will it hurt to have applied to another academy?

Serve.USA

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I have heard from someone that I know that if you apply to another academy as well as the coast guard academy, and you get a nomination for the other academy, the coast guard academy will overlook you because they dont want to waste a spot for you since there is a good chance you will go to the academy you get a nomination for. I mean I want to go the the CGA just as much as the other SA so im going to apply for them all if i can get a nomination for the others, but I dont want the CGA to not give me a shot just because I get a nomination for a different academy.

So what are your thoughts on this? Is it true?
 
No truth to that. Many, or most, of my classmates were accepted to other academies. They turned down USMA, USNA, USAFA, or USMMA. I was very upfront about where I was applying. In the end, even with two nominations each to USNA and USMMA and LOAs to each, I chose USCGA. It's not a back up school to the D1s.
 
LITS is correct. Many folks who apply to USCGA apply to other SAs; I applied to USNA and USCGA. While I ended up choosing USNA, it was a very close call. A number of years ago, I had a candidate with appointments to both who chose USCGA.

So definitely apply to more than 1 SA if more than one interests you. If you receive multiple appointments, you can then decide which SA and which service is the best fit for you.

Finally, for those from super-competitive districts/states, applying to USCGA is nice b/c you don't need a nomination. Thus, you can pursue that appointment "separately" in that you don't have to rank or choose it for a MOC nom. The fact that USCGA doesn't require a nom does not, however, make it less competitive. Just a slightly different appointment process, somewhat driven by the size of the school.
 
Finally, for those from super-competitive districts/states, applying to USCGA is nice b/c you don't need a nomination. Thus, you can pursue that appointment "separately" in that you don't have to rank or choose it for a MOC nom. The fact that USCGA doesn't require a nom does not, however, make it less competitive. Just a slightly different appointment process, somewhat driven by the size of the school.

Exactly, and on the flip side, if you're from a less competitive area you have no greater advantage. CGA applicants compete nationally.

What you'll find is service academies are competing for the same good pot of candidates. That pot is, relatively, small. It's a safe assumptiong that candidates are looking at different academies. And there certainly isn't a mindset at CGA that if USMA or USNA come knocking, CGA applicants will drop everything at change directions.

West Point or Annapolis are better known to the general public than CGA or USMMA or even USAFA, but you will find, within the service academy community, no academy carries more weight. No one is stary-eyed when they meet a cadet or midshipman from another academy. It's just another student.... in a different uniform.
 
I concur with the above. My son applied to and received an appointment to the USNA last year with two congressional noms. He still chose USCGA as it was a much better fit for him.

He has several classmates who also received appointments to other SA's but chose USCGA.

Best of luck to you!
 
I have heard from someone that I know that if you apply to another academy as well as the coast guard academy, and you get a nomination for the other academy, the coast guard academy will overlook you because they dont want to waste a spot for you since there is a good chance you will go to the academy you get a nomination for.

You've received some good feedback, so I'll just confirm that we don't consider whether or not an applicant is applying to other service academies (SA's) when we make appointment decisions. We never ask if you're applying to other SA's, so I guess if you are concerned about it, I would simply not share that information with us.
 
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