5th Slot

[Maximus]

Thank you Antoinette! The Military Liaison for the MOC used those exact words when he called looking for my son (at school) last week, "we are highly recommending a place at USMAP's" I too thought that there was no way for anyone to recommend any of the prep schools. My son told me that during his Army interview, the 4 panel members asked him if he would mind two "R" days and he gave the right answer from what I gather. My son has been real fortunate this year in that he's been Nominated for the USNA and the USMA Ironically the USNA regional admin LT called last week and asked my son if he'd take NAPs if offered and that's two times he's been asked. He could have done better on his math SAT and ACT but they like the whole person otherwise.

 

[Antoinette]

An offer to any of the prep schools or to one of the Service Academies is an wonderful but hard won opportunity. Some candidates will not consider an "extra" year at a prep school so it is a question that I have heard USNA BGOs ask. The USMA application used to include a postcard on which an applicant would indicate whether he would consider USMAPS. I do not know how that question is handled now that the application is online.

Perhaps your son's Military Academy Liason Officer (MALO) for USMA was also on your MOC's nomination interview committee and he is the one who is communicating with your son about the USMAPS recommendation.

Best of luck to your son as he waits to hear, Maximus. It sounds like he may have to make a choice.

 

[America's Finest]

Maximus,

Many congratulations to your son! Getting a nomination is a huge honor!

You asked:


As I understand the nomination/appointment process, if your son is chosen for USMAPS then his nomination will not be "used" or counted. A spot at USMAPS does not count as one of the MOC's appointments.



Yes, a MOC can have a cadet at USMA and one at MAPS in the same year.

To my knowledge, MOCs have no say in who is offered a spot at USMAPS.

From http://www.usma.edu/USMAPS/pages/admissions/admissions_home.htm



(I added the emphasis)

That is correct, him going to the prep school will not be charged to the MOC.

This is good news as your MOC has shown special interest in your son and looks like he is pretty much guaranteed a nomination by that MOC next year if he attends the prep school.

 

[Luigi59]

...and looks like he is pretty much guaranteed a nomination by that MOC next year if he attends the prep school.

Prep school attendance is by no means a guaranteed nomination the next year by a MOC.

In fact, some explicitly exclude Prep School attendees from nomination consideration entirely.

"Applicants who have successfully completed an academic year at NAPS, MAPS, or AFAPS will not be considered for a nomination by our office and should seek a nomination through the academy." Senator Ben Cardin, D-MD

 

[Maximus]

An offer to any of the prep schools or to one of the Service Academies is an wonderful but hard won opportunity. Some candidates will not consider an "extra" year at a prep school so it is a question that I have heard USNA BGOs ask. The USMA application used to include a postcard on which an applicant would indicate whether he would consider USMAPS. I do not know how that question is handled now that the application is online.

Perhaps your son's Military Academy Liaison Officer (MALO) for USMA was also on your MOC's nomination interview committee and he is the one who is communicating with your son about the USMAPS recommendation.

Best of luck to your son as he waits to hear, Maximus. It sounds like he may have to make a choice.

Thank you all, I'll pass it on to my son and he actually reads the form occasionally with me to make sure I'm not embarrassing him....the pictures I posted a couple of weeks ago were a problem...lol.

The man was in charge of the whole process (MOC Liaison) was coincidentally an Army Officer ( Colonel, ret) from West Point. He talked to the committee and ran the whole show. My son was at a College Fair in our local mall last year (Junior in High School) and this man (MOC Liaison) was running a West Point Kiosk (sp?) My son immediately went over to his booth and stayed with him the whole night and discussed his plans, then helped out with clean up at the end, he had no idea he was the Congressman's liaison. There was another retired officer there that had been working with my son during the USMA (MALO) application process and he gave the Colonel his highest recommendation. I guess my son was at the right place, at the right time and thank goodness left a great impression on them but he (MALO) was not at the interview. The Liaison told my son to call him (MALO) as soon as he got home from the interview to discuss USMAP's.

As to the USMAP's (all prep) Nominations, the Liaison explained to all the Candidates there at the Interview, that the loud discussions you could hear in the other room were the Prep School Students conducting their interviews over the speaker phone as they couldn't make the trip last Saturday.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

This is good news as your MOC has shown special interest in your son and looks like he is pretty much guaranteed a nomination by that MOC next year if he attends the prep school.

True - "pretty much". Sounds like this MOC understand's the process completely for nominations and admission.

Luigi - there is a difference between "pretty much guaranteed a nomination" and "guaranteed a nomination".
For some MOC's it IS a guarantee. As long as the candidate reapplies and is available for a short phone interview and shows they are still interested - then a nomination will be forthcoming. For the MOC in question - it sounds like this is the case.
As has been discussed ad nauseum on this forum - there are some MOC's who refuse to understand the process completely and "work with" admissions. They insist on making arbitrary and capricious rules of their own concerning the nominations process.

Back to the original post:

It is true that many MOC's will not fill the "5th slot" but leave it open. They do NOT want to be in a position of shutting out a class from the appointment process and this is indeed prudent. I have seen quite a few posts the last two years from candidates whose Congressman can't make any nominations for a given year potentially shutting out a class from an appointment.

Once a mid or cadet is assigned the top slot - that slot is closed out until the cadet/mid either resigns, is discharged or graduates. If a cadet or mid is turned back then that slot will not open up for another year.

If a cadet or mid leaves the academy early then that slot will open up for the following year -hence two (or more) openings in one year.
If a MOC had 5 slots open in a single year, it would be foolish for all to be filled. This would prevent other classes from taking a spot.

 

[Luigi59]

Luigi - there is a difference between "pretty much guaranteed a nomination" and "guaranteed a nomination".
For some MOC's it IS a guarantee. As long as the candidate reapplies and is available for a short phone interview and shows they are still interested - then a nomination will be forthcoming. For the MOC in question - it sounds like this is the case.
As has been discussed ad nauseum on this forum - there are some MOC's who refuse to understand the process completely and "work with" admissions. They insist on making arbitrary and capricious rules of their own concerning the nominations process.

There are no "rules" for the Prep School nominations by Senators and Congressmen. They are free to choose their nominees by whatever legal method they desire.

To call a rule "arbitrary and capricious" when there are no rules is illogical.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

A prep school candidate is just like any other candidate. IMO - for a MOC to rule out any class of candidate simply because they are in the Prep school is arbitrary and capricious. Such blanket rules are not in the best interest of his constituents or the academy.
Each MOC should make a concerted effort to present the best candidates to the academy for appointment consideration. Of course they can pick their cousins, ex-husbands, step-son if they want - while legal could be irresponsible.
A MOC can also refuse to nominate any female (or Black or Asian or Hispanic etc) candidates. Most constituents would find that offensive.

 

[Antoinette]

I think we have discussed a MOC's "fifth slot" to its limits at this point so I have closed the discussion. Thanks for all the comments!