Conditional offer but no nomination

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bawbdmo

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Nov 4, 2019
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Hello everyone, I was recently sent a conditional offer of appointment, and everything seems straightforward except one major concern of mine: I will not be getting any congressional nominations. To be honest, it was through my own lack of diligence. I missed every single deadline for application for my congressmen. I didn't realize that they were in mid October rather than towards the end, and at this time I truly was swamped with work, schoolwork, college applications, and scholarship applications (I was named a Questbridge Finalist so I had to do 12 schools worth of applications in 2 weeks). I already called both my senators and reps about a possible interview slate, but they all informed me that no exceptions to the deadline could be made. I'll still finish my application (I'm even attending an overnight on the 21st-23rd), but I'm just pretty sad that I've been given the opportunity to succeed, and I botched it. I've applied for the VP nom, but that is very unlikely to pan out. Luckily, though, I actually adore the civilian schools that I'm applying to, so I'm not completely distraught.

To all the juniors possibly reading this: get somebody to help you! This process is nigh impossible to do on your own. You will miss deadlines without a good safety net.
 
Kudos to you for sharing this story for those who’ll be going through the process. Your warning is sad but instructive. Applying to SAs is an exercise in organization and attention to detail. Just like life in the military.

I don’t know if all is lost. Though you don’t have the most obvious source of nominations, there might be a back door for you (i.e. non-MOC nom) if USMA deems you worthy. Others can maybe comment on that.

I presume you’re pursuing Option B, C, D, etc., for becoming an officer. USMA is but one way — arguably the hardest way, as your experience attests — to gain a commission. For the truly committed, there are other routes to butter bars. Best wishes to you.
 
@bawbdmo,
It isn't over yet! You never know! And someone, well 150 (?) people are going to get the VP nom!!! Could be you!!!

Congratulations on being a Questbridge Finalist! That is a huge deal!!!! The Questbridge applications are intense, and something most people are not familiar with, having to get EVERY application in a very short amount of time once you are named a Finalist, and those are ALL due same time as 1st round early action/early decision.

Not sure how much support you have. At our school, many students have to do not only the college process alone, but after school sessions and do the FAFSA and CCSProfile with counselors. And once they get in, there are blocked counseling sessions where they are trying to convince the parents to let their children leave the state for reach colleges while their kids are translating for them. It is humbling beyond belief.

The SA application process is like your first step in Officer Lite. You are "commanding" various people to get to the common goal of getting your application done, along with the nomination process. You will have many people to reign in and advocate for you who have more experience and may or may not be predisposed to help, and may or may not have much knowledge of the SA process. It is your child's job to lead them as an Officer, yet rely on them for their expertise and required elements. Parents are the Consiglieres/Medical Liaisons.
 
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HCopter said:
It isn't over yet! You never know! And someone, well 150 (?) people are going to get the VP nom!!! Could be you!!!
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Uhhhhh... no. I believe the VP only gets 2 into each academy. Hell, the President only gets 100. The 150 number you are thinking of is probably those taken, by law, from the top of the National Waiting List, but you need a nomination to make that list.
 
While true that the OP made a major error and the post should serve as a cautionary tale, it is not only the VP noms (2) that could save him. The Supe has 50 noms he can utilize per 10 U.S.C. Section 7442 (d). These are different than the first 150 off the NWL. If I have this wrong, please correct this post. No idea whether any or many of these are typically used.
 
Supe noms typically go to athletes and under represented minorities. Perhaps OP can also check one of those boxes?
 
I'm not that familiar with Questbridge, but isn't it binding if selected to a school? If you're a finalist are you definitely going to get matched, or no?
 
@Holden100 , I think you are right! Now I remember my DD saying something like there was a match day, and last year teachers were running in the halls crying because every Qbridge got matched with their #1 school. Perhaps our OP can clarify.
 
