Application Questions

[ilovemypuppy]

Hi I was wondering if I submit my application in June/July of my Junior year if I can include the AP Classes I’m taking senior year (5) or edit it later?

Also, does submitting your application and nomination early help or only your application because it’s rolling admissions?

 

[gop7265]

Hi I was wondering if I submit my application in June/July of my Junior year if I can include the AP Classes I’m taking senior year (5) or edit it later?

Also, does submitting your application and nomination early help or only your application because it’s rolling admissions?

It helps in terms of being reviewed for a LOA and being able to start your DODMERB process early but not necessarily getting an appointment.

 

[Academician]

Typically, your transcript will include scheduled classes. You can check to see if your's will include them with your counselor. I advise my students to 'get to know' their counselors well as they will play a pivotal part in your application process. Also, I recommend not sacrificing your application's quality to complete it early. That is especially true for your nomination application. Generally, a week or two prior to the fall due-date(s) is sufficient and will allow you to include all of your qualifications. With your USNA (and other SA) applications, you may continue to update them through your admissions counselors up to and beyond the January 31 deadline.

 

[justdoit19]

It helps in terms of being reviewed for a LOA and being able to start your DODMERB process early but not necessarily getting an appointment.

This is a little misleading. At least how I read it. Maybe not the intent.

For future readers, what we try and get across to applicants: DONT ‘go for an LOA’. An LOA can be offered ANY time. Early submission does not increase your ‘chances’ of an LOA in the sense you are a more desirable candidate. An LOA is issued as an offer of appointment to a candidate USNA wants to appoint, but still has some outstanding items to clear. Most ‘common’ are DODMERB and a nom.

Logically, more LOA’s are issued earlier in the process, bc less of the application is complete. Not bc a better candidate submits their app earlier.

Think about it, someone who submits their application later may already have (potential) outstanding items cleared. So, no NEED for the LOA. As time progresses in the cycle, LOA’s are less, bc applications have less outstanding elements. For example, After Jan 31 (or earlier for MOC’s that submit their slates earlier, and many do), no more LOAS with the nom being the requirement, as the slate submission deadline has passed. You either do, or don’t have a nom (of course there are exceptions, but in the big picture, this is generally true for the nom piece).

Dont get sucked into thinking an early submission increases your chances. LOA or no LOA. Or that you need to submit early in order to compete for an LOA. Or that NOT having an LOA means a SA doesn’t want you. Most of the class will not hold an LOA.

Yes they are nice to have. And help with your planning. But it really shouldn’t be a thought in your mind. ALWAYS submit your BEST package, as soon as possible. IMO, the biggest benefit being that DODMERB gets going (which is a benefit for ROTC bc ROTC scholarships don’t request medical until a scholarship is awarded).

Good luck to everyone.

 

[usna1985]

USNA encourages candidates to submit their packages early. The primary reason is that it benefits USNA Admissions. Seriously, there are also benefits to you to getting any college application done during the summer, when you usually have more time. That said, you want your application to be as complete and strong as possible. It’s a balance.

You can include in your application things that will happen, such as courses you will take, leadership positions to which you’ve been elected, etc.

USNA generally does not do “rolling admissions” in the way most people think about the process. IOW, it’s not a FIFO system. Rather, the Admissions Board GENERALLY reviews applications as they come in. But USNA (as with SAs other than USCGA) must wait for the nomination process to unfold. Medical waivers can also hold up the process. That’s why most candidates don’t receive appointments until January or February. Or later.

USNA does not have one or more days when “blocks” of appointments come out, so it’s “rolling” in that appointments tend to “roll ou.” But the date of the appointment typically has little to do with when the complete package was received.

 

[JD Hopeful Dad]

Getting started on your app earlier is what's important. You can't submit it until complete, but you'll be entering a lot of personal data and lining up things like letters of rec. Then you have to tackle the personal statement.

You don't want to be watching the sun set on the application period in January and be entering data you could have done in August all while you are trying to get your mind right for the statement.

They have never met you and the statement is like your handshake greeting "Hello sir/madam, my name is XXXX and I believe you might like having me around the yard...." Don't let that under or over cook.