BIG FAT ENVELOPE

Johanna_21

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Jan 15, 2018
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46
What is usually included in the BFE??
Like could you describe what it is and like what's in it? When does it usually get sent.
 
https://photos.app.goo.gl/A1NePFXvJ7rHPp7T8
What is usually included in the BFE??
Like could you describe what it is and like what's in it? When does it usually get sent.
Formal offer letter, numerous forms, instructions. No mistaking it. The postage is over ten bucks. 8.5 x 11 black with the WP logo. It's impressive... Follow the link above. Good luck!
 
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It gets sent after USMA decides to offer you appointment. No sooner. No later. No set schedule.
 
In recent years, USMA has been holding back on sending BFEs until mid-January--they send out a big batch of like 500. In the past, BFEs would drift out from Sept/Oct-May. For the last two years it has been big batch around 15-18 January and then through late April/May. Don't worry. when it arrives at your house, you will not miss it. Also, your portal will update with a magical purplish-blue box--you cannot miss that either. Now the portal and the arrival of the BFE are not necessarily synchronized--but one is as good as the other. Again, don't expect it until mid-January. If this year is like last year, there will be a big wave--and then there really isn't another big wave--it is more like turning on the tap.
 
Also, know that you might be waiting until the last week of April. You cannot let this marathon make you crazy. Finish your USMA application, your Army ROTC application and the colleges at which you would like to use your Army ROTC scholarship, and also any other academies to which you are applying. First, finish your nomination packets to your congressman and senators who probably have an earlier deadline. Again, if you are applying now, it is not a quick finish. It can be a long wait. Maybe you will get an LoA, maybe you will not--but really, you are playing the long game.
 
Perfectly put....
I would add this to Dr. Mom's synopsis. Attached is the image of the class profile of admitted Cadets. When you begin to worry, and doubt, and you are in limbo (and you will feel that way...), refer to the class profile. Compare your own profile with those admitted. How many of those sections can you highlight as your own? Keep referring back to it. All categories are honest, factual, data points published by the USMA itself. A very useful tool.
Again, the best of luck!
Go Army!
 

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In recent years, USMA has been holding back on sending BFEs until mid-January--they send out a big batch of like 500. In the past, BFEs would drift out from Sept/Oct-May. For the last two years it has been big batch around 15-18 January and then through late April/May. Don't worry. when it arrives at your house, you will not miss it. Also, your portal will update with a magical purplish-blue box--you cannot miss that either. Now the portal and the arrival of the BFE are not necessarily synchronized--but one is as good as the other. Again, don't expect it until mid-January. If this year is like last year, there will be a big wave--and then there really isn't another big wave--it is more like turning on the tap.
Perfectly put....
I would add this to Dr. Mom's synopsis. Attached is the image of the class profile of admitted Cadets. When you begin to worry, and doubt, and you are in limbo (and you will feel that way...), refer to the class profile. Compare your own profile with those admitted. How many of those sections can you highlight as your own? Keep referring back to it. All categories are honest, factual, data points published by the USMA itself. A very useful tool.
Again, the best of luck!
Go Army!
When do u usually have to send your whole application to be able to get an early? Or does it not matter
 
You would have to have everything in prior the middle of January or a few weeks earlier...right? On this page everyone only knows so much. But if you don’t catch it in the first wave, there are still almost five months to be selected.
 
You would have to have everything in prior the middle of January or a few weeks earlier...right? On this page everyone only knows so much. But if you don’t catch it in the first wave, there are still almost five months to be selected.
Whens the first wave?
 
Please read my earlier postings on this thread.
 
I got the envelope itself, a grad cap topper (which I didn’t use because my school doesn’t do the cap and gown), a memo explaining how to accept my offer to USMA even though I’d already accepted it the Sunday before the Tuesday that it arrived, and a little congratulatory letter with some important information on it.
 
I must say, USMA’s portfolio holding the certificate of offer of appointment was the snazziest of the bunch. It was faux leather, rather than obvious plastic for USNA and USAFA. Inside, it had a cool facsimile of an engraving of West Point along with the certificate on good-quality paper. Very well done.

But to prove that looks aren’t everything, after some very serious consideration, DD went USNA.
 
I must say, USMA’s portfolio holding the certificate of offer of appointment was the snazziest of the bunch. It was faux leather, rather than obvious plastic for USNA and USAFA. Inside, it had a cool facsimile of an engraving of West Point along with the certificate on good-quality paper. Very well done.

But to prove that looks aren’t everything, after some very serious consideration, DD went USNA.

Roll on! :bounce1:
 
Our postal person actually got out of her vehicle, and though it would have fit in our rather large mailbox by the street, they realized what it was and brought it to the door to hand to our DD. They said they had only seen one other one from West Point in their career and wanted to be the 1st to congratulate her!

Like everything else in the process, the envelope, the leather-bound binder and the contents were all done 1st class.What really brought the whole process of trying to get an Appointment to a beautiful conclusion was once the binder was opened, inside on the left panel was the beautifully engraved scene of West Point with the Cadet Chapel overlooking the campus.

Then, the capper. Opposite the engraving of the campus was a very fancy letter with the colorful crest at the top and underneath that the heading CERTIFICATE OF APPOINTMENT. Below that heading in a large fancy olde English font it said, On behalf of the President of The United States of America and the United States Military Academy Admission Committee, I take great pleasure in presenting this offer of appointment to: DD's name, for the class of 2022. It was then signed by the Superintendent.

Then the tears and screaming kind of all happened together.
 
The other cool thing: The congratulatory call from the nominating MOC. My DD tends to not answer her phone unless it’s a caller she recognizes. But she did answer the two times the MOC called to tell her of appointment — he gave her two nominations — and they were great, if short, conversations. The BFEs came a few days after the calls, but it was still a thrill even if she knew the news.
 
I must say, USMA’s portfolio holding the certificate of offer of appointment was the snazziest of the bunch. It was faux leather, rather than obvious plastic for USNA and USAFA. Inside, it had a cool facsimile of an engraving of West Point along with the certificate on good-quality paper. Very well done.

But to prove that looks aren’t everything, after some very serious consideration, DD went USNA.

Class of 2017 was the last USAFA class to get actual BFEs. They started sending email ones after that. Nothing impressive at all but we were all jumping like crazy! It was an actual white envelope that someone could have mistaken for junk mail and thrown away. West Point always had and still does have the best one.
 
@skismuggs, USAFA reinstated BFE at some point because DD got one for Class of 2022. To your point, it was the least impressive of the three she got. But she still loved it!
 
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