LOE

A few things.
  • LOE's are absolutely not "many".
  • You need a started application to receive an LOE (per my son's FFR)
  • A 33 ACT composite is 98 percentile not 75th (Source: ACT.org)
  • If you read carefully I referred to 33 as the 75th percentile of cadets that accepted appointments for USMA (depending on class year that might drop to 32). Not ACT national percentiles.

It's what you meant, not what you typed. It's also incorrect.
 
I'm certainly a novice when it comes to SAs. I'm on this site primarily bc I have a DD that is interested in the SAs and will likely be competitive. While I truly understand that an LOA is not the end all be all, a quick count on the 2023 Appointment Thread shows that 58 of the 173 (34%) self reporting received an LOA. That, to me, isn't as extremely rare as some would believe. Additionally, I took a look the MOC applications for my area and state and both Senators and our Congressman ask if the applicant received an LOA. My advice to my child would be to go after an LOA but it certainly is not the end of the road if she doesnt get one.
Keep in mind that the members here represent only a small percentage of the academies applicants or appointees for that matter. I wouldn't assume the folks here are an accurate statistical representation of that entire body.
 
USMA 1994 - Thank you for summarizing this so well. I had typed a response to MidCake's "dry toast" comment but thought the better of it and deleted it. My initial comment to this thread was to clear up the notion that an LOE is worthless or has no bearing. While an LOA is far more valuable than an LOE, an LOE is not like a 3Q letter. It is not given out in large numbers and in our case, our MOC was copied on it and mentioned in a favorable light that our DD was the only candidate with one. In or N=1 sample size, it helped her differentiate herself from the other nomination candidates and she ultimately received an appointment.

Much of this process can be very individualized. There are many candidate pools, many nomination sources, different RCs, FFRs, etc. I cringe when some posters come on this forum and throw out advice or opinions with zero room for the possibility that they may not know exactly what they are talking about in the bigger picture. I have been through this process several times with my kids. I know the difference between an LOA and an LOE. But I still try to offer advice by qualifying my statements that this is how it worked for us.... In our case, the LOE was not dry toast and did have an impact on the nomination process which was needed in order to be 3Qd and ultimately receive an appointment.
 
It's what you meant, not what you typed. It's also incorrect.
This is what I typed: "The 75th percentile is 33 - that means this student is already almost in the top 25% of cadets that accepted appointments."

ACT Scores and Requirements
The U.S. Military Academy requires that all applicants submit SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 80% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section/
25th Percentile/ 75th Percentile
English /27/ 34
Math /27 /32
Composite/ 27/ 33
 
There are many candidate pools, many nomination sources, different RCs, FFRs, etc.
That's one of the most important points to keep in mind.

Apparently your RC chooses to copy MOC's - perhaps as way to make things easier for the nominating committees in the region. Actually a pretty good strategy since nominating committees sometimes use criteria that differs from academy criteria.

As I mentioned in a previous post "many" is relative. One RC told me a few years ago that about 2% of non-recruited athlete candidates get an LOA. Recruited athletes comprise about 20% - 25% of each class and, although not all get an LOA, that is a potentially large number of total LOA's.

LOE's are much more numerous than LOA's (excluding recruited athletes), thus the use of "many" . However, they are given to a relatively small percentage of the total candidate population, so it is accurate to say LOE's are not given out in large numbers.

The RC mentioned above normally sent LOE's to candidates with files classified as competitive (not to be confused with 3Q), but with all portions of the application not complete. Roughly 20% are 3Q and not all competitive files end up being 3Q, so that percentage would be above 20%, but could be more/less depending on region.
 
I'm certainly a novice when it comes to SAs. I'm on this site primarily bc I have a DD that is interested in the SAs and will likely be competitive.

My advice to my child would be to go after an LOA but it certainly is not the end of the road if she doesnt get one.

I’m curious as to the process for going after an LOA and why chasing one is advised?
I’ve seen many applicants speak of “going after” an LOE or LOA and wonder, what do they mean? Is there a process they do differently than those who simply put forth the best SA application possible? Do they retake a standardized test once or twice more than they otherwise would’ve? Do they try to take as many challenging STEM classes and earn as high marks as possible? Do they try to max their CFA? Do they seek leadership opportunities and lead in them?
These few things (examples) sound no different (because they’re not) than the path that anyone who takes their application to an SA seriously and strives to submit their best application possible to hopefully earn an appointment.
With all of that being said, the best advice is to submit the absolute best application possible and don’t worry about things outside your control .....
Earning an LOA prior to earning an appointment would only be a brief moment on top of the roller coaster, not the end of the ride.
 
