Components for LOA

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ravenclaw05

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Aug 12, 2021
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Can you compete for an LOA without the BGO interview being complete? The rest of my application is done but my BGO isn't doing interviews until September
 
ravenclaw05 said:
Can you compete for an LOA without the BGO interview being complete? The rest of my application is done but my BGO isn't doing interviews until September
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The SA can choose to give one at any point in the process for any reason as they build out the class to meet various goals, so there is no use in investing energy thinking about it. Focus on what you can control.

Resist the urge to look right or left at anyone else who receives an LOA, especially if one of your “stats” is better than theirs. Admissions sees the whole person, and again, can choose to give an LOA any time they wish, for whatever reason.

Best to think of it like a unicorn. If it wanders into your portal, rejoice, but don’t spend another minute on figuring out how to attract or capture one. First things first - best effort toward a quality application and nom process.

Every year we have reports of fine candidates who receive an LOA but do not earn a nom, and the SA is unable to “find” them one, so no appointment is offered.
 
No one knows what triggers an LOA .... Candidates really shouldn't spend any time worrying about the issue. Get your application in, then see what happens.

Purely speculation on my part, but I suspect the LOA is triggered largely by 1) Candidates personal record, and 2) demographics . Admissions can issue the LOA whenever they want -- I would hope that they at least consider BGO input (some Candidates can be great on paper, but completely opposite in person) , but it appears that Admissions will issue the LOA to anyone they want to encourage.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
No one knows what triggers an LOA .... Candidates really shouldn't spend any time worrying about the issue. Get your application in, then see what happens.

Purely speculation on my part, but I suspect the LOA is triggered largely by 1) Candidates personal record, and 2) demographics . Admissions can issue the LOA whenever they want -- I would hope that they at least consider BGO input (some Candidates can be great on paper, but completely opposite in person) , but it appears that Admissions will issue the LOA to anyone they want to encourage.
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Recently read a post by @Capt MJ discussing some strange behaviors of a Mid. Who ultimately left USNA. But this is a great example where BGO input is important. Perhaps some of those behaviors would have been identified (not specifically 🤢, but rather generally ‘off’) in the BGO assessment. Perhaps that Mid looked fantastic on paper.

As others have stated, go for the appointment. If you want to read tons and tons about LOA’s, dump that in the search box, and have a seat. Every year it’s discussed.

Good luck!!
 
LOA does not mean an appointment (if everything is not met within the LOA requirement). My son knows this all too well ...... Focus on your best application to ensure you get the appointment outright.
 
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Keep in mind most midshipmen and cadets attend SAs without ever having received one.
 
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