Progressive of USMA to issue LOA's so early?

With the USMA offering a few LOA's to select candidates very early in the process it seems a very progressive approach to recruitment that the other SA's seem to be missing out on, who may offer LOA's but later in the process. If a highly qualified candidate desires a SA education/career (or even a top university) without an overwhelming preference to any particular SA once the LOA arrives from the USMA there seems some loyalty and commitment on part of the candidate to commit to the USMA whereas they wouldn't without the LOA. It would seem like the USMA is turning more than a few selects this way. Am I wrong on this and it still evens out in the end?

I don’t think many people outside SA Admissions really know how LOAs are deployed, i.e. how early, how many, how selected. There’s urban legend and anecdotes, but that’s it. You may be right that a USMA LOA to someone without personal preference may get that person leaning to West Point. But I don’t think USMA and USAFA are too worried about losing those candidates (save the ocassional blue-chip, must-have quarterback who runs the triple option better than anyone since Keenan Reynolds).

Fact is, admissions yield at these SAs is in the high 80s — 88% for the latest USNA class. The SAs get their pick of the litter, and once chosen, those appointees overwhelmingly accept the offer. In the end, each SA wants not only the very best applicants, but the very best who most want to be at that SA. And that desire ideally comes from a thoughtful examination of mission, lifestyle, occupations, culture — and not who sent them an LOA first.

GH148 said:

With the USMA offering a few LOA's to select candidates very early in the process it seems a very progressive approach to recruitment that the other SA's seem to be missing out on, who may offer LOA's but later in the process. If a highly qualified candidate desires a SA education/career (or even a top university) without an overwhelming preference to any particular SA once the LOA arrives from the USMA there seems some loyalty and commitment on part of the candidate to commit to the USMA whereas they wouldn't without the LOA. It would seem like the USMA is turning more than a few selects this way. Am I wrong on this and it still evens out in the end?

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Are we sure that they're offering LOA's that much earlier that the other SAs? For example, I received my LOA to USNA around the second week of October (this was five years ago), which most would consider to be pretty early. I should also note that I definitely was not the first person in my class to receive an LOA, and I would wager that a number were sent out in September.

EDIT: Now that I remember, I will did received an LOE (I don't even know if those are still a thing) from USMA in early September. I know an LOE =/= LOA, but I will say the timing didn't really factor into my decision at all.

My DS received an LOE late August of this year and has completed his application and passed his CFA. He is applying as a Soldier candidate. This is his second time applying. He applied last year and never received an LOE. So we are taking this as a good sign. All he has left is DODMERB. Is it the norm to receive an LOA after receiving an LOE ? My second question is how long does it take to hear back from DODMERB ? Thank you in advance for any assistance you may give us.

It is not the norm to get an LOA after an LOE. Remember, they serve very different purposes.

The LOE encourages promising candidates to get their stuff in — it’s not that unusual to get one. The LOE is a preliminary signal based on a few attributes that indicate a high-potential candidate.

The LOA assures the candidate an offer of appointment pending the fulfillment of certain conditions — and it’s quite rare. It’s based on a fairly full assessment of the candidate’s qualifications and carries a strong presumption that the conditions will be met. So it’s a very high bar.

As many here have said, don’t spend your time worrying about an LOA. It’s the offer of appointment that matters, and the vast majority of recipients never sniffed an LOA.

USMA issues fewer LOA's than other SA's; many of those go to recruited athletes, leaving the majority of qualified candidates to compete without a guarantee.

In a competitive district, where getting a nomination to multiple SA's is difficult, an LOA may swing a candidate's choice toward the SA issuing the LOA. Otherwise, a candidate's choice is more likely determined by strength of preference for one SA or another, irrespective of LOA.

Based on our experience with my DS last year, each Academies and Colleges - some private and public schools also offer LOAs - use LOAs as a matter of recruiting strategy to anchor in their most desired candidates they want to eventually offer Appointment if they qualify in CFA, Nom, and DODMERB. And the impact of an LOA to a candidate is not to be under estimated. Although LOAs can be offered anytime, LOAs offered early in the Admissions cycle are very effective in influencing candidates’ priority and decision making psychology.

My DS received LOE in August from USMA and LOA from USNA in Sep. First board at USNA is in September. Likewise for ROTC Scholarships. First board at most colleges don’t take place until December for EAs. Both certainly encouraged DS to keep his desire high to their Academies. Until he received an LOA from USNA, he was a straight arrow to USMA and for a long time since 6th grade. But the LOA can allow your kid’s desire to pivot away from his original target school to another. And your MOC is more likely to offer Nom to the Academy offering LOA if the MOC is limited to offering only 1 Nom per candidate in his District. Likewise your Senators will most likely offer their Nom to a candidate with an LOA while in parallel offering Nom to other most qualified candidates. If there are many qualified candidates in their state, senators and congressman may not designate a principal. So was the case in DS district and state.

This is exactly what happened to my DS. His plan was all set for USMA through August. Then when he received an LOA from USNA in Sep, he requested his Nom to his MOC to USNA as his first choice. So while Appointment is the goal LOA can heavily influence the candidate’s decision and opinion early in the admissions cycle to the Academy that offers an LOA. So it is an effective tool for the Academy and an effective bait to candidates.

So if you get an LOA there’s a good chance you report to that Academy over other Academies and colleges that did not. So I give my vote to LOA as an effective tool to admissions and a strong incentive to candidates for an Appointment or Admissions to their most desired Academy or College.

So if you get an LOA you should first congratulate yourself since only less than top <10% of your entering class, not necessarily rated academically but on WCS and special qualities, at your Academy or College may have received it. It is certainly nice to have early in the cycle so you can narrow down and focus on your next move. I hope this has been helpful to those eagerly planning and waiting your responses from Admissions.

An LOA can be used for any candidate, who, for whatever reason, may be particularly desirable in building out a well-rounded class for academic, athletic, leadership or other reasons, or just a great all-around pick for that SA. So, I don’t think a LOA equates in every case to “top” 10%, whatever that means. They are offered to some percentage of the class, which I suspect varies from year to year, because it is essentially a shaping tool. The fact is, we can’t peek behind the green curtain to see the rationale used. For all I know, it could geographic diversity in some cases.

If someone gets one, great, there is some element of that candidate that the SA particularly wants. The majority don’t get one.

I think we only see maybe 10% of any given SA class represented here on SAF, so our extrapolations are built on jello.