just want to clear something up

[navy_clarinet]

My mom sent me an interesting email the other night and it got me worried that candidates for this year's class were getting something terribly wrong.

Here's what she asked:
"After reading some things on the two forums about nominations and appointments, I am reading several say that if they are getting the MOC nomination or Senator nomination that they are a shoe in for the appointment. These are ones without LOAs. Now as I understand it, you can have a nomination and still not get an appointment BUT you will not (well 99% of the time) get an appointment without a nomination. I seriously hope some of these families are not putting their hope on the nominations. I think about the kid in you NASS squad, he was triple Q’d and had 3 nominations last year and still did not get in. Then you had no LOA but had a nomination and did not get in but got NAPS offered. And then just because one SA offers you an appointment does not mean that another one will…look at you."

I wanted to make sure that all candidates reading this forum understand that a nomination does not equal an appointment. A nomination plus triple qual'ed does not equal an appointment. An LOA, successful completion of your packet (DODMERB), and a nomination equals an appointment.

Also, my mom is exactly right, if you get an appointment from one SA, don't count on one from every SA you applied to. I got an appointment to USAFA but not to USNA. I have to graduate NAPS to go to USNA.

BGO's correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is correct.
I just do not want candidates getiing their hearts broken if things don't go as planned. Please, don't get me wrong, a nomination is a big step, just not the final one.

 

[Pima]

Navy,

You are right. I have been pointing this out to one particular person. I am glad that you have shared your story so people don't think it is an urban myth

 

[USNA84]

Piling on (a little)

Spot on advice.

As a BGO in a competitve area, I would also add that having an appointment is not a license to "cruise" for the rest of the year. Keep "taking a strain" and maintain your grades, and stay on the straight and narrow behavior-wise. USNA will look at your grades some time in the January - March timeframe to ensure that "senioritis" has not set in.

 

[usna1985]

Absolutely right in that -- generally -- getting a nom, or 2, or 3, or more, does not necessarily get you an appointment. There are exceptions -- for example someone who is Triple Q'ed and receives a principal nom or someone with an LOA.

Receiving a nomination is great and is one step toward getting an appointment. Receing more than one nom is usually beneficial. However, I've had a candidate with 3 noms (2 MOC and Presidential) who was medically qualified and still didn't get an appointment. It happens.

 

[Maximus]

Spot on advice.

As a BGO in a competitve area, I would also add that having an appointment is not a license to "cruise" for the rest of the year. Keep "taking a strain" and maintain your grades, and stay on the straight and narrow behavior-wise. USNA will look at your grades some time in the January - March timeframe to ensure that "senioritis" has not set in.

With this thought in mind, how often does the USNA admissions look at updated candidate's files? In other words, if you submit a weak application in August of the summer before senior year, and you update with better SAT's, ACT's and a better GPA along with a good performance in your "strain" senior curriculum, is that the normal or only done when they start losing LOA's and perfect candidates?

Thanks.

 

[Zaphod]

I am reading several say that if they are getting the MOC nomination or Senator nomination that they are a shoe in for the appointment.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Just using some grossly rounded estimates, each class has around 25,000 applicants. The nomination process cuts that down to about what, 5,000 or so, AT BEST? From that, a class of around 1,100 are appointed.

No, the nomination is simply the ticket you need to get in the door. After you're in the door, it's a whole other ballgame.

 

[2012mom?]

Maximus,

Applying with a "weak application" in August of your senior year is a bad idea!!!

OK, being more serious, it depends on what you mean by "weak." If your test scores (SAT/ACT) aren't the best, of course you should keep taking them up to the last opportunity, because the SAs do take your best score for each section.

However, if your class rank/GPA is weak at the start of senior year, it's going to be very hard to make too much of a change. That's something that you future candidates need to work on from the first day of HS, if possible, or at least the first minute you think about applying to any good college.

BGOs, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that an application only goes before "the board" once. I believe that I have read that USNA Admissions will hold a file until they think it's strong enough to have a chance.

 

[Maximus]

I am talking about GPA and ACT scores. There are two D's from freshman and sophomore years that have been made up with a great program our school offers, virtual school on line. He was given the opportunity to re-take these classes and has aced them. Unfortunately his transcript won't be updated till at least next September. The ACT scores are of course competitive now but he's taken a Huntington ACT course and has scored much higher in their tests after the course. He should get a few points higher on the composite but again....that test is not till September, if memory serves.
We'll hold the full application if it's the way to go, it's just he was told to finish it early at Summer Seminar and submit it ASAP. I was also told to submit his NROTC application early also as their first board is August 1st. this year.

 

[2012mom?]

As always, I will submit to the views of BGOs, but I would NOT hold up an application to wait for an updated transcript or ACT score. If your son's PSAT or other scores that he listed on the NASS application or preliminary application were good enough (roughly 600 each math and verbal) to get a candidate number, I would get any and all application materials in ASAP. I'm on my DoDMERB soapbox. You cannot get the medical board paperwork going soon enough, IMO. Sure, your son may roll on through and be immediately qualified medically, but if he is initially DQ'd, you may need every minute from now until May to get things squared away. I am not exaggerating. My Class of 2012 Plebe daughter was medically DQ'd, had to take several extra tests.....every extra piece of info costs easily 2-3 months turnaround time....no medical Q until May.

 

[Maximus]

We're waiting for the DoDMERB instructions as we speak. This is what is on his account there:

01-JUL-08 Application Added
01-JUL-08 Date applicant entered into DoDMERB system
02-JUL-08 Date to Contractor