Turn downs not being filled

Mattsmom2015

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Mar 4, 2011
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I just spoke to DS's admissions counselor at the Academy. DS asked me to call to see what he could do to improve his file. She seemed very honest and said there was nothing he could do. All his scores were very high and he was even given a very high rating from the selections committee. He simply was not chosen by the board. Well, that sucks! But ok, we continue on with a great Plan B.

She also told me that in years past when an appointment is declined they offer it to somebody else. Not this year. She said with the budget cuts and the smaller class size the appointments are not being re-offered. I agree with what somebody else said a couple of weeks back that the letters should not have said anything about appointments being offered if spots open up. It is very misleading and offers false hope.
 
I just spoke to DS's admissions counselor at the Academy. DS asked me to call to see what he could do to improve his file. She seemed very honest and said there was nothing he could do. All his scores were very high and he was even given a very high rating from the selections committee. He simply was not chosen by the board. Well, that sucks! But ok, we continue on with a great Plan B.

She also told me that in years past when an appointment is declined they offer it to somebody else. Not this year. She said with the budget cuts and the smaller class size the appointments are not being re-offered. I agree with what somebody else said a couple of weeks back that the letters should not have said anything about appointments being offered if spots open up. It is very misleading and offers false hope.

I agree that stinks! The letter is worded exactly the same way two years ago. It is their standard form letter. I agree, they should have taken the time to change the letter.
 
Mattsmon: That isn't 100% correct. The academy may NOT be offering turn down vacancies to those in the national pool; however; if the slot vacated is a MOC slot, that MOC is ENTITLED BY LAW to have a nominated and qualified individual from their district/state in that slot. They are allowed 5 individuals at the academy at any one time. If there is a vacancy, and they have nominated/qualified individuals, the academy can not say: "Sorry, we're not filling your slot". Not allowed to work that way.

Actually; there are approximately 553 appointees each year that "Technically" the academy has absolutely no say so whatsoever in; if they are qualified. It just so happens that "Most" MOCs provide a slate of 10 names, and they ALLOW THE ACADEMY to choose which of the 10 names gets the appointment. That is simply "ALLOWED". Some MOCs use their authority of providing a "PRINCIPAL" nominee. If this individual is "Qualified", then the academy has absolutely no say whatsoever in giving this individual an appointment. They MUST give them the appointment. Even if they believe there are 5 others on the MOC's list that are MORE QUALIFIED. But again; most MOC's delegate that decision to the academy.

Bottom line: If there is a MOC slated appointment slot that is turned down and becomes vacant, then the academy MUST offer it to another person eligible for THAT SLOT. "Usually means from that state or district". They can't tell a MOC: "Sorry, you don't get a slot filled this year". Not unless none of the nominees on his/her slate are qualified.

But if the vacancy was one of the other 500+ appointments, which are controlled by the academy; e.g. national pool, presidentials, rotc, MOH, etc... Then the academy can choose NOT to fill those turn downs. Each of them are set up as "UP TO X amount of appointment". I.e. There's up to 100 presidential appointments. The academy can lower that. But they CAN'T lower what a MOC is allowed. That's the law.
 
Mattsmon: That isn't 100% correct. The academy may NOT be offering turn down vacancies to those in the national pool; however; if the slot vacated is a MOC slot, that MOC is ENTITLED BY LAW to have a nominated and qualified individual from their district/state in that slot. They are allowed 5 individuals at the academy at any one time. If there is a vacancy, and they have nominated/qualified individuals, the academy can not say: "Sorry, we're not filling your slot". Not allowed to work that way.

Actually; there are approximately 553 appointees each year that "Technically" the academy has absolutely no say so whatsoever in; if they are qualified. It just so happens that "Most" MOCs provide a slate of 10 names, and they ALLOW THE ACADEMY to choose which of the 10 names gets the appointment. That is simply "ALLOWED". Some MOCs use their authority of providing a "PRINCIPAL" nominee. If this individual is "Qualified", then the academy has absolutely no say whatsoever in giving this individual an appointment. They MUST give them the appointment. Even if they believe there are 5 others on the MOC's list that are MORE QUALIFIED. But again; most MOC's delegate that decision to the academy.

Bottom line: If there is a MOC slated appointment slot that is turned down and becomes vacant, then the academy MUST offer it to another person eligible for THAT SLOT. "Usually means from that state or district". They can't tell a MOC: "Sorry, you don't get a slot filled this year". Not unless none of the nominees on his/her slate are qualified.

But if the vacancy was one of the other 500+ appointments, which are controlled by the academy; e.g. national pool, presidentials, rotc, MOH, etc... Then the academy can choose NOT to fill those turn downs. Each of them are set up as "UP TO X amount of appointment". I.e. There's up to 100 presidential appointments. The academy can lower that. But they CAN'T lower what a MOC is allowed. That's the law.

That makes sense, and I figured it was that way before I talked to her. I didn't ask her about the MOC slots, I was still in shock about what she said. I do know from speaking to our MOC's academy coordinator that the MOC had 2 open spots this year. Does that mean both of those slots have to be filled? This whole process is just so frustrating! In a "normal" year so many more of these worthy students would have received appointments.
 
Does the academy pick a certain number of candidates for appointment from each state or just who they think is the most qualified?
 
That makes sense, and I figured it was that way before I talked to her. I didn't ask her about the MOC slots, I was still in shock about what she said. I do know from speaking to our MOC's academy coordinator that the MOC had 2 open spots this year. Does that mean both of those slots have to be filled? This whole process is just so frustrating! In a "normal" year so many more of these worthy students would have received appointments.

mom: If the MOC had 2 openings, and s/he submitted 2 slates of names, then one from each would be chosen. But the MOC may have only provided one slate, and/or thought based on the applications submitted by them, that they are going to hold the 2nd slot until next year. The available slots and filling them is totally up to the MOC.

Redwing: Click on the link after my signature. It is the air force academy brochure. It will answer most, if not all, of your questions. But the reader's digest version answer to your question. There are 553 appointments +/- given to the Members of Congress. (MOC). These represent every district and state in the country. The remaining appointments will be given out from other sources such as presidential nominations, ROTC nominations, enlisted airmen, etc... as well as all the other applying that weren't part of the 553 that were guaranteed to the MOCs. Now; how many past these 553 the academy takes, is subjective. It depends on how many they want in the academy that year. Some years it's around 1350 cadets. (About 800 more than the initial 553). Sometimes, like this year, it's around 1100, because the academy has too many individuals at the academy. "By law, they are only suppose to have up to 4400 total cadets, and graduating no more than 1000". They have more than that. They need to reduce.

For more details, click on the link in my signature block.
 
mom: If the MOC had 2 openings, and s/he submitted 2 slates of names, then one from each would be chosen. But the MOC may have only provided one slate, and/or thought based on the applications submitted by them, that they are going to hold the 2nd slot until next year. The available slots and filling them is totally up to the MOC.

All I know is the coordinator for the MOC said he had 2 openings this year. I assume by what she said that both were being filled. So from what you said there are 2 separate slates of 10 people, not a group of 20 people going for 2 spots. I actually thought it was a group of 10 vying for the 2 spots, a lot better odds that way.:wink: Oh well, on a positive side we know he did very, very well even though he did not receive an appointment. We are very pleased that he did receive the AFROTC scholarship. DS will have to decide over the summer if he wants to reapply or stay with the ROTC.
 
Whether there are two slates of 10 depends on the interest expressed within the district. Our MOC had two openings this year but had less than 10 applicants. He submitted the same list twice.
 
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