Applying to Multiple SA

If your ultimate goal is to go to the USNA, is it in your best interest to also apply to the USMA and USAFA.

multiple SA's

You have to ask yourself if you are serious about accepting an appoitment to the USMA of USAFA and completing their program if USNA doesn't work out. The career options are quite different. Are you willing to accept that? Do you really, really, really want that?? Or are you just trying prove to yourself you can get an appointment to somewhere? Ask youself what you wanted to do when you earned your commission. If marine ground, then USMA has some similarities. If fixed wing, then USAFA. If subs, then no options at USAFA and USMA.

The complicating factor for most is not the SAs but the nomination process. Most areas of the country are relatively to super competitive and MOCs may only be willing to give you a nom to one SA. That often "forces" candidates to choose and choose early.

To be fair, this situation is not the norm everywhere -- in some districts or states you may be able to get noms to multiple SAs. In that case, there is no downside to applying to multiple SAs if the SA and the resulting career options would satisfy you.

Maryland is super competitive so be sure and apply to all the academies you can pursue your goals/dreams through

If USNA is your first choice, USMMA/KP should be your second, assuming you like being on the water.

The answer to this question may depend on your area of the country. In our area, Colorado, congressmen and senators, routinely ask students to rank order their preference for a nomination and encourage students to apply to more than one academy and to ROTC at the same time. They want to know that students are serious about a military career and they want to know whether a student would accept an appointment to an academy which is perhaps not their first choice if the nominator has a nomination available to a different academy for that deserving candidate. Your area of the country may be different -- here, this information is emphasized at every area meeting held by congressional/senatorial staff representatives -- students are told to apply to and be willing to go to more than one academy. That does not mean that a student should apply to all five academies if they know they would never be willing to attend a particular academy but it does mean figure out what the nominating committees in your area expect you do to be a serious applicant and do it. If you are expected to apply to more than one academy and would be willing to attend more than one -- then do what the nominators want you to do. With the competition so tough this year -- and probably for foreeseable years to come -- make yourself a competitive applicant by reading the Academy websites for your congressman/senators, etc. and by talking to their staff -- then do what they want you to do to be competitive.

^^^

Well stated. However, keep in mind that if you put down a 2nd and/or 3rd choice, you'd better be prepared to go there. I've heard way too many sad tales from candidates who put down USMA or USAFA as a "backup" to USNA, then get a nom to that SA and THEN bemoan the fact that they REALLY wanted USNA.

The story goes something like this:

Candidate: "I got two noms to USMA but want to go to USNA and didn't get one."

BGO: "Did you tell the MOC you wanted to go to USMA."

Candidate: "Yes, I put it down as my first choice for one (or 2) MOCs" or "I put it as my second choice" or "I could only select one for X MOC and I selected USMA."

BGO: "So you must have wanted to go to USMA. It's a great school and you should be thrilled to have 2 noms."

Candidate: "But I really wanted USNA. What am I going to do?"

BGO: "Go to USMA."

[OK, seriously, would discuss the VERY limited options.]

Note that the above is a true story that I personally have heard more than once.

So, if you would truly be happy at more than one SA -- no regrets -- then put down more than one. However, if USNA (or any other SA) is truly your preference and anything else would be a disappointment, I recommend you put all your eggs in one basket.

The exception, of course, is USCGA, which requires no noms.

navy2016 said:

If USNA is your first choice, USMMA/KP should be your second, assuming you like being on the water.

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Don't forget USCGA....I hear they are on the water too. And the upshot...no nomination needed. Just stellar grades, test scores, ECs, and a whole lotta luck.

Good advice by both usna1985 and dohdean—we are also in CO. DS applied for a nom from all 3 MOCs and was asked to rank the academies in order of preference. So he put USMA as a second choice, but told the interview committees that he had only applied to USNA as that was where he wanted to go. Just before Christmas he found out that he had a senatorial nom to USMA—resulting in lots of turmoil for him. He ended up quickly applying to USMA as a backup in case he didn’t get a nom and/or appointment to USNA as he decided he’d rather go to a SA than a civilian college if given the choice. His FFO (equivalent of a BGO) had a USMA candidate who had a nom to USNA, but not USMA, so the reverse situation of DS. The nomination process appears to be different in every state, so be ware. (FYI, DS ended up getting a nom to USNA from our congressman.)

Good Advice for Just a Few

usna1985 said:

However, if USNA (or any other SA) is truly your preference and anything else would be a disappointment, I recommend you put all your eggs in one basket.

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I'll go out on a limb and say I think this is good advice that is hardly mentioned and applicable only to the go-for-broke types. My son had his heart set on USNA (still does but even more so now). Any other school would have been a disappointment to him. His backup plan was NROTC but during the application process to various schools, it was quite evident to his mom and me the only school that mattered to him was USNA. At times it felt as if we were watching a high wire act without a net.
Cheers...

I know I'm going to be applying to USAFA and possibly USMA, though I do have my heart set on USNA. I'll also be applying for NROTC.

In my case, the answer was NO. If you are heartset on one SA, then DO NOT apply to multiple. Long story short, my original intent was to go to go to USAFA, and I would have had it, but because I applied to multiple, I am now going to USNA. Don't get me wrong, I am excited for it - especially more so now than before, but if you can only really live with one, then just apply to that one.

Man2112 said:

In my case, the answer was NO. If you are heartset on one SA, then DO NOT apply to multiple. Long story short, my original intent was to go to go to USAFA, and I would have had it, but because I applied to multiple, I am now going to USNA. Don't get me wrong, I am excited for it - especially more so now than before, but if you can only really live with one, then just apply to that one.

