loa AND nominations?

Definitely remember that of the 10,000 (give or take) that put in an initial online app to the academy (Prospects); and of the 6,000 +/- remaining that are considered somewhat having a chance (Applicant); and of the 3,000 +/- remaining yet who are considered competitive and/or received a nomination (Candidate); and of the 1,700 +/- remaining who actually receive an appointment (Appointee); and of the 1,300 +/- who actually accept the appointment and go to the academy on "June 25, 2009"; not even half went to summer seminar.

Summer seminar is applied to NLT March of that year. Summer seminar is conducted in June; PRIOR to the online application being opened up. And, there are approximately only 700 slots available. Of the 10,000 prospects, most didn't even apply for summer seminar. Of those selected, it's spread out to make sure that not everyone is from 1 state like California, texas, etc... And of the 700 slots, many who go realize that the academy is not for them. I wish they could have a 1-2 hour long video with someone following a Summer seminar attendee around for the week. There's a lot of people who walk into the academy and have absolutely no idea what they've gotten into.

So anyway; to put your mind at some rest; of the 1,300-1,400 appointees that accept the appointment and come to the academy on June 25th; maybe 1/4th of them went to summer seminar. At the VERY MOST; only 1/2 could go because they only have about 700 summer seminar slots. Obviously more than half the freshmen cadets didn't go to summer seminar.

But the question always arises; "Does going to Summer Seminar give you an advantage to getting an appointment?" The answer is Yes - and - No. We are all a product of our environment. If you go to the summer seminar and it solidified your desire to go to the academy; then when you get back home you are more motivated to get the application done as soon as it's available. About a week or two later. This motivation shows up indirectly when your nominators see you contacting them in July-August with a completed application. You look more impressive because of your initiative. It will also help you in the eyes of your nominator and ALO during interviews because they see someone who went to summer seminar and STILL WANTS to go to the academy. The NO part is that it doesn't affect your final score compiled for your application. In other words, the academy itself doesn't reward points for it. Mainly because they know there's only 700 SS slots and 10,000 applying. And being they haven't seen 1 application yet at the time of selecting summer seminar, there's no way of saying if the SS attendee is a good academy match or not.

So, don't worry about SS. If you've got your LOA; or not; get that nomination. It's the "JOB INTERVIEW" of your life. Make it count. If you get the nomination, and are one of the top 2 on their list, then you've got a really good chance. Not to be discouraging, but remember, that an LOA gives you a REALLY GOOD CHANCE of an appointment because the nominators trust the academy. If the academy is willing to assure you an appointment, the nominators WON'T stand in your way. However, getting a nomination (While needed), isn't a guarantee of an appointment. If all the senators and reps put in a max list of 10 names each, (Not that they always will), but that's a total of about 5,500 nominations. Obviously, you need to be the top 1 or 2 of those lists to get the appointment. Best of luck to all of you. Mike.....
 
I didn't even apply for SS (found out about it too late), and I still got a LOA and nomination. I really think that it plays a small role, like Christcorp said, but not that much of one.
 
Wow, I wish I could delete that post I made earlier because after all that, it makes me look like a moron.
 
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i didnt apply for SS either because i had way too much stuff going on in the summer.
anyway
-4.21 GPA (weighted), lots of honors, 3 AP this year, 34 ACT(34 Math, 32 Science, 34 english, 35 reading, 11/12 writing)2050 SAT,
-3 mission trips (2 honduras 1 kansas), a few smaller part-time flexible jobs, pretty involved in my church and do some volunteer and community service with them
-4 years cross country, 1 year JV captain, 1 Varsity letter, 3 years track, 2 varsity letters, 1 year baseball, work out and run during the summer and winter between seasons, and i talked to my ALO a lot, which seemed to help a lot.
-i didnt do great on the CFA though, except for the mile.
bball throw-63
pullups-5
shutle run-9.1
situps-80
pushups-50
mile-6:12
 
Hey everyone. Congrats for getting LOAs and noms. I was lucky enough to get my nom early from my AFJROTC unit
 
Wow those are some good stats. Looks like the CFA is the only place I've got you beat.
bball throw-63
pullups-13
shutle run-9ish (don't remember the exact time)
situps-95
pushups-69
mile-5:32
Congratulations on the nom and LOA.
 
