How Much Does Being in a Congressional District With Low Competition Help?

[Collegestudent16]

The congressional district I'm in right now has extremely low competition. My ALO says he doesn't think the academy has any cadets from my district in it currently, and other than myself and a prep school applicant I know, I don't think there will be any other applicants from my district. My question is; how much will this help me? Does it increase my chances of an appointment? Because even if I'm the top candidate in my district can't USAFA still deem me unfit for the academy and reject me? Or is that scenario unlikely?

 

[Capt MJ]

In one hand you need a nom; in the other hand, you need USAFA's blessing that you are 3Q'ed. Your MOC's nomination method (plenty of threads on that) plays a role. Less competition can help with a nom. But USAFA has to deem you a fully qualified candidate. You could have a Presidential, VP, Senator, MOC, etc., noms - and still not get in. Plenty of threads on here about being triple qualified.

 

[Collegestudent16]

So being in a less competitive district really won't help that much?

 

[NavyHoops]

It can definitely help you get a Nom but it won't help you to be 3Q. A Nom is one part along with being 3Q. They are two separate processes. Focus on putting together the best application you can because that is really the only thing you can control on this process.

 

[Collegestudent16]

It can definitely help you get a Nom but it won't help you to be 3Q. A Nom is one part along with being 3Q. They are two separate processes. Focus on putting together the best application you can because that is really the only thing you can control on this process.

What is a 3Q?

 

[Capt MJ]

The SAs use various terminology to determine if an applicant meets criteria for scholastic (includes academic), medical (DODMERB) and athletic (CFA). Fully qualified, triple qualified, 3q, etc. Many here on SAF use terms interchangeably. Bottom line - ya gotta make the SA cut in various areas to be considered a qualified candidate.

If you haven't yet read every page, link and drop down on USAFA.edu, I recommend it. Most answers are there.

Browse these forums.

Find the Acronyms thread in Community Info. It's handy.

Read everything on your Senator and MOC websites about nominations. Attend their SA info sessions. Figure out deadlines and due dates early (now). Apply for every nom for which eligible.

Explore ROTC.

 

[kinnem]

Apply for every nom for which eligible. Explore ROTC.

I heartily endorse Capt MJ's comments. Just because you only know of 1 other person besides yourself right now doesn't mean others won't turn up. In fact I doubt you have any real insight into who is applying for a nom even at this present time. Having multiple noms can help improve your chances of an appointment.... as long as you are 3Qed as stated above.

 

[USMA 1994]

If what you have been told is correct and If there are no other applicants this year, your chances of gaining an appointment improve significantly. The academy will admit at least one candidate from your district as long as that one meets the minimum requirements, in other words being 3Q. With that said, it just takes one other person in any given year with an outstanding application to turn a district competitive.

If you look at the incoming class profile and do an honest assessment, you should know if your application will be competitive. Do you have a well rounded application that covers grades, test scores, athletics, leadership activities?

You also should have a pretty good idea how you will do on the CFA. Do you meet or exceed the published averages?

If you can answer yes to those two areas you have 2 of the 3 Qs done.

The one unknown at this point is DoDMERB and that will come in time.

Keep working hard and finishing your applications. Apply for all of the nominations that you are eligible and enjoy your senior year.

 

[Collegestudent16]

If what you have been told is correct and If there are no other applicants this year, your chances of gaining an appointment improve significantly. The academy will admit at least one candidate from your district as long as that one meets the minimum requirements, in other words being 3Q. With that said, it just takes one other person in any given year with an outstanding application to turn a district competitive.

If you look at the incoming class profile and do an honest assessment, you should know if your application will be competitive. Do you have a well rounded application that covers grades, test scores, athletics, leadership activities?

You also should have a pretty good idea how you will do on the CFA. Do you meet or exceed the published averages?

If you can answer yes to those two areas you have 2 of the 3 Qs done.

The one unknown at this point is DoDMERB and that will come in time.

Keep working hard and finishing your applications. Apply for all of the nominations that you are eligible and enjoy your senior year.

