NC is not considered to be competitive from a big picture aspect. Competitive for noms means they "share the wealth" and you are lucky to get 1 nom. DS only asked for AFA, and still got all 3 for AFA.
We were considered Eastern NC. Bragg, Pope, SJAFB, Cherry Pt and Lejeune were in a 70 mile radii at worst.
I will agree for the Sen. MOC it was competitive, but when you put it up against states like VA, TX, NY, CA, FL, you would quickly realize it was not fierce. Those states due to population can have hundreds upon hundreds applying for a Sen. nom.
If I recall correctly sjbd, you are from an area that has a nationally recognized Magnet Math and Science school, they will be your true competition. Even when we lived in Eastern NC, for our district, parents would drive daily to that school @ 1 hr each way.
Your congressman covers a large military base for 2 branches, which would as Dixie stated have children of military members, upping the competition for those 2 branches. Of course, those military children will probably also have Presidentials too.
Finally unless Sen. Burr has changed his schedule, his interviews will not occur until after Xmas. DS didn't have 1 nom from an MOC until Dec. Keep updating your resume.
Stephanie,
I take a different approach than how it was explained to you. 4 yrs at an SA is different than at least 5 yrs AD. If you don't want to be on boat, why apply to the USNA/CGA/USMMA? Don't want to live on land why apply to USMA? Want to fly helo's, why apply to the AFA? Want to fly fighters why apply to WP? Want operational missions for military conflicts, CGA is not going to give you that compared to the Navy.
Now, if you have a career field desire that overlaps all of them, go for it...JAG, Nursing, IT, etc, but I would never say to any candidate that they should apply to all as if the AD life were cookie cutters of each branch.
5 yrs at the least, and sitting in a sandbox when you wanted to live on a boat, creates an officer with a poor attitude.
OBTW, Bullet spent 1/4 of his AF military career with the Army (2 tours at 2 different times). So I have seen upfront and personal from a spouses perspective how different branches are regarding AD life.