Appointment predicament

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schul542

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Feb 17, 2016
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I have recently come across a problem I thought would never occur.

I am hoping to get some input about my odds at receiving an appointment to the Air Force Academy. I have already received a LOA from USNA; however, today I received a MOC nomination to USAFA. USAFA has always been my first choice, but should I risk not receiving an appointment to USAFA, and then not being able to obtain another nomination for USNA? It would just kill me if this results in me not attending either academy.

Overall, being that I have already received a LOA from one academy, and a nomination to USAFA, is there a good chance that I am competitive for an appointment to USAFA?
 
A nomination is a necessity for any appointment, but it doesn't mean you are any more likely to receive an appointment. That will be approximately 6,000 nominations given out for the air force; same with the navy and army. 535 representatives and senators X 10 nominations each; plus another 500+ presidentials and other military related nominations. Of those 6,000+ nominations, only approximately 1200 will receive appointments. So while a nomination is great, because you MUST have one to get an appointment, it doesn't mean more..... Other than compared to the individual who didn't receive a nomination and therefor CAN'T receive an appointment.

Having said that; having an LOA IS A BIG DEAL. That means, if you get ANY of those 6,000+ nominations, and assuming you are medically, academically, and physically qualified; you are GUARANTEED an APPOINTMENT. That's why the academy gave you the LOA. Letter of ASSURANCE. They are ASSURING YOU, that if you are qualified and receive a nomination, then they are guaranteeing you an appointment.

You're not is a RISK situation. No yet. Just because you have a nomination to air force, doesn't mean you'll know about an appointment until probably April or May. At the earliest, maybe the end of January. On the other hand, having an LOA from Navy, you should know soon enough if you receive a nomination to Navy from your representative or senator. If you DON'T receive a nomination from them, or from a presidential or military related if you're eligible, then the LOA becomes useless and moot. Then you're back to waiting on air force to decide if you'll get an appointment or not.

The only way you'll be at risk, is if in the next couple of weeks, you find out that you DID RECEIVE a nomination to Navy. if you do; then basically you DO HAVE an APPOINTMENT to navy. Then, you have to decide whether to turn it down and WAIT and HOPE that Air Force gives you an appointment. That's a BIG RISK. If you are sure you wouldn't mind EITHER Air Force or Navy, I WOULDN'T Risk it. I'd ACCEPT the appointment to Navy. Because the air force nomination only means, you have about a 20% chance of an appointment. Get a Navy Nomination, and you're guaranteed a 100% chance of a navy appointment. (Assuming you're medically, physically, and academically qualified).

So, until you find out if you can get a Navy nomination, there's NOTHING to think about or decide. You just wait. But if you do get the navy nomination, and are offered an appointment because of the LOA, you will have a period of time to accept or decline it. You COULD contact air force once you receive that navy appointment offer, and let air force know about it. Let them know you have your air force nomination, but you also have a navy appointment offer in hand. Ask them if there's any way they can make a decision about an air force appointment for you NOW, because you prefer air force; BUT you aren't going to let a GUARANTEED Navy appointment slip buy if you have to wait until april or may.

Get the navy nomination FIRST, get the navy APPOINTMENT OFFER, THEN and ONLY THEN, can you think about options.
 
Christcorp, out of curiosity...if the OP accepts the USNA appointment, and then later gets nominated/appointed to USAFA, can he then turn down USNA?
 
schul542 said:
I have recently come across a problem I thought would never occur.

I am hoping to get some input about my odds at receiving an appointment to the Air Force Academy. I have already received a LOA from USNA; however, today I received a MOC nomination to USAFA. USAFA has always been my first choice, but should I risk not receiving an appointment to USAFA, and then not being able to obtain another nomination for USNA? It would just kill me if this results in me not attending either academy.

Overall, being that I have already received a LOA from one academy, and a nomination to USAFA, is there a good chance that I am competitive for an appointment to USAFA?
Click to expand...


