Nominee in a pool or pond?

So first let me say that I’m the one who asked the question on the ROTC thread about being interviewed three times for the NROTC scholarship – each time with a different Officer at a different site with the latest one last Friday. My status continues to say “No decision made.” And now I’ve got another puzzle to figure out and I’m looking for help from anyone here. I received a nomination to the Naval Academy from my Congressman in mid-December. At the Congressman’s formal presentation to all his SA nominees, I was 1 of 3 nominated to USNA. At the conclusion of the evening, the Congressman announced good news for one of the SA nominees – it was the appointment. And it went to one of the other USNA nominees. And then after reading all the posts on here about principal vs. competitive and 1 vacancy per MOC and things like that, well…I began putting Plan G into place (Plan B, C, D, E and F already there). So I called my Congressman's office today. Here is what I was told. My Congressman has 3 vacancies at the Naval Academy and he awarded a total of 4 USNA nominations (one nominee didn’t show up at the formal presentation). One vacancy has been filled with the one who was awarded the appointment at the December presentation. Now there are two vacancies to be filled. There are three of us who are the Congressman’s “competitive” nominees. The woman I spoke with was unclear about the National Pool, she did say it was up to the Admissions Board at the Naval Academy now and that I was one of 3 competing for his two remaining vacancies. So am I in a pond where 3 of us are competing for the Congressman’s two vacancies or… am I in a very large pool?

I'm not sure I follow your discussion, which may be due to the use of terminology.

Each MOC can have up to 5 mids at USNA at any one time. That means most years the MOC will have one "vacancy." Some years, the MOC will have 2 -- either simply due to numbers or b/c someone quit before graduating.

It would be very rare for an MOC to have 3 vacancies the same year and, even if he/she did, USNA would discourage the MOC from filling all in the same year. Why? Because, down the road, it will leave one or two years where the MOC has zero vacancies, which will leave his constituents very unhappy b/c he can't nominate anyone at all.

The MOC can nominate up to 10 people for each vacancy. Those who don't receive that MOC's nomination go into the national pool (assuming they're 3 Q'ed). If there are 3 vacancies, the MOC could nominate up to 30 people.

Thus, in your situation, if your MOC actually has 3 vacancies, USNA will likely advise that no more than 2 be filled this year (and maybe only 1 depending on how the future years look). If there is an extra vacancy this year, then you're competing first against the others nominated for that vacancy and then (if you don't get that appt) against the national pool.

My gut feel is that your MOC does not have 3 vacancies b/c, if that were the case and there were only 3-4 nominees, the MOC should have nominated one principal nominee for each vacancy.

But I can't be sure . . .

USNA1985 may be correct in assessing the number of vacancies, but in any case, just to emphasize, you're still in a small pond and won't move to the big pool until you go on the NWL. I believe, but am not certain, that you are notified when you are placed on the NWL. So even if there is only one vacancy remaining and not two you are still in very good shape. Many applicants would love to have 1:3, or 2:3 odds vs 1:10 that many face prior to being placed on the NWL.

As far as I know, you aren't notified if you're on the NWL. You could probably assume that you are on the list if you are on a slate and aren't the principal nominee.

Don't forget you must be 3Q. Even if you are nominated, but not found to be 3Q....then it doesn't matter about the nominations.

usna1985 said:

My gut feel is that your MOC does not have 3 vacancies b/c, if that were the case and there were only 3-4 nominees, the MOC should have nominated one principal nominee for each vacancy.

But I can't be sure . . .

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That's what I thought! So after my conversation today with the Congressman's office, I didn't know what to think. I didn't talk to the Congressman himself, it was his Service Academy Coordinator, I think that's her title. She at first said she didn't know how many vacancies there were but then she asked me if I'd like her to look it up. I said yes. And then I heard some key taps and some papers shuffled and then she said, "He has three vacancies this year." And she said the one vacancy that was filled the night of the nominee presentation brought the number of vacancies to two AND that was the only vacancy that the Congressman had decided to use a "principal nominee" for, the other vacancies would be handled by the Naval Academy on a "competitive" basis. And then she added that there were three of us competing for the two spots.

In fairness, the MOC probably has no clue. He/she relies on the coordinator, which is probably what 99% do. In your case, I'm not sure how familiar your MOC's coordinator is with the process.

In any event, all you can do is wait . . .

You know, now I'm wondering if there really are three vacancies, one for each academy. I suspect the person at MOC office might be confused. Patience is probably best at this point. Don't know what one could do with more info anyway. OP should already have plans B - G in place or proceeding anyway.

Even if there are 3 vacancies....go back to my post.
If your MOC nominates you but you aren't 3Q, USNA has no obligation to use that nomination. In other words, just because there are 3 of you in the running for 2 "charged" nominations, doesn't equate that 2 candidates are for sure going to be appointed.

I called my BGO today to see if he could confirm that I was "scholastically qualified" - I never received any official notification about that. (I was officially medically qualified back in July and passed PFT at Summer Seminar last June.) My BGO said he couldn't pull that info about scholastically qualifying up for me, but he thought I was. Where else can I find out if I'm officially scholastically qualified ?

meierj423 said:

I called my BGO today to see if he could confirm that I was "scholastically qualified" - I never received any official notification about that. (I was officially medically qualified back in July and passed PFT at Summer Seminar last June.) My BGO said he couldn't pull that info about scholastically qualifying up for me, but he thought I was. Where else can I find out if I'm officially scholastically qualified ?

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Try admissions.