Holden100 said:
I'm not that familiar with Questbridge, but isn't it binding if selected to a school? If you're a finalist are you definitely going to get matched, or no?
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from the quest bridge site;
You Should Know:
  • You can be matched to only ONE school.
  • You are committed to attending your match school the following fall. Admission through ranking colleges for the Match is binding*.
  • If matched, you will receive a full four-year scholarship. So you can be confident that you can afford to attend a great college!
  • You have the option not to rank colleges, but then you will not be considered for the Match Scholarship and you may only benefit from applying through QuestBridge Regular Decision.
* MIT, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale do not require students admitted through the match to commit to attending their institutions.
 
MidCakePa said:
Kudos to you for sharing this story for those who’ll be going through the process. Your warning is sad but instructive. Applying to SAs is an exercise in organization and attention to detail. Just like life in the military.

I don’t know if all is lost. Though you don’t have the most obvious source of nominations, there might be a back door for you (i.e. non-MOC nom) if USMA deems you worthy. Others can maybe comment on that.

I presume you’re pursuing Option B, C, D, etc., for becoming an officer. USMA is but one way — arguably the hardest way, as your experience attests — to gain a commission. For the truly committed, there are other routes to butter bars. Best wishes to you.
Click to expand...
All hope is indeed not lost, as I plan on applying for an ROTC scholarship in conjunction with WP.

mom3boys said:
Supe noms typically go to athletes and under represented minorities. Perhaps OP can also check one of those boxes?
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I'm a URM but I feel like getting a Superindendent nomination is a bit like winning the lottery, haha.
Holden100 said:
I'm not that familiar with Questbridge, but isn't it binding if selected to a school? If you're a finalist are you definitely going to get matched, or no?
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Finalist distinction just allows you to apply through the match scholarship, which is binding if matched. I seriously doubt that I'm going to match to any of the schools that I ranked (I kinda regret applying anyway, WP is far and away my top choice).
 
In view of the conditional offer of appointment and URM, you may be the exception. Good luck.
 
I’m speaking with no experience here, but I would finish the app, do your overnight visit and make sure you meet with admissions (ideally a regional commander if he would meet with you) to explain the situation.
good luck!
 
The VP has one slot each year just like members of Congress but he can nominate ten individuals for that one spot. The LOA states that the OP just needs to secure a nomination. He does not have to "win" the VP's slate. Admissions usually uses those 10 VP nominations for individuals in similar positions.
 
USMA 1994 said:
The VP has one slot each year just like members of Congress but he can nominate ten individuals for that one spot. The LOA states that the OP just needs to secure a nomination. He does not have to "win" the VP's slate. Admissions usually uses those 10 VP nominations for individuals in similar positions.
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Excellent gouge.
 
bawbdmo said:
Hello everyone, I was recently sent a conditional offer of appointment, and everything seems straightforward except one major concern of mine: I will not be getting any congressional nominations. To be honest, it was through my own lack of diligence. I missed every single deadline for application for my congressmen. I didn't realize that they were in mid October rather than towards the end, and at this time I truly was swamped with work, schoolwork, college applications, and scholarship applications (I was named a Questbridge Finalist so I had to do 12 schools worth of applications in 2 weeks). I already called both my senators and reps about a possible interview slate, but they all informed me that no exceptions to the deadline could be made. I'll still finish my application (I'm even attending an overnight on the 21st-23rd), but I'm just pretty sad that I've been given the opportunity to succeed, and I botched it. I've applied for the VP nom, but that is very unlikely to pan out. Luckily, though, I actually adore the civilian schools that I'm applying to, so I'm not completely distraught.

To all the juniors possibly reading this: get somebody to help you! This process is nigh impossible to do on your own. You will miss deadlines without a good safety net.
Click to expand...

Do you have Army JROTC unit at your school? If you have an Army JROTC unit or a JROTC unit with distinction, they can nominate you to West Point. I think at this point that is your best bet. Ask the Senior Army Instructor at your school if he will give you a nomination to West Point.
 
superbison007 said:
Do you have Army JROTC unit at your school? If you have an Army JROTC unit or a JROTC unit with distinction, they can nominate you to West Point. I think at this point that is your best bet. Ask the Senior Army Instructor at your school if he will give you a nomination to West Point.
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I think this is reserved for JROTC participants. Of course it can never hurt to ask.
 
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