Applying to more than one SA?

bosoxnation33

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If anything, I'm going to apply to USNA, USAFA, and USMA, but I've heard it's not uncommon for people to apply to all 5 SA's, even with no intention to attend a few of them. Does it improve how the admissions office views you? Anyone here done that? Do you mention to your MOC the #of SA's you're applying to? How do the prelims go? Thanks!
 
If anything, I'm going to apply to USNA, USAFA, and USMA, but I've heard it's not uncommon for people to apply to all 5 SA's, even with no intention to attend a few of them. Does it improve how the admissions office views you? Anyone here done that? Do you mention to your MOC the #of SA's you're applying to? How do the prelims go? Thanks!

Honestly, why would you have admissions review your file and go through all the trouble to complete the applications, and possibly take away another persons position on a congressional slate if you have NO intention of attending the said academy.

I applied to all 5, I was interested in all 5, and until this Novemeber, would have attended any of them. I received nominations to 4 of them (3 Navy, 1 Westpoint, 1, Airforce, 1 MM)

After attending the USAFA Summer Seminar, I had second thoughts about whether I should list AFA it as my top choice or not. My applications turned from a game to see how many Service Academies I could apply to to me seriously considering where I could envision myself after graduation. I dropped my application to AFA and MM (unfortunately after my congressmen made their decisions on noms,) I withdrew my apps so I didn't receive any sort of consideration for an appointment that I would deny anyway.


The army and Navy appealed to me, so I listed them as 1 and two with airforce as 3 and mm as 4 as "backups". Historically in our district, applicants receive their top choice from each congressman. However, I was shocked to receive noms to all 4, and now I feel guilty for taking a slot away from someone else on the slate.

It's up to you to do what you want, however, why waste time on applications to schools you don't intend to attend, when you could be spending time running an extra mile after school or putting more effort into your grades to improve your WCS for one or two academies instead of spreading yourself thin for the sake of appearances.

That's my opinion anyway.

Edit: Sorry for the jumbled post.
 
My personal opinion is apply to only those you are interested or would consider attending.

My son did that and got three out of three options available to him. Then make the choice that is best for you.

I've read about some applying to all five, and getting nominations to academies they really didn't want to attend.

Just my opinion here though. Others may feel differently.

Good Luck!
 
If you are quite versatile and can see yourself attending any of the service academies, then go for it.

It was different for me. I was pressured by my mom and others to apply to as many SAs as I can. She didn't want to be bestowed upon the burden of a college tuition, thus she wanted to increase the chances of my appointment to a Service Academy. Naval Academy, however, is my dream, and to apply to West Point or Air Force Academy or the smaller SAs didn't feel right to me.

I felt like I knew what I was getting myself into, as I attended NASS. I was constantly telling myself for several years that I would attend USNA up to the day the application opened. I believed that I couldn't put as much effort and passion into the application processes of the other Academies, and that foreshadows what kind of effort I would be putting in at the "other" places. So I took an all or nothing approach with USNA.

I believe that the fact that I focused on one Academy was responsible for why I did so well in the interviews, essays, etc. and then for my subsequent LOA and nomination.

Moral of the story: it depends on the person.
 
I've never heard anyone of applying to all 5 Academy's if they didn't have at least some desire to go to any of them. I know some people apply to 4 or 5 even though they especially want to go to 2 of them, but I have never heard anyone of applying to all 5 just for the heck of it. That's a lot of extra work, and I really doubt applying to 5 if you only want to go to 2 or 3 of them is going to help too much.
 
I would think that applying to all 5 would at the very least create some hurdles when applying for a nomination. If you can give a legitimate answer to the question "Why all 5?", other than I want my education paid for, then it could work. Other than that I think you might be looked at with a jaundiced eye by the nomination selection committees.

Best to pick the ones you would actually be interested in attending and apply to those.
 
I don't think it would reflect positively on the applicant if they were to apply to all five.

Three seems to be a logical maximum.

My son is applying for the USNA and USMA class of '19. We thought about the USAFA, but the desire to attend is really not strong enough.
 
One SA doesn't care whether you apply to others. Apply to those that you may want to attend.
 
I don't think it would reflect positively on the applicant if they were to apply to all five.

Three seems to be a logical maximum.

My son is applying for the USNA and USMA class of '19. We thought about the USAFA, but the desire to attend is really not strong enough.

Understandable, I'm honestly having trouble seeing myself at USMA.
 
bosoxnation33 - Sounds like you are answering your own question. As another point of data, DS only wanted to pursue a Navy career so stuck with USNA and NROTC. He may have been biased from the start - 3 people in the extended family are USNA alum - but no one suggested that he pursue USNA, that was his decision alone.

I do agree with other's that narrowing the field of options comes across as a more coherent story.

Enjoy the journey, wherever it leads!
 
If anything, I'm going to apply to USNA, USAFA, and USMA, but I've heard it's not uncommon for people to apply to all 5 SA's, even with no intention to attend a few of them. Does it improve how the admissions office views you? Anyone here done that? Do you mention to your MOC the #of SA's you're applying to? How do the prelims go? Thanks!

I agree with what others have said -- it doesn't make sense to apply to all five if there are one or more you wouldn't really want to attend. I will note that in the Congressional nomination process, some students at the school at which I teach got a negative reaction when they only were interested in one service academy. The nomination committee appeared to feel they were not interested enough in "service" as a general concept if they were that focused on one academy. Quite possibly unfair, and I'm sure not true for every Congressperson's process, but the negative reaction was unmistakeable. If you are applying to 2-3 that sincerely interest you that is probably the best case scenario all around.
 
You apply to the schools you would like to attend. If you don't want to attend any of the five service academies, then don't apply to the schools you wouldn't want to attend. It's a simple as that.

This isn't a "get into a service academy, which ever one, for the fun of it." There are five very real years of service after you graduate. On top of that, service academies really aren't all that fun... you you have to WANT it.
 
In many areas of the country, your MOCs will "force" you to choose or rank at least the "big 3" and most likely USMMA as well, when it comes to applying for noms. (USCGA doesn't require noms). It is exceedingly rare for a single candidate to get noms to all 4 SAs that require them. In some districts/states, you may only be able to get one nom total to one SA -- so you need to think this through and choose wisely.

I've had more than a few candidates say, "I'll take any SA." Then they get their one nom to a SA that, it turns out, wasn't their first choice and are in a conumdrum. If you're not interested in a particular SA, don't apply -- there is no up side.
 
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