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Well, you also just provided the perfect example of why it IS a good idea to apply to multiple. The people who loved the academy to death as an applicant may be the first to leave; the people who never really wanted to go may grow to love it and excel.

For me, it would have been all but impossible to get multiple nominations (California MOCs talk, apparently), so I made a choice and went for USNA all the way. In the end, it came down to the branch of service. The Navy just had more opportunities to my eyes (particularly, the Army and Air Force have exactly zero submarines). That is something important to consider: the school is just four years. The branch of service is going to be your life and lifestyle for much longer, and even after you leave your service in that branch will change your life for good.

If you think it is feasible to obtain multiple nominations and you really have no specific reservations or preferences (or you're still undecided) as far as career options go, I'd say to go for it. They are all great academic institutions with long and proud histories. You can make the hard decision when you have multiple appointment folders in front of you instead of closing doors now and regretting it later.

If you are from a competitive district and state, the nominations numbers game may be too dangerous to spread yourself across four academies. Be careful.

I can only tell you from the first visit to USAFA to the last information seminar we attended for USNA our DS was advised apply for everything and leave nothing on the table. You can't turn down something you are never offered. That was also the advice we received with sports scholarships. So instead of thinking we knew better than all the people trying to give us advice, our DS did exactly what they said and applied for all academies and ROTC.

I can't say it's the best advice for everyone but it was in his case and I think it helped with his MOC interview that his primary goal was to serve and it showed.

It is true that it makes little sense to apply for something that you have no desire to attain but would you change your mind if it was your only option? Only you can answer that. For our DS he would have taken any of the options and did accept the AFROTC first, then declined it only after receiving multiple appointments including USMMA (which he would have also taken if it was his only option). Fortunately, he did get a principal nom to his first academy choice, USNA, so he is very happy.

It's the advice the academies are putting out so there must be sensible merit to it. However, it's your decision and there is no wrong decision in this case, it's your life. Good luck.

There's no downside (other than your time) to applying to multiple SAs. And, if you are eligible for a Pres nom, it makes sense.

However, if you don't have a Pres nom, you MAY have trouble "sustaining" multiple applications to an appointment. The reason, as stated above, is that many people live in areas where their MOCs "force" them to rank SAs by preference or even to choose only 1.

Say USNA is far and away your first choice but you'd be OK with USMA or USAFA. If you have to pick only one SA, and you pick USNA for all MOCs, you have no chance (other than VP) of a nom for USMA or USAFA. So, while you applied, you have little chance of being appointed.

If you have to rank SAs for an MOC, even if you put USNA first and the others 2nd and 3rd, you have to consider the (fairly likely) possibility that you'll get a nom to USMA or USAFA, leaving you w/o one to your first choice, USNA. The MOC figures you're happy with any of your choices. Maybe if you'd gone all out for USNA, you would have received that nom -- who knows?

Obviously, if you're in an area where there aren't many qualified candidates, your MOCs may give you noms to multiple SAs. In that case, it makes sense to apply to more than one if you'd be happy there.

Bottom line: consider where you live. Consider whether you would be truly happy at each SA and in each service. Talk to your BGO.

After reviewing the comments from all of you (which I greatly appreciate), I decided to complete preliminary applications for USAFA & USMA in addition to the USNA preliminary app I completed four weeks ago. I received a positive response from the USAFA back this morning after three days. Does anyone know when USNA & USMA will send out information to official candidates?
Thanks

I applied to both USAFA and USNA and got appointed to USAFA and got NAPS as well (I did not get a nom to USNA). In my case, I had dreamed of USAFA since age 11, but gradually began leaning towards USNA over the past couple of years for several reasons. Now I'll be heading to NAPS. For most people though, I would advise that you put all your eggs in one basket if you really want to attend a particular academy.

pilot2b said:

I applied to both USAFA and USNA and got appointed to USAFA and got NAPS as well (I did not get a nom to USNA). In my case, I had dreamed of USAFA since age 11, but gradually began leaning towards USNA over the past couple of years for several reasons. Now I'll be heading to NAPS. For most people though, I would advise that you put all your eggs in one basket if you really want to attend a particular academy.

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Huh? Your advice seems non sequitor to your experience. What if you had not been Appointed into USAFA, and then did not get NAPS? You'd be high and dry.

Agree with the poster above... only fail to apply to an opportunity you would turn down even if it were your only option. Even then, consider how often 17 year olds change their mind. What if the opportunity you were sure in summer you would turn down becomes an opportunity you WOULD have taken had you known more about it at the time?

USNR1315:
Your son's application experience sounds similar to what our son is experiencing now (he is a rising HS senior). His top choice for college is the USNA. He will not apply to the other service academies. Now, despite my advice, he is probably not applying for a NROTC scholarship, although he will apply to colleges in addition to the USNA.

I have a few questions: did your son apply for a NROTC scholarship? Did the MOC nomination board ask him about applying (or not applying) for a NROTC scholarship? My thought was that the nomination board would more likely nominate a candidate who applied to the USNA and, as a backup, applied for a NROTC scholarship than a candidate who did not apply for the scholarship.

Thanks.



Good Advice for Just a Few
Quote:
Originally Posted by usna1985 View Post
However, if USNA (or any other SA) is truly your preference and anything else would be a disappointment, I recommend you put all your eggs in one basket.
I'll go out on a limb and say I think this is good advice that is hardly mentioned and applicable only to the go-for-broke types. My son had his heart set on USNA (still does but even more so now). Any other school would have been a disappointment to him. His backup plan was NROTC but during the application process to various schools, it was quite evident to his mom and me the only school that mattered to him was USNA. At times it felt as if we were watching a high wire act without a net.
Cheers...
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