Not applying to other SA's--Frowned upon come nomination time?

My son has wanted to attend USNA since he was 8 when he visited Annapolis for the first time. He has visited Annapolis several times since including sports camps and NASS. He also attended USAFA summer seminar this year. He was accepted to USMA SLE but needed to turn it down due to a family commitment. However, we visited West Point and he got a great feel for USMA during his tour.

After all of these visits, Navy is still his #1 choice. He was fortunate enough to receive an LOA. The only thing left for him is the nomination, and those interviews are weeks away.

My question is, if Navy is where he wants to be, to the point of him wanting to go the NROTC route if he does not get a nomination, is there any benefit for him completing the applications to the other academies? He does not think it is fair to ask for recommendations and set up interviews with his liaison officers if he truly does not want to attend these other academies. However, we read all he time that MOCs want to see an interest in serving in general. Does withdrawing his applications to USAFA and USMA show a disinterest? Could this have a negative effect on obtaining a nomination? Very curious what others have gone through.

If an opinion is what you are indeed looking for, then I say no.
If he wants to be at USNA or in NROTC, he has chosen his path.

There is no reason to go Army or Air Force if he already embraces the mission of the Navy or Marine Corps.

My DS only applied to USNA. He is a Plebe there now, and loving it. Maybe not every minute of it, but it's where he wants to be.

Semper Amplecti Sugentes.

My son only applied to USNA and had no problems. He’s currently a plebe.

I only applied to USNA. I think it’s fine. If his goal is to be a naval officer then he is pursuing the correct items for him... USNA, ROTC scholarship, then ROTC college programmer. Shows he is committed to that path and understands his options to being a Naval Officer.

Congrats on LOA. My DD class of 2019 (LOA also)applied only to USNA and said that the Army officer at MOC interview gave her a mild hard time about that...she got the nom.

My son- also a current plebe- only applied to USNA -as long as he can answer the question as to why only USNA ,he'll be just fine.

I can offer a few thoughts. My DS was exactly the same way. Only Navy. Last year he applied only to USNA even though he was encouraged by others to apply to the other SA's...more specifically his Scoutmaster who himself is a USAFA '84 graduate. His ACT score was a little lower than the MOC would have liked so he ended up with 1st alternate nomination. They offered him a principal nomination to USMMA but he declined. They also offered him Army ROTC...which, I guess, MOC can do now. He also declined. Regarding NROTC, we got some bad advice during the application process. We live in Wisconsin so there isn't much of a Navy footprint in the Northwoods. So he did not get the NROTC scholarship. He did not get offered an Appointment so he spent the entire spring improving his shortcomings, including retaking the ACT.

All of that to say this... He enrolled at UWM and NROTC College Program at Marquette. He re-applied to USNA and during his nom interview they asked him, very specifically, "why only USNA?" His answer was that the Navy is where is passions are. He isn't doing it for the free education. His goal is to become a military officer in the Navy and he has always felt that USNA would be the best place for him to achieve that goal. The committee was very impressed by his resolve...especially since it was a retired Army Colonel that asked him that question.

He received a principal nomination this time and, assuming there aren't any other issues during the process, he will be going in as a Plebe next summer.

Charge forward and don't sell out. He will be fine. Good luck!!!

There are 535 answers (435 Congressmen and 100 Senators) to the question, and perhaps more when you consider that many MOC use panels to evaluate their applicants. Arguments can be made each way -- general desire to serve v. desire to serve in a specific service. Each MOC and their panel may have a different view on the issue. My recommendation is to be prepared to answer the question and explain your rationale. If you can articulate why you want to go Navy, and are prepared to get there by any means possible (USNA, NROTC, OCS, etc), the MOC and their committee will respect your answer.

As an aside, strategically you may be better off focusing on one Service Academy. MOC are by their nature political animals, with the goal to make as many people happy as possible. If you apply for nominations to any service academy, and there are more applications than nominations available, they may slot you for your distant second choice even though you are more qualified than the guy that got your first choice, just so they can impact more candidates.

I've seen the comment here before -- I got a nomination to my second choice, but I really wanted my first choice. Bottom line, don't apply for a nomination to a Service Academy unless you really want to attend that Academy.

same here, my son applied to USNA only, and he stated clearly on his nomination application why only USNA and had no follow up questions during the interview (USNA class of 2022 now); on another hand, his friend applied to USNA, USMA, USAFA, and he was asked why he didn't apply to USMMA (USMA class of 2022 now). his friend got nominations to all academies, but had an uncomfortable moment during the interview.

Know many mids who only applied to USNA and have attended/are attending USNA.

