Curt Email from Admissions Team

MrSoapman

USMA '26
Joined
Oct 25, 2021
Messages
86
Hey all, I just wanted to discuss a rather curt email I received in response to a concern I had.

I recently retook the ACT and I raised my superscore to this:
English - 35
Math - 34
Reading - 36
Science - 36

I read about it taking a while for USAFA to receive official test scores, and I contacted Team Blue to see if they had received them. As a note, it also says in the Instructions to Candidates on Page 12: "If you take the SAT or ACT after opening of your candidate kit, and you have the scores sent to USAFA, please notify your Admissions Counseling team via email for additional instructions." This is essentially what I did.

The next day, I received an email from them that said only this:


[My first name],
This is what we have.

(6 screenshots of my previous test scores, one of which is the one I mentioned above)

Please Read the Candidate Instructions Booklet.

[Team Blue Admissions Counselor Name and Signature]


I was just a little taken aback by this, all of the other emails I received from them were very accommodating and friendly. They also referred to me by my first name instead of "Candidate [last name]" which is how I was referred to in all of the other emails. Am I in trouble? I don't quite know what to make of this.
 
Don't worry about it. The counselor that wrote that sent what they are able to pull up at that moment. If all of them are there, then you have no issue. If you're most recent scores are NOT in the ones they sent back, then you continue the inquiry.

The very few folks that work in counseling (normally about 10 total) are OVERWORKED right now, BIGTIME!! Give them a bit of slack...if the others have called you by name and this one didn't, they've probably not dealt with you or were asked to fill in for another.

You queried, they responded; they have what you wanted to ensure they had.

All's well.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Okay thank you! That makes a lot of sense, I was just a bit worried. They did send me everything I needed, it was just abnormal how they responded. I absolutely commend them for the amount of work they're doing though! You're right, I should probably give them some more slack 😅
 
Hey all, I just wanted to discuss a rather curt email I received in response to a concern I had.

I recently retook the ACT and I raised my superscore to this:
English - 35
Math - 34
Reading - 36
Science - 36

I read about it taking a while for USAFA to receive official test scores, and I contacted Team Blue to see if they had received them. As a note, it also says in the Instructions to Candidates on Page 12: "If you take the SAT or ACT after opening of your candidate kit, and you have the scores sent to USAFA, please notify your Admissions Counseling team via email for additional instructions." This is essentially what I did.

The next day, I received an email from them that said only this:


[My first name],
This is what we have.

(6 screenshots of my previous test scores, one of which is the one I mentioned above)

Please Read the Candidate Instructions Booklet.

[Team Blue Admissions Counselor Name and Signature]


I was just a little taken aback by this, all of the other emails I received from them were very accommodating and friendly. They also referred to me by my first name instead of "Candidate [last name]" which is how I was referred to in all of the other emails. Am I in trouble? I don't quite know what to make of this.
My daughter received the same "curt reply" when asking about the tem saying "transcript from unknown school not received." In the reply, it was said that since she is taking college courses at her high school, it will be reflected on her high school transcript.

In the "curt reply," it was said to please read the candidate instructions booklet. There is no candidate instructions booklet to download. There is a pre-candidate instructions booklet and it did not answer the question we had regarding the aforementioned checklist, hence the reason for the email.

Her only open items are the Nominations and the "transcript from unknown school not received." Is there a Candidate Instructions booklet? There is no link to for this item.

Thanks.

Mark
USAFA '96
 
My daughter received the same "curt reply" when asking about the tem saying "transcript from unknown school not received." In the reply, it was said that since she is taking college courses at her high school, it will be reflected on her high school transcript.

In the "curt reply," it was said to please read the candidate instructions booklet. There is no candidate instructions booklet to download. There is a pre-candidate instructions booklet and it did not answer the question we had regarding the aforementioned checklist, hence the reason for the email.

Her only open items are the Nominations and the "transcript from unknown school not received." Is there a Candidate Instructions booklet? There is no link to for this item.

Thanks.

Mark
USAFA '96
There was a link to it on the first page of her online application. I think it was on the very first line. I'm not sure how to access it once the application is submitted.
 
My daughter received the same "curt reply" when asking about the tem saying "transcript from unknown school not received." In the reply, it was said that since she is taking college courses at her high school, it will be reflected on her high school transcript.
In the "curt reply," it was said to please read the candidate instructions booklet. There is no candidate instructions booklet to download. There is a pre-candidate instructions booklet and it did not answer the question we had regarding the aforementioned checklist, hence the reason for the email.

Her only open items are the Nominations and the "transcript from unknown school not received." Is there a Candidate Instructions booklet? There is no link to for this item.

Thanks.

Mark
USAFA '96
I would recommend an email to the admissions asking for the instructions booklet, it is crucial to knowing the ins and outs of the process.

As for the transcript, what they said is true. I assume that she is taking dual enrollment at the local college? If so, then yes, these scores will be included on the HS transcript. If you put the college as a separate school on the application then you should probably get that cleared up ASAP with the admissions team.

After asking around a bit, the Please Read the Candidate Instructions Booklet tagline seems to be just a copy paste with every email, just as a precaution. Even so, please be patient with the team as they are VERY backed up with the new program. Have a great thanksgiving weekend!
 
There was a link to it on the first page of her online application. I think it was on the very first line. I'm not sure how to access it once the application is submitted.
My daughter received the same "curt reply" when asking about the tem saying "transcript from unknown school not received." In the reply, it was said that since she is taking college courses at her high school, it will be reflected on her high school transcript.

In the "curt reply," it was said to please read the candidate instructions booklet. There is no candidate instructions booklet to download. There is a pre-candidate instructions booklet and it did not answer the question we had regarding the aforementioned checklist, hence the reason for the email.

Her only open items are the Nominations and the "transcript from unknown school not received." Is there a Candidate Instructions booklet? There is no link to for this item.

Thanks.

Mark
USAFA '96

If you click on supplemental application in your portal it will open your candidate application and on the first screen there, it has a link to the candidate handbook. It’s best opened on a computer.
 
I tried to upload it...it's too big.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Unlikely that you are in trouble or have hurt your chances.

Military people tend to communicate in a very direct manner, with little excess verbiage or pleasantries. This can come across as curt to civilians, but is usually not meant to be.
 
Unlikely that you are in trouble or have hurt your chances.

Military people tend to communicate in a very direct manner, with little excess verbiage or pleasantries. This can come across as curt to civilians, but is usually not meant to be.
With 25 years in the military and still going, I’ve been accused of the same. :)

thanks for responses everyone.
 
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