LOA from USMA, nomination requests for USNA - how to make this work?

[firemanvin]

My son had originally been - USNA or bust! Now, after attending both SLS and NASS he loves both academies equally. However, coming from NY, the senators and congressman require that he choose his nom requests as follows:

Senator 1 - "Choose one academy only" (he chose USNA at that time of application)

Senator 2 - "Choose primary academy and alternate" (he chose USNA as primary and USMA as secondary).

Congressman - Suggested (not mandated) to check only one academy, and not state a pecking order, but has stated that only up to one nom will be granted (so my son checked USNA).

As a rule, both senators and congressman will give a max of one nom each to one candidate.

And of course the VP provides for a pecking order, and he chose;

1 - USNA
2 - USMA
3 - USAFA

Now here's the issue; my son already received an LOA from the USMA. At this point, it seems that since the USMA is a known entitiy, and his complete application for the USNA is still in the dark abyss, he is hot for the USMA. I told him that he does not have to take sides yet, and I am not putting any stickers on my car windows yet! I have not taken sides either. They both are outstanding academies and should not be compared against each other except for football. If he happens to get an LOA from the USNA, I am going to suggest he pray on it and have God provide the answer.

Well anyway, does he need to change anything with regard to his nomination requests with regard to his choices, or will this be reconciled during the interview process in November? Also, I assume he should send a copy of the USMA LOA to the three MOCs, right? Will the USMA LOA create confusion with the MOCs that are holding his USNA nomination request?

Please help me out with this. Thanks.

 

[Antoinette]

First, many congratulations to your son for receiving an LOA to USMA!

Second, your son should get his USNA application finished soon.

Third, your son's questions:

....does he need to change anything with regard to his nomination requests with regard to his choices, or will this be reconciled during the interview process in November? Also, I assume he should send a copy of the USMA LOA to the three MOCs, right? Will the USMA LOA create confusion with the MOCs that are holding his USNA nomination request?

can be addressed to the Senators' and Congressman's SA coordinator/contact people. My son found these professionals to be very helpful.

Fourth, an overnight visit to both USNA and USMA would be very beneficial to your son and may help clarify which Academy he prefers. He should also be looking at possible careers in both the Army and the Navy.

I hope this helps and that others will offer advice as well.

Best of luck to your son!

Go Army! Beat Navy!

 

[firemanvin]

Thanks for your quick response

Thanks for your quick response Antoinette. I wan't clear about my son's USNA app. It is complete, and has been complete since the end of June. He just will have to wait until the admissions board looks it over and decides LOA sooner, later, or never. Meanwhile however the USMA jumped on him quickly.

 

[Antoinette]

That is great that he has finished his applications already.

Now that he has an LOA to USMA he can schedule an overnight visit at: https://candidate.usma.edu/guest/CQ/agree_before_entry.cfm

His interviews with the USMA MALO, the USNA BGO and the USAFA ALO will also help him in the decision making process. These individuals are excellent sources of information about their respective services.

Let us know if your Congressman/Senator offices were able to provide you with direction in your son's nomination application ranking of academies.

 

[usna1985]

This is actually a difficult -- and tricky -- issue. Had it happen to one of my candidates a couple of years ago.

First, USMA typically sends out LOAs much earlier than USNA. However, that may be changing, as the USNA LOAs are clearly out early this year.

Here's my advice -- for what it's worth. If your son would truly be happy at USMA (either it's his first choice or he would really and truly be happy at either SA), he should list USMA first on all his MOC noms. He has an LOA in hand, and, if he gets even one nom, he's in (assuming medical is OK).

If his first choice is USNA, then he should put USNA first on all his MOC noms and hope for the best. "Settling" for USMA if it's not his top choice is not a good thing. I also had this happen with a candidate -- she got into USMA and went there even though USNA was her first choice and she was not happy (but did stay).

