LOA from the USAFA for class of 23

Monarchs'19

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
124
My DS completed his USAFA application including the DoDMERB (Potential Pilot Qualified) and CFA, except nomination for sure.

I was wondering when USAFA starts sending the Letter of Assurance?

BTW, he received a LOE (letter of encouragement) from the West Point last week. Very excited.

Thanks
 
Is he a recruited athlete? If not, I’d plan hearing in March/April, based on what I’ve heard.

And congratulations on WP!
 
USAFA has already started sending LOAs, if the threads here are accurate. And they can go out as late as the last week of April, as my DD experienced this year. As many here have said, don’t spend your time and energy worrying about LOAs. They are rare, conditional, and may not follow the logic that you expect. The offer of appointment is the goal!
 
USAFA has already started sending LOAs, if the threads here are accurate. And they can go out as late as the last week of April, as my DD experienced this year. As many here have said, don’t spend your time and energy worrying about LOAs. They are rare, conditional, and may not follow the logic that you expect. The offer of appointment is the goal!

They have? I haven't noticed a USAFA LOA reporting yet.
 
This is why I think the USMA has this whole LOA figured out. They appear to offer several, and early in the process. If an applicant has applied to all of the SA's and gets an LOA from the USMA, and is still waiting on the others for acceptance which will the applicant choose or rank for the MOC nomination process as #1.
 
This is why I think the USMA has this whole LOA figured out. They appear to offer several, and early in the process. If an applicant has applied to all of the SA's and gets an LOA from the USMA, and is still waiting on the others for acceptance which will the applicant choose or rank for the MOC nomination process as #1.

This was discussed two years ago as well and I agree. If you live in an area where you will only get one nomination then it's certainly a risk not to list the SA who gave you a LOA as #1. Now chances are if you are good enough for a LOA you are probably good enough for an appointment at the others but it's true you just never know what each Academy is looking for any given year.
 
There are candidates that do get an LOA, but not to their top choice. Some have taken the additional step to contact the MoC staff and say, I have an LOA to XYZ SA, but I really want ABC, is there a possibility to place me on both of these slates.
~ Some will because an LOA is not necessarily charged to their slate. IOWs, let's say MoC Smith uses the principal with alternate method. They list candidate Jones (non-LOA) as principal, and the LOA candidate on the same slate. Both will get an appointment because an LOA candidate only needs the nom. Thus, they did not take anything away from that principal. Now the same MoC can say the LOA records are strong for that other SA, but not willing to give them principal hoping that the other SA will eventually give them an LOA, thus again, that MoC would have at least 2 on each slate with appointments for a total of 4 before they even hit the NWL compared to only 2 if they didn't give the LOA a nom.

I have also seen LOA candidates from their number 2 or 3 choice call the RD admissions counselor/officer and say to them, I have in hand key words...in hand, is there a possibility before I submit my MoC nom SA order preference I will get an LOA because my MoCs talk/spread the wealth.

In the yrs I have been here I have also seen LOAs drop after the noms. where the candidate found themselves with an LOA to one SA, but a nom to another. Sometimes they have been able to contact that MoC and ask them to switch their nom to that SA. Not something I would ever advise, bc impo chances of that occurring are around the same ballpark as getting an LOA (rare), but it does happen.
~ Happened with my friend's DS. He had an LOA to USNA, no nom., but principal to USAFA with no LOA in a state where you got only 1 nom. He got on the phone and luck was with him. A candidate that got principal to USNA with no LOA, wanted USAFA as their number 1. The MoC did some magic and 7 months later they were both at their dream SAs.

It is really important to understand not only how rare LOAs are, and yes, USAFA is the skimpiest when it comes to giving them out, but it is just as important to understand how MoCs are charged and why LOA candidates are for lack of better term a freebie on their slate.

I understand that a candidate may not know for certainty which SA they want to attend, but as I always say this is not just a 4 yr commitment for collegiate education in a degree program you select and the military lifestyle, but a 9 yr commitment because you will owe 5 yrs AD where they decide your career field and where you will be assigned to live those yrs.
 
In you scenario doesn't the LOA candidate (slate not principal) have to be charged to somebody, presumably the MOC? And if the MOC can only have 5 cadets charged against him currently attending SA than what would happen in that situation?
 
No they do not have to be charged to an MoC. The highest WCS candidate will win the slate, thus, the LOA may not be the highest, but because of their LOA they will be slid in via other charging sources, that cannot nominate, such as, the Supe.

