The Answer to "Does attending SLE/NASS have any impact on your application?"

Contrary to popular belief, I believe that attending SLE and/or NASS does in fact have a positive impact on your application. I may be wrong, but having spoken to many candidates for USMA, a common, recurring theme among the vast majority of them was that they attended SLE. Similarly, for USNA, almost all candidates I know that have received LOAs have attended NASS or received them while at a CVW.*

*Unless you're a recruited athlete, in which case I don't think it matters.

It does not count as points on an application package for USNA. Sure a good evaluation is a nice to have but will it make up for a weak package or a gap in an application? No. Plus how large is your sample group to say ‘almost all candidates I know’ have gotten an LOA attended NASS? Just because they got them at a CVW doesn’t mean they haven’t gotten them outside of a CVW. I would say many more have been handed out via the portal vice a CVW. If I remember correctly about 1/3 of an entering class at USNA goes to NASS. One, the goal is an appointment not an LOA. Every year at this time we see such a focus on LOAs. In the end it’s a nice piece of paper but it’s not an appointment. A candidate with LOA just a thread above or below this one posted about possibly needing surgery for a condition that might not be waiverable or be DW for surgery within 6 months. Last year there was a candidate who posted on this board they had an LOA and no nom. It happens every single year. There is no special line on I Day for an LOA. In fact the minute you become Midshipmen WT Door, no one cares about an LOA, SAT scores or you were President of what. An LOA is a nice to have, but it’s not the end of the world. USNA hands out few hundred a year (a guesstimate as USNA does not disclose this number) but the large majority of a class will not get one.

I may be wrong, but having spoken to many candidates for USMA, a common, recurring theme among the vast majority of them was that they attended SLE. Similarly, for USNA, almost all candidates I know that have received LOAs have attended NASS or received them while at a CVW.*

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As has been stated many times, what West Point does or doesn't do in Admissions has absolutely no bearing on what USNA does or doesn't do.

As for USNA, the number of candidates you know who received LOAs is likely a very tiny percentage of those who have received LOAs. Also, the fact that those who received LOAs attended NASS does not necessarily mean that attending NASS led to an LOA. Rather, while NASS is a recruiting tool, there are also a decent number of NASS attendees who are extremely well qualified. LOAs go to those who are extremely well qualified. Thus, there will be some overlap. Overlap is not the same as cause and effect.

For what its worth, I think that of my last four or so BGO candidates that actually got into USNA, only one went to NASS. I can tell you for sure that my successful applicant from last year who had near-perfect SATs and is now doing very well at USNA was not selected for NASS.

serviceacademyg said:

Contrary to popular belief, I believe that attending SLE and/or NASS does in fact have a positive impact on your application.

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This issue has been addressed ad nauseam on this Forum. Multiple very experienced BGO's (I'm guessing > 50 years in just the responses above) have explained the guidance we receive from Admissions -- whether or not a candidate is accepted for NASS has no bearing on competitiveness for Admissions. That being said, the experience of attending, the squad leader evaluation, and getting the CFA done, may provide some benefit. Attending NASS will not get an otherwise unqualified candidate admitted, and will not make the candidate more competitive against a candidate that did not attend.

serviceacademyg said:

Similarly, for USNA, almost all candidates I know that have received LOAs have attended NASS or received them while at a CVW.*

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-- Curious, what is your sample size for this statement ? How many LOA's do you know that have been awarded this year ? Did you attend NASS , and are hearing about the LOA's from people you connected with then ? If so, then naturally all the candidates you know with LOA's went to NASS. If there is any correlation between attending NASS and LOA's, I would speculate (yes, pure speculation) that the LOA's and NASS program are being used to attract the same demographic profile to USNA,

Simply attending NASS does not make a candidate more competitive as has been stated many times. A particularly strong NASS evaluation can add a few points to the WPM, but not enough to move the needle very much. It certainly won't offset weak scores, lack of leadership or other important attributes.

Numbers that were presented at BGO training:
NASS applications - 7469
NASS attendees - 2558
The majority of Class of '22 did NOT attend NASS

Very competitive candidates are turned down for NASS all the time, especially if they are from school that has a high number of candidates every year, and being turned down does not harm their prospects at all. BGO's are encouraged to reach out to candidates who are turned down for NASS, to make sure the understand this and do not get discouraged from completing the app . Likewise, less competitive candidates are selected for NASS if they are coming from a school that hasn't ever produced a candidate simply to create awareness and promote USNA.

