Letter Of Qualification

Jeff62064

5-Year Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2013
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60
My DS just received a letter from the admissions office that stated that he has been found to be triple qualified. Any input on what this means or could potentially mean?

Any input would be appreciated.
 
First - congratulations!

Basically this means he is fully qualified for the service academy of his choice. It does not however indicate one way or another the DS's likelihood to gain appointment.

Don't get me wrong - 3Q'd is a great milestone to achieve - however - it is just another step in the process.

Next big milestone is to receive a nomination. From there - it comes down to the strength of his application against the others....

Congratulation again and bests of luck!
 
Will everybody receive this letter? On other forums, people said that many did not, even though they were 3Q'd. I haven't received any of my forms through mail either. Everything comes to my online portal - including my LOE. Is this normal or strange?
 
3Q'd.....

Let me echo JWP, congrats that your son is 3Q’d. Your son “Qualified” to attend WP. Lets break this down to rough numbers, because you’re sitting there fretting. Looking back at past class profiles to predict, “what are my chances?” Again, rough numbers, Class 2017 and 2016 had 15,000 people apply, and lets say for the Class of 2018 it will be the same. West Point will more than likely make Class of 2018, 1180 to 1200 students. Roughly 2500 to 3000 will be deemed 3Q’d. Now, lets look at getting into a SA in two parts. Being “qualified” and getting a “nomination”, you need both. You can’t get an appointment with one or the other, you need both. This is what makes graduates of SA very unique and getting five years of college smashed into four years as well as all that military stuff.

So like they say in that movie, “may the odds be with you” your son is becoming a more “competitive candidate.” Here is the flip side to that; it’s a double-edged samurai sword- (is there such a thing), more pressure! To be a more “competitive candidate” continue to improve those ACT/SAT test scores. Continue to improve your class standing and those grades.

Your son can’t rest. As a dad, be there for him, encouraging him, push him. You’re his parent, his cheerleader, his mentor, and his rock! Not his friend.

Good Luck, keep us posted!

Parallel your Plan B progress as well.

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
@cadet85

The transition is slow, but the goal is to have all correspondence through your portal. Focus on the green dots, don't worry about everything else, focus on the green dots.

Push Hard, Press Forward

My sources tell me they are already offering appointments. These will be priors who have prez or sup noms. But just a hand full thus far.
 
Just have to reiterate the words of wisdom from Tug Boat! The focus absolutely should be on making your DS’s application more competitive! Cannot emphasize enough retaking the ACT/SAT, taking advantage of community service/leadership opportunities and ensuring the grade point through the remainder of the year remains as high as possible.

One other word of advice, as the milestones are completed and we move into 2014 – it is going to feel like your entire world is slowing down as the day for sending out the BFEs draws nearer. Remain positive and supportive! To have come this far speaks a great deal about the character of your DS and although gaining admissions to West Point is the goal – the things your DS has done to get this far will ensure their success wherever that path may lead! With that – ensure your DS is also focused on a strong Plan B!

Great to hear from you Tug Boat!
 
@jeff....WCS

This is how WP adds up a WCS. "Whole Candidate Score" This is part of the formula they use to grade a candidate who has opened a file.

Academics (60%)
Class rank (15 points)
SAT score (35)
High School Grades (10)
Extra points for Valedictorian/National Honor Society/National Merit Scholar

Leadership (30%)
School Leadership – extra points for class or student body president
Eagle Scout/Gold Star Girls Scout
Boys and Girls State
Athletic Participation – Team Captain Status
Team sports

Fitness CFA (10%)

Being a recruited athlete /Under Represented Minority/Active Service can fall in to different category pertaining to WP Class compositions.

The standardized testing is a huge part of WCS and it is important to do your very very best and take the tests multiply times. My DS has taken ACT/SAT 8 times.

This is how WP breaks it down.

WP thinks your high school rank is more important than your GPA. However, to have a high rank (top 15%) you need a great GPA.

Also to improve your WCS, get those SAT/ACT scores as high as you can.

Again, resist comparing yourself to others. What is more important is ask yourself, "Have I Done My Very Best, How Can I Improve?"

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
I have a question. On the most recent Class Profile - 2017 - it says approximately

12,300 men applied (I know this means maybe just opened an application)
3,500 men were nominated
1,800 men were qualified
1,000 men were admitted

Does that mean, as a male, you have a better than 50/50 chance of being admitted if you have a nom and are triple qualified? Or is there something I'm missing in those numbers?

Also, my FFR said that West Point values "contact sports" like wrestling and football. How does that give you points over another sport? Or is that not true?
 
It is a lot more complicated than a 50/50 chance. Numbers wise it look like it is a 50/50 shot, but think about it...You are not competing with everyone of those 1800 people for the 1000, you are only competing with those in your district. Most people will get in via non-NWL slots. Side note: if you fail to win your congressional, senatorial, presidential, etc. slot then you will be on NWL (National Waiting List). When on this list, chances are way under 50/50 IMPO. It will be a lot more candidates vying for the 150 spots guaranteed to be given by WCS and appointments through "diversity goals." All in all, its not 50/50 because it's you against your nomination slate, not you against everybody.
 
