Competitive Candidate Instructions

J

jasper1

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Mar 13, 2020
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99
Good Afternoon:

My DS received an email from his RC this morning.

It stated,
"After an initial review of your file, you have been identified as a competitive candidate for the US Military Academy within your local congressional district. Your superb qualifications set you apart as a highly competitive candidate for the West Point class of 2025!"

Is this a LOE? Thank you.
 
Congratulations on getting this email from your RC..
If you can share some information here about what parts you think have made you a competitve candidate. I totally understand that this may vary amongst different congressional distrcits.
 
An LOE will be an OFFICIAL letter from the West Point Admissions Office encouraging your cadet candidate to continue to work toward completing their file in a timely manner. That said, being classified a COMPETITIVE candidate is exactly where your DS wants to be at this stage. Please encourage him to continue working toward completion of his file in as timely a manner as possible. Competitive candidates who complete all of the requirements in their portal are the ones who get first consideration from the Admissions committee when they begin to meet later this year/early 2021. Your DS will want to be in that first wave if possible.
 
My DS attends a very small private school. They don't have any sports teams. He runs marathons, lifts weights, and practice martial arts independently. He performed solo cello with his orchestra in Austria, Germany, and Italy. He's a national ranking MUN & debater. He's a Congressional Award Gold Medalist. He's learning a third language, and volunteered over 500 hours.
 
Congratulations to you and your son! When did your son start his application? How much of it has he completed? If you are able, can you share his SAT/ACT score?

Thank you.
 
My DS got same email today. No varsity sports (competitive club soccer, HS Track, HS XC), 4.0 GPA, AP classes, 33 ACT, Eagle Scout, Senior Patrol Leader, Boys State (accepted, but COVID), Church Youth President of 30 Young Men...Varsity Sports is his biggest worry, 800 students in his CLASS...he is top 1% in class rank, but the High School he goes to is so competitive on a state level he simply hasn't been good enough to break the VS to this point.

Hasn't turned in application yet, working on it hot and heavy!
 
Csmith1232 said:
My DS got same email today. No varsity sports (competitive club soccer, HS Track, HS XC), 4.0 GPA, AP classes, 33 ACT, Eagle Scout, Senior Patrol Leader, Boys State (accepted, but COVID), Church Youth President of 30 Young Men...Varsity Sports is his biggest worry, 800 students in his CLASS...he is top 1% in class rank, but the High School he goes to is so competitive on a state level he simply hasn't been good enough to break the VS to this point.

Hasn't turned in application yet, working on it hot and heavy!
Click to expand...

What an impressive kid! Are you by any chance from the Far West region?
 
DeepWaters said:
Congratulations to you and your son! When did your son start his application? How much of it has he completed? If you are able, can you share his SAT/ACT score?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

My DS Started his candidate questionnaire on January 15, 2020. I forgot to mention he was accepted to Boys State and Naval Academy virtual summer seminar. He has 1380 SAT, and hoping to take again. He's waiting for CFA, medical exam, nominations, and SOEs.
 
I received a similar email. It sounded pretty much like a form letter. Is this something most people get, or does is signify that somehow I am in some sort of narrowed down/desirable subcategory of applicants?

Thank you.
 
From the day you open an application you are racked and stacked against others in your Congressional district. In a more general sense, each district gets to send one person so that is who you are competing against. This year's process will be different from any other and it seems like admissions is starting earlier than prior years. If you get one of these notes great BUT the competition is not over until January 31st. Just because you are competitive today doesn't mean you will be the most competitive in January. There is no secret sauce to getting in and comparing yourself to someone else who may have gotten a different LOA/LOE/email from RC is impossible. The standard advice is still the best in my opinion. Keep challenging yourself in the classroom, athletic field or any other Place that sparks your passion and do well. Worry about the things you can control and enjoy your senior year.
 
jasper1 said:
Good Afternoon:

My DS received an email from his RC this morning.

It stated,
"After an initial review of your file, you have been identified as a competitive candidate for the US Military Academy within your local congressional district. Your superb qualifications set you apart as a highly competitive candidate for the West Point class of 2025!"

Is this a LOE? Thank you.
Click to expand...

I received a similar email. My friend, who lives in another region, received an email that had different wording but a similar sentiment, and also referred to him as "highly competitive". Is this just a different in the form letter for each region, or does USMA actually have two categories -- "highly competitive" and "competitive".
 
If you receive an LOA/LOE, you will know for sure. It will be listed under official communications on the home page of the candidate portal.

Edit - you will also receive a physical copy in the mail
 
usma2024hopeful said:
If you receive an LOA/LOE, you will know for sure. It will be listed under official communications on the home page of the candidate portal.

Edit - you will also receive a physical copy in the mail
Click to expand...
I never received a physical copy in the mail, maybe they aren’t sending them out this year.
 
My DS received a similar email to OP back in early July from both his RC and FFR. He completed his application plus his interview (no CFA yet) and received LOA this past week.
 
KB7801 said:
My DS received a similar email to OP back in early July from both his RC and FFR. He completed his application plus his interview (no CFA yet) and received LOA this past week.
Click to expand...

Congratulations to your son, it's a great achievement during difficult times. Would you share?

Which region are you from?
Did he complete medical and nomination?
Was he accepted to SLE or SS?
How did he do on SAT/ACT?

Thank you!
 
He's in the process of medical working through a waiver. Nomination interviews haven't started in our area yet.
He was accepted to SS and was waiting on SLE but cancelled due to Covid.
ACT = 33
 
KB7801 said:
He's in the process of medical working through a waiver. Nomination interviews haven't started in our area yet.
He was accepted to SS and was waiting on SLE but cancelled due to Covid.
ACT = 33
Click to expand...
You have an impressive son there. Good luck to your family!
 
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