Question for you: how competitive is your congressional district? Does your rep have a full slate?

I would call and inquire if there is potential for an additional nomination available from your MOC to USNA.
 
jebdad said:
Question for you: how competitive is your congressional district? Does your rep have a full slate?

I would call and inquire if there is potential for an additional nomination available from your MOC to USNA.
Click to expand...
My district sits just outside downtown Chicago, so it is fairly populated and competitive. I have already reached out to both of my senators and explained the situation and requested a navy nomination.
 
Christcorp said:
A nomination is a necessity for any appointment, but it doesn't mean you are any more likely to receive an appointment. That will be approximately 6,000 nominations given out for the air force; same with the navy and army. 535 representatives and senators X 10 nominations each; plus another 500+ presidentials and other military related nominations. Of those 6,000+ nominations, only approximately 1200 will receive appointments. So while a nomination is great, because you MUST have one to get an appointment, it doesn't mean more..... Other than compared to the individual who didn't receive a nomination and therefor CAN'T receive an appointment.

Having said that; having an LOA IS A BIG DEAL. That means, if you get ANY of those 6,000+ nominations, and assuming you are medically, academically, and physically qualified; you are GUARANTEED an APPOINTMENT. That's why the academy gave you the LOA. Letter of ASSURANCE. They are ASSURING YOU, that if you are qualified and receive a nomination, then they are guaranteeing you an appointment.

You're not is a RISK situation. No yet. Just because you have a nomination to air force, doesn't mean you'll know about an appointment until probably April or May. At the earliest, maybe the end of January. On the other hand, having an LOA from Navy, you should know soon enough if you receive a nomination to Navy from your representative or senator. If you DON'T receive a nomination from them, or from a presidential or military related if you're eligible, then the LOA becomes useless and moot. Then you're back to waiting on air force to decide if you'll get an appointment or not.

The only way you'll be at risk, is if in the next couple of weeks, you find out that you DID RECEIVE a nomination to Navy. if you do; then basically you DO HAVE an APPOINTMENT to navy. Then, you have to decide whether to turn it down and WAIT and HOPE that Air Force gives you an appointment. That's a BIG RISK. If you are sure you wouldn't mind EITHER Air Force or Navy, I WOULDN'T Risk it. I'd ACCEPT the appointment to Navy. Because the air force nomination only means, you have about a 20% chance of an appointment. Get a Navy Nomination, and you're guaranteed a 100% chance of a navy appointment. (Assuming you're medically, physically, and academically qualified).

So, until you find out if you can get a Navy nomination, there's NOTHING to think about or decide. You just wait. But if you do get the navy nomination, and are offered an appointment because of the LOA, you will have a period of time to accept or decline it. You COULD contact air force once you receive that navy appointment offer, and let air force know about it. Let them know you have your air force nomination, but you also have a navy appointment offer in hand. Ask them if there's any way they can make a decision about an air force appointment for you NOW, because you prefer air force; BUT you aren't going to let a GUARANTEED Navy appointment slip buy if you have to wait until april or may.

Get the navy nomination FIRST, get the navy APPOINTMENT OFFER, THEN and ONLY THEN, can you think about options.
Click to expand...
If I accept an appointment to the Naval Academy would I still be competitive for an Air Force Academy Appointment? Would I be able to later on decline USNA and accept USAFA?
 
Unless I am mistaken, you have until May 1 to accept or decline any appointment (or admission to civilian college for that matter). DD sat on her appointment to USNA six months before accepting. There's no reason to rush an acceptance. You can wait and get all of your acceptance/denials before making your final decision.
 
schul542 said:
My district sits just outside downtown Chicago, so it is fairly populated and competitive. I have already reached out to both of my senators and explained the situation and requested a navy nomination.
Click to expand...
I don't think reaching out to your senators is the avenue you are going to have much luck with. You are asking them to grant you a nomination to your second choice or backup plan so that you don't get left out in the cold? The fact remains if it wasn't your backup plan, you would contact your MOC and simply have them change your nom to USNA. That would seem achievable.
 
