Changes to SA Nominations

w@113r

w@113r

USNA '28
Joined
Oct 18, 2023
Messages
15
Just saw this announced by Service and Academy and ROTC Scholarship Insiders through a video. This will be in effect for USAFA, USNA and USMA for applicants to the c/o 2029 and to summarise:
  • MOCs can nominate 15 candidates on a slate
  • The number of appointments for Qualified Alternates is increasing to 200 candidates
Firstly, can anyone confirm these changes are true? I haven't been able to find anything else about these changes online let alone direct from SA websites.
Second, what are your general thoughts on this? Why are these changes being made and what impact will these have on future applicants?
 
Haven’t heard anything about that. But if they are already turning away awesome candidates, why would this change even be needed? Its not an increase to the total admitted.

🤔
 
I haven't seen any statutory amendment that permits a MOC to nominate more than 10 for a slate. I'm not saying it is impossible for a change to take place, but until I see a statute that permits this, I'll be skeptical.
 
justdoit19 said:
Haven’t heard anything about that. But if they are already turning away awesome candidates, why would this change even be needed? Its not an increase to the total admitted.

🤔
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I think this is very helpful for kids in extremely competitive districts. Some great candidates walk away with no nominations in those districts. If they had a nom they would have been on the alternative list.
 
Nice!!! Glad to see this change, allows for more eager people to receive a nom! (ahem VA, MD, TX applicant). Seems like a overall good change, unless you’re in admissions and needing to evaluate more applicants next year haha!
 
Yes, this is good news! My candidates for the C/O 2029 (and beyond), especially in the very populous states, will like this change.
 
Seems promising for competitive districts. Our district only allows you to request one academy. Seems like instead of nominating 5 more to the slate, moc’s would maybe allow more than one academy requested.
 
I'm surprised that they're making a change to the process, but I'd favor a whole overhaul! Wouldn't it be nice if the process could be somewhat centralized? It seems reasonable to have one clearing house to send SAT scores, LOR, etc. And how many applicants with nominations already don't get appointments? It seems frustrating to get that far in the process and then not receive an appointment. Doesn't giving more nominations only increase that number of kids who have nominations and don't get appointments?
 
centay said:
How much c/o 2024 gotta miss out now. Seems like we're the last ones for the older stuff. First it was Digital SAT and now this. And don't get me started on the FAFSA situation.
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RESPECT on navigating the Fafsa fiasco alone....what a cluster. But wait a year and something else will change....always does.
 
This is welcome news for a pretty antiquated process. In really competitive districts, 10 noms is simply not enough (while better, 15 is not either IMO). Open up the process so the service academies have more latitude to appoint who is going to be potentially the best candidate. I know in my area, the nomination board really comes down to a SAT and GPA contest, which overlooks so many attributes that are important to SA's. It's also very punitive for diversity.
 
w@113r said:
Just saw this announced by Service and Academy and ROTC Scholarship Insiders through a video. This will be in effect for USAFA, USNA and USMA for applicants to the c/o 2029 and to summarise:
  • MOCs can nominate 15 candidates on a slate
  • The number of appointments for Qualified Alternates is increasing to 200 candidates
Firstly, can anyone confirm these changes are true? I haven't been able to find anything else about these changes online let alone direct from SA websites.
Second, what are your general thoughts on this? Why are these changes being made and what impact will these have on future applicants?
Click to expand...
I guess the question that immediately comes to my mind is this: when did the US Congress change 10 U.S. Code § 7442 - Cadets: appointment; numbers, territorial distribution? Because there, it still clearly states "...Each Senator, Representative, and Delegate in Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, is entitled to nominate 10 persons for each vacancy that is available to him under this section. "

There's more but that's the relevant part.

I've seen nothing from USAFA/RR, and nothing from my MOCs (I work with them on nominations). I'm not saying it's not true, but where can I find this "officially" and not on a website that's looking for customers?

Steve
USAFA ALO
 
(There's a video out there you can look for)

There's some speculation in this video that this may be partially due to the Harvard discrimination ruling and academies trying to get ahead of the current case against west point.

My question is, can your whole candidate score be affected by race/gender? Or is it strictly based upon objective scores?

My understanding is that if your moc nominates 10(now 15) candidates, then an academy can pick anyone from the slate (taking race/gender into account), even if the person they choose may have lower test scores/grades/CFA, etc. Then at least the person not chosen with a good WCS can then compete for one of the 200 spots as an alternate.
 
It is just speculation concerning the suit. In turn, no one can impact the selection process, except Congress, Admissions, etc. Candidates, like you and my students, can only control your application and the résumé you've built through your best efforts and hard work. Each Academy provides insights into the credentials that they seek with appointees and then provide a profile each year of the entering class. Ready, Aim, Fire -- as I advise my students with a big focus on 'aiming.' Best of luck with your applications!
 
dddad said:
Worth noting that the other significant amendment seems to be the increase to 200 from 150 in order of merit from “qualified alternates.” This may be of equal importance to candidates coming from highly competitive districts/states.
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Thank you!!!

This is precisely what I was looking for but had not found. Interesting...they're going to have to clear up the verbiage...15 nominations...all competitive or one principal and nine ranked alternates...does that mean the remaining five are in limbo?
 
flieger83 said:
Thank you!!!

This is precisely what I was looking for but had not found. Interesting...they're going to have to clear up the verbiage...15 nominations...all competitive or one principal and nine ranked alternates...does that mean the remaining five are in limbo?
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Yep...reads as not finished. Wonder if this is a passed article or simply a proposed bill? Guess I'll have to dig a bit deeper if truly curious.
 
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