Confused about interview

U

USMAalltheway

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
260
Hey! A couple of threads previous to this one, one person talks about a liason officer coming for an interview. In accordance to this,do I need to have an interview with my liason officer for my West Point application or something? If so, how would I go about scheduling an interview? Thanks.

USMAalltheway
 
I never had one from USMA. Only the ones I had were for my nominations and USAFA application.
 
I have an interview with my liaison officer tomorrow. He contacted me, so I am unsure where you would find the information. There is an admissions contact for each area listed on the USMA candidate portal, so I would check with yours.
 
will try to help

USMAalltheway said:
Hey! A couple of threads previous to this one, one person talks about a liason officer coming for an interview. In accordance to this,do I need to have an interview with my liason officer for my West Point application or something? If so, how would I go about scheduling an interview? Thanks.

USMAalltheway
Click to expand...

USalltheyway,

Good question. My daughter applied to USMA, USAFA,and USNA.
The USNA actually has it a requirement on the official candidate application page. It was an offical interview and the B & G submitted his summary of her.
The USMA we met with our Liason officer. He was awesome and informed us of all the necessities and application process. I do not believe he submitted an interview, but I believe if the Academy is interested in you they make a call to the Liason to feel them out on you. I am not sure of this. Some of the moderators are Liason officers and can answer this for you.
The USAF interview, was less then 15 minutes and I believe it too was nothing formal the Academy uses unless they are interested and make a call to them.
This is all speculation on my part with my personal dealings in the processes of the big three. There are folks here that can answer you acurately.
One note, your Liason officer contacts will be on your application process if you are an offical candidate. Give them a call. They will put allot of myths to bed in the application process.
 
USNA - Interview with BGO mandatory.
USMA - Interview with MALO optional.
USAFA - Interview with ALO mandatory.
USCGA - Interview with AAP optional.
USMMA - Interview with AFR optional.
 
I preface this by saying that I'm not an expert and am only speaking from my experience here as a parent of a candidate.

My son had very detailed interviews by USAFA ALO and USNA BGO. Both of which submitted their interviews and show up on his online applications as having been completed. If you look at the USMA application, there is no listing for the completion of MALO interview. On my son's LoA from USMA it does not have completion of interview as one of the contigencies listed (although he did have an "interview" with cadre while at USMA SLS, so don't know if that counted). My son's LoA from USNA shows that BGO interview is listed as a requirement.

When my son emailed his MALO he said that he would be at our Congressman's Academy Day a couple of weeks ago. My son went and asked the MALO if he would be interviewing him at some point. His comment was that once the process got further down the line (i.e. after a nomination) then the MALO said that he would meet with my son, more as a formality to make sure that "the candidate is who they said they are". He made reference to the fact that there are not very many MALOs to go around to interview everyone.

Again, this is our experience only.
 
Last edited:
USMA - Interview with MALO optional.
Click to expand...
It's not really optional. Candidates who attend SLS will generally have an interview there and won't need to repeat it with a MALO - Military Academy Liason Officer.
USMA strives really hard to make sure each candidate is interviewed by a MALO. Sometimes it's just a phone interview, if possible it is in person. It all depends on the availability. Since a MALO must be an Army Officer (AD, Reserves, Guard) it can be difficult to schedule. This is unlike USNA where a BGO can be a person who is a parent and not an officer.
With the war and a lot of deployments a MALO is not always readily available in all areas.
 
Just_A_Mom said:
It's not really optional. Candidates who attend SLS will generally have an interview there and won't need to repeat it with a MALO - Military Academy Liason Officer.
USMA strives really hard to make sure each candidate is interviewed by a MALO. Sometimes it's just a phone interview, if possible it is in person. It all depends on the availability. Since a MALO must be an Army Officer (AD, Reserves, Guard) it can be difficult to schedule. This is unlike USNA where a BGO can be a person who is a parent and not an officer.
With the war and a lot of deployments a MALO is not always readily available in all areas.
Click to expand...

Mom,
Our MALO was NOT and officer or military. He was the father of a Westpoint graduate and has been doing it for a very long time.
 
PAParentUSNA said:
Mom,
Our MALO was NOT and officer or military. He was the father of a Westpoint graduate and has been doing it for a very long time.
Click to expand...

