Any benefit to getting >1 nomination?

cmartin1069

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In reading posts on the whole application process, it's clear that some/many kids get more than one nomination and are proud of that.

All you need is one, right? besides a little ego boost, is there any advantage to receiving a nomination to the same academy from more than one source (e.g. both Senators or a Rep and a Senator?)
 
Yes, there is a definite benefit. All SAs (other than USCGA, which doesn't require noms) must "slot" or assign appointees to a source of nominations. Thus, bluntly stated, the more noms you have, the more places the SA can slot you and thus the greater your chances of receiving an appointment.

To explain, take two candidates applying to USNA:

Candidate A has only a nom from her Senator. Thus, USNA can only slot that person to the Senator (she counts against the Senator's total number of mids that can be at USNA at one time). If USNA finds someone more competitve than Candidate A on the Senator's slate or if the Senator has named someone else as his principal nominee, she then goes into the National Pool to compete and, if offered an appointment, will likely be slotted to SecNav.

Candidate B has a Pres nom, a nom from his Rep and a nom from his Senator. USNA now has 3 places where they can slot him before sending him to the National Pool. That gives USNA more options and gives Candidate B a better chance of securing an appointment before heading to the Pool.

Also, MOC noms are competitive (as opposed to Pres. which are not). Securing several noms can demonstrate your competitiveness to the SA.

Note that some MOCs -- primarily those in very competitive regions of the country -- will not nominate an individual who already has secured a nom. They basically get together and compare notes so that as many constituents as possible receive noms. The SAs are aware this happens, so it's not a negative if you only receive a single nom.

Finally, yes, all it takes is one nom.:biggrin:

As an aside, if you receive an LOA, there is no benefit in securing more than one nom b/c, if you have the LOA and are fully qualilfied and have one nom from any source, you will be offered an appointment.
 
All you need is one. Outside of bragging rights there is not a lot of additional benefit to recieving multiple noms. Once your accepted no one really cares how you got there. I'd much rather have one nom and one acceptance than 3 noms and no acceptance. :smile:
 
In reading posts on the whole application process, it's clear that some/many kids get more than one nomination and are proud of that.

All you need is one, right? besides a little ego boost, is there any advantage to receiving a nomination to the same academy from more than one source (e.g. both Senators or a Rep and a Senator?)
Yes, every nomination put you on another slate to compete for an appointment.
If you get a nom from both of your senators and representative, you would compete for an appointment on three different slates of 10.
 
All you need is one. Outside of bragging rights there is not a lot of additional benefit to recieving multiple noms. Once your accepted no one really cares how you got there. I'd much rather have one nom and one acceptance than 3 noms and no acceptance. :smile:

Based on my reading of Title 10, more nominations mean more pools of people you are competing against as said above. Thus, more nominations mean a greater likelihood of acceptance as more pools mean more chances. If you have a senatorial nomination, you are competing against nine other people from across your state. In most cases, this will be much tougher of a pool then if you have a congressional nom. In most cases, a congressional nom will be selected from a smaller group of people and should have a lower level of competition (I understand there are exceptions to this depending on the congressional district and state.) I recommend that you apply for as many nominations as you are eligible to receive and don't stop just because you one.
 
I'd much rather have one nom and one acceptance than 3 noms and no acceptance. :smile:

True, but with 3 noms you have a better shot of obtaining that appointment.:smile:

Despite the banter above, it is definitely the case that people with multiple noms receive turndowns and many, many with only one nom receive appointments. Still, if you can get more than one, it can't hurt.
 
Sorry - I should have said that once appointed it makes no difference except bragging rights. I didn't mean to imply that multiple noms do not help the process.
 
I didn't mean to imply that multiple noms do not help the process.
Well, yes you did. That''s not only what you implied, it is what you directly asserted. I have no issue with posting your opinion, but you didn't qualify it as opinion -- you stated it as fact.

I only post here to point something out... be careful about making what sound like authoritative declarations when some readers might come on this Board and assume based on your tone that you are in a position to give authoritative advice. If you're learning as you go along like most posters, that's fine... I just wish you would make that clear when word your posts.
 