I can answer yes to those first two areas. But how often does the DodMERB disqualify a candidate? I have never had any health issues and keep in good physical shape, so do I have to worry about anything?

 

[Capt MJ]

If you are hoping for someone to tell you you're a lock for an appointment, no one can do that with any certainty. There are many each year with a nom, fully qualified, with stunning applications, who are not offered appointments.

The DODMERB process is thorough. You are asked a lot of "have you ever" questions. With luck, you will not have to provide additional information on anything and will sail through.

Apply with your best package for noms and SA application, go through the process, and find out.

 

[kinnem]

I have never had any health issues and keep in good physical shape, so do I have to worry about anything?

People are disqualified every year, a few for issues they never knew they had or thought would be OK. You're not qualified until you're qualified. Quit worrying about it and work on what you can control as well as alternate plans.

 

[time2]

^^ I agree. You also can't ASSUME your will be 3Q since no one outside of the SA knows the current formula. As it relates to getting a NOM, your parents are probably not going to relocate just to live in a place where their is the perception that getting a NOM is easier. You also don't know how many will apply in any given year. Just because few applied last year, doesn't mean their won't be more competition this year. Better to focus on the things you can control.

Everything about getting an appointment to an SA is a competition and you really have no way know to who else is applying in any given year. Far more apply then get appointments, that is why the advice consistently given here is to focus on making your resume the best it can be.

 

[Hoodlum15]

I know it's really hard, but try to spend your time worrying about the things you can control - putting together and submitting an excellent application while continuing to excel in your current academic and extracurricular activities.

 

[MN-Dad-2016]

The congressional district I'm in right now has extremely low competition.

Oh.. The OP forgot to mention that he is from Denver.






JUST kidding!

 

[MemberLG]

You also can't ASSUME your will be 3Q since no one outside of the SA knows the current formula.

We can make a reasonable estimate on 3Q.

Medical - DoDMERB notifies you
Physical - average score can be used to guess on fail or pass
Academic - more likely to qualify if you are on par with the average.

What makes hard is borderline - 1190 SAT, 7:58 mile run time, . . .

 

[5Day]

I can answer yes to those first two areas. But how often does the DodMERB disqualify a candidate? I have never had any health issues and keep in good physical shape, so do I have to worry about anything?

The Pentagon says 71 percent of America's 34 million 17-24 year old population would fail to qualify for enlistment.

 

[time2]

We can make a reasonable estimate on 3Q.

Not really. The Q for SCHOLASTIC is about far more then just SAT/ACT scores (ECA's, leadership, evaluations....etc.). NONE of us will ever read the letters of recommendations or teacher evaluations which are also a part of this.

 

[USMA 1994]

I am not sure why we are kind of beating the OP up here. You can make a Reasonable estimate of being scholastically qualified if you do an Honest Assessment of your high school/college career. The kids who work hard everyday, take the hard classes, perform well in relation to their peers, have test scores at or above the averages, compete at a reasonable high level athletically, are involved in extracurricular activities and serve as leaders in their communities will be qualified. Each academy list a class profile and if you are in the averages of that profile without any glaring red flags you will be qualified.

The questions arise when you are on the border as @MemberLG says.

The harder questions revolve around your chances of an appointment. Estimating where you will fall on a nomination slate is impossible. You do not know who else you are competing against and it is impossible to know how they have performed. You see it here all the time on the Forum as candidates happen to "leave out" the areas that they have not done well in.

The bottom line to the OP, be honest with yourself and look to improve the areas that you can. You know the answers to your questions. Complete all of your application requirements and enjoy your senior year.

 

[raimius]

Don't worry about the things you have zero control over. Work to make your application as competitive as possible.

 

[MemberLG]

We can make a reasonable estimate on 3Q.

Not really. The Q for SCHOLASTIC is about far more then just SAT/ACT scores (ECA's, leadership, evaluations....etc.). NONE of us will ever read the letters of recommendations or teacher evaluations which are also a part of this.

Respectfully disagree, as letters of recommendations have no point values for WCS and school official evaluations and ECA have limited point values for WCS.