Admissions Question

I watched a USNA Admissions live stream and they said that the earlier you submit your application, the earlier the board will review it. What does this mean and how does the process work? If this is the case why do they take so long to deliver appointments?

superbison007 said:

I watched a USNA Admissions live stream and they said that the earlier you submit your application, the earlier the board will review it. What does this mean and how does the process work? If this is the case why do they take so long to deliver appointments?

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Though it’s impossible to know exactly what happens “behind the green curtain” (think Oz), a few factors pertain:
- First and foremost, every application deserves thoughtful and conscientious scrutiny, regardless of when submitted. There are many applications to wade through, and they pass through many reviews of various kinds. The various teams at Admissions do a careful and painstaking job of reviewing records.
- Secondly, the process of racking and stacking, as well as comparing apps from a non-ranked slate, and later, managing the national pool and all the nom categories, is complex.
- App deadline is 31 Jan, and I believe elected officials’ deadline to get their slates in is the same - no offer of appointment to anyone without a nom. You will see some appointments go out earlier to those with Presidentials and other service-related noms, or a ROTC nom, but the bell curve starts climbing in earnest after the first of the year. Several hundred people qualify for the Presidential nom each year, but only 100 appointments are charged to that category. It would not be prudent to burn through that category before all apps were in.
- College applicants need to get their first semester grades in.
- NAPSters and sponsored prepster offers happen later on the bell curve, when their prep success is a sure thing.
- There might be superb packages with the requisite nom, but a medical waiver process is holding them up. If you were one of those, and your waiver process was edging into April, do you want the appointments to stop flowing well before that?
- I am quite sure for the majority of applications, it is not one look and let’s offer an appointment. That might be the case for a few.
- There is a process, it is time-consuming and thorough, and it is performed by teams of conscientious professionals who want to build the best class they can that meets Navy and Marine Corps needs.
- Two pieces of advice are often repeated here on SAF: (1) Submit your BEST package as EARLY as you can. (2) Don’t invest energy in things you can’t control.

Remember there is the admissions board and then their is the Nom group that does the slating. The board essentially deems someone scholastically qualified (the other two, physical and medical, are sort of yes/no and they don’t debate those). The package then goes to the group that does the slate. They have to wait for the slate to be submitted and then for those apps to be completed. It’s a giant jigsaw puzzle. As Capt MJ pointed out, if you have a Presidential or JROTC nom there are often hundreds who qualify for a few select spots (in this case 100 or 20). USNA wants to ensure they are getting the best. They won’t hand out spots to the first 100 who submit for a Presidential. If they have a highly qualified app they may offer an appt. They may then receive a MOC nom in say late Dec. USNA could then slate them against the MOC and open the door for another applicant with a Presidential. That is one example of dozens and dozens of how the slating could work. It take ls time to let the full picture unfold and play out. Also, the admissions board does not work first in, first reviewed. I had a highly qualified candidate last year who submitted in August last year. He wasn’t reviewed until March. You also won’t know when you are reviewed by the board.

NavyHoops said:

I had a highly qualified candidate last year who submitted in August last year. He wasn’t reviewed until March. You also won’t know when you are reviewed by the board.

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Does the BGO know when the candidate is reviewed?

Yes they do. We are instructed to not tell a candidate of that. Some do every year. The large majority do not. I would not recommend asking.

For the most part, when the Admissions Board reviews you application really doesn't make much difference on timing of Appointment. Noms & Appointments really can't start doing their job until everyone in each of your relevant "slate" has completed their application and been reviewed, and 2) your MOC has submitted NOMS. The heavy lifting starts in February. Even if you submit your application and are reviewed in September, it is likely you will be CPR until February /March. That said, getting your application in early is a sign of motivation and interest, and viewed favorably.

SCubb said:

Does the BGO know when the candidate is reviewed?

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NavyHoops said:

es they do. We are instructed to not tell a candidate of that. Some do every year. The large majority do not. I would not recommend asking.

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Repeat -- Don't ask your BGO. 1) They shouldn't be telling you, and 2) the information creates false expectations. Knowing that you have the Admissions "Q" is the same as having the MED or CFA "Q" --its part of the puzzle and you have to have it, but the real cutting room floor is Noms & Appointments.

Most categories of service academy appointments are merit-based and governed by federal regulation. There is far less subjectivity in the admissions process than civilian colleges.

Even with 3Q + NOM, admissions will not likely offer an appointment until they are sure the candidate will win the appointment on merit or falls into a category that permits appointment out of order of merit. Thus the dreaded long, long wait