Ranking?

SimonPark

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2012
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12
I've been graciously selected to the NWL. However, I don't know my ranking. By the time the Feb. 22nd deadline comes, will I be able to know 100% what my ranking is if I file an inquiry to my regional commander?
 
this is what my RC told me when I asked him that question. However, I don't know if this includes after the deadline locks in everyone's rank. hope this helps.

"I cannot tell you what “number” you are on the list, as it is constantly in flux and the number wouldn’t mean anything anyway, since we do not yet know how many people we will be able to offer from the list."
 
You will never find out your ranking. RC told me there will be few spots this year. The admissions board meets two times a week and that number would change a lot anyway.
 
You will never find out your ranking.
I suppose that makes sense... you don't want plebes going around creating their own pecking order the first day of arrival based solely on WCS. If that information were available, it would be clear that a candidate with a 920 score out of a very competitive district didn't make it in, while a candidate with an 850 from a less competitive district did make it in. That geographic diversity I'm sure is important to the needs of the Army, but it doesn't sit well with a 17 year old's notion of equity.
 
The rankings of the NWL can, in some cases, be subjective. From prior experiences and reading other posts, the NWL is used to "balance out the class". While it is true top candidates are chosen in order of WCS score, West Point also looks to use the NWL to maintain balance in their new class - athletes, minorities, female candidates.... Unfortunately, in some cases, cadets are chosen if they fall into one of those categories - to balance out the class. They may not be the overall highest candidate available in the NWL, but they are the highest ranked candidate in a particular category. That is another reason why you will never know exactly where you stand in the NWL - that and the NWL is ever-changing (until Feb 28th).
 
VonFritz is exactly correct. It is VERY important to be ranked as high as possible on the list - however, WP does pick people that are not the highest on the list to "balance" the class.
Some people do not want to think about this, but it is an advantage to be in one of these "balance out the class' groups. That is just the way it is. There are no formal "quotas" but there are very important "target" numbers. There are "targets" to have at least a certain % of the class women, blacks, hispanic, etc. The Army works very hard to meet their targets. In many cases these candidates are not as highly qualified as others on the NWL. Notice that in the Class of 2015 profile, 8% of the class was in the Third Fifth of their HS class and 1% was in the Fourth Fifth of their HS class.
 
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If you've been placed on the NWL, make sure you keep sending in updates for your file. Send in updates and make sure your file is 100% correct, make everything count because it could easily make a difference when everyone on the list is competing for few appointments. Good luck!
 
VonFritz is exactly correct. It is VERY important to be ranked as high as possible on the list - however, WP does pick people that are not the highest on the list to "balance" the class.
Some people do not want to think about this, but it is an advantage to be in one of these "balance out the class' groups. That is just the way it is. There are no formal "quotas" but there are very important "target" numbers. There are "targets" to have at least a certain % of the class women, blacks, hispanic, etc. The Army works very hard to meet their targets. In many cases these candidates are not as highly qualified as others on the NWL. Notice that in the Class of 2015 profile, 8% of the class was in the Third Fifth of their HS class and 1% was in the Fourth Fifth of their HS class.

If this is the case, how does it look for Asians with high GPA, SAT, Leadership...etc. Are they NOT consider a minority group to fit into the "target " numbers? It seems the asains are so competitive that they are knocking themsleves off the competition in many cases. It seems this is true for any state or private schools. Please anyone comment.
thx
 
I believe one of the FFRs has mentioned before that West Point does not consider Asians to be a minority.
 
Does anyone know why Asians are not consider a minority group by WP? thx

I am sure no officer at West Point stated that Asians are not a minority.

I believe that West Point looks at the make-up of the US Army and develops it "composition goals" off of that. While a minority, I do not think that Asians are 'under-represented" at West Point with regards to the make up of the US Army thus do not have a "composition goal."
 
I am sure no officer at West Point stated that Asians are not a minority.

I believe that West Point looks at the make-up of the US Army and develops it "composition goals" off of that. While a minority, I do not think that Asians are 'under-represented" at West Point with regards to the make up of the US Army thus do not have a "composition goal."

Thank you, GoArmyBeatNavy, you said that much better than I did! Your elaboration explained what I was fumbling for. :thumb:
 
Does anyone know why Asians are not consider a minority group by WP? thx

They ARE considered a minority. However, they ARE NOT an "Under-Represented Minority" and that is why they are not given any sort of preference in admissions.
 
They ARE considered a minority. However, they ARE NOT an "Under-Represented Minority" and that is why they are not given any sort of preference in admissions.

Yes, that is exactly what GoArmyBeatNavy already posted.
 
thank you all for responding...that makes a lot of sense...its a bit concerning tough if you are an Asian and on the NWL...your chances are really diminished with others even tough you are more qualified.

all we can do is pray. thanks again and good luck to all!
 
thank you all for responding...that makes a lot of sense...its a bit concerning tough if you are an Asian and on the NWL...your chances are really diminished with others even tough you are more qualified.

all we can do is pray. thanks again and good luck to all!
Kind of like a white boy, huh.
 
It is unfortunate, but this is a kind of a "affirmative action" policy. Its too bad race, gender and all other categories come into play when choosing NWL candidates. In a perfect world, those questions should never even make it to the application page (other than gender - for obvious reasons). I would much prefer my child being evaluated on his body of work, without being disqualified because of some category he is lumped into!
 
thank you all for responding...that makes a lot of sense...its a bit concerning tough if you are an Asian and on the NWL...your chances are really diminished with others even tough you are more qualified.

all we can do is pray. thanks again and good luck to all!

How do you know you are more qualified than others on the NWL? :confused:
 
How do you know you are more qualified than others on the NWL? :confused:

You don't. And never will. And furthermore there may be folks on the NWL who are more qualified than some of the folks who are appointed. They may skip someone for another further down the list to meet some ethnic/gender/socio-economic need. But the person they do select will be the highest ranked person who meets that need. Sorry, but that's how it is.
 
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