Early Action Question

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Bayou Sailor

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My DS wants to apply for Early Action. He is almost complete with his online application, but I have a couple of questions. The website states that the DoDMERB physical and the PFE test will be scheduled after they receive the online application. So, does that mean that only the online app needs to be submitted before Oct. 15? There is also the question of the LOR's from teachers and advisors. We're trying to avoid making this any harder than it has to be. Thanks!
 
Bayou Sailor said:
My DS wants to apply for Early Action. He is almost complete with his online application, but I have a couple of questions. The website states that the DoDMERB physical and the PFE test will be scheduled after they receive the online application. So, does that mean that only the online app needs to be submitted before Oct. 15? There is also the question of the LOR's from teachers and advisors. We're trying to avoid making this any harder than it has to be. Thanks!
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The online app will get the ball rolling for DoDmerb. LORs can be later. For PFE he’ll add a provider just like for an LOR (Coach, gym teacher, etc). They’ll receive an email with the instructions and you schedule directly with the person. Or, if your son did AIM and wants to use PFE score from that, he’ll select AIM as the provider.

Remember, for LORs if it says “optional”, it’s not really optional!

Last year, my daughter never did receive an email that DoDmerb was ready to begin. It may have had something to do about the system getting ready to crash. However, if after he submits and for some reason he doesn’t hear anything, if he goes to dodmets.com, enters his SS number as to create a new user profile, if he’s good to proceed, his info should pull up in the system.

Of course, there’s a chance he may not be selected to proceed with DoDmerb, but my point is, he shouldn’t wait around forever waiting for a DoDmerb email without checking on it or asking about it. It’s important to start the DoDmerb process ASAP.
 
27BearDad said:
The online app will get the ball rolling for DoDmerb. LORs can be later. For PFE he’ll add a provider just like for an LOR (Coach, gym teacher, etc). They’ll receive an email with the instructions and you schedule directly with the person. Or, if your son did AIM and wants to use PFE score from that, he’ll select AIM as the provider.

Remember, for LORs if it says “optional”, it’s not really optional!

Last year, my daughter never did receive an email that DoDmerb was ready to begin. It may have had something to do about the system getting ready to crash. However, if after he submits and for some reason he doesn’t hear anything, if he goes to dodmets.com, enters his SS number as to create a new user profile, if he’s good to proceed, his info should pull up in the system.

Of course, there’s a chance he may not be selected to proceed with DoDmerb, but my point is, he shouldn’t wait around forever waiting for a DoDmerb email without checking on it or asking about it. It’s important to start the DoDmerb process ASAP.
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Thanks. That helps!
 
Bayou Sailor said:
My DS wants to apply for Early Action. He is almost complete with his online application, but I have a couple of questions. The website states that the DoDMERB physical and the PFE test will be scheduled after they receive the online application. So, does that mean that only the online app needs to be submitted before Oct. 15? There is also the question of the LOR's from teachers and advisors. We're trying to avoid making this any harder than it has to be. Thanks!
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As part of the application, there should be a spot where he can send the request for LORs to his teachers by entering their email addresses. There should also be a spot where he enters the email of the person who will be administering and reporting his PFE score. For EA, his application needs to be submitted by Oct 15th and then the LORs and PFEs usually need to be submitted within 2 weeks after that. Those are sent in by those teachers/coaches using the links that they will receive in email based on him entering their name in those spots.

If he wants the same person to administer the PFE and also write a recommendation, he will need two different email addresses for them.
 
Our DS applied early action last year (he's at NAPS currently, hopefully class of 2028 CGA if all continues to go well). Last year, he was able to get all of his teachers to submit their letters of rec prior to the EA deadline. You request them through the bears den application portal and he would periodically resend the request if he didn't see they submitted in a week or so (he started in early summer). His coach submitted his PFE score also before the deadline. So he was able to "hit submit" prior to the EA deadline with all required materials submitted. But, as to your question, after he submitted his app (which was maybe a few days before the the EA deadline as I recall), and he got an email about two weeks later about the DODMERB stuff.

As for the letters of recs, while he did get all his teachers to submit them on time before the EA deadline, we found out later that you can actually submit the app without the letters of recs/PFE and the CGA gives you an additional week or two (roughly) to get all the letters of req and PFE stuff in later. Hope that helps.

Good luck. Last year we were exactly where you are now. It's a process. You hurry up and submit only to wait what feels like an eternity for an answer but it is all worth it. Best of luck
 
When I submitted my application, I got my DODMETS email 2 weeks later. I had almost all of the application completed, but was just missing an essay and did not get notified for a medical examination. Not sure if that helps or if that is just how time played out since we are all somewhat early on submitting the application.
 