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USNA1985 answered the question perfectly.

There are numerous "POOLS" where you can receive an appointment. EACH of these POOLS have their own requirements for nominations. But you MUST have a nomination from that POOL in order to be given an appointment FROM that POOL. The NATIONAL POOL is a POOL of it's own. It's made up of nominees from some of the OTHER POOLS that didn't receive the appointment FOR THAT POOL.

So, as USNA1985 illustrated, if you were #2 in your STATE's POOLs, (2 senators and 1 representative), but you were only nominated to the one pool, and the #1 person in your state got the appointment for THAT POOL, then your ONLY other consideration will be in the NATIONAL POOL. But if you also had nominations for the other 2 POOLS in your state, you'd probably be the #1 choice for one of those, because the #1 in your state already got the other slot.

I think you understand. I shouldn't have to explain it any further. The ONLY, and I repeat ONLY time you only need to HAVE 1 NOMINATION, is if your state senators/representatives use the Principal Nomination method. If 1 senator makes you their PRINCIPAL NOMINEE, then it is a total WASTE of nominations for the other senator and representative to give you a nomination. Because; as the PRINCIPAL Nominee for the senator, the academy MUST, 100% MUST, if you are totally QUALIFIED, they MUST give you the appointment. And if you don't qualify under that 1 nomination, then you don't qualify under ANY nomination. But very few senators/representatives use the PRINCIPAL Nominee method. (Although, more are looking into it). So, as said, you want to get as many nominations as you can. Sorry for being long winded, but I've seen too many people not apply for a nomination because they had a presidential or a representative and thought they didn't need any more. And they DIDN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT.
 
The ONLY, and I repeat ONLY time you only need to HAVE 1 NOMINATION, is if your state senators/representatives use the Principal Nomination method. .

Would you also only need to have 1 nomination if you have an LOA?
 
Would you also only need to have 1 nomination if you have an LOA?

Technically yes. However, you have to realize that "APPLYING" for a nomination is done generally in June, July, and August. That's not when you find out if you received a nomination, just when you're "APPLYING" for it.

LOA's are rare. Early appointments are even more rare. But they "DO OCCUR". When my son applied back in 2007, he had a presidential nomination. He then received an "Early Appointment" (NOT LOA, but APPOINTMENT), the first week of November. Before even interviewing for nominations. Once he received the "APPOINTMENT", he contacted the senators and representatives and respectfully told them to NOT give him a nomination. To give them to someone else.

So yes; if you know ahead of time that you have an early APPOINTMENT, "Which can ONLY be done with a MILITARY NOMINATION like a presidential, because MOC's haven't done their nominations yet"; then YES, you can cancel the others and you are safe. But not with an LOA. Reason I say that is because you can't wait until 1 senator says yes/no, and if no, then apply to the other senator. You applied to ALL 3 MONTHS EARLIER. Now; if you want to apply to only 1 MOC nomination because you got an LOA, have at it. I don't suggest it. I, Steve, and others have seen individuals WITH AN LOA, NOT receive a nomination; and thus, didn't get the appointment.

But when I said that receiving a PRINCIPAL nomination was the only time a single nomination was all that was needed; I didn't say that you WOULDN'T APPLY for more than the one. Just that you probably WON'T GET more than the one, because a principal is an AUTOMATIC. (Assuming you're qualified). But all others, you WANT as many nominations as you can get so you can be in as many pools as possible. Even an LOA. If you have an LOA, and you apply only to your representative; and s/he has 100 applicants; s/he may not give you the nomination because they think the there are 10 more qualified. But yes, if you got 1 of those 10 slots, then that's all you need. But how will you know that when you first apply.

The original poster mentioned "RECEIVING" more than one nomination. In it's clearest form, you WANT more than one nomination for the reasons USNA1985 mentioned. You only NEED 1; as Aikibudo said. You SHOULD APPLY TO ALL that you are ELIGIBLE for; for the reasons I HAVE mentioned.
 
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