Admissions committee

mike6

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Messages
46
We're always talking about admissions and the admissions committee, but what does it actually look like?

Is there a group of people around a table reviewing every packet point by point?
Does someone present the packets to a committee?
Do they put names in a hat and draw randomly?

When I imagine it, I imagine a senate type building with a speaker presenting each packet. Although that's probably not what it actually looks like...

Just wondering if anyone has some real information to satisfy my curiosity..
 
Files are reviewed for qualification prior to the committee meeting. That is done electronically between the admissions office and committee members. A second RC other than the candidates RC is the one that verifies that the correct points are in the file.

Slates are sent out prior to the meeting for review and then voted on during the meeting. Only those that are the vacancy winners as determined by the director are voted on during the meeting. The RC recommends to the director who is the vacancy winner. A slate voted on by the committee may have 20 names on it along with their WCS composite scores and the vacancy they are going to fill (though that is not finally locked until the end of the cycle). This process goes quickly because there is little for the committee to haggle over and they have to get through so many (at peak periods in the neighborhood of 200 offers per meeting, figure 1400 or so offered per class of 1200, so 70+ slates since some will be shorter in a given week, and really most of those slates don't start getting approved until January once all the nominations come in and the files are close to complete).

If there are questionable qualifications, those individual cases are reviewed and voted on - for instance, medical waivers will be reviewed with the USMA surgeon's recommendation being the primary reference point, character discussions for individuals who may have had some sort of misbehavior in the past measured against the RC's recommendation based on interviews and letters of reference, or possibly academic waivers for individuals with low test scores but otherwise solid academic performance in other measurable aspects (AP scores, writing samples, etc). This process consumes most of the committee meeting because there can be a lot of back and forth discussion while making judgement calls based on past experience and desired outcomes- eg. DQ for a shoulder injury that the surgeon thinks won't be an issue vs DPE looking their ability to execute the IOCT fast enough to pass and not further injure themselves. Maybe they had 15 pull-ups on the CFA, but they took it before the injury. Is it fair to have them retest right after the injury to see if they are still capable? Do they qual them and flag them for recheck on R-Day? The waiver process before the committee becomes another choke point so that the RC only takes limited cases. They have to prioritize to get the ones through that they both expect to win and that will receive an appointment.
 
Wow! Thank you so much for the in-depth answer. I didn't know anyone had such knowledge.

Do you mind me asking how you came about this information?
 
Just a question: within our district, out of the 10 nominated, three already received appointments as recruited athletes. I know this from congressman FB page & local papers, my son too has appointment but not as an athlete. So that makes 4 total that I am aware of? Question is about how many % of entering 1,200 Mids are D1 athletes? How many are non-athletes like my son? Just feeling lucky he got in when he doesn't play any sports & not athletic, more book smart?
 
Just a question: within our district, out of the 10 nominated, three already received appointments as recruited athletes. I know this from congressman FB page & local papers, my son too has appointment but not as an athlete. So that makes 4 total that I am aware of? Question is about how many % of entering 1,200 Mids are D1 athletes? How many are non-athletes like my son? Just feeling lucky he got in when he doesn't play any sports & not athletic, more book smart?

You might do better by posting this on the USNA forum.
 
....How many are non-athletes like my son? Just feeling lucky he got in when he doesn't play any sports & not athletic, more book smart?

Roughly 90+% of everyone attending an SA was a varsity athlete in h.s. Hopefully, everyone realizes these are physically demanding programs due to the nature of what you will be doing upon graduation/commissioning. Passing the CFA is really just the start. You will be expected to keep up with your peers regardless of your h.s. background and maintain a certain level of physical fitness. Everyone is required to pass periodic fitness tests in order to remain in the program and graduate. That is true of all SA's.
 
Roughly 90+% of everyone attending an SA was a varsity athlete in h.s. Hopefully, everyone realizes these are physically demanding programs due to the nature of what you will be doing upon graduation/commissioning. Passing the CFA is really just the start. You will be expected to keep up with your peers regardless of your h.s. background and maintain a certain level of physical fitness. Everyone is required to pass periodic fitness tests in order to remain in the program and graduate. That is true of all SA's.
Thanks for reply, but I was specifically asking about % recruited as Division 1 athletes, our son does do 3 varsity sports but not recruited.
 
There is no single source of truth on that stat...particularly in the aggregate and even if there was, they don't publicize it as it's not meaningful to anything.
 