If your DS only wants USNA, then he should stick with that. He should, however, be prepared to explain why he is applying only to USNA. I suggest he focus on the positives of USNA (why it's perfect for him) vs. why he doesn't want to attend another SA. Be prepared in particular to answer why he isn't applying to USCGA or USMMA, which also have sea-going missions.

Also, in competitive areas, MOC committees may ask some version of: "Would you consider a nom to X other SA?" or "If we could only offer you a nom to Y other SA and not to USNA, would you take it?" The genesis of such a question is usually that too many great candidates want a nom to one SA and not enough to the other(s). The MOC committee is usually trying to determine whether a particular candidate might be willing/happy to be nominated to/attend another SA, so that they can make more constituents happy. Let's face it, some candidates are really torn and, if asked, would gladly have a sure thing at their other first/slightly second choice.

The above said, as Old BGO correctly points out, if you have a definite first choice and really don't want to go somewhere else, stick with that first choice. Over the years, I've had probably a half-dozen candidates complaining to me in December/January that they "only" received a nom to USMA (it's always USMA, sorry). Invariably, they had put USMA as their first choice on some MOC's slate or told the committee they would accept a nom to USMA. And then they get exactly what they asked for and are miserable. Don't be that person.

If it's USNA (or whatever SA is your first choice) or bust, stick with it. Decline other offers. However, if you are somewhat on the fence and really would be happy with a nom to another SA, then say so. Just realize that you are quite likely to get that second option.

Thanks for the answers. I appreciate your responses.

Our DS only requested a nomination for USNA and was even asked about the others but said no. USNA was his first and only choice. He is now a 2022 Plebe. This is a hard road so you better want to be there and make sure your heart is there with you. Go Navy!! Beat Army!!

The first time I applied to USNA, USAFA, and USMA. Didn't get in, but got a NROTC scholarship and did that for a year. The second time I only applied to USNA because I knew I wanted Navy all the way. I had to do a phone interview for the congressional nom the second time around and my ALO (USAFA's version of BGO for anyone not savvy on all the processes) was actually on the nomination board and was the one to ask me why only USNA.

If he knows what he wants, and doesn't want, and can articulate his reasoning, then that is the path he should take.

DS is applying only to USNA also and his first MOC interviews are less than 2 weeks away. He did not apply to other SAs because he wants to serve in the Navy. He can better articulate why he wants to be a Navy or Marine officer than why he didn't choose other SAs (i.e. it's not he doesn't think well of USMA, USAFA, or USMMA - it's that he feels there are more service community options going Navy and he wants to see the world. Also, his grandpop was a naval officer.).

He just received an NROTC scholarship (plan b). What are the thoughts on disclosing that he has a Tier 1 NROTC scholarship to the interview committees? Is that an overall plus or a minus? His plan is to tell them he has the scholarship in hand so that if not appointed this year, the committee will see him again next fall as a re-applicant. But he also is concerned that the committees, knowing that he already has an ascension route in hand, would pass him over for someone with less options. Is that a valid concern?

My son only applied to USAFA and AFROTC. He was singularly focused, and knew that is what he wanted with his career. This was not an issue when he interviewed with his MOC. I know he did discuss the fact that his backup plan was AFROTC during his interview. I believe this showed that he is committed to serve regardless of appointment to an SA. He is in his first year at the Academy in Colorado Springs.

ders_dad said:

DS is applying only to USNA also and his first MOC interviews are less than 2 weeks away. He did not apply to other SAs because he wants to serve in the Navy. He can better articulate why he wants to be a Navy or Marine officer than why he didn't choose other SAs (i.e. it's not he doesn't think well of USMA, USAFA, or USMMA - it's that he feels there are more service community options going Navy and he wants to see the world. Also, his grandpop was a naval officer.).

He just received an NROTC scholarship (plan b). What are the thoughts on disclosing that he has a Tier 1 NROTC scholarship to the interview committees? Is that an overall plus or a minus? His plan is to tell them he has the scholarship in hand so that if not appointed this year, the committee will see him again next fall as a re-applicant. But he also is concerned that the committees, knowing that he already has an ascension route in hand, would pass him over for someone with less options. Is that a valid concern?

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They will probably ask back up plan if not appointed. That would be the time to mention the scholarship if he wishes to disclose it.

ders_dad said:

But he also is concerned that the committees, knowing that he already has an ascension route in hand, would pass him over for someone with less options. Is that a valid concern?

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@ders_dad, it should not be a concern. MOC nomination panels are well aware that most SA applicants are also ROTC applicants. Knowing he has a scholarship in hand should not diminish in any way his worthiness for an SA nomination.

If it makes you feel better, your DS doesn’t need to volunteer the information. Instead, if and when he’s asked what he’d do if he doesn't get into an SA, he can just say he plans to go ROTC and then reapply the following year. It’s a common and a very good answer.