Letters Of Assurance

Amen stealth. It doesn't matter if you were a 4.0 gpa in high school and ranked in the top 10 in your class. So was a LOT OF OTHERS at the academy. Doesn't matter if you got your appointment in November early or in March. Everyone at the academy has their appointment. Doesn't matter if you were a big time athlete in High School. So was 90% of those at the academy. You name the activity or accomplishment that you might have done; and there's probably 100 others minimum at the academy that did the same thing. Like stealth said, once at the academy it is what you accomplish THERE that will make you who you are and how others view you. Consider the academy a form of reincarnation or being born again. It's your new life. The old life is gone. Make the best out of the gift that's been given you. later... mike.....
 
Precisely! I've seen many people that had LOAs or were valedictorians fail out of this place and some people that were expected to be far lower in the classes here pull out near the top. This is a whole new ball game!
 
just a quick question:
as of last friday my application has been totally finished. How long after your application was submitted did you get ur LOA? just wondering...
 
Application said it was complete on October 3.

LOA dated October 16.
 
so figure about two weeks then if i am qualified enough?
 
remember only @100-150 LOAs. You really need to be at the top of the top. Sometimes LOAs are given to candidates that are applying to multiple SA's and they want the candidate not to jump ship and accept an appt from another SA.

Just don't put all of the weight of the world on getting one. Not getting one doesn't mean you won't get an appt. You also might get the appt b4 Xmas if everyone on your slate has submiited and scored, but than again it might not happen until June (there are stories of kids getting the call the day b4 I-day)
 
Sometimes LOAs are given to candidates that are applying to multiple SA's and they want the candidate not to jump ship and accept an appt from another SA.
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I don't think so. I don't think the academies share this information. Some candidates receive LOA's to every academy - this is indicative of the quality of the candidate and not the fact that the academies are competing against each other.

IMO - you all should forget about getting an LOA - as the nomination process draws closer it won't matter. Put all your effort now into receiving a nomination. Remember - if you are a qualifed candidate and the top of the nomination slate then you get an appointment!
 
Everyone wants that elusive LOA. Concentrate on getting the admissions office the best package you can. The rest will happen whether it is an LOA, early offer of admission, or offers from multiple SA's. Write the best essay you can, do your best with the interveiws, get good SAT/ACT scores, practice your CFA. If it is meant to happen it will, now or in March when the mass offer goes out.
 
Yes; what DS and Mom said is dead on. Whether you get an LOA early or an appointment in March, you must still have a nomination. If you have a nomination, and it's in early, (December-January), then you'll get your appointment if all other things are good. Believe it or not, there have been some that have had an LOA and didn't get in or had a real difficult time getting in because they procrastinated and didn't get their nomination done.

My son was fortunate that he received his appointment in Novemeber of last year. He already had a complete application since July and had a presidential nomination. He had all this prior to even being offered a blue chip to play football. However, when we went down to the academy in January for a football recruiting trip; (We've already been there a bunch of times, but it was a good excuse to go again); we found applicants/recruits who hadn't even finished parts of their application. Candidates and coaches were scurrying trying to figure out what to do. 2 particular athletes I'm pretty sure never got an appointment because they thought because they were recruited athletes and one even had an LOA, that somehow they didn't need a nomination or that the coaches "Fixed" it for them. The coaches were pretty blunt when they told them if they didn't somehow get a nomination, that they better start looking for another school. They found another school.

So, my point is; don't count on anything and don't take anything for granted.
1. Get you application 100% complete if it isn't. This includes CFA, DODMRB, etc...

2. Contact your reps and senators and get your nomination. Do what you have to, but do it. You WON'T get your appointment no matter how good you are without the nomination.

3. Make sure 100% that you really want to go to the academy. If you haven't been to the summer seminar and don't have any military experience either prior enlisted; ROTC; or direct parent in the military, then call anyone you know that does have experience. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO. HINT: Contact your ALO. He/She can give you the address of some of their applicants who are currently at the academy. Write them and ask them for the facts. No one wants you to get there and say screw this. This year was one of the lowest. It was just under 50 that left because they didn't like it or for medical reasons. Normally it's closer to 80-100.

4. Continue applying to all the other colleges you wanted. Even if you got an LOA or better yet, an appointment in 2 weeks. Reason being is you never know what could happen. Medical, accident, fail a class, change your mind, etc... It's easy for those who get an appointment in March. You don't know if you'll get it, so you apply to other schools just in case. Those who get the LOA or appointment tend to leave all their eggs in one basket.

Anyway; as said by others; don't worry about getting an LOA. Unless you're in the top 10 (NOT percent) of your class; or kicked butt on the SAT/ACT; or have some other attribute that puts you head and shoulders above all other applicants; don't even think about an early LOA. If you get it, GREAT. If not, welcome to the 95% club. Either way, you need that nomination. Worry about that. later... mike....
 
IB Diploma Candidate, 4.5 weighted GPA, 3.95 unweighted, NHS member, over 250 documented community service hours (earned multiple service awards from 9-12 grade), Eagle Scout, student for private pilot license (over 60 hours, should be earning it soon), all-American swimmer

I completed my AF application June 23.
 
What are you predicted to get on your final IB (May 09 I'm assuming)?

-- I'm in IB also ... :shake:
 
Hopefully a 6 but I am taking the IB Physics HL and that could be a stretch.
 
wait.... that's all you're taking?! What about the other 5 classes one needs for the IB Diploma?!!
 
yeah I have been taking all of those too, but I meant that I want to average a 6 on the whole thing. but the physics test might pull me down some, since the average grade on the HL physics is a 3
 
aahhhh got and you got a LOA? Awesome!
Good luck with the IB!! I just had my real tok presentation today, definitely an A, I am SOOO happy! :yay:

So, which scores did you send in? Your current class grades, your targets or your predicteds? Did you send in all 3?
 
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