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Tough question. I am going to have to think about this one for a while. As far as I know, there is no promulgated guidelines and any theory that I have ever had, I have seen evidence to repute it. Keeping in mind that the Academy is looking for the absolute best candidates to fill the class, that there are several hundred Presidential nominations each year, and, if you are correct, not all the Presidential openings are filled, it would lead one to believe that the Presidential appointments follow hand-in-hand with the national pool selectees and that the bottom cutoff of each pool is similiar in qualifications. Dual nominated candidates who have, in the past, been awarded the MOC's nomination, if possible, doesn't seem to be the case anymore. My son was one of those. This year I saw a Presidential candidate without a LOA who, immediately upon becoming triple qualified, with no MOC nomination, be awarded an appointement. Bottom line gut feeling: Presidential nominations will not detract from the overall quality of the class.
Maybe usna1985, who probably sees a lot more Presidentials than I, has some better info.
Tough question. I am going to have to think about this one for a while. As far as I know, there is no promulgated guidelines and any theory that I have ever had, I have seen evidence to repute it. Keeping in mind that the Academy is looking for the absolute best candidates to fill the class, that there are several hundred Presidential nominations each year, and, if you are correct, not all the Presidential openings are filled, it would lead one to believe that the Presidential appointments follow hand-in-hand with the national pool selectees and that the bottom cutoff of each pool is similiar in qualifications. Dual nominated candidates who have, in the past, been awarded the MOC's nomination, if possible, doesn't seem to be the case anymore. My son was one of those. This year I saw a Presidential candidate without a LOA who, immediately upon becoming triple qualified, with no MOC nomination, be awarded an appointement. Bottom line gut feeling: Presidential nominations will not detract from the overall quality of the class.
Maybe usna1985, who probably sees a lot more Presidentials than I, has some better info.