How does NASS help your Naval Academy Application

superbison007

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I recently attended NASS (Naval Academy Summer Seminar), and I was wondering if that helps improve your chances of getting into the academy considering there is a evaluation added to your profile by your squad leader?
 
Based upon what I have heard from my friends that are NASS detailers it doesn't help you in any way. However, if you made a really bad impression it could potentially hurt you.
 
NASS helps your application in that you can be more informed than most about what you’re applying for. The knowledge gleaned from NASS can be reflected in your personal statement and BGO interview, as well as your nomination applications and interviews. Beyond that, merely attending NASS does nothing for strengthening your chances of appointment. Most mids did not attend NASS. Most NASS attendees did not receive offer of appointment.
 
My DS went to NASS last year. Out of his NASS squad of 10, he was the only one appointed to USNA. One other guy received an appointment to West Point. But it was a great experience and after NASS he knew with a high level of certainty that he wanted to go there and that he was a good fit. He has no idea if his participation in NASS helped or hurt his application.
 
Does getting selected to attend NASS mean that your application is at least "in the ballpark" and that you might "have a shot" at getting an appointment? I mean they don't just randomly pick from the people who apply, do they?
 
I think it means you have a shot - the primary quantitative decider for NASS is if it meets a threshold SAT/ACT/PSAT score(s). But I think if you are in a district/area/school that they want to attract candidates from (maybe under-served, maybe haven't seen an application from a particular school in a long time, maybe 1000 miles from the nearest ocean) that is probably as important.
 
DS is home on leave. He was a detailer. While he isnt admissions, he has some insight. He did write ups of everyone in his squads. He had some ‘jerk know it alls’, not team players. To the point of requiring some private discussion about it. Very rude and disrespectful kids that said their parents made them go. They did not receive good evaluations. A bad write up/evaluation can keep an applicant out. A great write up/evaluation may help. Average probably doesn’t do anything.

Another observation was that there were kids there that, based upon their resumes and test scores, he didn’t think would be offered an appointment. His opinion. Having them in attendance however lends support to the stated “it’s a recruiting thing” purpose of summer seminar.

So, in a nutshell, imo in talking with DS, the kids in attendance are selected for whatever reason. Not necessarily because they are “potential candidates. And while there, a good evaluation from your detailer may help in your overall package. It for sure won’t hurt! Conversely a really bad evaluation will probably put a ‘red flag’ on your application.

An invitation is nit an indicator of your competitiveness. How can it be? They don’t even ‘know’ you yet. The pre-candidate questionnaire is very basic.
 
My DS went to NASS last month as well. There is a pre-NASS & post-NASS era for him.

He even wants to take another NASS if it’s possible. It’s motivated him tremendously and confirmed that USNA is his ultimate goal to serve the country.

Several admission officers clarified that NASS WILL NOT affect or increase a chance to get appointed though.

We all know that “Motivation is Everything” for young candidates.

I met an admission officer after a parent session in the first day, and heard that he was not invited to NASS either. Some candidates cannot attend NASS due to scheduling conflicts, financial reasons, extra curricular activities, etc.

I believe that USNA can’t discriminate candidates due to the above reasons.

The bottom line is that if candidates are well motivated, the main goal of NASS are achieved since they are willing to complete their applications a lot more.

As such, my personal opinion is that it will increase a chance of appointment since candidates will work even harder to achieve their goals. This is what I am observing as a parent.
 
As such, my personal opinion is that it will increase a chance of appointment since candidates will work even harder to achieve their goals. This is what I am observing as a parent

Good point. Along those same lines, I am taking DS (a rising sophomore in H.S.) to a public tour of the yard next Monday or Tuesday. Neither of us have ever been there. We will attend one of the daily admissions briefings. My hope is that this visit will further motivate him to up his game (he is already pretty motivated, but he is still young and who knows what is going on in his head.)
 
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Our daughter wasn't invited to NASS.

I think receiving a Fall CVW invite right after the candidate has interviewed with their BGO says little bit more .... DD did her BGO interview at the house in early August last year, 2018. We were all surprised when she got an invite very soon after this, and I believe the BGO was emailing her asking if she had gone on her CVW yet.
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I don't think an Official Candidate would get a CVW invite unless admissions thought you measured up in some way .... To be honest, I think admissions had already targeted DD for NAPS very quickly because of her Class-Rank compared to her peers at a very competitive Northern VA HS. Her SAT is high though (took it 1 time -- May 2018) .... That's the odd part. High SAT and Ho-Hum Class-Rank in comparison to her USNA competition. A flag could have been triggered in the admissions equation .... Smart kid, but needs to focus on "Detail" more in her classes -- the Oops factor. NAPS is definitely the place to refocus all her abilities and attention to detail.
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To be honest, Grades (Btw -- I never knew about her class rank, and didn't care) were never a big thing with my wife and I, and I am a PhD EE, and my wife is a school teacher .... we just had her take all the hard subjects, and told her never be intimidated, and she did well by my standards. She was in Montessori through the 4th grade I believe. They don't even grade. I would say keeping her busy in extra curricular activities, NJROTC, sports, and her Music (she is a concert level pianist) was way more important to us. A happy kid, and a kid that has energy, in reserve for the next level, is all that anyone should expect.

