Important Updates for Class of 2017 Applicants

Ken2012, yeah my read is take your time to get the best CFA score, the highest SAT scores, etc. If they're not making decisions until late fall or early winter, then unlike prior years where truly interested candidates finished everything by late June/early July, there's certainly no rush now.
 
Even though rolling admissions and LOAs have been taken out of the picture, there are still some very good reasons to complete your file early.

- it shows your RC and FFR that you are a dedicated and determined candidate (who doesn't want to send that message!)
- medical waivers will not be requested unless your file is complete
- DoDMERB exam will not be authorized to be scheduled unless the candidate has completed a significant portion of the application. The sooner you take the exam the better.
- you're more likely to get an authorization for a CFA retest if test was failed
- there are some issues that arise in a file review that take time to resolve - like citizenship verification, risk review, and legal or discipline problems, to name a few
- one thing that you may not have thought about is the impact that early file completion has on the MOCs. If your file is complete, it then can move to the next step which is to be Qualified. Being 'Qualified' before you go to your MOC interview sends a message to the MOC that you are a 'no risk' to nominate because WP has already Qualified you. Noms are wasted on candidates who are not Qualified. Therefore, MOCs like knowing this kind of info before they make their slates.
The Qualifying process can take several weeks (and takes longer the later you wait due to increasing file volume), so you want your file complete in time to be Qualified before any MOC interviews!

From our former RC:
"The best candidates tend to complete their files early because they ARE the best candidates. They complete everything in their file early and can manage the numerous activities going on in their life. They have established relationships with their teachers and school administrators and know how to work through the high school bureaucracy that stymies other candidates. They are motivated and West Point is their first choice."

I think that speaks volumes!
Early file completion is something that RCs consistently emphasize.

Candidates can update their file with any new information up until the application deadline (28 FEB) so there is no penalty to early file completion in that respect.
 
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Regarding URM (under represented minorities):

I agree with the above poster, having read lots of Official material on this about 14 months ago, but not since -- the goal is for the Officer ranks % to mirror the Enlisted ranks % for a population group -- Hispanic, Black, Asian, and gender.

If Asian enlisted = 6%, and Asian Officer = 4%, there would be a goal to increase Asian officers. The % of a population group in the general population is irrelevant. I assume this balance or imbalance is assessed each year, and goals set accordingly.
 
Candidates - follow the note from buff81 and ignor the note from another13mom. It is still important to get your file done early for all the reasons buff81 describes. Be carefull on this forum - there is some excellent advice and some not-so-excellent advice given.
 
trying to figure out the meaning of a letter from admissions. Can someone say what the wording of a LOE might be?
 
Basically it says you are being offered an overnight visit which is reserved for only the highest qualified candidates. Something like that. If the letter offers an overnight visit, it's a LoE.
 
I agree totally with Buff81 and BigNick...Get your file done early! It just makes sense on so many levels. Even though the appointment will come February 26th, admissions is working these files through the fall and winter. They are not playing ping pong and drinking cokes waiting for Feb 1st to begin deciding who to appoint! In my opinion, from the admissions point of view, not much has changed. They can review candidates and make decisions but just not make the apointment until Feb 26th. Just my 2 cents.
 
Just to clarify my postion, which Nick has resoundingly thumped :), if you have submitted the overwhelming majority of your file, but want an extra month to really train for the CFA, I see no harm in waiting till early November to do that - but you should really have everything else in (teacher evaluations, Activities Record and verification, scores, transcripts, etc). Similarly, if you want to improve a test score like the SAT, and have submitted preliminary scores along with the majority of your file, I see no harm in waiting for the November test to do that either. In the end (which now appears to be February), there will be many applicants in each congressional district and on the NWL who will be judged on their whole candidate score. Taking every opportunity to improve your score can't hurt. However, I would complete your file asap and wouldn't wait on the ONE thing you want to improve past mid-November.
 
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I was just at West Point and they briefed us that last year (Class of 2016) they only accepted 1189 cadets. 1200 will actually be a slight increase.
 
