Candidate and Parent Visitation Program

D

digit461

New Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2020
Messages
2
I've been invited out to an overnight all-expenses-paid visitation at West Point. Has anyone been to this in the past or know about it. From what I've read, it's only offered to really competitive applicants. I read in an article that some are offered letters of assurance at the end of the visit. Has anyone been a part of this visit in the past or know anything about this?

Here's the article: https://www.army.mil/article/183052/ltg_west_provides_words_of_wisdom_during_the_2017_inspire_dinner
They mention the LOA's and offers of appointment at the end.
 
There’s a couple of mentions of it in some old threads I came across when I started reading everything I could in here about the process my DS decided to undertake so that I could advise him along the way. Generally those threads indicated that this was a program aimed at diversity candidates that USMA viewed highly and wanted to recruit, outside of athletics. From what it sounds like it’s a diversity initiative and they are aggressively go after those they identify - see travel expenses paid, LOAs, etc. Others may have more insight or info. That’s just what I gleaned from this site.
 
digit461 said:
I've been invited out to an overnight all-expenses-paid visitation at West Point. Has anyone been to this in the past or know about it. From what I've read, it's only offered to really competitive applicants. I read in an article that some are offered letters of assurance at the end of the visit. Has anyone been a part of this visit in the past or know anything about this?

Here's the article: https://www.army.mil/article/183052/ltg_west_provides_words_of_wisdom_during_the_2017_inspire_dinner
They mention the LOA's and offers of appointment at the end.
Click to expand...
Diversity candidates only. WP and other academies have been highly encouraged to recruit diversity candidates. IE Minority, female, etc. They still must be qualified. Our region has been approached by USNA and has been VOLUTOLD to aggressively reach out and market to a specific MOC's district. Eventhough the school system is horrible. Our HS has one diversity candidate who has been contacted by USMA, offered an all-expense paid visit and received a nom. Candidate probably won't finish application and if she receives an appointment and attends will DOR (IMHO) quickly during BEAST.
If you are truly called "to serve" I would go visit and see if WP is for you.
 
I went to the MVP Visit. It’s a great experience, but not everyone received LOAs when I was there. I had an LOA for over 2 months before I went. You just get a certificate.
 
ThePatternisFull said:
Diversity candidates only. WP and other academies have been highly encouraged to recruit diversity candidates. IE Minority, female, etc. They still must be qualified. Our region has been approached by USNA and has been VOLUTOLD to aggressively reach out and market to a specific MOC's district. Eventhough the school system is horrible. Our HS has one diversity candidate who has been contacted by USMA, offered an all-expense paid visit and received a nom. Candidate probably won't finish application and if she receives an appointment and attends will DOR (IMHO) quickly during BEAST.
If you are truly called "to serve" I would go visit and see if WP is for you.
Click to expand...

??? I don't think Female applicants are Diversity candidate??? I could be wrong :biglaugh:
 
ThePatternisFull said:
So your saying gender does not play a role in diversify?
Click to expand...

...no, i was asking a question... not a statement... the same question you are asking me...

Does being a female qualify that person as a "Diversified" Candidate?

...cuz in your post... you said, "WP and other academies have been highly encouraged to recruit diversity candidates. IE Minority, female, etc."

My kid is BOTH minority and female (and fully finished everything in the App) ... but she is not categorized as a Diversified Candidate by WP...

I was just trying to be informed by your post... cuz i don't know... thanks... :biglaugh:
 
Gender diversity is equitable or fair representation of people of different genders. It most commonly refers to an equitable ratio of men and women, but may also include people of non-binary genders.
 
GADestiny said:
...no, i was asking a question... not a statement... the same question you are asking me...

Does being a female qualify that person as a "Diversified" Candidate?

...cuz in your post... you said, "WP and other academies have been highly encouraged to recruit diversity candidates. IE Minority, female, etc."

My kid is BOTH minority and female (and fully finished everything in the App) ... but she is not categorized as a Diversified Candidate by WP...

