LOA - Honored, proud, happy, confused...

O

OrionDad

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Jun 8, 2016
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Dear All,

Very recently, DD received an LOA from USAFA. She is not an athlete, and has always honestly and proactively stated at the congressional and USAFA interviews that her #1 choice is USMA.

Accordingly, she is hoping and or expecting to receive a nomination for WP. All congressional interviews are done....

I have always told DD that my, for what ever that's worth..., favorite for her was USAFA. Now, with the interviews done, and the first decisions probably coming out this week, and they probably won't include USAFA, but with the LOA in hand, what does one do? Just let it go, since it's not her #1 choice, and wait for the nom. to WP, or call the congressional offices and kindly request to also be considered for USAFA if, and only if, there are more nominations than potential candidates, since we don't want to waste someone else's chance at getting nominated.

But that's not the confusing part... The confusing part is why did USAFA send the LOA out so late?

Thank You!
 
LOAs can and do happen throughout the entire appointment process. They are more common early, but they can even happen in March if a candidate is pending a medical waiver.

You can call and explain the situation to the MOC and see if they are willing to add her for a USAFA nom. What if they only tell her she can have one? They might allow her to swap, they may say no, they may add her to the slate. She needs to think thru all these possibilities and be prepared for any of them. She has to decide which SA is the right one for her. She really needs to be considering which service she is most interested in. The SAs are a reflection of their respective services.
 
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I see... Thank you, NavyHoops!

We have never made a call for her, she's been doing everything by herself from day one. I even showed her this post, and asked if she was fine with me posting. She wants to go to WP, for a number of reasons, and wants to serve in the Army, also for a number of reasons. I did not mention it, but she also has an LOA from WP. I will direct her to your reply, and to this thread if others post too...

If it's only one, it'll be USMA, swapping will not be an option, as WP is her top choice. Only option would be getting added to the USAFA slate, but only if it is not putting someone else at a disadvantage. However, with WP being her top choice that would seem like a moot point.
 
Congratulations! DD is in the same boat. LOA from USAFA today, but has NOM and LOA to higher choice USMA. She is still very excited about the offer. I guess there is no point in trying to find a nomination, but would be nice to have one just in case she changes her mind. She applied to 4 SA, hoping that one would take her. Who would have thought she would be the one making the decision between three! Very thankful!
 
And yes you are correct. I firmly believe she should be calling. Sounds like she is a top candidate. I wouldn't be surprised to see her get a USMA appointment. Good luck!
 
Congratulations to you and your DD too, jage3!

NavyHoops, thank you again. She said she'd make the calls on Monday.
 
LOA's are given by USAFA for "no rhyme or reason" if you're not a recruited athlete.

Don't question why, don't wonder why, just say "thank you!!!"

And wrap up in bubble wrap!!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Thank you! She maxed out three CFA events, but is not a recruited athlete. She has her mind, and heart, set on USMA though, and is hoping to receive an offer of appointment to West Point by end of January; got an LOA back in August '16.

Our kids worked hard, and now this stage of the long journey is coming to an end. ..
Good luck everyone!
 
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While we were at Senator Gillabrand's service academy informational forum, (4 years ago) the family seated in front of us was told by the Air Force rep that cadets can transfer from one SA to another. Don't know the transfer particulars & hope other posters can advise, but that may be a plan your DD may wish to consider; assuming an appointment offer to either one or the other, if not both. Good luck!
 
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^^ Actually, very FEW cadets transfer between academies, don't know what the actual question was or perhaps someone misunderstood what they were told. I would certainly not accept an offer to an SA that is not your first choice and hope to be able to transfer. SA's publish figures on those who commission and only 1-2 per class cross-commission as well.
 
There is no transferring between SA. Agree with time2, don't know specifics of question or answer. Don't want false info out there. There have maybe 1-2 cases in the last decade of a Cadet or Mid leave one SA to attend another. It is not a transfer. They must go through the application process again and they will start over at the beginning as 4/C. If they were talking about cross commissioning that is a different story. That is completing their 4 years at SA and commissioning into another service. It is a long and complicated process with somewhere in the area of ~0-4 Cadets or Mids in any given year being successful in this. There is lots of info on cross commissioning on this forum and it should be never be a Plan A as a way for someone to get a service. The percentages are extremely low.
 
Well, as my boss once told me, "I'm never wrong, I'm only misinformed.";) Thanks to all above for the info.
 
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