Any BGOs out there?

nr116

Banned
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
39
So I live in Sarbanes MD 3rd district, where the USNA is located. I know Senator Mikulski has 300 interviews usually, with about 200 for the USNA. Will the Academy try to help me find a nomination for my LOA as long as I apply to all my sources (VP/senator/house) because I live in such a competitive area? Also, does anyone know usually how many applicants there are to a house member for nominations?
 
Will USNA 'help you find' a NOM? ==== NO.

Agree. In the past, it sometimes happened for candidates USNA really wanted. Now, with fewer slots, it's not happening. As a general rule: No nom, no appointment.
 
Also, does anyone know usually how many applicants there are to a house member for nominations?
That's completely dependent on the district. Some districts don't have any applicants...
 
That's completely dependent on the district. Some districts don't have any applicants...

+1. There is no cap. Only a maximum that can be nominated (and then subsequently chosen for an appointment).
 
...and where the USNA eventually CHARGES a NOM MAY be different from where it was issued. Neither of which an applicant has any control over.
 
On the positive side, recent stats released by USNA show that there are 300 MIDN from MD in the Brigade implying a disproportionate number of MIDN from non-MOC nominations in the state - 8 reps, 2 senators = 10 MOCs x 5 MIDN/MOC = 50 MIDN from MOC noms so 250 MIDN from other sources. MD ranks 3rd in the Brigade behind only California and Texas.

Try not to be consumed by the nom process - easier said than done, I know. Do your best on the packs to your MOCs, practice for the interviews and then enjoy your Senior year - it only comes once!!
 
On the positive side, recent stats released by USNA show that there are 300 MIDN from MD in the Brigade implying a disproportionate number of MIDN from non-MOC nominations in the state - 8 reps, 2 senators = 10 MOCs x 5 MIDN/MOC = 50 MIDN from MOC noms so 250 MIDN from other sources. MD ranks 3rd in the Brigade behind only California and Texas.

Try not to be consumed by the nom process - easier said than done, I know. Do your best on the packs to your MOCs, practice for the interviews and then enjoy your Senior year - it only comes once!!

So WHERE would all of these additional nominations come from? There are only so many Presidential, VP, JROTC, etc. nominations available and surely all of them don't go to kids in MD. Do they in fact allow the appointments to come from other states where the MOCs don't submit a slate or have no qualified candidates? This is puzzling to me.
 
So WHERE would all of these additional nominations come from? There are only so many Presidential, VP, JROTC, etc. nominations available and surely all of them don't go to kids in MD. Do they in fact allow the appointments to come from other states where the MOCs don't submit a slate or have no qualified candidates? This is puzzling to me.

I don't know what the deal is with using MOC slots from other states where no/incomplete slates are submitted. Technically, noms are supposed to be for people who live in a MOCs district....what happens when no slate or no appointment from those nominated? That remains a mystery to me....

Non-MOC slots in the brigade:
Pres = 100/year appointed (from over 800 noms) or 400 MIDN in Brigade
VP = 5 (same number as a MOC is allowed)
Sec. Nav. = 358 in Class of 2018 so assume around 1,400 in Brigade.
ROTC/JROTC = 138 nominations in Class of 2018 but we don't know how many of those were appointed or had noms from other sources.

I agree that it's difficult to see how MD has that many MIDN in the Brigade. Pres and Sec. Nav. are the most likely sources, obviously. Only USNA knows the reality......
 
Candidates who are successful out of the national pool and who have an MOC nom are slotted to SecNav.
 
does a nom with an loa count as a vacancy? So say a MOC has 1 vacancy, so 10 noms. He finishes his slate, and one without an loa gets in and one with an loa gets in. The loa doesn't count as a vacancy right?
 
LOA candidates count against the vacancy. However, the LOA candidate with a nom may be slotted to another source, such as SecNav.
 
The bottom line, candidates do not need to worry about the details of HOW the nomination slating process works. What all the candidates need to be concerned about is applying to all nominating sources they are eligible for. Beyond that, it isn't in the candidate's power to control. USNA will figure out the rest.
 
MOC LOR's to USNA admissions?

The bottom line, candidates do not need to worry about the details of HOW the nomination slating process works. What all the candidates need to be concerned about is applying to all nominating sources they are eligible for. Beyond that, it isn't in the candidate's power to control. USNA will figure out the rest.