I was just trying to be informed by your post... cuz i don't know... thanks... :biglaugh:
Click to expand...
how would you know this? Assuming that her minority group is one that is under-represented (female is certainly under-represented) then this is a factor considered in deciding on her application.
 
Last edited:
Yes. Not the only factor but a part of the puzzle. IMHO if you have twi candidates with an equal WCS yet one female and the other a male it is highly likely the female will get the nod. If a female and minority that is even better. This is not to say they will get in! The academies are looking for highly qualified candidates and if you are a minority that can possibly help. The military enlisted ranks have a disproportionate amount if minorities compared to the number in the officer ranks.
 
ThePatternisFull said:
Yes. Not the only factor but a part of the puzzle. IMHO if you have twi candidates with an equal WCS yet one female and the other a male it is highly likely the female will get the nod. If a female and minority that is even better. This is not to say they will get in! The academies are looking for highly qualified candidates and if you are a minority that can possibly help. The military enlisted ranks have a disproportionate amount if minorities compared to the number in the officer ranks.
Click to expand...
This assumes they are competing head to head for the same spot - that's typically not the way it works in college admissions. Typically, admissions departments will have a target # of slots per ethnicity/race/gender, and the members of each group are competing against each other for the available slots.

The Academies (other than CGA) have to reach their goals in the context of the slate/nomination system so people of different races and genders are competing for the same spot on each slate. How Academy admission departments factor race and ethnicity into the WCS and determining a slate winner is anyone's guess. Once admissions reaches the NWL, they can round out their class and fulfill their race/gender/ethnicity goals through the use of discretionary noms in the manner they see fit.
 
@Korab "The Academies (other than CGA) have to reach their goals in the context of the slate/nomination system so people of different races and genders are competing for the same spot on each slate."
And how does a candidate win their respective slate? By having the highest WCS. I have been told explicitly by Academy to recruit specific folks. Not sure where your information is coming from or how your are guessing the academies are reaching their goals? My information is directly from the Academy and Dean of Admissions. How they do this is yes anyone's guess. But I know the WCS can and is enhanced due to minority and gender. When a candidate is brought before the board their liaison can and does ask for an increase or decrease in the WCS due to several factors.
 
GADestiny said:
...no, i was asking a question... not a statement... the same question you are asking me...

Does being a female qualify that person as a "Diversified" Candidate?

...cuz in your post... you said, "WP and other academies have been highly encouraged to recruit diversity candidates. IE Minority, female, etc."

My kid is BOTH minority and female (and fully finished everything in the App) ... but she is not categorized as a Diversified Candidate by WP...

I was just trying to be informed by your post... cuz i don't know... thanks... :biglaugh:
Click to expand...
They don't simply classify candidates as "diversified candidates" or not. However, some are called MVP candidates. That means they were extremely qualified as well as "diverse". They're few and hard to come by. Just because you're a minority doesn't mean you're an MVP.
 
sunnytrail said:
They don't simply classify candidates as "diversified candidates" or not. However, some are called MVP candidates. That means they were extremely qualified as well as "diverse". They're few and hard to come by. Just because you're a minority doesn't mean you're an MVP.
Click to expand...


That's what I gathered too... just because you're a minority and also a female doesn't mean you qualify as a "diversified candidate."
But, the previous poster seems to think otherwise.
WP has special "diversified" regional officers that scout out targeted diversified candidates.
Thanks for your post.
 
@sunnytrail @GADestiny The why have a diversity officer if diversity isn't important and can't be classified? Please read https://www.westpointaog.org/document.doc?id=6636 and look for the articles that state,"recruit and retain more minorities and women." Also sorry MVP is the Minority Visitation Program (MVP)
  • – Exposes competitive Candidates to the West Point experience, providing a close-up view of cadet life.
  • – Last year, 77% cited the MVP as a main factor influencing their decision on West Point.
  • – 120 of the top minority candidates will participate in MVP at no cost to the candidate or their parents.
So I guess things must have changed in the past year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top