LOA Updates - Complete your files NOW!!

marciemi

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Just wanted to share some excerpts that we received from our RC today (to Field Force). Of course I can't guarantee that it applies to all regions (I'm in Great Lakes), but I would have to believe that most of it does. A few of the relevant parts:

Letters of Assurance (LOAs).
COL McDonald and she is in the process of approving LOAs. They will all go out on September 1st. It looks like we will fill the entire allotment of LOAs before September 1st, which means that time is very quickly running out to get someone an LOA. It may or may not open again after that date.

I have very strict criteria to issue an LOA. If someone is not on the list, then their Whole Candidate Score or some other number we use was not sufficient to qualify for an LOA. Some notes:
--"Submitted" means I have sent them forward for COL McDonald's review. This does not guarantee they will get one. DO NOT guarantee this to the candidate.
--The bare minimum requirements are: current transcript, verified class rank (or that school doesn't rank), and verified ACT/SAT scores. I prefer to have as much done as possible but those are the current minimum requirements.
--I know a lot of schools are not back in session. There is nothing I can do about that.
**For the candidates listed "Ready: Need FF input" it is exactly that. As soon as I get a thumbs up from any Field Force member that the candidate, generally speaking, appears to be fit to become a cadet/officer, I will issue the LOA.
--I will not issue the LOA if I have not gotten any input.

We have 7 or less days left before we are complete on LOAs for the year. I realize this is odd, but it is how things worked out this year. The class is extremely aggressive!


Bottom line is that if you haven't talked to your FFR and your file is not pretty much complete at this time (or very, very soon), it sounds like you may be missing the LOA window. Just wanted to give people a heads up! :thumb:
 
I haven't interviewed with my FFR (though I will in the coming weeks, I'm waiting to hear back from him about that) but I have interviewed with my squad leader at SLS. Would I still fall into the category of "Ready: need FFR input" or would I be qualified for LOA consideration? Also, I'm Far West, does that rule even apply to me?
 
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Obviously I don't know what the Far West RC requires so can't tell you on that one. I do know an interview done at SLS counts as FFR input and fills in the official interview slot so you should be fine.
 
Well, I do not have a FFR, and I did the SLS Squad Leader interview. Should I believe I am fine?
 
Yes, the SLS interviews are fine. Keep in mind this was directed to FFR's so the point may have been more to tell us to get with the candidates than the other way around. I'm sure if you don't have an FFR or a way to do an interview, they're not holding it against you.
 
From what I'm reading it looks like you should be okay BillSL; I'm in the same boat... except for the whole Brazil situation...
 
But...LOAs..what if you are a minority candidate or applying from overseas

Dear All;
Without outting my boy that he has an uptight mother who is as eager for him to have the peace of mind of an LOA as he is, the school here has yet to send the transcript--as there was an e-mail address problem between USMA and the international school. That situation was resolved yesterday--but 1 september is right around the corner.

In addition to the region, like the Great Lakes Region, which according to MarciaMI will fulfill its quota of LOAs on 1 September, will minority candidates or candidates applying from overseas still have the ability to receive LOAs through other sources in addition to the region?

Thank you,
Dr. Mom
 
Per the RC, it said:

--Athlete and Minority candidates are noted on here simply to inform you that I do not handle those files so I am not the one making any decisions about those candidates.

I don't know anything about athletes or minorities as I (like evidently the RC) wouldn't work to them other than to originally refer them to the right people. Their process may be (and probably is) totally different.
 
From what I'm reading it looks like you should be okay BillSL; I'm in the same boat... except for the whole Brazil situation...

And DoDMERB? :/


--Athlete and Minority candidates are noted on here simply to inform you that I do not handle those files so I am not the one making any decisions about those candidates.

Oh, okay.


will minority candidates or candidates applying from overseas still have the ability to receive LOAs through other sources in addition to the region?

Well, I am not being disconsidered for one (or so I was told), and I am minority AND overseas. Not sure if that's what you are wondering (if overseas/minorities are able to compete for LOAs or not).
 
Dear BillSL;
No, I did not mean you at all, I meant the Wanna-Be-Cadet in my house.
However, you should take comfort in knowing that you are not the only US citizen, minority candidate applying from overseas.

My understanding is that about 15 kids apply from overseas each year--and that your files are managed by the same admissions officer as the minority candidates as opposed to the regional admissions officers.

Good luck with your application and I hope you get an LoA!

b/w
--Dr. Mom
 
Just did my interview via phone just because my FFR was asked for the interview ASAP for my possible LOA
 
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Dear BillSL;
No, I did not mean you at all, I meant the Wanna-Be-Cadet in my house.
However, you should take comfort in knowing that you are not the only US citizen, minority candidate applying from overseas.

My understanding is that about 15 kids apply from overseas each year--and that your files are managed by the same admissions officer as the minority candidates as opposed to the regional admissions officers.

Good luck with your application and I hope you get an LoA!

b/w
--Dr. Mom

Thank you, good luck for your "Wanna-Be-Cadet" too! May I ask which region is he applying through?

I just said what I said because I thought you were wondering if overseas and minority candidates were able to compete for a LOA or not (I had the feeling you had an overseas and minority ds/dd).


Not sure watcha mean by this but I'm qualified

My SSN is not even in their system yet :(
 
The way the email was worded before it made it seem as if they would start on the 1st
So now it might be finished before the 1st?

And are Koreans considered a minority for the academy? I know Koreans have had an increased impact in USMA over the past decade than before but Asians in general make up such a small part of the American population that I'm not sure if it would be fair to consider us a minority.
 
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Well, are you Korean? If so, have you marked that on the application? If so, you should be talking to an Outreach Admissions Officer instead of a Regional Commander.
 
The way the email was worded before it made it seem as if they would start on the 1st
So now it might be finished before the 1st?

And are Koreans considered a minority for the academy? I know Koreans have had an increased impact in USMA over the past decade than before but Asians in general make up such a small part of the American population that I'm not sure if it would be fair to consider us a minority.

Asians are not considered a minority by the academies. don't ask me why, I don't know, but they just are haha.

And yes, according to the original post, they are going out on the 1st, meaning that the LoA approvals take place before, if I read correctly.
Good luck to all!
 
Yeah I thought so. It makes sense I guess. Asians are only about 5% of the American population and idk the demographics for WP but if its around there then its representative of the demographics of the country(which is should be).
 
Asians are not considered a minority by the academies. don't ask me why, I don't know, but they just are haha.

And yes, according to the original post, they are going out on the 1st, meaning that the LoA approvals take place before, if I read correctly.
Good luck to all!

I believe that West Point Admissions considers Asian Americans to be minorities, just not an "under-represented" minority. I believe West Point make this determination based on the ethnic make of the Army, not the population...i.e. an officer corps that is as diverse as the whole army.
 
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