LOA redux

B

beaver1

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
30
Not to beat the subject to death........does anyone know how many students got an LOA? What does this mean to the other students.....were they not good enough? Disappointing. I find it hard to believe that an organization such as the CG with high moral and ethical values would be so biased. Just my opinion. Let the rest of us try harder to make the cut.
 
beaver1 said:
Not to beat the subject to death........does anyone know how many students got an LOA? What does this mean to the other students.....were they not good enough? Disappointing. I find it hard to believe that an organization such as the CG with high moral and ethical values would be so biased. Just my opinion. Let the rest of us try harder to make the cut.
Click to expand...

I don't know the numbers, but yes, in a way, some did not make the LOA "cut", I would guess, based on your thinking, that would make them "not good enough for an LOA". That being said, it doesn't mean you aren't good enough for CGA. A majority of future CGA cadets will not receive an LOA.

Welcome to your first taste of not being the big fish anymore. It will only become more and more clear. While many future cadets were "big shots" in their high schools, you'll be just another qualified cadet...nothing more, nothing less. I wouldn't call it biased either, I call it "standards" and some people will not meet those standards, whether it be for an LOA or admission.
 
beaver1 said:
What does this mean to the other students.....were they not good enough? Disappointing. I find it hard to believe that an organization such as the CG with high moral and ethical values would be so biased. Just my opinion. Let the rest of us try harder to make the cut.
Click to expand...

What is unethical or immoral about assuring a top-notch candidate of an appointment? :confused:

Is USNA unethical for using LOAs? :confused:

Is USAFA or USMA immoral for sending LOAs to their Tier 1 applicants? :confused:

While disappointing to you, since you do not have one, your comments are 100% out of line!

There is NOTHING immoral or unethical about ANY SA sending out LOAs to help ensure that they get the best and brightest cadets/mids.

Biased? OF COURSE! EVERY academy is biased toward the best candidates possible!

Welcome to the real world. Life is a competition, starting now.
 
I am so happy to get this feed back. Did not mean to open a can of worms. This is the very type of people, commitment and loyalty that make the CGA what it is. Gives me an added incentive to try harder to become a member of such an organization. And I am NOT being facetious. I just love that place so much and am dying to become a member. Always respected and admired Coasties, current and past. I would so love to be a part of this organization because I can see from the various postings how proud everyone is.
 
I fail to see how it's immoral to offer candidates LOAs....maybe it's just me. Academies aren't like your state universities...they don't offer admission just for filling out the forms...
 
Hi beaver1,

My daughter (who did not receive an LOA) and I had an interesting discussion last night. She asked a similar question when a fellow Aimster texted her with news of his LOA: "what does this say about me?"

Harvard developmental psychologist Howard Gardner noted: "the whole course of human development can be viewed as a continuing decline in egocentrism."

Competition, in its many iterations, will be part of any service academy culture. I believe it is important, for one who aspires to be part of that environment, to continually work on developing a strong sense of self-worth and to view the entire process as a way to continue improving oneself: academically, physically, and spiritually. We are all unique individuals, with strengths and weaknesses. Each one of us will contribute our unique talents to the optimum functioning of the whole.

As far as the LOAs, in our discusison we came to the conclusion that if the USCGA needs them as a tool to ensure an excellent incoming class, they should use them. My daughter was able to shift her perspective after the discussion. Like you, she intends to continue to work hard to be appointed to the class of 2014!

Cheers and good luck to you as well. Stay positive! Stay focused!
 
I am assuming that those that have received LOA's from the CGA have completed the application process. Is this a fair assumption?
 
Livinlarger,

In the case of my daughter's fellow Aimster, he had not begun the application process because he was undecided. The LOA prompted him to apply.
 
Dear 777flier

Thank you very much for your kind words. I feel better. I know that all colleges , CGA included, recruit the best so hopefully I will join that rank in December. I will keep plugging away. Thanks again for the boost of confidence.
 
Typical application and LOA

Our daughter is a fourth class cadet at the Academy. Last year she just used the standard application deadlines and completed her application by the end of October. She also applied to other schools as one does not know what the future holds. As soon as the CGA recieved the last piece of paperwork (recommendation from swim coach), she received a letter stating that her application was being reviewed and that she should know in December if she had been accepted. She received a letter in December stating that she had a conditional appointment. She just had to complete the DOD physical. As soon as that was completed, she recieved a full appointment.

It appears that the application process is ongoing and rolling. Our family did not see any reason to hurry the application through (such as early September). This is just a note to parents who may be too concerned with others having any advantages in the application process. Hopefully, this will ease your concerns a little.
 
Livinlarger said:
I am assuming that those that have received LOA's from the CGA have completed the application process. Is this a fair assumption?
Click to expand...

No, it's not.

I believe that one of the conditions of these "early LOAs" is the completion and submission of the application by November 1 (the EA deadline).

People shouldn't get too worried/happy over these. A LOA is nothing more than a conditional appointment, and the "condition" can be one or many things.

The CCEB doesn't meet until October 1.
 
And keep in mind...thus far, we've only heard of 1 person getting them. They seem to be rare, even more so than for the other 3 academies that send out LOAs
 
LOA is not SOL

Remember, some who recieve LOA's and Appointments to not accept those offers, leaving space for others down the list. So don't give up your mission to get an Appointment for yourself.

Also, I've learned about the other side of SA Appts - that of diversity. So be AWARE that you can't do anything about your ethnicity, place of domicile, gender, etc. SA's have Congress breathing down their backs to DIVERSIFY!!! It's real. That's something you can't compete against either.

Google "SA's and Diversity" to educate and prepare yourself for that reality.

As a backup, make sure you apply to MMA!!!! and all the other SA's, too. Apply ROTC!, NROTC
 
Eagle said:
Also, I've learned about the other side of SA Appts - that of diversity. So be AWARE that you can't do anything about your ethnicity, place of domicile, gender, etc. SA's have Congress breathing down their backs to DIVERSIFY!!! It's real. That's something you can't compete against either. Google "SA's and Diversity" to educate and prepare yourself for that reality.
Click to expand...

Google "United States Code, Title 14, Part 1, Chapter 9, Section 182, Subsection a" and read the third sentence.

The USCGA is actively promoting diversity by increasing the applicant pool among under-represented minorities but unlike the other SAs, Federal Law prevents them from using race as factor in the appointment process.

This Federal Law is unique to the USCGA and does not apply to any other SA.
 
When I visited the academy they said in an admissions briefing that after prep school appointments from last year, medical deferrals from this year, and a planned number of LOA's that there would be around 225 open slots.
 
beaver1 said:
Not to beat the subject to death........does anyone know how many students got an LOA? What does this mean to the other students.....were they not good enough?
Click to expand...

I'll reserve my opinions on the "moral and ethical values" associated with granting letters of assurance (LOA's) since several folks have already replied, but I will share that 46 LOA's were sent to AIM graduates. This represents about 9% of students who participated in the AIM Program this summer and several factors, including performance during the program, were considered.
 
Livinlarger said:
I am assuming that those that have received LOA's from the CGA have completed the application process. Is this a fair assumption?
Click to expand...

No...although many of the 46 students receiving LOA's had started the application process, none had completed it when the letters were mailed. Several factors, including their performance during the AIM Program, were considered, but status of their application to the Class of 2014 was not one of them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top