Ryan; don't say such a thing. I recommend Summer Seminar to anyone who can possibly go. It is probably one of the most valuable opportunities you can have. The fact that you went and it fired you up that much more to attend the academy and serve your country, makes it that much more valuable. It doesn't matter whether going to summer seminar increases your chances of an appointment or not. Like I said; choosing those who go to Summer Seminar is done prior to even the very 1st academy application has their name entered on it. That doesn't mean it isn't a valuable opportunity. My son went to summer seminar and he wouldn't have changed it for the world. Did it increase his chances for an appointment? Probably not; considering he had a presidential nomination and didn't require a MOC/Senator. But it gave him the opportunity to decide whether he really wanted the academy or not. Like many of you, he had the opportunity to attend many different universities. Obviously, if you get a military appointment, then your grades and such were good enough for probably 80+% of all colleges/universities in the country.So when he had all these college acceptances and received his appointment to the academy; it was a no brainer he knew what he wanted.

So definitely promote Summer Seminar to anyone who is interested. Even then, you don't know 100% of what you are getting yourself into. But you know a LOT more than if you didn't go at all. Best of luck to all of you. The air force academy and a military career is an opportunity of a life time. Nothing else compares. It may not be for everyone; but anyone who tries to down play an academy education and military experience is probably envious, jealous, and/or rationalizing their inability to get in. It's hard; very hard. But if it wasn't, everyone would be able to do it. And if by chance some here don't get accepted this cycle; start college plans for next fall, but most definitely APPLY AGAIN. They do take existing college students into the academy. If that's your dream, don't give up on it. later... mike....
 
btown13 said:
-4 years cross country, -i didnt do great on the CFA though, except for the mile.
bball throw-63
pullups-5
shutle run-9.1
situps-80
pushups-50
mile-6:12
Click to expand...

Thats awesome, I also did 4 years of XC.. and another crazy thing, our CFA is almost EXACTLY identical, except my mile was a lil faster :smile: (I know, prolly done in the off season)

And thanks for that counciling Mike
 
You'll find that Mike writes some of the most insightful and helpful posts on this forum... :thumb:
 
messed up our chances with grade drop?

Hi..

My daughter went to SS 1, loved it... she has a 3.5 GPA, she has gotten SAT of V-670, M-590 W-600. Her CFA was okay, but not stellar.. 1 pull up (YEAH!!!), 95 situps, 36 on BB throw, 10.4 shuttle, 29 pushups, 7:50 mile (it was nearly freezing rain at the time.. and strong wind.. her usual is around 7:25) The way her school does grades is %.. so she had a 93%, she dropped 2 percent.. to a 91 and went from the top 10% of the class to around 25%.. just in 2% drop. I guess everyone is stacked up.
Anyways.. we had a rough year..my husband (her Dad) died last year, which is why her grades dropped a bit. She still did Field Hockey and LAX.. but I wonder if they take that into account. He had been sick for about 5 years with ALS. (Lou Gehrigs). If anyone knows about that disease then.. well to say the least it is devastating. Dr.'s give you no hope whatsoever. They just say good luck. On top of it.. my Mom got Stage II breast cancer 3 months before he died and then 3 months ago my late husband's father had a massive heart attack and quad by pass. To say it has been a rough year is an understatement...I am just proud of her for continuing to do her best.. and it is just a time thing. There is nothing really to be said.

I am trying to help her by getting a tutor for calculus and physics, since it is kicking her gpa again this year.. and I think she needs to show she can handle the work. SHe is also taking ACT in Dec... and we are trying the SAT again in Jan.. to see if the Math can come up.
She would like to go to Prep school if she doesn't make it. I really hope she does.. she was so happy to finally "Click" with people the way she did at SS.
Any advice, hope or direction would be appreciated.

Thanks so much.. and congrats to all of you who got LOA's. I know she searches everyday for hers.. sighs and comes in. Does attending SS help her chances? BTW.. she got a nomination from her Senator...we got the verbal on that... but waiting for that mail as well.

Best regards..
WeatherMom
 
Weathermom' 1st let me say how sorry I am for you and your daughter's loss. Nothing I or anyone else says can heal your hearts. Only time and faith. I am so sorry.

