Nominations for Multiple SA’s

C

Co9496

Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
12
Any advice on how to receive nominations for multiple SA’s? We live in Massachusetts and my DS received multiple nominations for USAFA but none for the other SA’s. In fact, his Senator only allowed him to list one SA in which he was applying. His USMA counselor said he was the most qualified in his district and would’ve absolutely gotten appointed there. Who knows how true this is, but he plans to reapply to all again and I’d love strategies on how to receive multiple SA noms. He plans to do AFROTC this coming year...
Thanks
 
It will definitely help to have that extra year to grow and MOC interviewers always appreciate a returnee. The same thing happens in my state in that senators only nominate to one SA. Your DS will probably receive nominations to multiple academies if he applies to all sources such as VP, ROTC, MOC, etc.
 
Really no way to get nominations across the board other than to put your best foot forward and apply to as many sources as possible. But even that doesn’t make it any more likely that you'll get nominations across the board.

Many states’ MOCs coordinate their slates to spread the wealth, which makes it harder. Also, most MOC interview panels ask you to rank your SA preference. Now, you can try to game the system by giving a different preference to each of three MOC panels, but that doesn’t make it any more likely, because of MOC coordination, the popularity of any given SA in that state/district, and the quantity and quality of candidates for any given SA.

With all due respect, please don’t get greedy. It’s such an ultra-competitive process that you should be thrilled out of your mind to have one nomination, much less several across the board. I have zero problem with a candidate who’s yearning for a nomination to all SAs — or to any SA. My DD was one of those, because she’s genuinely willing to serve in any DOD branch, so great is her desire to become a commissioned officer.

But know that every year, there are many top-notch — nearly perfect, on paper — candidates who get only one nomination, and it’s to their #3 choice. If you really are serious about any SA, to the point of hoping for nominations across the board, then you should be incredibly satisfied with that outcome.
 
Co9496 said:
Any advice on how to receive nominations for multiple SA’s? We live in Massachusetts and my DS received multiple nominations for USAFA but none for the other SA’s. In fact, his Senator only allowed him to list one SA in which he was applying. His USMA counselor said he was the most qualified in his district and would’ve absolutely gotten appointed there. Who knows how true this is, but he plans to reapply to all again and I’d love strategies on how to receive multiple SA noms. He plans to do AFROTC this coming year...
Thanks
Click to expand...

This may all resolve itself within the year.

He may love his AFROTC det and find his home there. He may find he now wants AF all the way, still wants to take a shot at USAFA, and gets a nom from the unit, but no longer desires other service branches. If he’s still interested in other paths, he can re-apply and capitalize on what he is learning in AFROTC and a year of additional maturity away from home, to the elected officials’ reviewing committees and in his SA application. As you have no doubt read, many elected officials in a state collaborate to provide a wide distribution of noms to the pool of deserving individuals.

Let him figure out what he wants. He now has a bit of time to really think past the SA, and where he sees himself serving and fitting the best for the period of years after commissioning. That is the real goal - figuring out what branch of service offers the cultural fit and professional specialties that seem right for him, and then going for that via the path that is also the best fit.
 
MidCakePa said:
Really no way to get nominations across the board other than to put your best foot forward and apply to as many sources as possible. But even that doesn’t make it any more likely that you'll get nominations across the board.

Many states’ MOCs coordinate their slates to spread the wealth, which makes it harder. Also, most MOC interview panels ask you to rank your SA preference. Now, you can try to game the system by giving a different preference to each of three MOC panels, but that doesn’t make it any more likely, because of MOC coordination, the popularity of any given SA in that state/district, and the quantity and quality of candidates for any given SA.

With all due respect, please don’t get greedy. It’s such an ultra-competitive process that you should be thrilled out of your mind to have one nomination, much less several across the board. I have zero problem with a candidate who’s yearning for a nomination to all SAs — or to any SA. My DD was one of those, because she’s genuinely willing to serve in any DOD branch, so great is her desire to become a commissioned officer.

But know that every year, there are many top-notch — nearly perfect, on paper — candidates who get only one nomination, and it’s to their #3 choice. If you really are serious about any SA, to the point of hoping for nominations across the board, then you should be incredibly satisfied with that outcome.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your response. My DS was extremely grateful for any nomination. He simply wants to become an officer and serve in the Military. He is going to commute many hours a week to make the AFROTC thing work because of his commitment to serve. After attending the summer seminar, he was sold on the Service Academy route. That coupled with the fact that both my husband and I attended USAFA. We were just wondering if he even has a chance at being considered for more than one. Thankfully this process made him a better, stronger, more resilient young person, with absolutely no hint of greediness.
 
@Co9496, grateful to have young people like your DS, willing to do the hard work of defending our freedom. Thankfully there are many of them, to the point of making this whole nomination process so competitive. Best wishes to him.

Nominations are a very quirky thing -- virtually impossible to predict because it's not a science at all. Case in point: DD made clear to all three MOCs her willingness to serve in any branch, but also made clear her pecking order. She was a nominee on an unranked slate for her #1 choice. She was the principal nominee for her #2 choice. She received no nomination for her #3 choice, until two days before national decision day, when that SA "found" her a nomination. Go figure.
 
Capt MJ said:
Co9496 said:
Any advice on how to receive nominations for multiple SA’s? We live in Massachusetts and my DS received multiple nominations for USAFA but none for the other SA’s. In fact, his Senator only allowed him to list one SA in which he was applying. His USMA counselor said he was the most qualified in his district and would’ve absolutely gotten appointed there. Who knows how true this is, but he plans to reapply to all again and I’d love strategies on how to receive multiple SA noms. He plans to do AFROTC this coming year...
Thanks
Click to expand...

This may all resolve itself within the year.

He may love his AFROTC det and find his home there. He may find he now wants AF all the way, still wants to take a shot at USAFA, and gets a nom from the unit, but no longer desires other service branches. If he’s still interested in other paths, he can re-apply and capitalize on what he is learning in AFROTC and a year of additional maturity away from home, to the elected officials’ reviewing committees and in his SA application. As you have no doubt read, many elected officials in a state collaborate to provide a wide distribution of noms to the pool of deserving individuals.

Let him figure out what he wants. He now has a bit of time to really think past the SA, and where he sees himself serving and fitting the best for the period of years after commissioning. That is the real goal - figuring out what branch of service offers the cultural fit and professional specialties that seem right for him, and then going for that via the path that is also the best fit.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I’m hoping he loves AFROTC!! The Academy is a tough place...
And time is a real gift. Our favorite classmates were the ones that went to prep schools or college first. They had a real advantage! The Non-Select may actually be the “golden ticket” in my book..
 
Some states coordinate and make sure each person only gets one nomination to one academy. If that's true of Mass then multiple noms to multiple academies is a pretty slim bet. In an case, he should select the service he wants and pursue that. I expect, given his background, that's Air Force.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top