Can Someone explain how this works?

Michael R.

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Feb 12, 2015
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I live in the 8th district of NC. Is it competitive? Also, I heard only 5 people from each congressman nomination can be there. So lets say I only got a nomination from a person who has 5 already attending the academy. Does that mean that congressman can't nominate anyone?
 
I live in the 8th district of NC. Is it competitive? Also, I heard only 5 people from each congressman nomination can be there. So lets say I only got a nomination from a person who has 5 already attending the academy. Does that mean that congressman can't nominate anyone?

There is probably a kid or two out of the five graduating. If there were no openings, I doubt the MOC would interview anyone.
 
Each congressperson can have 5 attending each Academy. In a perfect world that would mean one in each class plus an extra. Each year one of those would graduate too. So that means a Congressman would have one or two slots available yearly. BUT life gets in the way and people drop out before graduation, get turned back to the next year group, nobody on a slate gets accepted by the Academy, etc. So after a while things get a little scrambled. Add into that, no Congressman wants to tell his constituents "Sorry due to my poor planning I have 5 Midn/Cadets at the Academy and I am not nominating anybody this year." Not a good way to get re-elected. So the Congressman always makes sure he /she has at least one slot available. This is all meaningless to the individual candidate as he/she is always in competition with other candidates for that slot no matter what the arrangement situation is.

The question "Is (blank) district competitive?" is sort of a nowhere question. If you mean "Is there a lot of applicants?" you have to quantify what that magic number is to you. If a state like Alaska or North Dakota has 20 apply and California has 400 apply and a Congressman can only nominate 10, then somebody is not going to make the cut. So what is your magic number that you think is "competitive"? 20? 30? 100? 200? Now also remember a Senator has the whole state and a Representative has only a District, the VP has the whole country. So who's on first base? (Sorry, old joke line there). ALL paths are competitive and who knows, you may be the one the others should worry about.

In fact, I can say with complete confidence that yes, NC-8 is a VERY competitive district because there has to be one other candidate applying that is very, very very good and that person may well take your spot. See, it only takes one.

Do the best you can, and let the chips fall where they may.
 
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Each congressperson can have 5 attending each Academy. In a perfect world that would mean one in each class plus an extra. Each year one of those would graduate too. So that means a Congressman would have one or two slots available yearly. BUT life gets in the way and people drop out before graduation, get turned back to the next year group, nobody on a slate gets accepted by the Academy, etc. So after a while things get a little scrambled. Add into that, no Congressman wants to tell his constituents "Sorry due to my poor planning I have 5 Midn/Cadets at the Academy and I am not nominating anybody this year." Not a good way to get re-elected. So the Congressman always makes sure he /she has at least one slot available. This is all meaningless to the individual candidate as he/she is always in competition with other candidates for that slot no matter what the arrangement situation is.
So if there is only one available spot, only the principal nomination gets in?
 
How do you know that though? I guess mine isn't too bad. It seems mostly country and a low income area.

My BGO told me. Also, there were about 50 kids competing for nominations this year and there a lot of really good schools in the area. I'm not sure about the 8th district though.
 
If there is only one available spot, the principal nominee must meet the Academy requirements of DODMERB, the CFA, and Academics----in other words, be 3 Q'ed--- and they get the appointment. They may flunk the CFA or the DODMERB physical or not measure up to the Academy's academic standards (which includes, academics, leadership, physical fitness and sports, teacher and BGO/ALO interviews, yadda, yadda.....) and in that case they do not go. Otherwise, buy that plane ticket.......a principal nomination is always very, very good.
 
Each congressperson can have 5 attending each Academy. In a perfect world that would mean one in each class plus an extra. Each year one of those would graduate too. So that means a Congressman would have one or two slots available yearly. BUT life gets in the way and people drop out before graduation, get turned back to the next year group, nobody on a slate gets accepted by the Academy, etc. So after a while things get a little scrambled. Add into that, no Congressman wants to tell his constituents "Sorry due to my poor planning I have 5 Midn/Cadets at the Academy and I am not nominating anybody this year." Not a good way to get re-elected. So the Congressman always makes sure he /she has at least one slot available. This is all meaningless to the individual candidate as he/she is always in competition with other candidates for that slot no matter what the arrangement situation is.

The question "Is (blank) district competitive?" is sort of a nowhere question. If you mean "Is there a lot of applicants?" you have to quantify what that magic number is to you. If a state like Alaska or North Dakota has 20 apply and California has 400 apply and a Congressman can only nominate 10, then somebody is not going to make the cut. So what is your magic number that you think is "competitive"? 20? 30? 100? 200? Now also remember a Senator has the whole state and a Representative has only a District, the VP has the whole country. So who's on first base? (Sorry, old joke line there). ALL paths are competitive and who knows, you may be the one the others should worry about.

In fact, I can say with complete confidence that yes, NC-8 is a VERY competitive district because there has to be one other candidate applying that is very, very very good and that person may well take your spot. See, it only takes one.

Do the best you can, and let the chips fall where they may.
If someone in my district gets a principal nomination from Senate and I was second for the house of representatives would they try to give me a pricipal nomination
 
Who's "they"? and how would they "try"? The congressperson makes the decision as to what type of slate to present to the Academy. Sorry, you need to be more clear.
 
