Am I competetive enough?

av8tor781

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Nov 8, 2015
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I am a junior in high school and I plan to apply to both the Airforce and Naval Academy. Heres what I have on my plate-
- 4.0 weighted gpa/ 3.7 unweighted
-A petty officer 3rd class in Naval sea Cadets
-varsity track
-Getting private pilots liscense in January (I have already soloed on my 16th birthday)
Letters from:
- Naval Sea Cadet Commanding officer
-My Grandpa who served In Us Army for 30 years and became A Command sgt. major in the special forces
-Uncle who was an Army Captain
- A sgt in the LAPD
- A Navy seal who graduated from Naval Academy
-Retired US Army colonel
-Several police officers

-I am ranked 66 of 618 juniors
-I volunteer at local community centers. 40 hours
-My mom has a friend that knows senators who will give me a nomination
- I am in Cross Country as well, and run a 4:57 mile
-I am taking Ap US History, Honors physics, and Ap English
-National society of High school scholars
-I took my SAT but waiting on scores
 
Everything looks good, but the Naval Academy only takes letters from your English and Math teachers. You can submit a few additional, but I would only do one or two. Also, the nomination panel does not even include the Member of Congress from whom you are seeking one. You are interviewed by a panel of Military Officers and Veterans who choose the top ten candidates. In my state the first MOC's interviews were last weekend, and over 200 people were looking for a nomination.
 
Getting a NOM isn't about who you or your parents might know. I highly doubt a 'friend of a friend' matters in that regard.


I disagree time2. Who you or your parents know can in some circumstances help. Everyone's situation is different and what goes on behind the scenes is often never known.

My son had an early LOA and it absolutely helped that a good friend of ours was a very close friend of the local Congressman. He was a Blue Chip recruit, straight A/34 ACT student, that checked every box. He was told "we'd find you a Nom if you cannot obtain one and have applied to all available", so the pressure was off. However, it was great for him to get it from our local Congressman.
 
I am a junior in high school and I plan to apply to both the Airforce and Naval Academy. Heres what I have on my plate-
- 4.0 weighted gpa/ 3.7 unweighted
-A petty officer 3rd class in Naval sea Cadets
-varsity track
-Getting private pilots liscense in January (I have already soloed on my 16th birthday)
Letters from:
- Naval Sea Cadet Commanding officer
-My Grandpa who served In Us Army for 30 years and became A Command sgt. major in the special forces
-Uncle who was an Army Captain
- A sgt in the LAPD
- A Navy seal who graduated from Naval Academy
-Retired US Army colonel
-Several police officers

-I am ranked 66 of 618 juniors
-I volunteer at local community centers. 40 hours
-My mom has a friend that knows senators who will give me a nomination
- I am in Cross Country as well, and run a 4:57 mile
-I am taking Ap US History, Honors physics, and Ap English
-National society of High school scholars
-I took my SAT but waiting on scores

The application asks for letters of recommendation from your English and math teachers. Letters submitted from relatives or family friends are likely to be read with a very skeptical eye. Letters from other people provide valuable insight only if they are a result of a long period of direct contact with you, especially if they were able to observe you working and/or leading.

Each Member of Congress runs their own nomination application process. Most base nominations on a competitive process that considers test scores, school record, leadership experience and possibly an interview.

In my experience, there are few faster ways to turn off a BGO or academy representative than explaining this or that friend or relative is a friend of an admiral or senator and therefore, the nomination is going to be a shoe in.
 
+1 Full steam.

I would imagine that detailers would likely make life more challenging for a plebe who claimed to be "well connected."

As mentioned above by Lef9820, most MOC's distance themselves from the screeing process by using a panel for interviews. Panelists who know the candidate will normally recuse themselves from the interview. While there may be some nepotism that still exists, the majority of congressional members have neither the time, nor the tolerance for those who try to pull strings.

But do you really want to gain an nomination by "behind the scenes" maneuvering? Ugh.
 
^^^ Yup, I agree. Is there someone/somewhere who was able to pull 'strings' to get a NOM or appointment ???? Probably. Is that the norm?..........ummm it is not. Getting a NOM is NOT about being well connected or who you know.

No one from USNA will ever tell an applicant the exact reasons they were chosen (or got a NOM), so people tend to speculate and assume things that may not be factual.
 
Just pool the answers here and the answers on the USAFA thread where you also posted this same thing.
 
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