Accepting my appointment

I think I have an interesting situation and would like some input from some of the more experienced posters here.

I received and accepted my appointment a few weeks ago. This has been updated in my portal. I then received a notification for two things. One was a parental consent form that had to be mailed in. I did it, and sent it in. The second was a consent form for a criminal background check. I filled it out and emailed it like the directions said was allowed. These both occurred over 10 business days ago.

However, my portal says they have not been received. And the criminal background form stated that it must be received no later than XXX date (that already passed). I emailed my counselor before the deadline to ask whether my form had been successfully received but simply not processed because of all of the incoming applications. I did not get a reply, so I called the office and left a message as well. This time I also asked if it would be better to resend the form with an alternative method. I did not get a reply, and the deadline passed without any portal update. So I sent another email a few days ago and still have not received a reply.

My question is: Did I mess up? I emailed the required document to the correct email and have documentation that it sent. So am I overreacting/worrying about nothing and should just wait for an eventual reply from admissions? Thanks

If you sent everything in as requested, relax and try to be patient. They are processing a lot of documents. You have emailed, called, left messages, and emailed again. Take a deep breath and try to keep yourself busy. There really is nothing more you can do. It will all work out.

Thank you @20ta for the question, wondering the same thing for my DD.

Thank you @FalconsRock for your reply, now we'll be patient and check back this forum for last minute tips before we fly to COS.

Thanks @FalconsRock, I will take your advice and breathe a little
And thanks for you comment @cezme I'm glad there are other people with similar situations

Hi, I'm a 19er and if I remember correctly my background check and consent form didn't show up as received until after they were processed, which was after the deadline. So you're most likely fine.

FalconsRock said:

If you sent everything in as requested, relax and try to be patient. They are processing a lot of documents. You have emailed, called, left messages, and emailed again. Take a deep breath and try to keep yourself busy. There really is nothing more you can do. It will all work out.

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I agree, but I'd write down the dates of your calls and such "just in case". You probably won't need them, but it wouldn't hurt to have them in the unlikely event something went wrong.

When I mail something important I usuall send it Unites States Postal Service 2-3 day priority mail. It's cheap and includes tracking updates emailed to you. Just go to usps.com and open an account, it's free and easy. Buy your postage online, it's easy, and they'll email you tracking updates for your records.

Good advice Coach.
This advice would be well heeded by 2021 and future applicants. My DS really took the approach if there might be a problem, plan for it and prepare for it!
EVERYTHING had a back up copy, ALL mail was sent certified with tracking! He kept a log of each and every contact with admissions, ALO, and MOCs.
Nomination packets were hand delivered early and even here there were complete backups of each packet to the MOCs! He did not want to trust his Nom, appointment, and FUTURE to any chance of a foul-up with postal service, FedEx or armed courier!!
It was kind of humorous, since he was in another state at boarding school, I did the MOC Nom packet deliveries. I felt like I was in possession of the nuclear 'football'. Never been so nervous!
Wife was under instructions, if something bad happened to me like a bad wreck, to get the backups and go to MOCs offices FIRST before worrying about me! (thanks Fencer, I believe, for the hand delivery tip).

Point is do not leave yourself feeling helpless with such rigid deadlines and possibilities of something falling through the cracks. Approach this process with as much attention to detail as possible. Copies, backups, and logs can be a lifesaver or APPOINTMENT/NOMINATION saver when computers crash ( remember they DO do that), mail trucks runoff the road, and meteors hit your house! EARLY submissions makes resubmitting copies and backups before the deadline a no stress event!

I, too, would echo above comments. All mail tracked and phone calls recorded (not the actual CALL, but the date/time), emails banked. Keep all your correspondence in a file... keep being the operational word there.

Now, chillax. (See how hip I can be?)

You have done what you can do. Background checks can take a LONG time. Forms of all types are sent to USAFA by the thousands, literally. It's going to take a while. If there is some problem, they'll let you know. Otherwise, "bubble up" and stay out of trouble, have fun, and keep up with your school requirements.

AND PLEASE NOTE (BOTH PARENTS AND INCOMING BASICS!!!): MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR PLAN B. Strange things do happen - injuries, illnesses, and the 18-year-olds' tendency to just change one's mind. Many basics have been injured at BCT or just decided on a different path, and have not kept options open, which they've regretted.

DS faxed in the background check form and it took almost 2 weeks to show up in his portal.

Brawny Congratulations on your DS appointments x3! Up here in New York we have LOA's but nominations have not been sent out yet
from any of my MOC. Hope we hear something soon, I know the "deadline" is Sunday.

I suggest future appointees use email to send pdf file of your sign forms. You can scan in your signed form (used a sharpie fine point pen so that signatures/dates are very clear), convert the file to pdf then email to the email address on the form. My DS used this method and it shows up on portal next business day. It's much faster and your email is a receipt with date sent. If you don't have a printer that can scan, use your smart phone to take the picture of the signed form; send it to your pc via email, then down load a free pdf printer driver (google pdf printer, "bull zip" printer driver is a good one that we have been used for years), open up your scan form then print it using the pdf printer, it will convert the form to a pdf file for you to send electronically. Hope this helps.