HELP! Why Haven't I Heard? / When Will I Hear

usna1985

15-Year Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
7,814
As I posted on another thread, there's a real downside to the information age. Today's generation is used to texting and tweeting and all sorts of immediate feedback/answers/response.

Unfortunately, the USNA Admissions process doesn't work that way -- no instantaneous gratification. USNA has to deal with nominations, medical issues, mandated geographic diversity, statutory limits on the size of the entering class, and all sort of other things that don't apply to civilian colleges.

There is a process and a general timeline, which those of us who've dealt with Admissions for many years try to explain. What we can't do, however, is tell anyone here how it works specifically for them because no one here knows.

No one on this forum can tell any candidate:
  • When your record will be reviewed by the Board (if it hasn't already been)
  • When your MOC slate will be reviewed
  • Why one MOC slate is reviewed ahead of others
  • The order in which USNA reviews MOC slates
  • Whether the other person at your school who already received an appointment was charged to your MOC
  • When turndowns are sent out (other than NLT April 15)
  • Why some folks are turned down before others (other than if they didn't get a nom)
  • Why some people are appointed in early Feb. and others in early Apr.
  • Whether a principal nominee is 100% guaranteed to get an appointment
  • In what week/month USNA will decide whether to grant you a medical waiver
  • What time of day or day of the week your portal will be updated with good/bad news
  • Whether your MOC will or won't call you if you are offered an appointment
  • What you should do if your Plan B school wants a decision and you still haven't heard from USNA
USNA promises to notify all candidates of their status NLT April 15. In the past, the overwhelming majority heard prior to that date and most heard prior to April 1. In recent years, turndowns tended to come in waves on certain random days. That is NO guarantee it will work the same this year. In recent years, most people who are offered appointments get the good news by mid-March. That said, some get good news up until April 15 and some WLers hear after that. That is NO guarantee that any of the above will work the same this year.

If you receive a turndown, your journey is over for this year. If you are WL'ed, you still have a shot, but yield has been extremely high in recent years, so your chances are long. Not impossible, but long.

TRY, TRY REALLY HARD to be PATIENT. Check your portal. Be sure you have alternatives lined up.
 
Thanks @usna1985 - wonderful wisdom and guidance as always.

Quick Question - everyone seems to know that the process is they tell the MOC - and then give them time to notify the Appointee before updating the portal. What about when the appointment is being charged to a Presidential NOM? I am sure there are many who have Pres, but may not have MOC Noms. And there are some who have both. Would the Academy still have the MOC communicate it?
 
Thanks @usna1985 - wonderful wisdom and guidance as always.
I am sure there are many who have Pres, but may not have MOC Noms. And there are some who have both. Would the Academy still have the MOC communicate it?

My experience is they will hear directly from USNA, but then , perhaps this President will tweet it ! USNA usually give the nominating MOC the opportunity to make a call or give notice, but after a fixed period of time, USNA makes the notice.

Agree 100% on the OP -- once this cycle is over and this thread runs its course, would suggest it be added to the Stickys above !
 
I love this forum. So much that I went back to look at interesting discussions from years gone by. There is a 113 page discussion from 2014 about waiting, stalking the mail, etc. There was speculation that the weather delayed some of Admissions activity. There was also an obvious surge of TWE received in late March. :(

BUT...we have lots of time left to hear. Thankfully, our sons are involved in winter sports so we will be preoccupied with Sectionals, State Quals, State Championships as well as club sport championships. That should get us close to St. Paddy’s Day. Of course, the pot of gold looks like a BFE this year!

Thanks to all of the veteran members, moderators and such, who put up with our repetitive questions and anxiety year after year.
 
Thanks @usna1985 - wonderful wisdom and guidance as always.

Quick Question - everyone seems to know that the process is they tell the MOC - and then give them time to notify the Appointee before updating the portal. What about when the appointment is being charged to a Presidential NOM? I am sure there are many who have Pres, but may not have MOC Noms. And there are some who have both. Would the Academy still have the MOC communicate it?

Two of my kids were appointed under a Presidential Nom and heard directly from USNA, not from their MOC. We know theirs was a Presidential appointment because they were notified in October. At the time, their portal was not updated until their BFE arrived, so it was a great surprise! #3 was appointed under her MOC nom, and received a call from him in early February, during her soccer game!
 
If the candidate has a Presidential AND a MOC nomination at the time the appointment is offered, the MOC will generally be notified. If an appointment is made before a MOC nomination is received, it will come directly from USNA (falconchic88’s scenario). Other nominating sources can follow this pattern, too (i.e. NROTC/JROTC).
 
is it really matter who will notify of an appointment? it will probably come when you least expect it. but hearing about it from the President would be awesome.
 
is it really matter who will notify of an appointment? it will probably come when you least expect it. but hearing about it from the President would be awesome.

If only it came as a Tweet! That would be awesome!!
 
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