After a nomination, what next?

My son's application status page reflects that he received a Presidential Nomination today (3 Cheers )... However.... I'm sheepishly asking... What next? Should I notify the MOCs and the VP's offices that he has received a nomination, or, since there are unlimited Presidential Noms but only 100 selected, should we continue on course with our applications. I'm totally clueless on this one!

Thanks in advance.

Romad

Congrats! We are still waiting on our Presidential I would not notify anyone about it. I would continue to seek other nominations. This is what I have read on many forums. I got my daughter in on just the Presidential, but I feel very fortunate to have done so. Especially since it was so late in the game.
Quick question though, if you don't mind, when did you submit your paperwork for your Presidential nomination? I know they have our paperwork and am wondering if I should resend.

I would continue to seek other nominations. Remember that Falcons just need any source of nomination and some of them only go for Presidential because they do not need anymore, so they already take up some spots for the Presidential noms. I will not hurt to go for other ones, just to have a back up.

Just continue on as if nothing has happened. IF, and let me stress that word "IF", during your son's MOC interviews for their nominations, they happen to ask if he applied for any other nominations, or received one, then that is the time to say: "Yes, I applied for a presidential nomination". Wait til they ASK: "Did you get it?"; before saying you got it.

You want as many nominations as possible. It's as simple as that. However, you have to realize that you have 2 OPPOSING FORCES here. You have your MOCs and you have the air force academy. BOTH of them want the OTHER ONE to use their nomination. This way, their nomination is still available for someone else. That's THEIR PROBLEM..... Not Yours.

My son had his presidential in June. We didn't say anything to anyone, UNTIL HE RECEIVED HIS APPOINTMENT. He received his appointment at the end of October. He had it in his hand the first week of november. At that time, we then informed the MOC's that he didn't need to get their nomination. He freed theirs up for someone else. Last year, same thing happened with one of our applicants. However, even though he had an appointment, the MOC still gave him a nomination. THAT BACKFIRED. The academy wound up letting our applicant USE THE MOC nomination, and took back the Presidential, and gave that to someone else.

So if you get an early appointment, you have to decide whether you care more about your state, and your fellow citizens/applicants, or if you care about some applicant on the other side of the country. We have finally taught our MOCs that IF an applicant gets an EARLY appointment, DO NOT GIVE THEM A NOMINATION!!!

But in your case, don't say or do anything. You want ALL the nominations you can get. After you get an appointment, then you can tell each side what's up. Not Until Then. Later... mike...

Sound advice that will be followed!

Thanks CC

Romad

kdc246 said:

Congrats! We are still waiting on our Presidential I would not notify anyone about it. I would continue to seek other nominations. This is what I have read on many forums. I got my daughter in on just the Presidential, but I feel very fortunate to have done so. Especially since it was so late in the game.
Quick question though, if you don't mind, when did you submit your paperwork for your Presidential nomination? I know they have our paperwork and am wondering if I should resend.

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We actually sent it several months ago since my son attended the SS and was already assigned a counselor and ALO. I began the nomination request process early since I've read here and have been told by his ALO that that's the way to go.

usafacandidate8 said:

I would continue to seek other nominations. Remember that Falcons just need any source of nomination and some of them only go for Presidential because they do not need anymore, so they already take up some spots for the Presidential noms. I will not hurt to go for other ones, just to have a back up.

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Thank you!

I just wanted to say "Congratulations" to Romad. How exciting for you and your DS. Now both of you can truly enjoy the senior year. Way to go!!

sportsmom10 said:

I just wanted to say "Congratulations" to Romad. How exciting for you and your DS. Now both of you can truly enjoy the senior year. Way to go!!

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Thank you,

we're almost done with his application and the DODMerg contractor has his instructions in the mail according to them so we can get that out of the way. However, I'm going with all the good advice we've got and staying the course on everything cause "it ain't over till it's OVER"!

Best regards

Romad

sportsmom10 said:

Now both of you can truly enjoy the senior year.

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Congrats to you and your son Romad! However you might want to hold off relaxing completely during the Senior year until your son also receives his DoDMERB clearance and his appointment. Continue to apply to colleges/ROTC and whatever other Plan Bs you might be pursuing. Better to have a backup plan that you don't need than not have one you do need. That said, having a nomination is a VERY good thing and an important step. Congrats again!

Sorry: Seems we cross-posted. Obviously great minds think alike.

sportsmom10 said:

I just wanted to say "Congratulations" to Romad. How exciting for you and your DS. Now both of you can truly enjoy the senior year. Way to go!!

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You might be confused. A nomination is not an appointment.

A presidential nomination is not a competitive nomination, like a MOC nomination.

It is an entitlement based on your parent's military service. You either qualify or you don't. There is no limit as to the number of candidates that can receive a presidential nomination. There is, however, a limit on the number of appointments that use a presidential nomination (100) and an appointment, not a nomination, is the goal.

Well now I am confused. We sent in our Presidential Nomination back in March, and my son also went to SS. I called his counselor at the Academy today and she said that the system they are using still isn't working properly and that they are not processing Presidential nominations just yet(????). Maybe next week. Think I will resend the paperwork, mostly it is just copying, everything else is on the computer. His SAT scores aren't on site yet, though they have them in another computer system. He already has his DODMERB and is qualified for both USAFA and USNA but they haven't entered that information either. I took the documents the high school has to fill out over today. They should be complete and in the mail Thursday. Just a few things to fill out of a couple of other forms. Then the CFA (looking at about two weeks until we are ready for the basketball throw, everything else is good, he just doesn't throw objects very often). Hoping USAFA gets all the bugs worked out of their system soon. It always seems like hurry up and wait-the military way I've been there and done that for over twenty years I'll keep checking!!

aglages said:

Congrats to you and your son Romad! However you might want to hold off relaxing completely during the Senior year until your son also receives his DoDMERB clearance and his appointment. Continue to apply to colleges/ROTC and whatever other Plan Bs you might be pursuing. Better to have a backup plan that you don't need than not have one you do need. That said, having a nomination is a VERY good thing and an important step. Congrats again!

