The problem with the early LOAs is that it contradicts everything that one reads or is told about the USNA admissions process. It is understood that the Review Board doesn't start the admission process until the beginning of September (although my son's BGO told us that the Board would start to meet once a week beginning in mid-August). Everyone just assumes that LOAs won't be handed out until AFTER the Review Board starts the process because that is what has been implied in the information - so when news of early LOAs (July/August) is disclosed, everyone is "startled" because they weren't expecting to hear anything until after the Board meets beginning in September.
This news then becomes frustrating because most parents(and candidates) believe that their student is worthy and deserves to receive an LOA. When the question is asked "Why did that particular candidate receive an LOA?", it is usually answered with responses such as "The USNA thinks that he is a outstanding candidate based on his strong application and they want to express their interest in him before other academies or colleges garner his interest." Well, there are many candidates who have strong applications and are in the top 5% of their class with strong leadership qualities, etc... who won't be receiving LOAs so it just makes the parent (or the candidate himself) ask the question - "What makes that candidate who has already received an LOA better than me? What is the difference between him and me? I could be just as good (or better) than that student so why haven't I also received an LOA?"
Even though it is still very early in the Admissions process, news of early LOAs make other prospective candidates nervous because they begin to question their own credentials in qualifying for the Academy. One just shouldn't describe the candidates who have already received LOAs as "stellar" or "outstanding" (as was written on another board) because there are many, many "stellar" and "outstanding" candidates who won't receive LOAs.
In regards to BGOs - It appears that if you have a very interested and hard working BGO and/or Regional Director then it can work towards your advantage (as was the case with Marciemi's son - Congrats!) My son's BGO's interviewing skills were not that impressive. (He spent 30+ years in the military and his son also had a military career). He just asked questions from a checklist that he kept referring to and he spent 5 minutes talking to my son about NAPS - and my son would never be a candidate for NAPS as he is in the top 2-3% of his class. That discussion was a waste of time. This man has been a BGO for a very long time but when he left, we all questioned what he would write in his interview as he never once asked my son any type of personal, "getting to know you" questions. He wanted my husband and I to stay for the entire interview so he never had any one-on-one time with my son. And we weren't going to excuse ourselves as our presense was requested by him. My son felt a bit "aprehensive" after the interview but we reminded him that the BGO stated that since he attended NASS and that the Academy already had a file on him with his NASS leader's evaluation in it, that the BGO's interview was deemed not as important as compared to an interview with a candidate who did not attend NASS. (Just stating what our BGO told us - his words, not mine!).
This news then becomes frustrating because most parents(and candidates) believe that their student is worthy and deserves to receive an LOA. When the question is asked "Why did that particular candidate receive an LOA?", it is usually answered with responses such as "The USNA thinks that he is a outstanding candidate based on his strong application and they want to express their interest in him before other academies or colleges garner his interest." Well, there are many candidates who have strong applications and are in the top 5% of their class with strong leadership qualities, etc... who won't be receiving LOAs so it just makes the parent (or the candidate himself) ask the question - "What makes that candidate who has already received an LOA better than me? What is the difference between him and me? I could be just as good (or better) than that student so why haven't I also received an LOA?"
Even though it is still very early in the Admissions process, news of early LOAs make other prospective candidates nervous because they begin to question their own credentials in qualifying for the Academy. One just shouldn't describe the candidates who have already received LOAs as "stellar" or "outstanding" (as was written on another board) because there are many, many "stellar" and "outstanding" candidates who won't receive LOAs.
In regards to BGOs - It appears that if you have a very interested and hard working BGO and/or Regional Director then it can work towards your advantage (as was the case with Marciemi's son - Congrats!) My son's BGO's interviewing skills were not that impressive. (He spent 30+ years in the military and his son also had a military career). He just asked questions from a checklist that he kept referring to and he spent 5 minutes talking to my son about NAPS - and my son would never be a candidate for NAPS as he is in the top 2-3% of his class. That discussion was a waste of time. This man has been a BGO for a very long time but when he left, we all questioned what he would write in his interview as he never once asked my son any type of personal, "getting to know you" questions. He wanted my husband and I to stay for the entire interview so he never had any one-on-one time with my son. And we weren't going to excuse ourselves as our presense was requested by him. My son felt a bit "aprehensive" after the interview but we reminded him that the BGO stated that since he attended NASS and that the Academy already had a file on him with his NASS leader's evaluation in it, that the BGO's interview was deemed not as important as compared to an interview with a candidate who did not attend NASS. (Just stating what our BGO told us - his words, not mine!).