Asking for some advice-do you think DS should forward his MOC LOR's to admissions to add to his file?
They were some very nice letters that describe him very well.
Thx
 
Asking for some advice-do you think DS should forward his MOC LOR's to admissions to add to his file?

While USNA will accept additional LORs, they generally won't help with one exception.

If his MOC LORs cover a topic that cannot be covered by your son's teachers and BGO, then yes. Examples would be a candidate who works after school, on WEs, and during the summer and thus has no/few ECAs; a candidate whose primary/only ECA is non-school related (e.g., church), etc.

If the LORs simply say your son is a terrific young man who will make a great midshipman, no. The fact they are written by a career Naval officer, someone who used to teach at USNA, etc. won't matter.

Lest you think the above is harsh, here are the reasons. USNA first and foremost cares what the candidate's teachers think. These people typically have known the candidate for at least a year and can comment on his/her academic prowess, leadership in and out of the classroom, etc. The BGO can generally fill in most gaps -- i.e., talk about activities outside of school, etc.

So what good is an extra LOR? If it merely echos the teacher recs in saying how great the candidate it, it doesn't do any good b/c USNA already has that info. If two teachers don't think highly of a candidate, a letter written by a family friend, minister, employer, etc., probably isn't going to counteract the teachers' view. Finally, the teacher recs aren't seen by the candidate (or the BGO for that matter); the ones you sumbit are. Thus, USNA knows you won't sumbit something that isn't glowing -- they're going to defer to the submission that you don't get to read.

I don't want to discourge you and your son from doing everything possible -- but extra LORs almost never are a game-changer.
 
Follow-up question for 1985: Are LORs submitted for VP nom, which are sent directly to, and only seen by, the Academy, somehow associated (literally or figuratively) with the candidates' admissions file? USNA only asks for English/math LORs, but LORs written for MOC or VP noms are likely to cover non-academic ground and give a more comprehensive picture of the candidate. Thanks.
 
Follow-up question for 1985: Are LORs submitted for VP nom, which are sent directly to, and only seen by, the Academy, somehow associated (literally or figuratively) with the candidates' admissions file? USNA only asks for English/math LORs, but LORs written for MOC or VP noms are likely to cover non-academic ground and give a more comprehensive picture of the candidate. Thanks.

This is essentially the same question USNA1985 answered immediately above so I think his same answer applies here as well.
 
Extra LOR

While USNA will accept additional LORs, they generally won't help with one exception.

If his MOC LORs cover a topic that cannot be covered by your son's teachers and BGO, then yes. Examples would be a candidate who works after school, on WEs, and during the summer and thus has no/few ECAs; a candidate whose primary/only ECA is non-school related (e.g., church), etc.

If the LORs simply say your son is a terrific young man who will make a great midshipman, no. The fact they are written by a career Naval officer, someone who used to teach at USNA, etc. won't matter.

Lest you think the above is harsh, here are the reasons. USNA first and foremost cares what the candidate's teachers think. These people typically have known the candidate for at least a year and can comment on his/her academic prowess, leadership in and out of the classroom, etc. The BGO can generally fill in most gaps -- i.e., talk about activities outside of school, etc.

So what good is an extra LOR? If it merely echos the teacher recs in saying how great the candidate it, it doesn't do any good b/c USNA already has that info. If two teachers don't think highly of a candidate, a letter written by a family friend, minister, employer, etc., probably isn't going to counteract the teachers' view. Finally, the teacher recs aren't seen by the candidate (or the BGO for that matter); the ones you sumbit are. Thus, USNA knows you won't sumbit something that isn't glowing -- they're going to defer to the submission that you don't get to read.

I don't want to discourge you and your son from doing everything possible -- but extra LORs almost never are a game-changer.

Thank you, exactly the info we were looking for. I appreciate your candor.
mjp
 
Is your LOA letter cc'd to your nominating sources? It usually is. In effect - that helps! When your nominating sources are made aware that a nomination is a virtual appointment - your stock goes up tremendously. The LOA does not directly get you a nomination - but it certainly facilitates the likelihood of it happening. Stories of LOA recipients not receiving a nomination exist - but they are anecdotal, for the most part. There are probably more principal nominees who fail to get an appointment than LOA recipients who fail to get both a nomination and appointment. In either case, the list is short. I would say that you're in good shape.
 
Back
Top