Letters of recommendation for re-applicants

Tucker2023

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Jan 26, 2018
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What are your thoughts regarding using the same people so their letters of recommendation would be virtually the same as last year for the nomination packages? These packages are due in October so we've decided DS should get them done this summer. Obviously his letters of recommendation for the Academy will be required to be the English and Math teachers which hopefully will be from his first semester at college. He would like to use the band director and coach from last year who he had again this year, and I would think their statements would not change much if any.
 
I’m a reapplicant as well. I think it honestly should be different people. If you really can’t think of anyone new, maybe he can volunteer somewhere new for a month or two and the director of the place/organization could write them a letter of recommendation.
 
IMHO, the LOR have little bearing on the process. Everyone is going to write how great the individual is. They should be submitted, but there are many other areas that are more impact-full to the process.
 
You could use the same people but I would get new letters. You will have grown/changed in the past year and the letters could reflect that. I would avoid using the exact same letters.
 
You could use the same people but I would get new letters. You will have grown/changed in the past year and the letters could reflect that. I would avoid using the exact same letters.

I agree with this logic. Over the course of a year, a candidate has grown through new experiences that were not yet encountered in high school. Meet with the authors of the prior letters and have a conversation with them. They will be able to see a new side of you and draft an appropriate LOR.
 
If you used your Jr year teachers for letters last year, you can use your Senior teachers or College professors this year.

But if you used your Senior teachers last year, you MUST use you College professors this year.

If you happened to have the same teacher for both Junior and Senior year (for example, same teacher for Pre-Calc, and Calc), then you could use the same teacher twice, but it really needs to be a new letter.

Keep in mind that the members of the admission board have access to both this years package AND last years, so it's important that you do not just cut and paste anything. This is especially true for the personal statement but also very important for LORs

For ADDITIONAL letters of rec (from other than English and Math teachers), they are not required nor discouraged, but they only add value if they provide new or additional info that isn't included anywhere else. If the band leader or coach letters add something new it can't hurt, but probably doesn't move the needle much.

good luck
 
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The Math and English teacher evaluations (not lettters of recommendation) are critical...follow the guidance from USNA (Senior year or College, although unlikely college professor will have any meaningful knowledge if you are in one of those mass freshman english classes). There is really no need to send additonal LOR's to USNA -- it's okay, but really doesn't add anything. Let's be realistic --no one sends an LOR that says this kid is "just okay." I suspect that every candidate could flood USNA with letters saying how great they are -- but most follow the instructions and limit to the Math and English evaluations.
 
I am mostly asking about the LoR for the MoC nom packages that are due in October so DS needs to get those done this summer before he leaves for college.

Everything I've read about the process of completing the official application online with the USNA as a re-applicant, and all docs associated with it, tells us he should wait until after his first semester so he is not in a huge rush to get that done. He will write his personal statement and complete the application over the Christmas break.

He will also hopefully receive an ROTC nom through his unit.

So to be clear, I am not asking about the evaluations that are sent to USNA, I am asking for opinions about the letters that go in the nomination packages.
 
I am mostly asking about the LoR for the MoC nom packages that are due in October so DS needs to get those done this summer before he leaves for college.

Everything I've read about the process of completing the official application online with the USNA as a re-applicant, and all docs associated with it, tells us he should wait until after his first semester so he is not in a huge rush to get that done. He will write his personal statement and complete the application over the Christmas break.

He will also hopefully receive an ROTC nom through his unit.

So to be clear, I am not asking about the evaluations that are sent to USNA, I am asking for opinions about the letters that go in the nomination packages.
Did he receive a MOC Nomination last year?
 
Did he receive a MOC Nomination last year?

Yes, he received a nomination to USAFA from the local representative. He did not have one for USNA. We are in Texas. Local only gives a candidate one nomination so he chose USAFA. He did not get a Texas Congressman nomination.
 
DS was a college re-applicant. For nominations he used the same rec letters, and received both Congressional Red and Senator nominations both years. It is too early in school year to have meaningful college recs, and the people who knew him best and most recently hadn't changed. FWIW. I think our senator's application process even explicitly said it was okay, but imagine different ones might regard differently. Best of luck!
 
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