Well said, @shock-n-awe. Each new cycle we see these threads about LOAs and the pursuit of this seeming holy grail. And you're right: One needs to do nothing differently to get one. You undergo the exact same process as everyone else, submit the exact same stuff, await the exact same steps. A very few then get the LOAs, but so what? It's the offer of appointment that matters.

To applicants: Submit your best package as early as you can -- emphasis on the former. That's all you can control. Don't fret about LOAs or "competitive" districts or what others are crowing about. Great training for military life: Accomplish the mission and worry only about what's in your control.
 
Thought I would add my 2 cents regarding the LOE question; my daughter who is a rising senior just received, about a week ago, a very personalized letter from USMA encouraging her to apply- similar to an LOE. She has straight As, scored highly on ACT, varsity letter in lacrosse and went to Girls State. My DS is a 2020 and I assumed they were looking to continue the long gray line by targeting the next in line. Note, she has not applied or shown interest in USMA. I have come to learn her friend across the street who is a rising junior also received this letter as well as another friend of hers. My conclusions are: 1) they are pushing for more women in the Army and 2) that with these good economic times, that even West Point may be seeing less applicants than in prior years and is being proactive. Just so you know, she receives many, many letters from a broad range of colleges and this was more personalized. The amount of mail received tells me that they must be making a ton of money off these college kids tuition.
 
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Thought I would add my 2 cents regarding the LOE question; my daughter who is a rising senior just received, about a week ago, a very personalized letter from USMA encouraging her to apply- similar to an LOE. She has straight As, scored highly on ACT, varsity letter in lacrosse and went to Girls State. My DS is a 2020 and I assumed they were looking to continue the long gray line by targeting the next in line. Note, she has not applied or shown interest in USMA. I have come to learn her friend across the street who is a rising junior also received this letter as well as another friend of hers. My conclusions are: 1) they are pushing for more women in the Army and 2) that with these good economic times, that even West Point may be seeing less applicants than in prior years and is being proactive. Just so you know, she receives many, many letters from a broad range of colleges and this was more personalized. The amount of mail received tells me that they must be making a ton of money off these college kids tuition.
Curious - was the letter signed by the Regional Commander or another admissions officer like Director of Admissions, Diversity Outreach Officer, etc?
 
2) that with these good economic times, that even West Point may be seeing less applicants than in prior years and is being proactive.

Actually, if you look at the application numbers over the past decade which has been mostly "good economic times", the numbers are up, not down. The problem is not the number of applicants but the numbers of true contenders for admission. There have been a numbers of studies as to why but that's another conversation.
 
My DD got a LOE out of the blue also. She has showed no interest is going, but her brother applied and is now at another academy and I am a USMA graduate. Siblings and children of graduates tend to do very well, so I think they are targeting woman from those demographics. I think USMA may be seeing a drop in woman candidates as they can now be forced to go into combat arms branches after graduation.
 
My DD got a LOE out of the blue also. Siblings and children of graduates tend to do very well, so I think they are targeting woman from those demographics. I think USMA may be seeing a drop in woman candidates as they can now be forced to go into combat arms branches after graduation.

Yes and no.

Service Women's Action Network government operations center is getting more congressional offices to update their recruitment efforts to SA's reflect the repeal of rules excluding women from combat and other duties TO TRY AND RECRUIT THEM, not to dissuade them as many women wanted this option and previously didn't have it.

At WP, Col. Deborah McDonald, the director of admissions, has specially said that WP has taken steps to increase the number of female applicants, including recruitment mailings written for high school girls that note WP women have gone on to become generals, astronauts and executives.
 
What is a NonCom? I've never heard of this before.
A NonCom appears on the portal under Official Communication. My DS received this shortly after putting in his scores and activities, etc. Sounds kinda like an LOE but is not.
 
Curious - was the letter signed by the Regional Commander or another admissions officer like Director of Admissions, Diversity Outreach Officer, etc?

Signed by Deborah J McDonald. Colonel, Director of Admissions.

With regards to mostly good economic times over past decade, I disagree. College kids had been graduating with 100 k in debt and ended up working for Starbucks and living at home. WP is a great education, debt free and a guarantee 5 year income with great benefits. Companies are strongly recruiting now and jobs are going unfilled. The Army is now having a hard time filling overall enrollment numbers. and is upping benefits/ incentives to stay.
 
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