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Who's "they"? and how would they "try"? The congressperson makes the decision as to what type of slate to present to the Academy. You have got to be more clear.
They refers to the congressman. Also, they try by talking with each other to make sure the maximum amount of people a nomination
 
Unless you have real solid information from a legitimate source (like the offices of the Congressperson) that the congressional members share info on the candidates and they jointly only will allow every candidate one lonesome nomination to supposedly "spread the wealth" (but the mechanism they do that with is the unranked list of 10 nominees method and not the principal-alternate method), then I think you may be operating on flawed info. It's not your fault as the nominating methods are very confusing, can change yearly, can change among service academies, and the information is available but you have to go get it (https://admissions.usafa.edu/RRC/Nomination_Process.pdf ) page 7. Note there are 3 different methods of nominations and a Congressperson can change them every year and among every Academy. Having said all that, the fact you were talking about principal nominees indicates that your congressional delegation does not talk among themselves and dole out single nominations. Some Congressional members do this but most do not.

But I am still a bit lost on your question. It is the sole decision of a Congressperson (and I include a senator in this title) to determine which of the 3 nominating methods to use and on which Academy. In a principal-alternate method a Congressperson determines who is #1, #2, and so on any way they want. They can rack and stack candidates by eye color if they want. The only answer I can think of is: in any situation it will be what the individual Congressperson wants.

I think you need to clarify for yourself exactly what method each of your Members of Congress uses. And remember, they could all use a different method on each Academy and change it each year. All it takes is a call to each Congressman's office as it is no big secret.
 
I am applying to the Naval Academy and I have just received a nomination from my MOC (who does not rank candidates). I am a bit confused about the process. I understand my MOC most likely has 1 or 2 spots open at the academies, yes when I went in for my interview there were interviews going on for multiple academies. Could a MOC or senator nominate to multiple service academies with only 1 or 2 spots open?
 
Late to the party, but..
1. NC is not deemed competitive at all.
~ Competitive on this site means the MoCs talk... 1 nomination and to only 1 SA.
~~ In VA, Senators average 750+ applicants. The MoCs talk...aka spread the wealth.
~~ DS got all 3 MoCs nominations. Burr had 400 applicants. He also gave candidates multiple noms...1 kid got USNA and USMMA.

Not trying to be rude, just saying yes, your Congressional district may have 50 for the slate of 10, but when you look at the Senatorial level, that is not competitive in the terms we use here.
~ JMPO, but if I was to say which district I would see 7th district as competitive because you have a lot of military bases and the outskirts of Raleigh. Raleigh has excellent schools. Military bases typically equally more military brats. That area would include Fayetteville, and Wilmington, plus some outlying Seymour Johnson AFB kids.

2. The MoC gets the choice to use principal, ranked or unranked for the slate submission. They can change their decision not only every year, but also with every SA.
~ IE: Last year no principals for any nominee. This year a principal to USMA, ranked to USAFA and unranked to USNA.
~~ Burr to my knowledge has never given a principal. His committee interviews early Jan. Typically they interview only the top 20, thus it becomes a yours to lose at the interview.

If someone in my district gets a principal nomination from Senate and I was second for the house of representatives would they try to give me a pricipal nomination

Short answer is NO. See point #2. The Sen. used principal, but that does not mean that your Congressional submitted a ranked slate. They could have submitted unranked, in essence letting the SA decide using the WCS and you might not be second according to the WCS.
~ Key: read the congrats letter. It typically will state how they submit. Principal, principal/alternate, principal/ranked, principal/unranked, ranked only and finally unranked. Anything with the word rank means this is my choice, but I won't force your hand, unlike the word principal.

Each MOC charging is tied to how they submit their slate to the SA.

3.
Could a MOC or senator nominate to multiple service academies with only 1 or 2 spots open?

Yes.
I see your moniker is Texas, and if you are a TX nominee candidate and not a NC candidate, the chances for you would be less than NC.
~TX is considered competitive. The MoCs do talk to spread the wealth. Getting 1 nom. in total is considered great. I would not expect a nom to multiple SAs . NC depending on the applicant pool, I have seen multiple noms.
~~ IE candidate Smith has an LOA to USNA and USMA. It is a no harm/no foul to place them on their slate. The candidate only needs a nom., but that does not mean the SA will charge them from an appointment aspect. They could place that candidate on both slates, and give principals to someone else.

Traditionally, that means on their slate they can state to their constituents that at least 2 were appointed prior to hitting the national pool, but only 1 was charged (principal) to the MoC. There are some MoC slates that could have 8,9, or even 10 get an appointment, but only 1 will be placed against the MoC for their 5 at any time.

Nominating and charging are 2 different things.
 
If there is only one available spot, the principal nominee must meet the Academy requirements of DODMERB, the CFA, and Academics----in other words, be 3 Q'ed--- and they get the appointment. They may flunk the CFA or the DODMERB physical or not measure up to the Academy's academic standards (which includes, academics, leadership, physical fitness and sports, teacher and BGO/ALO interviews, yadda, yadda.....) and in that case they do not go. Otherwise, buy that plane ticket.......a principal nomination is always very, very good.

Thanks, Spud. Glad to read this!
 
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