3-Q Letter and a Principal Nomination

AWM109

New Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2018
Messages
4
So I just received a Triple Qualification letter and I have a principal nomination to the USMA. Thoughts on if I will receive an appointment?
 
As long as you don't screw up big time you should be receiving an appointment... by law.
 
You will be accepted if you have a principal nomination and are found to be qualified in all aspects afterwards. It seems like you already meet those requirements so if you make sure you continue to be qualified for any remaining evaluations left in the application process you should be admitted.
 
You will be accepted if you have a principal nomination and are found to be qualified in all aspects afterwards. It seems like you already meet those requirements so if you make sure you continue to be qualified for any remaining evaluations left in the application process you should be admitted.
Agreed
 
So I just received a Triple Qualification letter and I have a principal nomination to the USMA. Thoughts on if I will receive an appointment?
From everything I have read and understand about the process I would say yes you will! I am curious what state you come from. I am just wondering if the 3Q letter is something that happens to all or if it varies by state or district.
 
A quick question, do LORs from principals affect your chance for admission at all?
 
A quick question, do LORs from principals affect your chance for admission at all?

IMHO, it is not the who the LoR is from that really makes the difference, it is the content of the LoR which makes a difference. The LoR should reflect that author knows you well and highlight, from personal experience, why you would excel and bring value to West Point and the US Army.
 
IMHO, it is not the who the LoR is from that really makes the difference, it is the content of the LoR which makes a difference. The LoR should reflect that author knows you well and highlight, from personal experience, why you would excel and bring value to West Point and the US Army.

Ah I see, I was wondering if I could contact those who wrote me an LOR for nominations and see if they are able to rewrite an LOR towards USMA. Thanks for the insight!
 
So I just received a Triple Qualification letter and I have a principal nomination to the USMA. Thoughts on if I will receive an appointment?
From everything I have read and understand about the process I would say yes you will! I am curious what state you come from. I am just wondering if the 3Q letter is something that happens to all or if it varies by state or district.
3Q has to do with the Academy's process, not the MOC so it should have no relationship to to district or state.
 
You'll need to wait at least until the MOC has submitted the slate, which isn't due until Jan 31.
 
You'll need to wait at least until the MOC has submitted the slate, which isn't due until Jan 31.
I have a question, please. ( I am an applicant's mom) ....Last year my applicant received a 3Q letter - and 2 Nominations - but did not receive an appointment - Is a Principal Nomination the determining factor? Is a Principal Nomination when your MOC rates the candidate as their #1 selection? My applicant (college student) is trying again.
 
No. A principal nomination is not strictly the determining factor. It depends on what type of slate a MOC submits. Some submit a slate with a prinicipal nomination and 9 alternates. For USMA, by law, if the principal nominee is 3Q he or she must be selected. If the nominee is not 3Q then one of the alternates can be selected for an appointment. A MOC might use this type of slate for various reasons but one is that a member of their district has an LOA. By naming a principal nom who is NOT the LOA recipient, they can (try to) force the academy to take 2 of their nominees.

Another type of slate, which I believe most MOCs use, is a competitive slate. There are 10 nominees on the slate and the academy picks the one they think best... ie highest scoring applicant. (WPS - whole person score). Essentially the MOC leaves the decision on who gets the appointment to the academy.

There is also a ranked slate where the MOC explicitly states the order he wants nominees to be selected for appointment. I don't think this gets used much but I'm also not familiar with any statistics on it and usage van change from year to year.

Hope this make sense. I think this is all explained in the sticky at the top of the nomination forum. There is far more information there. Hope this is helpful.
 
I have a question, please. ( I am an applicant's mom) ....Last year my applicant received a 3Q letter - and 2 Nominations - but did not receive an appointment - Is a Principal Nomination the determining factor? Is a Principal Nomination when your MOC rates the candidate as their #1 selection? My applicant (college student) is trying again.

With 3Q and at least 1 nom, your DK (dear kid) was likely in the same boat as many others, competing against each other for remaining slots, one the slate winners were picked. The principal nom would have pretty much guaranteed the pick off that particular slate, but the SA has the ability to give appointments to a certain number of triple Q with nom candidates. And they do.

Your elected reps may or may not use the Principal nom method.

I believe the SAs like re-applicants, especially if they have shown solid success in SA-like first-year courses.

You may want to read the Sticky at the top of the Nominations forum here on SAF, and read more at the link below.

https://www.usma.edu/admissions/Shared Documents/Congressional Guide (2016).pdf
 
Yes, a principal nomination is when a MOC designates a #1 nominee on their slate. If that’s the case, then the SA is obligated to offer appointment to that nominee as long as they’re 3Q (doesn’t matter how their WCS stacks up against the other nominees on the slate).

Don’t know if presence of a principal nominee was what kept your candidate out last year. Could be. But could also be that another candidate on an unranked slate had superior WCS, in which case SA was obligated to select that nominee. Glad to know your candidate is trying again. Best wishes.
 
Back
Top