I was just at West Point and they briefed us that last year (Class of 2016) they only accepted 1189 cadets. 1200 will actually be a slight increase.

there is a big difference between offered vs accepted vs goal.

I believe West Point's goal was 1150 for the class of 2016. They made 1386 offers.
 
USNA LOA and USMA

If all the information regarding USMA only send out the offer letter on Feb 26, my DS 1st choice is USMA, which mean he will have to make a tough decision as follow.
- He has received congressional nomination to USMA mid-November. (All application has been completed in Sept.)
- He received LOA from USNA in early November, but no nomination yet. He has to response his intention to the Navy by March 1.

If he waits for USMA to receive the offer on Feb 26, he may miss pursuing the nomination for USNA, because he only has 2 days to response to USNA, but if he pursuing the nomination to USNA sometime in January, he may have to forgo the USMA appointment, assuming he may receive the offer from USMA later. How can he play this out effectively?

- Is it true that the candidate with LOA can receive the nomination from congressional/senatorial without being charge to the current 5 academy allotment? The reason being, the navy congressional liaison can request for the nomination and not charging the allotment so it is a win win situation to all party, according some of the blog I read.
 
Your DS does not have to respond to USNA until May 1st. This will allow more offers to come in and more time to make his decision.
 
Unfortunately, the letter said my DS has to response by March 1, therefore the dilemma!
 
Unfortunately, the letter said my DS has to response by March 1, therefore the dilemma!

Are you sure the letter says to respond his intentions by March 1? I just looked at my DD's LOA from USNA (rec'd in August), and it has the following in bold (direct quote):

"Please remember that your guaranteed offer of appointment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of all the remaining admissions requirements. You must complete the following marked requirements by March 1, 2013 or this offer may no longer be valid."

In my DD's case, the nomination boxed was marked, but there were other requirements in the letter, which were not marked because she had them completed.

Might be worth double-checking the letter to see if this isn't the case. Hope this helps.

Still waiting (im)patiently for than nom.....:rolleyes:
 
I believe you are probably looking at the LOA incorrectly like "hopeful" pointed out and the March deadline is only for getting in items to your package that are missing - my DS received an appt to the USNA and has to respond by May 1st. The actual language is "respond within one week or May 1st whichever is later".
 
My bad! Hopeful is correct. The letter we got has the same exact quote. We're also waiting for the nom from a Senator, which will announce her nom list in January. The 2nd Senator historically announces his list in April, which is too late in our case. I'll wait after the 1st Senator announces her nom list and if my DS does not make the list. I'll contact Naval Congressional Liaison Officer to do their magic trick! lol
 
My bad! Hopeful is correct. The letter we got has the same exact quote. We're also waiting for the nom from a Senator, which will announce her nom list in January. The 2nd Senator historically announces his list in April, which is too late in our case. I'll wait after the 1st Senator announces her nom list and if my DS does not make the list. I'll contact Naval Congressional Liaison Officer to do their magic trick! lol

That date for the second senator is puzzling. I thought noms were due by Jan 31? If so, waiting until April to announce seems rather pointless. But then, much of what Congress does seems rather pointless.
 
Unfortunately, the letter said my DS has to response by March 1, therefore the dilemma!

I was talking to my liaison officer about the possibility of a similar problem (different academies), and he suggested doing the selfish thing for once. If you do actually have to accept the USNA one by March 1, wait until after Feb 26, when USMA will have sent their's out, then accept the USNA one. You will learn in a few days about USMA, so either you go to USNA because USMA turned you down (although it sounds unlikely), or you accept USMA and call up USNA saying no, and they give your appointment to someone else, who only waited a few extra days, but will be ecstatic to receive it nonetheless. I think I might feel guilty about it, but thinking it through it makes sense to me.
If you are lucky, you will hear from West Point earlier and won't run into that problem at all!
Good luck

P.S. In case it wasn't apparent, I wrote this as if writing to your DS.
 
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