Can others confirm whether or not it is necessary to have completed the BGO interview before being considered for an LOA? Thanks!
I am looking at an actual LOA letter, dated November 3, 2008.
It says the following:
We are pleased to advise you that the Admssions Board has found you qualified to compete for admission to the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 2013. You are guaranteed an offer of appointment if your remiaining admissions requirements are completed. You should be proud of your outstanding accomplishments as you have earned an opportunity to join one of the country's permier officer training programs. As the undergraduate college of the Navy and Marine Corps, the Naval Academy will prepare you to become a leader in the Naval Service and provide an experience unmatched by any other college or university.
Please remember, however, that your guaranteed offer of appointment is contingent upon completing the following marked requirements by 1 March 2009 or this offer may no longer be valid. Please notify the Admissions Team if you need additional time to complete your medical exam.
Items listed as potentially incomplete are:
Nomination
Medical Qualification
Blue and Gold Officer Interview
Required Application Documents
- Personal Data Record
- Personal Statement
- Candidate Fitness Assessment
- Candidate Activities Record
- English Teacher Recommendation
- Math Teacher Recommendation
- High School/College Transcript
- Official Test Scores
These are the four categories listed. As you can see, the fourth category, "Required Application Documents", is rather all encompassing. From what I've heard, just about everything on that list (with the exception of the CFA), typically, must be completed before an LOA will be awarded.
Here's what the most recent Naval Academy
admission catalog says regarding Letters of Assurance (p.26):
We use “rolling admissions”, a selection process. When all of your candidate forms are received, the Admissions Board will determine your “whole person” qualification. If your record of achievement is truly outstanding, you could receive an early offer called a Letter of Assurance. This indicates our intent to extend an Offer of Appointment, provided that all your remaining requirements (nomination, CFA, and medical) are successfully completed. A Letter of Assurance could be received as early as September of your senior year. Of course, final admission will depend on continued success and good standing in your high school as well as continuing to maintain your qualifications for the Naval Academy.
Note, they do
not specifically mention the B&G interview, although that
does appear as a potential incomplete item on the LOA letter.
The bottom line is this: I'm sure the Academy can pretty much do whatever they want with regards to an LOA. The
more they want you, the
less they care how far along your application is.
My sons have made the following rather unscientific observation. It seems, to them, the high end of the spectrum of new midshipmen is getting
higher and the lower end of the spectrum is getting
lower. The shrinking group seems to be the "typically-average" midshipman. In other words, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poor, so to speak.
CAVEAT: I am
not a Blue and Gold Officer, but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.