Sorry: Seems we cross-posted. Obviously great minds think alike.

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We didn't relax until A-day. We held Plan B just in case he was sent home. The "flu" at Jack's Valley had us wondering for a while. Now, I'm canceling ROTC, housing, classes, and 4 scholarships that can't apply to a service academy.

1993A10 said:

We didn't relax until A-day. We held Plan B just in case he was sent home. The "flu" at Jack's Valley had us wondering for a while. Now, I'm canceling ROTC, housing, classes, and 4 scholarships that can't apply to a service academy.

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You're more cautious (probably smarter) than we were. We canceled everything in May and I wouldn't even allow my son to help cut the grass after that. Although it made practical sense to hold onto some of those ROTC and college scholarships, we didn't want to deny someone else an opportunity. I know that they give more scholarships than they have in anticipation of some people turning them down at the last minute, but my son was certain that he wanted to leave those "Plan Bs" behind. Maybe a burning your bridges approach to Beast? I can tell you that I was certainly relieved (relaxed) last week on A-Day and he was certain that he made the correct decision.

aglages said:

Congrats to you and your son Romad! However you might want to hold off relaxing completely during the Senior year until your son also receives his DoDMERB clearance and his appointment. Continue to apply to colleges/ROTC and whatever other Plan Bs you might be pursuing. Better to have a backup plan that you don't need than not have one you do need. That said, having a nomination is a VERY good thing and an important step. Congrats again!

Sorry: Seems we cross-posted. Obviously great minds think alike.

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Obviously

You are completely correct, we are and continue to pursue the ROTC option, scholarships in math and science as well as the senior 4 year institutions (Citadel, VMI, T A&M, and Norwich), Marion Military is an outstanding (but little known outside of Alabama) opportunity as well.

One thing I've learned in life (paraphrasing Murphy) have a backup to your backup and no plan survives first contact...

However, the paths to the bars isn't what's important - it's the ends that are - duty and service to our country. If I can be excused for waxing on dead ancestors for a moment - there have been 14 generations of us here in the New World since 1632, 11 generations have served first King and Crown and then the United States - it runs deep with us. End of self aggrandizing rant...

I'm just proud he chose the service when he has so many options open to him.... Sniff*

Best regards

Romad

Was wondering if anyone else out there had seen progress on updates with the USAFA application system. Even our DoDMERB which we have paper documents now confirming (not just the website) qualified for both USNA and USAFA isn't posted to the app site. I know I am worrying too much. Just would like to see how far others have gotten. Son will take CFA on the 16th. Made sure all high school transcripts and documentation have been sent. Waiting for Monday for the Drug and Alcohol statement to open up. School starts Thursday, so son will ask for Teacher recommendations then. Now I must take a deep breath and hope(fingers crossed) that the new application system starts working. UGH We feel so helpless. We are continuing to pursue MOC nominations as well.

We're pretty much at the end of the process as well, CFA tomorrow, letters gathered, both DODMerg exams scheduled, nomination requests in. If I remember, they don't even really start reviewing until the end of Sept or so. I think that statuses will change as they review - as in the case of the SS and the applicant to candidate process.

Nothing much else to do but wait...

Best regards

Romad

The AFA does not update the candidates profile daily, it is done @ 2x a week. Use to be Wed and Fri. if I recall correctly, or maybe it was Mon. and Wed. I am saying this so you don't chime onto the AFA site everyday expecting a new update.

Regarding the noms. Fair warning it could take months before the noms show up. Most MOCs will take at least a few weeks, and maybe up to months before their slates are given to the SA's. DS's MOC's all had a 10/15 due date for the nom packet, and the earliest 1 of the 3 he got appeared at Xmas. The last one required an interview in Jan. and appeared end of Jan.

Just saying if the close out date is 9/30, don't expect a change on the status until 10/15 if you are lucky. Be prepared for a 11/1 change for a good scenario. Most come out between just before Thanksgiving through Xmas.

My DS is a C4C now.

Pima's dates for MOC Nom's are similar to my son's nom's. I think he got all 3 noms in January. I didn't get excited when he got 1 nom, knowing how competitive things are. After he got 3, I mentally saw him getting in.

About backup plans. Interesting tact, not cancelling until now. We cancelled the other scholarships in May.

My son seemed to excel during BCT, in spite of the various hardships. He was the 1 selected out of the ~30 in his flight for a tandem parachute jump. Figured he's doing something right. He didn't get the stomach bug, but did get other flu-like symptoms a few days later. Messed with his physical tests the next few days. Still did all the situps, 1.5 mile run, etc with the flu. Determined young man for sure.

Now that the academic semester has started, there are a whole new challenges. Perhaps more grueling. DS says he gets less sleep than during basic, and has much more to do. Doesn't get back to the room to study until 7 or 730pm each day. Just so much to do, and no time to do it all.

Getting into USAFA is only the 1st of many challenges.

Congrats on your son, it sounds as if he's got the stuff to succeed with flying colors!

I always tell my son the same thing, just getting in is the LEAST of your problems.... His schedule is pretty close though - up and at em at 5:30, in from ball practice at about 7 PM, dinner, then homework till 10 -11.

That good ol' military schedule!

But he chose this...

Best Regards