Is there any advantage to applying to USNA early?

Does the candidate activities record need to be verified by the counselor before it triggers Dodmerb? My DD has completed everything but the essay and will meet with her BGO next week, still waiting on counselor to verify her record and Eng teacher eval.

No. Last summer, almost to the day, DS was notified to start the DoDMERB process. His counselor had not yet verified his activities record. I don't know if any one thing triggers DoDMERB but I've seen it written that the DoDMERB process generally starts when "half of the application" is completed.

That's what I thought but she has had more than half completed for several weeks now. We know Dodmerb is going to be an issue and that is the reason she started early. Will the admissions counselor be able to advise us on the Dodmerb process? Her regional counselor is meeting with her today to answer any questions.

I *think* that their admissions counselor is 'in charge' of it all. I say this, BC DS had his transcripts sent a LONG time ago, and they weren't showing up in his portal, so he had emailed his admissions counselor. He received an auto response 'out of the office until XXX'. The very next day of the return date, a couple of things were recorded in his portal (including transcripts, which were probably sitting in a mail pile on their desk). Also, the DODMERB letter was emailed to him. My guess is that his admissions counselor was gone, then they got to work upon their return.

I don't think any specific thing has to be completed, rather a 'substantial' amount completed. I have also read 50 pct.

I bet your DODMERB will rigger soon! Check email, as it was a separate email.
DODMERB is usually at 50% completion. Also there are new admissions counselors who have been on the job a whopping 1 week! Folks don't rush. Put together the best package you can in the time frame that fits you. I am always amazed that the folks with the least amount of experience are giving the most responses.

Yeah, I've got almost thirty admissions cycles as a BGO under my belt now along with double digit years as a MOC interviewer so I probably should not try to give an opinion on what I've seen work across thousands of applicants.

Got it.

One of the reasons I find this forum so valuable is because of the advice I receive from so many, whether they have been doing it for 20 years or 20 days, it’s up to me to either take that info or leave it but I would never judge anyone for trying to be helpful.
 
@ThePatternisFull Agree 100%. I am amazed that many posters must live on the forum. I have many times had to correct the misinformation given. Some from older folks who claim to have inside info and more recently those who are new and want to give their opinions. From here on out I wish everyone the best. I will be posting very infrequently!
 
@ThePatternisFull Agree 100%. I am amazed that many posters must live on the forum. I have many times had to correct the misinformation given. Some from older folks who claim to have inside info and more recently those who are new and want to give their opinions. From here on out I wish everyone the best. I will be posting very infrequently!
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@parent .... I think it's a good thing that you and many others who have inside experience and knowledge point out misinformation. I certainly appreciate being corrected, and I think many others here would agree with this. Most folks here are inquisitive, eager and fun loving people. I love reading everyone who posts here.

Also, I don't find it unusual that some of the content here would "Irk" you .... I would expect it to Irk you. You are a BGO. Many of us are just civilians, graduates in other arenas, and happen to be a parent of a Kid or Kids that applied to a SA. We are in awe of what you do and what this is all about.

I say let all these good people live on this forum if they want to .... My wife is pressing me to get outside and re-string some Barbed Wire. She's also pestering me about some trim 30 ft. up. (I built this house 30 years. Took 3 years to finish -- and a house is never really finished, because you are constantly circling it doing whatever.)

:)
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Let me preface this by stating that I am a noob. I don't have decades of experience in observing the admissions process, I am not an academy affiliate, and have no military background. I have exactly one admissions process upon which to base my opinion.

That being said, I don't think that the timing of the application submission is a hugely material factor. What counts is the quality of the applicant's bona fides and the accuracy to which the application reflects those qualities. It seems to me that if the applicant possesses the aptitudes that the Academy desires, and if the application accurately conveys those aptitudes, then the likelihood of admission is greatly increased.

Make sure that you submit an honest and in-depth representation of who you are. Make sure that you submit an application that does not contain errors that reflect a lack of focus on the process. Make sure that you hit all of the deadlines.
Most of all, make sure that you have applied maximum effort over multiple years to achieve the level of excellence required to earn a nomination, and an appointment.

That is what worked for my DD.
 
