Letters of recommendation

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USMAalltheway

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Apr 16, 2009
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Hey!

I'm getting my letters of recommendation sorted out. I've got one from my pastor, a teacher from West Point that I know in person, my principal, and adademic principal. I'm not getting one from my coach(because he doesn't like me in the least). Does anyone else know a good person to ask for a LOR from? Just asking, would an English teacher be a good choice? How important are these letters in the area of being considered competitive? Thanks.

USMAalltheway
 
Hey!

Just asking, I'll be ready ot send my packet I believe May 31, which is 4 and-a-half months before the deadline. Do you think I'm sending them in too late, or am I making good time?

USMAalltheway
 
To answer the time question, you are way ahead of the curve. The date 4 1/2 months from now, is just the initial application deadline. You don't have to have all of the paperwork completed until the end of February 2010. You are right on time for trying to get a LOA however.

For the letters of recommendation, the people you mentioned are all good, but you will have to decide which letters you will want to send in. No matter what, you will need to have a recommendation form filled out by an English teacher, a Math teacher, and a Physics/Chemistry teacher. You cannot get around sending these ones in.

You are allowed to send in additional letters of recommendation, but the admissions office will only accept/look at the first three they receive. It's a bummer, but when you consider that 6,000 or so people make it past the precandidate questionnaire then they are already looking at 18,000 recommendation forms only from the bare minimum requirements, and an additional 18,000 if everyone sends in three additional letters.

Sorry if that wasn't the answer you were looking for, but that's how things are. To decide which additional letters to send in, consider who knows you the best and can attest that you have the qualities that Academy is looking for.
 
how will you have your packet ready to go by may 31????

have you recieved the application yet?
 
Questions, calm down. Its not uncommon for highly motivated individuals to already have their applications in some form of completion at this point.

Now I don't know if alltheway means his precandidate questionnaire or the actual application, but it is possible. Applications for the class of 2014 have been open since early March, which was a little more than 2 months ago.

Don't let that discourage you. Just because alltheway gets his/her application in before you doesn't mean it will be harder for you to get in, especially this early into the game for you guys. Get your application in at your own pace, but do realize that once it gets to the fall, then you do start running against the clock and everyone else who is applying.
 
Icelander27,

Thank you for your replies. Thanks for the information about the nominations. I'm glad I'm in time for trying to get a LOA. I have one more question about LOR's that keeps burdening me; you see-I come from a small prepartory school. The thing is my Math teacher and my Physics(the current science course I'm taking) are the exact same teacher. What would I do about this? Would I just ask for one or two LOR?

To clear up some confusion, no, I have not gotten the application packet from West Point. I asked my addmissions officer(Maj. Michael McBride) when I would get it, he said sometime in early September. However, I believe I am quite prepared to send it back(when I receive it) very quickly. Also, I have indeed completed the precandidate questionaire and I am a candidate for USMA. Hope this cleared it up. Thanks again.

USMAalltheway
 
thank you usma!

i was just confused, because i too have been working very hard to get everything for my file ready/completed, and i too would like to be competitive for an LOA.

i have been accepted to the summer seminar and have an active file for a while now. that is not an issue, and i am certainly not behind
 
do you have the evaluation forms yet needed for reccomendations? or are you just asking your "reccomenders" ( i have asked mine, but have the same problem math teacher = physics teacher....small prep school hahha)

what about our counseler reccomendation?
 
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Talk to Major McBride about the math/physics teacher. Other than that, I can't tell you much. I come from a public high school so I had plenty of people to ask for letters.
 
USMAalltheway -
Your enthusiasm is well noted. I am confused - are you talking about your USMA application or your Congressional Nomination application?

You certainly can get a head start on your Congressional Nomination applications this summer. They should be out and you can work on essays etc. Some will accept LOR's from anyone who knows you while others want a teacher's recommendation as well.

USMA won't make your application materials available until late summer. They are very specific on who the recommendations are to be from and provide an evaluation sheet to be completed. This is not something that can be done ahead of time.
That said - the application packet can be completed quickly, if you don't dawdle over your essay, your teachers complete their evaluations on a timely basis and you are prepared for your CFA.
 
To Academy Questions,

Thank you for your understanding. No, I do not have the have the evaluation forms yet, I am doing the same as you, I'm just asking my teachers(to see if they would be willing to write a LOR for me when the time comes). Hope everything turns out well with your forms and congrats on making the SLS!:thumb:

To Just_A_Mom,

Forgive me, I am talking mainly about my congressional nominations. However, I am trying to be as prepared and ready as I can so I can complete the West Point application forms when I receive them later this year. Thanks for all of your information.

Icelander,

Thank you also for information. I have indeed contacted Maj. McBride about this matter and am waiting on him now. Thanks.
 
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