Admissions Forum???

KMC

10-Year Member
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We need some guidance. Yesterday my DD received an invitation to the Admissions Forum in Newark, NJ this Saturday. She had received notification via email a few days prior. I had heard that it's important to attend as many admissions events as possible and that your interest may be judged by your attendance at such events. However, due to the late notice, it will be very difficult to attend...not impossible, but very inconvenient. Some background info. She is 3 Q'd, attended NASS, and will be attending CVW in November.

My question is this: Will it look bad for her not to attend the admissions forum? :confused:
 
It will not look bad. The staff does not have a list of all that live in that area and their status... But if there are specific people i.e. congressional staffers, admissions regional directors, that she knows will be there its worth attempting to go to. I attended one in Annapolis and it was amazing because of the amount fo BGO's, Admissions officers, and staffers there. But that was at USNA. :rolleyes: Also the Naval Academy Band (A rock band) Is great!
 
thanks

Saw the band last year in Philly. They are great. :thumb: Oh, wait, I think they were enlisted. Must have been a different band. We also recently attended our Senators' "Service Academy Day" (she has interviews with both in early November). Thanks for your opinion. It has already reduced the anxiety. :smile:
 
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I had heard that it's important to attend as many admissions events as possible and that your interest may be judged by your attendance at such events.

Not true, don't worry about it.
 
She is 3 Q'd, attended NASS, and will be attending CVW in November.

My question is this: Will it look bad for her not to attend the admissions forum?
Since she has already been before the Board, it will not affect her chances.

However, when a record goes before the Board, one of the subjective evaluations that it makes, which does affect the final WPM score, is familiarity with the Academy from such things as official visits, NASS, CVW, and events such as this. I find it hard to believe that there are individuals in Admissions with nothing better to do than transpose these attendance lists to applications, but attending these forums is always given as an example of ways to improve familiarity.

While I have never seen MOC reps at these forums, I suppose they might attend some of them and as the other poster stated, it might be a great opportunity to provide 'face' time with them.
 
Admissions forums are offered as a benefit to candidates and also as a recrutiing tool. USNA (and the other SAs) know that candidates can't attend for various reasons (other commitments, cost, distance, etc.).

Reasons to go include: (1) finding out more about USNA, (2) talking to BGOs, admissions officers, current mids, (3) getting answers to your questions about the admissions/noms process, etc.

It will NOT hurt you from an admissions standpoint if you don't go. It won't help you from an admissions standpoint if you do go -- other than you will have more knowledge, information, etc. The reason they "track" attendance is to ensure they follow up with you, not to count how many you attended.
 
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:thumb:1985 ...as always, thanks for very clear, specific guidance on this. You should consider becoming a barrister ...:rocket::rolleyes:
 
It will NOT hurt you from an admissions standpoint if you don't go. It won't help you from an admissions standpoint if you do go -- other than you will have more knowledge, information, etc. The reason they "track" attendance is to ensure they follow up with you, not to count how many you attended.
While it is true that not going will not hurt you, I have been assured on two separate occassions by admissions officials that attending these types of events are what the Board considers when awarding RABs for academy familiarity. Also, that the further one lives from the Annapolis area, the more important these events are.
 
Since she has already been before the Board, it will not affect her chances.

Mongo, how do I know she has "been before the Board"? Because she received the scholastically qualified letter?
 
Mongo, how do I know she has "been before the Board"? Because she received the scholastically qualified letter?

If you read the scholastically qualified letter, there is a line somewhere in there that says the board has reviewed the file. I'd give you the exact line, but I don't have my letter on hand at the moment.
 
Mongo, how do I know she has "been before the Board"? Because she received the scholastically qualified letter?
Yep, it is the board who, after their examination of the record, determines scholastically qualified. Any other 'tweaks' to the record after this will be done by the Admissions staff.
 
Saw the band last year in Philly. They are great. Oh, wait, I think they were enlisted. Must have been a different band.

Just a Navy band clarification. The rock band at the academy is called "The Electric Brigade" and is composed of Navy enlisted as is the Academy's ceremonial band. (And they are both phenomenal!) Academy musical groups formed of Midshipmen, Glee Clubs and D&B and others, are extra curriculars.

I have a petty officer son who is a Navy vocalist on his way to the 7th Fleet and a Mid who is in Glee Club and D&B, so the music programs are close to my heart!
 
We need some guidance. Yesterday my DD received an invitation to the Admissions Forum in Newark, NJ this Saturday. She had received notification via email a few days prior. I had heard that it's important to attend as many admissions events as possible and that your interest may be judged by your attendance at such events. However, due to the late notice, it will be very difficult to attend...not impossible, but very inconvenient. Some background info. She is 3 Q'd, attended NASS, and will be attending CVW in November.

My question is this: Will it look bad for her not to attend the admissions forum? :confused:

I worked at the event in Alameda, CA last year. These are admissions outreach events that are targeting younger high school students so as to provide information about USNA. Your DD is already in the actual admissions/appointment pipeline and as several posters have stated attending this event, for your DD, is a non factor in the appointment process. Even the CVW is more a a reality check for your DD than anything else. It will help with her analysis of the question, is USNA the right place for her.
 
Thanks!

Thanks! We did not attend and I am not making myself sick over it thanks to your input. We're excited today...just got her latest SAT scores and she went up again. More important to get those submitted than to run around the state listening to info she already knows. :) Thanks again!
 
I have a petty officer son who is a Navy vocalist on his way to the 7th Fleet and a Mid who is in Glee Club and D&B, so the music programs are close to my heart!

MomoftheMagik, my DD is also a vocalist. :smile: Hoping she'll be in the Women's Glee Club one day! Keeping my fingers crossed...
 
Okay, I apologize for bumping this thread up, but did the search and didn't want to start a thread asking the exact same thing that was discussed here. But I guess it was left open and now that it affects my life :wink: wanted to ask again!

My son has had his file complete since July, and obviously been before the board and received a Scholastically Qualified letter. He went to NASS, a local Service Academy Day, and CVW last month. He's had his nomination interviews already and in this area, most likely should get the nominations I would hope (all competitive method).

We just received an invite to a Admissions Forum next weekend. Based on the location, I believe the goal is to recruit "diversity" candidates, which he is not. He really has no questions for anyone there, nor anything else to do or add. He's in regular contact with his BGO and our state BGO, and knows all the MOC staffers. I can't see that he'd get anything out of it at this point.

However...I don't want him to lose any possible points just because I don't want to change plans and drive 2 hours (each way) for him to attend. Is there really any possibility that attending this would give him any additional points than he would have already gotten for attending the CVW, NASS and SA Day? Would they really open up his file to annote this in some way? He has been sending updates to his file (additional varsity letter received, NHS officer, Mock Trial) and I'm not even sure those make any difference right now.

So...do I believe MIDNDAD and usna1985 that it won't make a difference? Or Mongo that it will? Or, Mongo, do you not believe it will any more since he's already been to the board? Any suggestions welcomed! Thanks!
 
So...do I believe MIDNDAD and usna1985 that it won't make a difference? Or Mongo that it will? Or, Mongo, do you not believe it will any more since he's already been to the board? Any suggestions welcomed! Thanks!
It is evaluated by the board. Therefore, for anyone who is scholastically qualified, it will not matter.

Probably the reason that '85 and I don't agree on this is that there is no assumption on the board's part that people who live in the DC area are unfamiliar with the Academy. Those assumptions are not the same for people who live much further away. Hence they look for other things.
 
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