schul542 said:
USAFA has always been my first choice, but should I risk not receiving an appointment to USAFA, and then not being able to obtain another nomination for USNA?
Click to expand...
You nomination is from your MOC. They are the ones that gave you the nomination. Why do you think you can just exchange it for a USNA nomination? Your MOC may have already give out all their nominations.
schul542 said:
Overall, being that I have already received a LOA from one academy, and a nomination to USAFA, is there a good chance that I am competitive for an appointment to USAFA?
Click to expand...
Having a LOA from any of the SA is a big deal, they do not easy to get, so there must be something in your application that make you stand out. The evaluations by all the SA is very similar. By that logic what made you attractive to USNA should also make you stand out to USAFA which would make your chances better than average. Not knowing anything else, I would say Yes your are very competitive for a USAFA appointment. For whatever that is worth. There are many very competitive applicants that do not get appointments to any SA.

Make sure your senators know that you have a LOA to USNA and they you only have a congressional nomination to USAFA. And make sure you have applied for the VP nomination at USNA.
 
This is a combo answer. Hopefully answers some of the presented questions. Mind you, what I am about to say falls under the category of "Normally". Meaning, this is how it normally works. But rules change and the academies are free to change them at any time.

Once you accept an appointment to an academy, you're normally removed from the other academy's pool of applicants. This way, the academies can plan and adjust appointment offers. Imagine 200 appointees who accepted appointments to more than one academy. You could wind up with one academy way short of the 1200 intended appointees and another academy with more than the 1200 they can take in. Then, it could be too late. So normally, once you accept an appointment, you're removed from the other academy pools. Check with the other academies you're waiting on PRIOR to accepting one.

As for holding off on accepting an appointment. That is very subjective. Each academy can decide differently. With Air Force, normally, once you're offered an appointment, it will actually give you a specific date that you must accept by, or they'll rescind the offer. So read the offer very closely. If you aren't sure of the accept or decline date, contact admissions.

When a person decides in June, July, etc. to apply to multiple academies, you need to have some things figured out in your brain.
1. Are you willing to attend any academy that offers and serve in that branch of service.
2. If you receive multiple appointments on the same day, know which one is your priority and accept it.
3. There's a excellent chance, that if you do receive multiple appointments, that they WONT come in at the same time. You should decide ahead of time if you'll take the first offer, hold out as long as the accept/decline date is, or take your chances by turning it down and hoping for one of the others.

Fwiw. I would never recommend turning down an offer and hoping another academy comes through. That's a major risk. If you aren't willing to take the first offer to come through, you SHOULDN'T have applied for there. If you really only prefer one academy, then only apply to that one. Make your plan "B" school a civilian school. That's what my son and many others did. They only applied to one academy, and 4 civilian universities. Basically, choose one side of the fence or the other. Don't sit on the fence. If you do, you can expect a painful splinter in your butt.
 
Look at the info you have. If/when you receive notification of an appointment, it should have a deadline for acceptance. You should have some time to make up your mind (or wait for more appointments/denials).
 
schul542 said:
I have recently come across a problem I thought would never occur.

I am hoping to get some input about my odds at receiving an appointment to the Air Force Academy. I have already received a LOA from USNA; however, today I received a MOC nomination to USAFA. USAFA has always been my first choice, but should I risk not receiving an appointment to USAFA, and then not being able to obtain another nomination for USNA? It would just kill me if this results in me not attending either academy.

Overall, being that I have already received a LOA from one academy, and a nomination to USAFA, is there a good chance that I am competitive for an appointment to USAFA?
Click to expand...

My son was in the same predicament last year. Naval LOA in October, MOC to USAFA in November, Appointment to USCGA in December and Acceptance to USAFA in Jan and Superintendent Nomination to USNA in Jan. Do not stress, do not accept until the deadline. This way you can weigh all of your options before making a final decision.
 
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