Working on components of their main application that opens up around April.
Improving SAT/ACT
Solidly EC
Improving CFA / physical
Better Grades at school
[/QUO
Can you explain the purpose of the pre-application? Can anyone apply in April when application to the USNA opens?
Wow! Thank you for your time and effort in this response - this is a whirlwind!Maintain your relationships with the teachers who will be working hard to complete the mandatory evaluations. Preparing and educating them, you don't pick the teacher, the SA tells you which teachers you ask, ie, Senior English, Science, Math etc. They will get an email, they should check spam. Let them know time is a factor and you heartily appreciate their work on your behalf.
Let your guidance counselor know what is coming and politely and positively enlist them to aid you in this process. They will also complete evaluations and other things on your behalf. It's a lot of work for them!
Gather medical records if you have anything that might flag your medical qualification.
Build your resume, update it consistently. Read through every aspect of the web site for the SA you are applying to. Do career research.
If you can, do some mock interviews. Possible that a SA parent group in your area may host them. That was invaluable for our son.
Get a white board or excel sheet, and once applications open, track all due dates and deliverable items. It is a lot to task manage. Deadlines count and won't be flexed. We helped our DS track each application in a multi section notebook, each time an action was taken or documents requested or mailed or emailed, they got noted in file. If he spoke with someone via phone or email, that was documented with their name and the date. Keeping track of sending all SAT and ACT scores as well as transcripts got fuzzy, grateful he tracked them.
Research your plan B and C and D thru Z and be ready to roll on those as well.
Spend time with mom and dad and siblings. Support each other, this is a long road that can be emotional to say the least. Settle in, make some popcorn and know this is a very long, no instant gratification journey.
Also, I'm just a tired, excited, anxious, proud mom of a candidate to 4 academies. Also, he went to summer stem, was declined Summer Seminar (he was pretty bummed, thought it was an indicator he wasn't a good candidate) and he now has multiple noms, one of which is a principal. He is still anxious of course, and hopes to receive an appointment, but does feel validation that his hard work is beginning to see results.
So please, if you don't get into summer seminar do not think it to be the end of the world. Keep your head down, press on. Good luck to you!
Lastly, be super appreciative to all here, this forum is an invaluable resource and has so many great contributors and moderators who have experience in so many aspects of this process and military life.
Indeed it is. I am happy to help, plenty have assisted us in this journey and it takes a lot to get it done.Wow! Thank you for your time and effort in this response - this is a whirlwind
I'm looking for a few answers and can't find ... you may know?Indeed it is. I am happy to help, plenty have assisted us in this journey and it takes a lot to get it done.
Our son received decline email to USNA summer seminar on April 12. He received official candidate application open email on May 6. I am sure dates very some each cycle. Don't panic if you don't hear by those dates.I'm looking for a few answers and can't find ... you may know?
The Summer Seminar application is the pre-application to the USNA. After review, when will you know if you are an official candidate? Also, ACT scores ... does the NA take the best individual test scores from multiple attempts or just the best overall test score?
Appreciative!!
Thank you! Do you by any chance know if there is a certain form the teachers fill out or if it's free write (for the teacher recs)?They look at the whole candidate. Work to improve. Use khan academy or other sources to improve. Also, one more important aspect of finishing a quality application early, it triggers the DODMERB medical component and you can knock that out early. The later in the cycle the busier it gets and if you need a waiver it takes time. Also, run. And stay healthy. I second garnering letters of recommendation for nominations. The teacher evaluations are not really traditional letters, and you won't see their submissions.
To our knowledge it is a questionnaire and I assume each SA varies. According to one teacher they let our DS know it had a small section to write additional remarks. You will need to input their school email address, school phone number (teacher will need to know what number you list to log in).Thank you! Do you by any chance know if there is a certain form the teachers fill out or if it's free write (for the teacher recs)?
How long does it take to hear if you are selected for summer seminar? Also, while waiting, what are things potential candidates should be doing?
Your scores are important and I agree the previous advice that you should continue working to up your scores. My son attended the NASS and met Mids there that had SAT scores around 1100 and others who had much higher, so scores are a part of the evaluation. They look at the prospects holistically, but you want to be competitive. My son’s was told by his congressional rep that SAT scores were so high for his group year that they weren’t interviewing anyone with less than a 1300 so stay on top of scores and don’t give anyone a reason to decline.I'm currently applying to USNASS with a below average SAT score, but everything else on my app is good. Will that be a disqualifying factor?
My son who is now a plebe applied to NASS with 1210 SAT and got in. Eventually had a 1540 by the time final application was sent in July. So not a disqualified by any means but keep striving for better! Best of luckI'm currently applying to USNASS with a below average SAT score, but everything else on my app is good. Will that be a disqualifying factor?