I'm sure that the Admissions staff has enough to do with the record number of applicants this year. Perhaps in the future the database that lists completed applications, those who have already been offered appointments, and those who were not selected could be cross-referenced with the general mailing list to prevent unnecessary mailings...and heart attacks...and bad feelings.
There are, no doubt candidates who need to be encouraged to complete their applications...or need to be convinced to accept their appointment(we won't have that problem here!).
However unfounded, after receiving a letter that says something like "Have you ever thought about the Coast Guard Academy?" - after attending CFAD, completing the AIM application, the 2016 Application for EA, having been interviewed by an Admissions Partner, compulsively reading this forum...and stalking the mailman relentlessly...I could see how a candidate might wonder if their application material has indeed been processed, or if there has been some mistake and their materials have somehow been misplaced after receiving a mailing like this. After all, it reads almost like this is your first introduction to the CGA.
In the case of Dedham's son, it is really unfortunate. If our son gets the non-selection TWE - I'll be sure to try to screen the mail afterward to prevent the heart wrenching roller coaster he would surely feel as he opened the letter with the hope that perhaps there was some mistake...only to find that it is a generic mailing saying "Have you ever considered the USCGA?" Ouch.
From an objective viewpoint, I can see how easily this happened and why there are mass mailings to everyone...from a biased and "immersed up to our earlobes in the effort of our son to attend the USCGA" point of view, it would be nice to try to prevent such mailings.