Think about it, there are only 535 MoCs, add in @100 for the ones that have 2 slates due to the ability to be charged 5. That brings it up to 635. Add in 100 for Presidential, you are at 735. Add in ROTC and VP, and you are around 755. Those are your nominating sources. Typically they will appoint around 1300+ , thus a lot will be charged to non-nominating sources,

In essence, as everyone states you just need the nom to get the ball rolling.

Look at some MoCs when they do their public news release many times they will have 6,7,or 8 names for a slate of 10 even though that MoC will only be charged 1, or maybe 2 at max.
 
NO MORE TALKING ABOUT LOA'S!!! This drives me C.R.A.Z.Y.

Why would you suspect your DS would get an LOA? Recruited Athlete? Both parents are generals? (JUST KIDDING)

The chances are very great that your child will be like 90% of all other applicants - finding out in March if they have an appointment.

The LOE is lovely - means very little.

Please, don't get knickers all twisted over LOA's.
 
NO MORE TALKING ABOUT LOA'S!!! This drives me C.R.A.Z.Y.

Why would you suspect your DS would get an LOA? Recruited Athlete? Both parents are generals? (JUST KIDDING)

The chances are very great that your child will be like 90% of all other applicants - finding out in March if they have an appointment.

The LOE is lovely - means very little.

Please, don't get knickers all twisted over LOA's.


Ok so your comment is a bit salty. Not everyone has the experience that you may possibly have. I’m pretty sure they are just trying to figure out this extremely hard process. As the rest of us are as well.

But in regards to an LOA our DS received one 3wks ago from USMA & this is 2nd time trying to get on one of the academies. The USAFA is much harder but not impossible.
 
There are many threads about LOA's, easy to receive - impossible to get.

The point is to put through the best "package" you can, making sure you have filled out ALL the paper work, from the Academies and your MoC, etc. Miss no deadlines.
Practice for the CFA... in order of event (can't stress this enough). Will you (your DS/DD) receive an LOA? Um... probably not.
 
Monarchs'19 my daughter received an academic LOA near the end of Dec. I recall several academic LOA's being issued around the same time (mid Dec '16- early Jan '17). They had sent her an email requesting her to retake the CFA which she did. I think it was a week or two later she received the LOA. From my understanding, LOA's are used to be competitive with large athletic schools to attract top talent. I think academic LOA's might be given out several rounds later. I'm speculating but that's how it worked for us. Hope this helps.

If you get a request for something get it done quickly. Possibly means they are actively evaluating you and possibly trying to overcome something minor that allows them to make you an appt.
 
DS c/o 2021 received an academic LOA in mid Oct 2016, his younger brother just received one for the c/o 2023 on Saturday. Both are strongest in academics. Older sister, c/o 2018 was a recruited swimmer and received one in Oct as well. So they are starting to come out now.
 
@OhiogrlfromGA, what’s an “academic LOA”? My DD applied to multiple SAs, received multiple LOAs, but we never came across that term — either officially from an SA or unofficially on this forum.

That said, if the veterans and BGOs here are to believed — and I do believe them — LOAs do not exist primarily to compete with large athletic schools. They're used far more broadly than that, and the notion of “academic” and “athletic” has nothing to do with timing.

Will be curious to see what those more experienced than I have to say. Perhaps I’m about to learn something new.
 
I took it to mean someone who's major strengths were academics as opposed to a recruited athlete. And yes, I know, athletes can and many times are, academic standouts as well. But with athletes they many times receive an LOA so the applicant in question can have a signing day and so they don't sign somewhere else because they aren't sure if they really have a spot.
 
Yes, USAFA does issue LOA's and yes, from my experience as an ALO (25 years) the majority are for "blue chip" athlete's. That being said, I've seen my share of LOA's for "superstar students." These are the ones you almost never meet...the girl/guy with the 4.00 unweighted GPA in an IB program, three sport varsity letter winner, 500 hours of community service, school leader, with ACT's of 36 or an SAT combined 1580+...you get the idea.

I could easily see where someone might call that an "academic LOA."

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I have been on this forum for over ten years and have never once heard of an "academic LOA." What is that???

I wonder if people are starting to make up terms to fit a desired narrative. For example, “Billy has awesome grades but just OK on everything else, so he got an ‘academic LOA.’” Or, “Jenny is a recruited athlete, so she got an ‘athletic LOA.’”

From an SA perspective, this seems to detract from the “Whole Candidate/Person” concept.
 
Back
Top