does that mean i'm guaranteed appointment as long as I don't screw up my grades or get arrested or something?
First- Congrats to those receiving their LOA's!!
Now, you need to read the contingencies and
take them seriously, even not completing your file can put you at risk of having it withdrawn based on last years experience.
And even once you have an appointment, take the grey cards and other "to-do's" deadlines seriously. Last year admissions indicated they would be withdrawing appointments from those who did not meet certain key deadlines.
The good news is with the LOA you can start thinking about a candidate visit, which I would highly recommend. It really made the difference for DS, and the exposure and insight he gained there have proven true in his plebe experience this year.
For those who have not received a letter yet, or not at all: Don't read too much into the various stats & EC's posted. Some will get appointments with lower/less, and others will not with more. So focus on
your application, get it complete, rock the CFA, get your noms apps completed (including LOR's, etc). Lot's to do while waiting for appointment season!!