SaltLife40 said:
Our DS applied early action last year (he's at NAPS currently, hopefully class of 2028 CGA if all continues to go well). Last year, he was able to get all of his teachers to submit their letters of rec prior to the EA deadline. You request them through the bears den application portal and he would periodically resend the request if he didn't see they submitted in a week or so (he started in early summer). His coach submitted his PFE score also before the deadline. So he was able to "hit submit" prior to the EA deadline with all required materials submitted. But, as to your question, after he submitted his app (which was maybe a few days before the the EA deadline as I recall), and he got an email about two weeks later about the DODMERB stuff.

As for the letters of recs, while he did get all his teachers to submit them on time before the EA deadline, we found out later that you can actually submit the app without the letters of recs/PFE and the CGA gives you an additional week or two (roughly) to get all the letters of req and PFE stuff in later. Hope that helps.

Good luck. Last year we were exactly where you are now. It's a process. You hurry up and submit only to wait what feels like an eternity for an answer but it is all worth it. Best of luck
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I’m curious… we’re you able to get a prep school offer during EA?
 
Butterfly beach said:
I’m curious… we’re you able to get a prep school offer during EA?
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Not sure how to answer that, as I guess the decision (i.e "prep school") was technically made during the EA decision window but we didn't finally/fully accept it until after the EA window. We submitted our CGA (assuming Class of 2027) application about late Sept as I recall (EA deadline is about Oct 15th-ish). After submitting, a few things happened and not necessarily in this order but 1) we received an email about setting up/completing his DODMERB and 2) we received an email from his prospective CGA coach that he was about to go before the review board and that my son need to tell him all the benefits/reasons, etc. that the CGA should accept him to CGA. That all happened in the Sept - Nov range (approximately). After submitting early action, he was told he was he would definitely hear back on a decision prior to Dec 23rd break. So on Dec 23rd-ish we checked the portal and saw that a decision was in and that he was accepted to a CGA prep school. Not to the CGA Class of 2027 that we were applying for but we were still VERY happy to be accepted to a CGAS program that would set him up for a CGA Class of 2028. At that point, maybe a week after receiving that decision, he accepted (he had to email someone but I forget who). Later one, we got to pick our top 3 CGA prep schools.Then, maybe May-ish, he was told he was assigned to NAPS (Naval Academy Prep) we assume because he's a football player. Hope that helps.

So I guess, yes, we did get an offer during EA but it was literally the last day that EA decision were being sent out.
 
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Bayou Sailor said:
My DS wants to apply for Early Action. He is almost complete with his online application, but I have a couple of questions. The website states that the DoDMERB physical and the PFE test will be scheduled after they receive the online application. So, does that mean that only the online app needs to be submitted before Oct. 15? There is also the question of the LOR's from teachers and advisors. We're trying to avoid making this any harder than it has to be. Thanks!
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Noticed that this is a necropost, but I talked to an admissions officer at Cadet for a Day, and he said that as long as your questionnaire is in by 10/15, they can wait until early November for the rest of it. Granted, I'd still try to get everything done before the deadline or as close to it as possible.
 
27BearDad said:
The online app will get the ball rolling for DoDmerb. LORs can be later. For PFE he’ll add a provider just like for an LOR (Coach, gym teacher, etc). They’ll receive an email with the instructions and you schedule directly with the person. Or, if your son did AIM and wants to use PFE score from that, he’ll select AIM as the provider.

Remember, for LORs if it says “optional”, it’s not really optional!

Last year, my daughter never did receive an email that DoDmerb was ready to begin. It may have had something to do about the system getting ready to crash. However, if after he submits and for some reason he doesn’t hear anything, if he goes to dodmets.com, enters his SS number as to create a new user profile, if he’s good to proceed, his info should pull up in the system.

Of course, there’s a chance he may not be selected to proceed with DoDmerb, but my point is, he shouldn’t wait around forever waiting for a DoDmerb email without checking on it or asking about it. It’s important to start the DoDmerb process ASAP.
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Great advice. My DS submitted his 100% completed application about 1 1/2 weeks ago. He checked dodmets last night and it has been active since 10/4. No email yet.
 
cgaapplicant0 said:
Has anyone seen any action on the EAs?
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They are just now assembling the review board to look at applications. It'll probably be another week or 2 before they're underway reviewing applications.

For reference, last year the first EA appoints were communicated on Nov 22 which was the Tues before Thanksgiving.
 
My DD got the email this week that her application was complete and will go to the review board in the next two weeks. Her application has been submitted since the day it opened. Good luck everyone.
 
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