West Point also uses MAARs (Military Academy Admissions Representatives) to interview candidates, visit high schools, attend college fairs, and perform the exact same duties as a MALO.

The primary responsibilities of the MALOs & MAARs are to assist and evaluate candidates for admission as cadets. In order to accomplish this objective the MALOs & MAARs participate in admissions meetings throughout the year, appear at high school college nights, conduct cadet fitness assessments (CFAs) required for admission, conduct candidate interviews, serve on or as advisors to congressional nomination boards, and otherwise act as the local representatives of West Point for candidates.
 
yep

Luigi59 said:
West Point also uses MAARs (Military Academy Admissions Representatives) to interview candidates, visit high schools, attend college fairs, and perform the exact same duties as a MALO.

The primary responsibilities of the MALOs & MAARs are to assist and evaluate candidates for admission as cadets. In order to accomplish this objective the MALOs & MAARs participate in admissions meetings throughout the year, appear at high school college nights, conduct cadet fitness assessments (CFAs) required for admission, conduct candidate interviews, serve on or as advisors to congressional nomination boards, and otherwise act as the local representatives of West Point for candidates.
Click to expand...

Luigi,
your on the money, our guy also set on our congressmen's nomination board.
 
Luigi - when you say *optional* it makes it sound like it is at the option of the candidate. It is not. If a Military Academy Liason Officer calls for an interview - the interview is NOT optional.

Field Force Reps or MAAR's are also used - especially for information sessions. The Academy still prefers that at least ONE Army officer make contact. If a MALO isn't available often the Regional Commander would at least make a call to the candidate. If the candidate makes a candidate visit then an interview would also take place at that time with a Regional Commander.
Academy admissions has been challenged by the shortage of MALO's but this is still the preference.
While it's possible to win an appointment without being interviewed at all - I think it is quite rare. Even America's Finest probably had an interview of some sort that became a part of his application, he just may not have recognized it as such.
 
Just_A_Mom said:
Luigi - when you say *optional* it makes it sound like it is at the option of the candidate. It is not. If a Military Academy Liason Officer calls for an interview - the interview is NOT optional.
Click to expand...

I understand. Rather than saying that the "interview is optional," it is probably more accurate to write that the "interview is not mandatory."
 
does an AROTC interview count as an interview for USMA?
 
I had my interview last night. It was really more of a "what do you know about USMA, are you serious about going there, and can I answer any questions for you" session. He also had a paper to fill out that checked off how far along in the process I was. As far as I can tell from my academy and rotc interviews, the interviewers are more interested in answering your questions and getting a feel for who you are than asking you difficult questions.
 
2nd thought

:eek:You may be surprised how much the Liason may gather by asking those simple questions.
Our childs interviews made her answer allot of her own questions.
What do you know about the Academy?, may seem like a laxed question, but will/may show the interviewer how much depth and interest you have in the Academy itself.
One may be surprised what the person asking the question gets out of the answer, compared to the individual responding.
 
PAParentUSNA said:
:eek:You may be surprised how much the Liason may gather by asking those simple questions.
Our childs interviews made her answer allot of her own questions.
What do you know about the Academy?, may seem like a laxed question, but will/may show the interviewer how much depth and interest you have in the Academy itself.
One may be surprised what the person asking the question gets out of the answer, compared to the individual responding.
Click to expand...

I agree, their seemingless "friendly" questions have a purpose. If they just wanted to answer your questions then they would do it through email or on the phone but they are there to see who you really are. They may be looking at your confidence, motivation, gestures. A lot can be told about a person by the way they answer a question regardless of what the question is.
 
PAParentUSNA said:
:eek:You may be surprised how much the Liason may gather by asking those simple questions.
Our childs interviews made her answer allot of her own questions.
What do you know about the Academy?, may seem like a laxed question, but will/may show the interviewer how much depth and interest you have in the Academy itself.
One may be surprised what the person asking the question gets out of the answer, compared to the individual responding.
Click to expand...

Yes, I figured that was what it was. Hearing you answer questions like that allows them to get a feel for how motivated you are and who you are in general.
 
Thanks guys for your comments, cleared a bunch of things up. So I should def call my Liason then right?

USMAalltheway
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top