As you can see there are a variety of answers. I think it’s easier to get an app done before returning to school. There are some things to take into account. Your teacher evaluations... did you have good relationships with your junior year teachers? If you did not, then it might be best for wait for the fall. Maybe approach the teacher week 1, tell them what you are doing and after a 4, 6 or 8 week mark you would like them to fill it out. Maybe this fall you have a big item like Eagle Scout, team Captain or test retake to add. You can always complete your app and ask your admissions counselor to hold your app until the new scores or eagle is added. Be clear as to why you want to hold off. This way you can get your app ‘done’ but might have a significant item to add. The fall is going to be busy with noms, DoDMERB, other apps, school, life. It easier to get done now and focus. I would not forgo quality for speed.
 
Does the candidate activities record need to be verified by the counselor before it triggers Dodmerb? My DD has completed everything but the essay and will meet with her BGO next week, still waiting on counselor to verify her record and Eng teacher eval.

No. Last summer, almost to the day, DS was notified to start the DoDMERB process. His counselor had not yet verified his activities record. I don't know if any one thing triggers DoDMERB but I've seen it written that the DoDMERB process generally starts when "half of the application" is completed.

That's what I thought but she has had more than half completed for several weeks now. We know Dodmerb is going to be an issue and that is the reason she started early. Will the admissions counselor be able to advise us on the Dodmerb process? Her regional counselor is meeting with her today to answer any questions.

I *think* that their admissions counselor is 'in charge' of it all. I say this, BC DS had his transcripts sent a LONG time ago, and they weren't showing up in his portal, so he had emailed his admissions counselor. He received an auto response 'out of the office until XXX'. The very next day of the return date, a couple of things were recorded in his portal (including transcripts, which were probably sitting in a mail pile on their desk). Also, the DODMERB letter was emailed to him. My guess is that his admissions counselor was gone, then they got to work upon their return.

I don't think any specific thing has to be completed, rather a 'substantial' amount completed. I have also read 50 pct.

I bet your DODMERB will rigger soon! Check email, as it was a separate email.
DODMERB is usually at 50% completion. Also there are new admissions counselors who have been on the job a whopping 1 week! Folks don't rush. Put together the best package you can in the time frame that fits you. I am always amazed that the folks with the least amount of experience are giving the most responses.

Yeah, I've got almost thirty admissions cycles as a BGO under my belt now along with double digit years as a MOC interviewer so I probably should not try to give an opinion on what I've seen work across thousands of applicants.

Got it.
LOL
 
Does the candidate activities record need to be verified by the counselor before it triggers Dodmerb? My DD has completed everything but the essay and will meet with her BGO next week, still waiting on counselor to verify her record and Eng teacher eval.

No. Last summer, almost to the day, DS was notified to start the DoDMERB process. His counselor had not yet verified his activities record. I don't know if any one thing triggers DoDMERB but I've seen it written that the DoDMERB process generally starts when "half of the application" is completed.
If I recall, DS seemed to have had a lot of his application completed, but until he submitted his personal statement (or whatever it is called) then the DoDMERB wasn't requested. Also, his BGO wouldn't do the interview until 100% of his application was complete. This is not the norm, but it was the practice of our BGO at the time.
 
Every BGO has different ‘rules’ as to when they will do interviews. I do mine somewhere between 50-75%. A BGO with a ton of candidates might wait until 100%. DoDMERB will trigger at 50% completion.
 
Every BGO has different ‘rules’ as to when they will do interviews. I do mine somewhere between 50-75%. A BGO with a ton of candidates might wait until 100%. DoDMERB will trigger at 50% completion.

My DD met with her admissions counselor yesterday and she said the same thing, 50% and even encouraged her to take her time with her candidate activities record and essay because Dodmerb did not need those to trigger.
She checked her application and said she was at 50% last week when her transcript came through so to expect an email from Dodmerb soon.

I am so so thankful my DD met with her, we realized that my DD could have submitted a much more detailed candidate activities record and because we were so concerned with Dodmerb almost made a costly mistake by submitting too soon. :eek: Yes we were guilty even after all the good advice on this forum to NOT do that! Yikes, all because this Mom was freaking out over Dodmerb not being triggered. :confused:

Thankfully I was able to contact her counselor and tell her to NOT validate the record my DD had already submitted so it was kicked back and now my DD can take her time. She has the opportunity to work on a big service project this month and her application would have missed having this in our haste to submit. :oops:
 
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