Every MOC has his/her own method. While 845something might be correct in her area, it is not the way it is handled in many others. Just expect an interview with a few probing questions. In my experience, it not designed to trap or surprise, just mainly a fact finding mission.
 
how many % of entering 1,200 Mids are D1 athletes?

I agree with Sydney that there is no single public source for this stat. Since everyone at an SA is on scholarship, no need to track this stat for NCAA purposes. At civilian schools, the NCAA sets the limit and type of scholarships for each sport. (For instance for an FBS Football, there are 85 total scholarships allowed for the entire team . . .all have to full-ride -- no "partials" . . . . and only up to 25 can be awarded each year. SAs don't have to play by those rules. They have a specific exemption.) It is my understanding that the number of admission slots used for recruited athletes is an internal discussion between the SA Dept of Athletics/coaches and the SA leadership. The other factor that fuzzes it up is Prep School. USMA brought in 50+ "recruited" football players last year: https://army.n.rivals.com/commitments/football/2015 , but not all went directly into West Point, thus not all 50 would count for the stat. A good number went to Prep School, then this year, those that made the cut academically and athletically went through the process of admissions again.
 
Sorry @Sydney C. I would disagree, I think stats of recruited athletes at SA would be helpful & it should be made public? Such stats should be tracked for accountability and transparency purposes not necessarily for NCAA purposes;)
 
I get where you're coming from but it's mixing apples and oranges. Some recruited athletes are direct admits while other go thru the Prep School for a year so that's not exactly the same thing. But the bigger point here is "accountability and transparency" for what exactly? I can only surmise that what you're asking is "how many recruited athletes AND how they "measure" up to other admits in terms of academics, etc.? If that's your question, you're not going to get those answers...now or ever.

Finally, everybody at the academy is on full scholarship...whether they play varsity sports or not. It's not as though one is "getting more than another". And finally...and here's the big part...it's not binding to play the sport to keep your scholarship! (My nephew was a direct appointment but was also recruited. He played his varsity sport at USMC for exactly three weeks and gave it up as he wasn't interested any longer and wanted to concentrate on his studies) . N0 harm, no foul, no nothing.
 
We are now discussing a completely different topic from the original post so it would be better to start a new thread. We are now discussing recruited athletes not 'admissions committee'.
 
I get where you're coming from but it's mixing apples and oranges. Some recruited athletes are direct admits while other go thru the Prep School for a year so that's not exactly the same thing. But the bigger point here is "accountability and transparency" for what exactly? I can only surmise that what you're asking is "how many recruited athletes AND how they "measure" up to other admits in terms of academics, etc.? If that's your question, you're not going to get those answers...now or ever.

Finally, everybody at the academy is on full scholarship...whether they play varsity sports or not. It's not as though one is "getting more than another". And finally...and here's the big part...it's not binding to play the sport to keep your scholarship! (My nephew was a direct appointment but was also recruited. He played his varsity sport at USMC for exactly three weeks and gave it up as he wasn't interested any longer and wanted to concentrate on his studies) . N0 harm, no foul, no nothing.
My last comment: just was curious to %, so I can see how many slots available to non recruits?
 
We're always talking about admissions and the admissions committee, but what does it actually look like?

Is there a group of people around a table reviewing every packet point by point?
Does someone present the packets to a committee?
Do they put names in a hat and draw randomly?

When I imagine it, I imagine a senate type building with a speaker presenting each packet. Although that's probably not what it actually looks like...

Just wondering if anyone has some real information to satisfy my curiosity..

Your question actually reminded me a video on the academies I watched not too long ago.

This is actually footage from a USNA admissions meeting, and it's from a while ago it seems, so how accurate or relevant it is to today is not my guess of course. I still think it's fascinating, def worth a quick watch. Starts at about 2:03, goes for about 30 seconds:
 
@Blessedmom. A few years little old, but the breakout for the class of 2016 is in the June 14, 2012 minutes of the Board of Visitors:

Goal for athletes: 18 - 23%. 1,183 appointments accepted as of 6/14/2012. 218 athletes, or approx 18.4%.
 
Every MOC has his/her own method. While 845something might be correct in her area, it is not the way it is handled in many others. Just expect an interview with a few probing questions. In my experience, it not designed to trap or surprise, just mainly a fact finding mission.

845something's post is about the admissions committee board process, not the MOC's nomination board committee. This is the final committee who is deciding who will get the appointments of those files who are fully qualified with a nomination.
 
Back
Top