I agree with WestPoint2017 and I'll add the following:

Assuming all 3Q'ed males were nominated (may not be true) = 1800 pool
1000 Males Admitted

430 males from MOC slates (535 slots and assume 80% were male);
105 females from MOC slates (535 minus 430)
175 from USMAPS (# male);
150 go to highest WCS by law

Leaves 140 spots available to meet diversity goals and fill out the class size. I'll grant you that some MAPS candidates may have won an MOC seat but not likely a large number (as MAPS candidates were originally not considered academically qualified).

So in other words, IF:

  1. you don't win your competitive MOC slot, and
  2. you aren't a Primary nominee by your MOC, and
  3. you are not in the top 150 NWL pool

THEN:
the 800 males not admitted were competing for the 140 remaining slots to fill out the class. Of those slots, some percentage went to diversity candidates (gender, ethnicity, region, life experience) and prior service (Presidential, AD, MOH decendent). That would give a 17.5% admission rate assuming all 140 slots had been available to non-diversity and prior service males (highly unlikely). So in reality, your best odds are in winning your MOC slot - and especially if you are male.​

This analysis might be better against the entire 3Q'ed male and female population but the same principles apply.

Message: Regardless of your gender, follow Tugboat's advice and get that WCS as high as possible!
 
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Thank you all for your responses. They are certainly helpful and will assist me in giving direction to DS. I am wondering however why they would even make the notification at all? It is definitely not an LOE as the letter does not mention a CVW. It simply states you are QQQ'd and to make sure you seek a nomination.
 
The letter is basically saying, "You are qualified to attend our institution, get a nomination so we have the discretion of possibly selecting you to attend." If that makes things any clearer?
 
First - congratulations!

Basically this means he is fully qualified for the service academy of his choice. It does not however indicate one way or another the DS's likelihood to gain appointment.

Don't get me wrong - 3Q'd is a great milestone to achieve - however - it is just another step in the process.

Next big milestone is to receive a nomination. From there - it comes down to the strength of his application against the others....

Congratulation again and bests of luck!

We didn't receive any notification of 3Q'd but did get an Letter of Encouragement last week. Can it be assumed that an LOE by its nature would indicate that a candidate is 3Q'd? Thanks Much!
 
We didn't receive any notification of 3Q'd but did get an Letter of Encouragement last week. Can it be assumed that an LOE by its nature would indicate that a candidate is 3Q'd? Thanks Much!

Absolutely not. LOE's can be sent prior to DoDMERB and being 3Q'ed means you got past DoDMERB. And that's at the very least. I could always imagine other things that could come up during the process for someone who had an LOE yet was determined not to be 3Qed, but DoDMERB would be the biggie.
 
WCS Breakdown.....

This is the breakdown of the WCS (Whole Candidate Score):

Academics 60%
- 1/2 High School class rank (30% OF WCS)
- 1/2 ACT/SAT scores (30% of WCS)

Leadership Potential 30%
- 1/3 SOEs (10% of WCS)
- 1/3 Athletics (10% of WCS)
- 1/3 ECs (10% of WCS)

CFA 10%

That's more info than you asked for, but to answer your question, the SOEs are 10% of your WCS.

WP is looking for leadership POTENTIAL. The questions on the SOE are geared towards that which is why it is part of the Leadership evaluation and not the Academic evaluation.

Here is another breakdown of WCS


Push Hard, Press Forward
 
Here is an idea that presented itself to our DS after he was 3Q'd in September that added just a few more points to his overall score. It turned out the school and local Rotary had a program to recognize a student each month through out the school year as a Rotary citizen/scholar. Fortunately, he was recognized in October and sent in the documentation to WP and his portal popped up with "community recognition" or something similar to this. He thanked the high school counselor for in putting him in the October slot, for had he received the March or April slot he wouldn't have received any bump in his candidate score. This is a delicate scenario, because you don't won't to start asking if you are going to be recognized for a future award, but if your counselor understands the Service Academy application process they can help steer these type of awards your direction and make the timing work for you.
 
I agree with WestPoint2017 and I'll add the following:

Assuming all 3Q'ed males were nominated (may not be true) = 1800 pool
1000 Males Admitted

430 males from MOC slates (535 slots and assume 80% were male);
105 females from MOC slates (535 minus 430)
175 from USMAPS (# male);
150 go to highest WCS by law

Leaves 140 spots available to meet diversity goals and fill out the class size. I'll grant you that some MAPS candidates may have won an MOC seat but not likely a large number (as MAPS candidates were originally not considered academically qualified).

So in other words, IF:

  1. you don't win your competitive MOC slot, and
  2. you aren't a Primary nominee by your MOC, and
  3. you are not in the top 150 NWL pool

THEN:
the 800 males not admitted were competing for the 140 remaining slots to fill out the class. Of those slots, some percentage went to diversity candidates (gender, ethnicity, region, life experience) and prior service (Presidential, AD, MOH decendent). That would give a 17.5% admission rate assuming all 140 slots had been available to non-diversity and prior service males (highly unlikely). So in reality, your best odds are in winning your MOC slot - and especially if you are male.​

This analysis might be better against the entire 3Q'ed male and female population but the same principles apply.

Message: Regardless of your gender, follow Tugboat's advice and get that WCS as high as possible!

I think the category of male is too large to make any statistically significant inference as a candidate can be male and fall into many different categories. 3Q could mean any where from 1800 SAT to 2200 SAT also.
 
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