I am NOT a fan of splitting the baby, so to speak, and picking USNA first with some MOCs and USMA first with others. The reason is that my candidate who did this got noms from 2 MOCs to USMA and didn't even get an interview with the USNA-first MOC. He ended up at USMA.

If your son is undecided, my suggestion is that he decide soon. It may sound cruel but he has to decide at some point. Doing so now puts him in much better shape in the nom process. Splitting the baby, so to speak, may make the decision for him but I'd rather the decision be his and not the purview of some citizen committee.

Also, I'm not sure how much good explaining the situation to the MOC committes will do. They will probably say, "which SA do you want to attend?" Saying he's undecided doesn't help them at all in that they're still almost certain to give him a nom to only one of them.

 

[Antoinette]

Good post, usna1985.

firemanvin, could your son schedule and attend overnight visits to both USMA and USNA before he goes for the nomination interviews? If he has not received a USNA CVW invitation, perhaps he could ask his USNA admissions officer for permission to schedule one.

I understand that an overnight visit during the academic year gives a much better idea of what each academy is like than either SLS or NASS does.

Also, it may assist your son's decision making process if he can talk to academy graduates. Your son's high school guidance counselor may be able to help put him touch with one or two local grads.

Another source of information about USMA are current cadets who have volunteered to be contacted by email. They may be contacted here:

http://www.westpointcadets.org/USMA/Map.htmhttp://

I do not know if USNA has a similar site.

Best of luck to your son as he makes his decision.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

Firemanvin -

Is your son's DoDMERB completed and is he medically qualified for all academies?
The only reason I ask is that some conditions are waiverable for some academies and not for others - it does happen that a candidate can get an LOA to two academies and only be medically qualified for one academy. Good reason to keep options open.

Some MOC's will limit one nomination per candidate but others will give more - particularly representatives. This can also vary from year to year depending on the competition and how many slates there are to fill.

I do agree that your son's first choice should be his true first choice - some candidates stagger their firsts and it pays off but gaming the system can backfire. I truly believe that if an academy wants a candidate they will find a way to appoint that person. No one in USMA admissions is going to give up on a candidate who claims that USNA is first choice - and vice versa.
If a candidate submits the applications in June and changes their mind by Sept - that is OK too. By Nov/Dec - each candidate should have a pretty clear picture of their first choice.

Remember with an LOA your son only needs ONE nomination. Any nomination will do. That said - I have heard of candidates with LOA's not get a congressional nomination - the MOC just didn't want to waste one on a candidate with an LOA.
Don't let this discourage you or your son though - remember to apply for the VP for a VP nomination.
It is curious that the VP application asks candidates to rank the academies - I never noticed this before. Anyway - I don't think ranking matters for the VP - since the VP office doesn't decide. The admissions offices decide. The VP office forwards all information to the academy admissions.
Do double check with the academies and make sure they have the VP nomination request.

What I have noticed is that VP nominations often go to candidates who, for whatever reason, don't have another nomination.
For instance, someone on this board was in your son's shoes a couple of years ago - had and LOA to USMA and chose USAFA. Got nominations to USAFA, USNA and none to USMA because of ranking. Next thing was a letter saying they got a VP nomination followed shortly thereafter an appointment.

Finally, Mom, this choice as you know, is your son's choice. You are wise to tell him to keep his options open but kids are famous for changing horses in mid-stream and coming out okay. I hope when he goes on his candidate visits that you can go too.
Good Luck and Congratulations on the LOA!

 

[lld1965]

LOA from USMA with a Presidential Nomination

Good Day,
My son received an LOA from West Point today and has a Presidential Nomination.
Does this mean he is in????

Thanks,
"Holding my Breath"

 

[Luigi59]

Good Day,
My son received an LOA from West Point today and has a Presidential Nomination.
Does this mean he is in????

Thanks,
"Holding my Breath"

A LOA is a conditional appointment. If the conditions of the LOA are met, an appointment is given.

If the only condition of your son's LOA is to obtain a nomination, then yes, he will receive and appointment.

Congrats!