Blue and Gold Officer

Summer before junior year is a good time. Prior application cycle is done. Next application cycle hasn’t quite heated up yet. Do so politely and respectfully. Ask if they’ll meet you for coffee (social distancing may affect this) and then come prepared. That means having good questions that cannot be easily answered by reading the website. Don’t try to to impress them just yet. Mainly listen and learn.
 
I reached out via email to my BGO during my sophomore year just expressing my interest and asking for advice to be on track. No harm in doing this.
 
I'm a Blue and Gold Officer and I'm glad to talk/meet with candidates well before Junior Year. It can give a candidate time to get properly set up with classes, PSAT/SAT, activities,etc. One of the saddest things that I deal with as a BGO is meeting a candidate in the middle of the fall of their junior year and they have just taken the SAT for the first time, haven't done a sport or other issues that set them behind many other candidates. I can't count the number of times I've had a Junior tell me that their counselor advised them to start taking the SAT (for the first time) after they get Junior Year PSAT results.
 
OldRetSWO said:
I'm a Blue and Gold Officer and I'm glad to talk/meet with candidates well before Junior Year. It can give a candidate time to get properly set up with classes, PSAT/SAT, activities,etc. One of the saddest things that I deal with as a BGO is meeting a candidate in the middle of the fall of their junior year and they have just taken the SAT for the first time, haven't done a sport or other issues that set them behind many other candidates. I can't count the number of times I've had a Junior tell me that their counselor advised them to start taking the SAT (for the first time) after they get Junior Year PSAT results.
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As a BGO, there are several opportunities to meet me, school college nights and info sessions. I am happy to speak to you in length after one of the prior mentioned events. I have a job and responsibilities and may not have time to have coffee with you but I can answer emails or arrange a phone call starting your freshman year.
 
My sense is that each BGO is unique based on their circumstances. My DS’ BGO was a working mom with 2 young kids. She really didn’t have time to engage much and wasnt too receptive. But the scheduled BGO meeting with her was fantastic. I would suggest an early email indicating your intent to apply and your desire to engage, and then you will have to read and react. If BGO responds quickly and seems ready to engage - they are a GREAT resource. If BGO is NOT very engaging, there really is no problem in backing off. There are plenty of things you can do to get your questions answered. This forum is great, academy nights, contact your schools ROTC Officer, no doubt you or your parents have met academy grads - all are great resources.
 
You can always reach out and introduce yourself. As mentioned every BGO is different. Remember most have full time jobs and families. So they are balancing. Some BGOs also have tons of candidates. For instance, my area we only have a handful of candidates so I can engage a lot. A couple hour drive from me, the BGO has dozens. The BGO you speak with now, might not be the same BGO you end up with down the road. Every year Area Coordinators rebalance and shift things based upon lots of factors. You can learn a ton by just reading each SA you want to attend admissions pages. They provide a wealth of knowledge on what classes they recommend, timelines for planning and summer programs available. Know that stuff. Don’t ask questions that can be readily found on the website. Don’t ask what classes should I take? Ask, the admissions site says to take X,Y, Z, my school offers this, should I take X junior year so I take Y senior year or Z? Research your MOC sites and understand their requirements and timeline. Your MOC will probably have a SA Day in the fall, keep an eye out for it and attend. Good luck.
 
+ 1 OId Retired SWO and 'Hoops.

I am happy to talk with you (I usually do it in a phone call), and earlier is better. Talking to someone who is interested in the Naval Academy early, when we can help guide your preparation, is more effective than talking to some midway through Junior year, when your record is already established. Also, to emphasize 'Hoop comment -- First impressions count ! Do your homework first, and ask specific questions. Finally, it should be the Candidate calling, not Mom or Dad. While I am certainly happy to answer Parental questions, the initial contact should always come from the Candidate!
 
The answer is very dependent on the future candidate, the school/area in which he/she lives, and the purpose of the reach out. If you live in an area where there is very little information about USNA and/or you have questions that aren't answered on the usna.edu website, it makes sense to contact your BGO early in the process. However, there is NO NEED to contact the BGO to "score points," just to "get to know him/her" or for similar purposes.

If you live in an area or attend a school where USNA is well-known, first try some self-help. Read the website. Read information on this site. That way, you approach the BGO with thoughtful, intelligent questions. If you have no ties to the military, if your area/school is unfamiliar with USNA or SAs in general, etc. then the BGO can be a great source of info. You should still do some "homework" first but it would make sense that you need help with more basic questions/info.

Finally, as noted above, BGOs are volunteers and many have full-time jobs. Some have 1-2 candidates per year, some have 25-30. The main focus is on the current cycle of candidates. That said, BGOs are generally happy to talk to underclassmen. Help yourself by having specific questions (i.e., "Can you tell me more about the nomination process and how it intersects with the USNA application process?), making a reasonable effort to inform yourself, and being patient.
 
I reached out during my sophomore year as well.

If you meet with them earlier it is easier to talk about any concerns that you have, etc, and you might be able to form a deeper connection with them, which is something that I really value. My main reason for reaching out to my BGO as a sophomore was for the reason that I wanted to know them more as a person and form a bond.
I think it's super cool if a BGO can see how you grow and progress each time you continue to meet with them, it could potentially be influential. But, as mentioned above, only meet with them now if you have a reason too
 
usna35 said:
My main reason for reaching out to my BGO as a sophomore was for the reason that I wanted to know them more as a person and form a bond.
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> For all Candidates, please don't take this as recommendation that you need to "form a bond" with your BGO, or that you are at risk if there is no "connection". As noted above, all BGO's are different --some may "bond" or have a "connection" with their Candidates, and others may be more detached. I would say I tend toward the latter, and my candidates do just fine that way.
 
Fully echo Old Navy BGO. I have been totally impressed with candidates with whom I only interact at the interview. Conversely, some who have "nagged" me for years remained unimpressive throughout. Bottom line is that a BGO should not make judgments about candidates based on whether or how frequently the candidate communicates with the BGO prior to his/her senior year.
 
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