How do nominations work?

I am aware that they obviously are required for admissions, but how does it work?

I know my congressman have 1-2 vacancies a year, and he can select 10 students for (each?) vacancy. So do the 10 who receive the nomination have to compete amongst each other to fill the 1-2 vacancies that there are?

Thanks!
Lahey

Yes. Suggest you read the sticky threads at the top of this forum.

Yes those 10 are in competition. As I understand it though, if you are from a very competitive state, like Virginia, the other nine who didn't get the appointment often are "slated" (not sure that's the right word) to other congressional districts- like Kansas or Wyoming where vacancies may exist.

Highly recommend you read the 'sticky' as advised at the top of the nomination forum. MOCs can use different types of slates from ranked, unranked, principle. The sticky addresses all these items. It will address non-MOC noms, numbers, etc.

Letsdothis said:

Yes those 10 are in competition. As I understand it though, if you are from a very competitive state, like Virginia, the other nine who didn't get the appointment often are "slated" (not sure that's the right word) to other congressional districts- like Kansas or Wyoming where vacancies may exist.

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That is incorrect. Nomination slots from one congressman cannot be given to someone in another state. That is a myth that gets perpetuated every year by people on this forum, and it is corrected every year.

If a congressman from a less-populated state has a slot that goes unfilled, then there will be two slots available to them the next year. In more competitive areas, the 9 who do not get the appointment will compete in the national pool of other applicants with nominations but no appointment.

Stealth_81

Stealth is spot on. Why it's important to read the sticky. I think letsdothis is mixing things up with the NWL. As long as someone has a MOC nom, if they don't win their slate, they can go to the NWL for consideration. Again, the sticky addresses this and lots of old threads on this topic.

Stealth_81 said:

Letsdothis said:

Yes those 10 are in competition. As I understand it though, if you are from a very competitive state, like Virginia, the other nine who didn't get the appointment often are "slated" (not sure that's the right word) to other congressional districts- like Kansas or Wyoming where vacancies may exist.

Click to expand...

That is incorrect. Nomination slots from one congressman cannot be given to someone in another state. That is a myth that gets perpetuated every year by people on this forum, and it is corrected every year.

If a congressman from a less-populated state has a slot that goes unfilled, then there will be two slots available to them the next year. In more competitive areas, the 9 who do not get the appointment will compete in the national pool of other applicants with nominations but no appointment.

Stealth_81

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I believe you know what you're talking about and I thought that's what I was saying. So when someone says they weren't "charged" to their reps slate, but still received an appt, it's from the NWL?

It can get very complicated, and there are probably more questions on here every year about nominations that any other subject (except maybe SAT/ACT scores) .

There are appointments that are not charged to any source. If someone has an LOA and they are on the congressman's list of 10, they have received a nomination and therefore an appointment. They do not necessarily have to be the nomination that is charged to that congressman. That is how some congressional members can say they have 15 or more constituents at an Academy. They may have 15 people from their district, but only 5 can actually be charged to them at any time. The others got in because of Presidential, ROTC, AD, or other sources. It is like a huge jigsaw puzzle that the Academy is putting together as the admissions process goes along.

In my son's case, he was on the nomination list for both senators and our representative. He also had an LOA so he had his appointment from Senator Feingold right after Thanksgiving which is pretty early. Over the next three months his appointment charging got changed to Senator Kohl, and then again to our Representative Petri as the Academy put all of the pieces in place and rearranged them to build the class. That is why everyone always says apply to as many sources as you can, because it gives you the best shot to receive an appointment.

Stealth_81

Stealth_81 said:

He also had an LOA so he had his appointment from Senator Feingold right after Thanksgiving which is pretty early. Over the next three months his appointment charging got changed to Senator Kohl, an then again to our Representative Petri as the Academy put all of the pieces in place and rearranged them to build the class. That is why everyone always says apply to as many sources as you can, because it gives you the best shot to receive an appointment.

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Stealth, I think that is why this nomination process is so confusing. I have read every post and sticky on here regarding NOMs and I still don't understand why it is so important for a candidate to seek all sources, especially those who receive early appointments or LOAs with a presidential NOM. In your DS's case, he already had an LOA and then an appointment from Senator Feingold early on. What difference would it have made for YOUR DS if he only had one? He still would have had an appointment, the SA would not take it away right? If I understand correctly, he also received noms from Kohl and Petri and the Academy shuffled him around to accommodate another candidate that perhaps had a nom from Feingold but not Kohl and Petri. I am still not quite getting how that helped YOUR DS. I guess I am just dense, but I don't see the advantage on that one.

And maybe you can answer another question that is confusing about those who go to the national pool. Why do they go to the national pool and who is charged with their nomination? What exactly is the national pool? Thanks in advance.

My son didn't know at the time of applications that he would have Feingold's nomination so early. The deadlines for the applications were at the same time for all three. That is the reason that you should apply to all sources. When applications are due you may not have all the answers, and even if you "think" you have someone's nomination, you never really know until you have the appointment letter in your hand. All kids of scenarios can happen. Son's ALO told him to apply to all sources so he did. Whether that helped son directly or not, he did what the Academy wanted him to do even if it only benefited the Academy to build a better class.

The national pool rules are different for each academy, and I am not familiar enough with each to give advice on it. I'll leave that to others.

Stealth_81

Thank you Stealth.

Lahey (and others): please. Do your homework. READ THE STICKIES. You'll find answers to many of your questions there.

Fencersmother, please do not assume that just because we have questions we have not read the stickies. I have read the
nomination stickies many times and most of the threads in the nomination forum and it is still confusing. This forum is for asking questions, no?

You are a founding member with sage advice to offer from your library of vast experience, but sometimes your comments can be off putting.