USNA Principal Nomination

DCHS2018

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Feb 5, 2018
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This is my first time posting on this forum.

I am an applicant to the USNA. I submitted my application in late September and was medically cleared in mid October. I attended the USNA Summer STEM and 2017 NASS. I applied to all nomination sources available to me, but I did not receive a nomination from either of my senators and am still waiting to hear from the VP. I had my interview for my MOC nomination Jan 6th and received a Principal Nomination to the USNA Jan 17th. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews regarding Principal Nominations to the USNA. I have heard that a Principal Nomination is different for the USNA than for the USMA or USAFA. Can anyone please clarify the impact of a Principal Nomination to the USNA, not the other SAs. I have talked to my BGO about it and consulted other sources, but I have not received a definitive answer specifically for the USNA. I know that Principal Nominee are not guaranteed an appointment, but is it very likely for them to receive an appointment? Does anyone know the statistics of Principal Nominees admitted to the USNA? I am aware that in 2013 there were a couple of Principal Nominees that were not offered an appointment. Thank you.
 
As a general rule, USNA will offer an appointment to the principal nominee if the candidate is fully qualified. Although USNA is not required to do so by law, as are USMA and USAFA, they almost always do and it is a VERY rare occurrence for principal nominees not to be appointed.
 
This is my first time posting on this forum.

I am an applicant to the USNA. I submitted my application in late September and was medically cleared in mid October. I attended the USNA Summer STEM and 2017 NASS. I applied to all nomination sources available to me, but I did not receive a nomination from either of my senators and am still waiting to hear from the VP. I had my interview for my MOC nomination Jan 6th and received a Principal Nomination to the USNA Jan 17th. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews regarding Principal Nominations to the USNA. I have heard that a Principal Nomination is different for the USNA than for the USMA or USAFA. Can anyone please clarify the impact of a Principal Nomination to the USNA, not the other SAs. I have talked to my BGO about it and consulted other sources, but I have not received a definitive answer specifically for the USNA. I know that Principal Nominee are not guaranteed an appointment, but is it very likely for them to receive an appointment? Does anyone know the statistics of Principal Nominees admitted to the USNA? I am aware that in 2013 there were a couple of Principal Nominees that were not offered an appointment. Thank you.
My DS is in the same situation, he has a principle nomination and a senator nomination, but we haven't heard anything, the waiting is hard. Congratulations on your principle nomination. Wishing you all the best!
 
And even with a principal NOM, you still have to be 3Q to get an appointment. USNA no longer routinely tells applicants if they are 3Q, so at least some of the confusion surrounding this topic in the past was likely the result of assuming they were 3Q.
 
"MOC" refers to any "Member of Congress" (in The House or The Senate), so I am going to assume that your nomination came from your district's representative, since you said that neither of your Senators nominated you.
I must also assume that your current "Application Status" reads "Complete Pending Review", and to the right of "Required Actions" and "Special Instructions", it reads "None".

If that is indeed the case (and you are 3Q, which no one can say for certain), then you are more than likely one of approximately 3,200 candidates who have the status of being "fully-qualified, with a nomination".
What sets you apart (from that large group) is that you are not competing with others on a slate of say ten (10) candidates, for that nomination.
You are the Principal Nominee, or the one your MOC thinks is the best candidate from your district to receive an Offer of Appointment.

Your odds of receiving an offer are very high (say, 90%), as opposed to the others who can expect odds of only 45% (which is pretty good, in and of itself).
 
And even with a principal NOM, you still have to be 3Q to get an appointment. USNA no longer routinely tells applicants if they are 3Q, so at least some of the confusion surrounding this topic in the past was likely the result of assuming they were 3Q.
"MOC" refers to any "Member of Congress" (in The House or The Senate), so I am going to assume that your nomination came from your district's representative, since you said that neither of your Senators nominated you.
I must also assume that your current "Application Status" reads "Complete Pending Review", and to the right of "Required Actions" and "Special Instructions", it reads "None".

If that is indeed the case, then you are more than likely one of approximately 3,200 candidates who have the status of being "fully-qualified, with a nomination".
What sets you apart (from that large group) is that you are not competing with others on a slate of say ten (10) candidates, for that nomination.
You are the Principal Nominee, or the one your MOC thinks is the best candidate from your district to receive an Offer of Appointment.

Your odds of receiving an offer are very high (say, 90%), as opposed to the others who can expect odds of only 45% (which is pretty good, in and of itself).


Yes, the portal says complete pending review. And he has no special instructions. My only concern is seeing another person from our district where DS got the principle nom already offered and accepted an offer of appointment to the USNA, I hope that means that our congressman had more then one spot?
Thank you for your information, it helps, we are hopeful :)
 
Where a NOM gets issued my not be where USNA eventually charges it. MOC can nominate 10 individuals for each opening they have. USNA determines where to eventually charge the NOM. An applicant may never know where USNA charged their NOM and at the point you get an offer of appointment, it really no longer matters.
 
This was confusing to me last year. DD was one of 10 submitted by our MOC. When we went to a PR event for the MOC, DD was there with 4-5 other kids who got appointments from the MOC. I know she does not submit a primary but a competitive slate and lets the Academy select the most competitive. I guess in her case the top 5-6 got nominations and appointments.
 
If you received a principal nom, does it show up on the portal as principal?
 
It will not show up on the portal as a principal. And yes in competitive districts it’s not uncommon for several to get appointments from the same district. As mentioned, where someone ultimately gets charged can change as USNA puts the large puzzle together.
 
As I have said in other posts, one year we had thirteen appointments to USNA from a small state. We did not know that DD was "charged" until we received a presentation Capitol Flag for her graduation date from the Senators Office. Any appointment is a good one.
 
I agree. Appointment is Appointment. Although small, your state is a patriotic state with deep national history in service and education.
 
Although one of the thirteen we have gone down hill from there. Even the Charter Oak is dead.
 
I think you’ll be hearing good news soon. One of my sons was a principal. Didn’t get the BFE for a few weeks. My other Mid learned of his waiver a week before the BFE.
 
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