NASS exists to give candidates an opportunity to make an informed decision, but it's main purpose is strategic outreach, ie. marketing. Focus is on underrepresented congressional districts and underserved populations.

Attending SLE does not increase a candidate's chances of acceptance to USMA. No WCS points are awarded for SLE and WCS points are what matters. SLE attendance may appear to boost chances of appointment because acceptance to SLE is competitive.

When SLE dates conflict with Boys/Girls State, RC's often advise candidates to attend Boys/Girls State, which does provide additional WCS points.

Let's not forget that there is significant fee to attend both NASS and SLE which, even though scholarships are available, is a barrier to entry for many, and the service academy admissions process must be available without discrimination to all. On the basis of the fee alone, I would argue that neither camp can be used as a decision factor, and both academies clearly state it isn't.

Also, the fact that not everyone can attend simply due to the limitations of sessions/slots means that the camps can't be used in the admissions rubric. NASS/SLE are "competitive" just due to the number of slots available; there is no prestige associated with getting a slot. Our son attended neither because he already knew he wanted to attend an SA and both his FFR and BGO told him not to bother because he was not the profile the camps are targeting.

Over and over and over, it's stated on this board that MOST candidates don't attend NASS or SLE (or get LOAs), yet there they are on I/R-Day.

So much angst here over what is just a summer camp/marketing tool.

@serviceacademyg, I believe your conclusion suffers from Fallacy of Small Sample Size and Fallacy of ‘Who I Know.’

My DD attended summer sessions at USNA, USMA and USAFA. Based on her experience, she can come to a completely opposite conclusion as you: That there’s no correlation between summer-session attendance and offer of appointment. She knows a few mates who were appointed, knows more who weren’t, knows some who didn’t apply at all. Again, as in your case, a small sample size further hindered by “people she knows” — neither of which is truly representative.

I’m going to go with the wisdom of crowds — experienced BGOs who’ve shared their vast experience, as well as the official USNA line — and say that it’s coincidence, not cause-and-effect.

serviceacademyg said:

.........I believe that attending SLE and/or NASS does in fact have a positive impact on your application. I may be wrong, but having spoken to many candidates for USMA.......

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Simply talking with other applicants who expressed an opinion about something, doesn't make it factual.

Over and over and over, it's stated on this board that MOST candidates don't attend NASS or SLE (or get LOAs), yet there they are on I/R-Day.

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Not sure what you mean by this. Unless you have surveyed every plebe on I-Day, you have no idea which of them attended NASS or received an LOA. The only folks who know this reside in Admissions.

Some are drawing conclusions based on anecdotal information from their kids. I would hope/expect that most plebes aren't talking with their classmates about whether they received an LOA (that wouldn't go over well at all). Some may at some point mention NASS attendance, but that's still a small sample size based on the small group with whom any individual mid interacts, let alone talks about NASS attendance.

No one is saying that there isn't a correlation b/t NASS and people who show up on I-Day. Most people who attend NASS are highly motivated to attend USNA (and conversely, most who want to attend USNA apply for NASS). But correlation does not equal cause and effect. IOW, the fact there is substantial overlap doesn't mean that attending NASS leads to an appointment.

usna1985 said:

Not sure what you mean by this. Unless you have surveyed every plebe on I-Day, you have no idea which of them attended NASS or received an LOA. The only folks who know this reside in Admissions.

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The numbers are irrelevant as the academies themselves claim that the camps are not used in the admissions rubric, and the question here was does attending a camp have an admissions effect. The answer is no.

Folks please stop asking about NASS and if it is a precursor to becoming a USNA Midshipman. there is no correlation!!!!

I went to NASS.
I did NOT get a LOA.
I did get an APPOINTMENT on October 26th.

Thr goal is an APPOINTMENT!! Thanks to my BGO for his GREAT ADVISE!!

I applied to NASS but didn't get accepted. I received my appointment in October of the same year.
Neither of my roommates at USNA, who both applied to NASS as well, got in. The 3 of us received
our appointments/LOA's by Thanksgiving of the same year.