Segue -- How can we include writing awards and piano awards, things that aren't easy, into the Class-Rank equation. Shouldn't it be there? This whole class-rank thing irks the heck out of me.

So the point here is, there is all kinds of factors that go into the equation, and they don't know probably as much as 90% of what that is until after you have completed much of the application and met with your BGO ... and don't forget about DoDMERB and waivers and all that too.
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From what I've heard anecdotally, if you knock it out of the park at NASS (do well on CFA, are a real team player, etc.), it can be a TINY help. About 10 years ago, I had a candidate who had done the above and USNA knew about it (they tom me the candidate was the top performer at NASS, whatever that means). Candidate was offered an appointment but turned it down.

If you are a total "negit" (pretty much as described above) and the write-up from your PS detailer (who is just a brand new 3/C BTW) is generally in line with what Admissions sees from teacher recs, BGO write up, CFA, etc., it could hurt a bit. But that candidate is probably doomed based on other input.

Overall, it IS a recruiting tool and for the overwhelming majority of candidates, the primary outcome will be helping the candidate decide whether to continue his/her application. In that regard, I just had a candidate who attended NASS email me the "they" (pardon the grammar) are not continuing with their USNA application.

I don't think an Official Candidate would get a CVW invite unless admissions thought you measured up in some way ...

This used to be the case (as in 40 years go). Not today. If you're an "official candidate," that is typically enough to get a CVW. There are usually more slots available thank taken. I've had quite a few candidates in recent years who had CVWs who received turndowns. Great candidates, but the numbers worked against them.

I realize many candidates who are appointed may have done CVWs, but please don't read too much into an invitation. With so many people not being able to attend NASS, CVWs are offered as a means for those folks to see USNA.
 
I recently attended NASS (Naval Academy Summer Seminar), and I was wondering if that helps improve your chances of getting into the academy considering there is a evaluation added to your profile by your squad leader?
NOPE. Think about it for a moment. You are being evaluated by folks who very recently were in your shoes. The evaluation is just a means for a detailer to get practice evaluating others. Being invited to NASS has ZERO bearing on getting an appointment! Also CVW is just a recruiting tool too.
 
Does getting selected to attend NASS mean that your application is at least "in the ballpark" and that you might "have a shot" at getting an appointment? I mean they don't just randomly pick from the people who apply, do they?
Yep!
 
Does getting selected to attend NASS mean that your application is at least "in the ballpark" and that you might "have a shot" at getting an appointment? I mean they don't just randomly pick from the people who apply, do they?
Yep!

If they just randomly select from the people who apply to NASS, then why do they ask for: SAT scores, classes taken, grades, athletic participation history, and extracurricular activities in the NAS application? I must be missing something. Your profile indicates that you have FAR more experience and knowledge than I do, but I just don't get it. It would seem that the Navy would want to bring in top candidates for NASS, "sell" the program to that group, then select the best of the best for appointments. We all know that the Navy is never wrong. So there must be some wisdom to the process that I am missing.
 
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Selection to NASS is not random. Nor is it straight rack-and-stack. GPA, test scores, athletic participation are certainly taken into consideration. But every year there are attendees whose qualifications -- based on those factors -- are inferior to those who were not selected. As has been said many times on SAF, NASS is primarily a recruiting and awareness-building program. It's a means of reaching candidates from certain segments and regions. So "numbers" act as a preliminary screen (and perhaps a tiebreaker among otherwise similar candidates), but they are neither the end-all-be-all nor completely irrelevant.
 
Someone from the Midwest, with far less “stats” than someone from either coasts, may be selected Bc they increase awareness at their high school in a geographically underrepresented area. An area that doesn’t have much Navy outreach Bc of location. Then that kid goes back to their town and tells their buddies about the experience. Or the school talks about it in their publications. And the navy gets some exposure. Recruitment.

Remember that there is a geographical representation to appointments. It’s not a true national competition.
 
I recently attended NASS (Naval Academy Summer Seminar), and I was wondering if that helps improve your chances of getting into the academy considering there is a evaluation added to your profile by your squad leader?

The simple answer is no.
 
As such, my personal opinion is that it will increase a chance of appointment since candidates will work even harder to achieve their goals. This is what I am observing as a parent.
Sorry it does not increase the chance of appointment!
Yes, I agree with you that NASS itself doesn’t affect an appointment directly. I meant that a highly motivated candidate’s application will become more competitive b/c he/she definitely will pour more energy and effort into their applications & interviews.
 
As such, my personal opinion is that it will increase a chance of appointment since candidates will work even harder to achieve their goals. This is what I am observing as a parent.
Sorry it does not increase the chance of appointment!
Yes, I agree with you that NASS itself doesn’t affect an appointment directly. I meant that a highly motivated candidate’s application will become more competitive b/c he/she definitely will pour more energy and effort into their applications & interviews.
I certainly don't see where that's a given.
 
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