As for your daughter and the academy taking in "Consideration" for her unique situation. The best bit of advice I can give you is; "Her ALO is her BEST FRIEND". Besides the normal ALO interview, he/she is there to assist your daughter with the entire process. Have your daughter talk with her ALO. Explain the grade issue. Explain the emotional distress over the last few months. Don't make it an "Excuse" but rather an explanation. Let the ALO know what you all are doing to improve on the grades. The ALO has the power to consult with the academy counselors and have her records annotated appropriately. If that annotation is followed up with the improvements you and your daughter anticipate, that can be factored in. Also, if her gpa is still a bit low even with the improvements you anticipate, this is one of those situations where the academy looks at for the prep school. Where everything in an application is otherwise stellar, with the exception of an academic SNAFU. Anyway, the academy can not read your minds. They don't know about your husband/her father. They don't understand about grandparents. They don't know anything outside of the 10,000 written applications. Speak with; don't write; with your daughter's ALO. Have them make mention with the academy the extenuating circumstances. It can only help. Best of luck to you. later.... mike.....
 
extenuating circumstances

Thank you for your reply. Yes I will have her call him. Unfortunately he is not the most friendly guy.. they Navy guy was much better at talking with her about this.
Our ALO told her she had about a 50% shot of getting in...we live in Maine.. and only 3 other girls applied to the other service academies.. and only 50 to all academies.. most we met were going for Westpoint.
It helps to live in a sparsely populated state...not fair, but helpful.

Thanks again.
Jennifer
 
I agree with living in a sparsely populated state. I live in the LEAST populated state. (Wyoming). I believe there were a total of 19 applications in the entire state for the air force academy.

If your daughter doesn't feel too comfortable speaking with the ALO, there are "Other" ALO's for the state. She can contact her "Academy Counselor". (Name and number are on her "Online Application Status Page". She can contact them and ask how best to have her information 'Annotated". Also, if there is another ALO nearby that she can speak with and get information from. Also, everyone of the ALO's in a state, reports to one individual in the state. The counselor can tell you who that person is. Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands to make sure things get taken care of. Nothing against her ALO, but at the end of the day, your daughter is just another applicant. You either have to build a very good relationship with the ALO to get some 'Special Attention"; or you need to not be shy and take care of your needs on your own. Her academy counselor can probably help with a lot. Remember; the counselors are dealing with THOUSANDS of applicants. Make sure your questions are short and to the point. They want to help, but this time of year with sending out appointments, they are really busy. Best of luck to you. Later.... Mike.....
 
Weathermom, our condolences too. Those kinds of life events can be devastating, or can show her mettle as well as she perseveres through them. Doesn't the on-line application have a paragraph for "other information we should know" if I recall correctly? She might mention the situation there, unless her forms are complete. My son's ALO told him to call his admissions counselor directly to "update" information after the application was submitted.

Also, I assume she has let both her ALO and her admissions counselor know she'd be open to the prep program (including the Foundation). Again, that shows she intends to get in, if not this year, then next.
 
THank you. Yes.. when she came home from school I talked to her about the prep school.. which she really does not want to do..as she wants to go directly to the Academy.. but I told her what I had read on here about being prepared better... and having an easier time assimilating...etc. I think prep school would be great.. she looks at it as a failure.. so I told her to think about it.. delay the Academy a year.. by going to prep.. or going to community college. hmmmmm. I think she was so set on going that her grades falling kind of caught her off guard. Actually.. I know we over focused on the CFA..got the pull up ... lost the grades. Oh well. You know I was so disappointed.. I could not believe we snatched defeat from victory.. and then I started thinking about everything over this last year...how we waited for Dr.'s news.. which was never good. And yes this is disappointing.. but not the end of the world. And we go on.. and do better and take the ACT and study hard and see what happens. God has a plan. St. Ignatius said.. work like you are in control and pray like God is. I think that is valid advice. Good night.. and thanks so much for the input.
 
hey my first post, I have a LOA to the naval Academy and now waiting for a medical waiver. Does anyone know how long a medical waiver takes and does the AFA look at packet after a person is medically qualified because for the USNA I also need a waiver and already have a LOA. All I am waiting for is the waiver and the nomination in which I was wondering if anyone was from New York and applied for a senator nomination and also another question of when the congressman let there list of nominees out.

Thanks
Uddit
 
I got a letter and a phonecall saying I got my Nom, but according to my ALO, some people end up waiting for as long as the end of the year to find out.
 
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