of 2020. I have EVERYTHING done including DoDMERB, CFA, and all the good stuff. I also Attended NASS and will be attedning CVW soon. My question was on LOAs. Will the Naval Academy send an LOA to any candidate that has a strong application or do they have to be 100% over the top exceptional. I was a litle confused on this.

As for me:
ACT: 28 Math 26 Verbal
SAT: 630 Math 650 Verbal
I am in one of the best high schools in the nation with one of the best curriculums. I am taking 100% dual-credit, and college classes. I currently hold about 26 credits in college.
I was the principle violinist for one of the leading youth orchestras in the nation.
I started my own business that is now worth over $600,000.

Please let me know!!! I am super anxious becuase I have everything done I am just waiting now.

Who can really say? Your scores are good but about mid-range for accepted mids. Just get in the state of mind that you will not find out until April and if a appointment comes earlier it will be a bonus. Focus on your nomination. Is that all set? Good luck to you.

Let's talk about your stats first. Your ACT/SAT scores are perhaps adequate but you would be best served by trying to improve them. I see no athletics and in some sense leadership looks weak, but then again you do have that impressive business and principal violinist, so I expect that covers leadership. Remember, they are looking for scholars, athletes, and leaders. Strength in one area could compensate for a weakness in another area.

The ways of the Navy mystify me. One certainly needs to be an exceptional candidate in some ways. Being a generally strong candidate overall doesn't cut it for an LOA (at least that's my understanding). Perhaps that business (how did you arrive at that valuation?) will put you over the top for it.

All that being said, there is no point worrying about getting an LOA or getting anxious about being offered an appointment. You have no control over it. Instead use that energy and time to focus on getting a MOC nomination and also working your plans B, C, D, E and F for college. Do NOT count on an appointment. I would also recommend studying meditation as it's most likely you will not hear anything about an appointment until late Feb or March. That's a long wait. Don't drive yourself nuts in the interim.

Good luck!

I can't speak for Navy, but West Point sent several LOAs out for my state so far - diversity candidates or high academic achievement.

I did not list everything. I have much more including variaty sports I was just walking into class and had to cut it short.

This issue seems to pop up every other week. As others have stated, make the assumption you are not going to get an LOA and won't hear results until the spring time. Asking people on this board what they think your chances of receiving an LOA and/or appointment doesn't help...none of us here decide these outcomes. You really ought to find ways to distract yourself otherwise the next half-year might make you pretty anxious.

You should try to improve those SATs and ACTs, particularly the math portion.

Your stats are mid range. They hand LOAs out to all kinds of candidates, none of know why some and not others. They look at the whole candidate. The goal is an appointment, not an LOA. An LOA without a Nom = a TWE. Focus on improving your ACTs, your Nom packages and interviews and be prepared for a wait into April. Oh and it's your senior year, so have fun!

Sorry I used the term "Mids" above...too much switching between forums

Or is that appropriate? I am new to this world

Brawny77 said:

Sorry I used the term "Mids" above...too much switching between forums

Click to expand...

No apology needed! That's what we were called many moons ago! Its much easier to say Mids that Midshipman, lol!

Read this recent thread: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/loa-how-why-and-when.44221/

^^^ Actually, no one on this forum knows the formula USNA uses to issues LOA's, that other thread doesn't contain any info not already covered in other similiar threads, so there isn't any value in asking us your 'chances' of getting one. Even if someone happens to know one (or a few) individuals who got them, we still have no way to answer the original question, but doesn't stop people from asking.

My son received an LOA almost 2 years ago. But even he swears he has no idea why he did. He has said there are, in his opinion, far more deserving mids in his class who did not receive them. We're from a very competitive area, he was not a diversity candidate, good grades, marks, involvement in sports, etc...but by his observation, that describes nearly everyone there.