LOAs

Dad2020

5-Year Member
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Aug 5, 2015
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165
I've been trying to read up on the letter of assurance and it seems one thing is clear: no one seems to know anything. One baffling number I saw was that the USNA issues 1500 LOAs. However they are also reportedly rare. They accept 1200 into each class. So they issue more LOAs than they have positions, plus everyone else, the huge majority of people, don't get LOAs. Are the kids getting LOAs that reluctant to take an appointment? I also have seen that the MOC gets a copy from the academy and elsewhere I have read that you need to mail your MOC a copy of the LOA. The LOAs compete equally with everyone else for nominations, and other places say the academy will find you a place. Then there is the whole question of whether or not the MOC is charged against his 5 places for the LOA. Some say yes. Some say no.

Without any sort of authoritative voice on these issues, I think the best bet is to say, "it's nice to have one, but doesn't mean anything until you have the appointment in hand, you aren't in a better or worse positions with or without one". Is that fair?
 
More likely 150 (not 1500) -- I remember seeing around that number from a BGO.

That number would make more sense. I just seem to find that everywhere on the Internet and even in books, you should advice with a bit of a jaundiced eye. Best advice seems to be: maximize your grades, test scores, physical fitness, and participate in school. The academy doesn't want normal kids. They want driven, hard working kids who can handle a heavy workload and manage their time. That is best demonstrated with activities and leadership that requires such things.
 
I would be shocked if the number given were even 150!!!!!!!!!!!

LOAs: DO NOT EXPECT IT. DO NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE IT.

No one will ask you about it - ever.
 
Without any sort of authoritative voice on these issues, I think the best bet is to say, "it's nice to have one, but doesn't mean anything until you have the appointment in hand, you aren't in a better or worse positions with or without one". Is that fair?

LOA is a good deal. It is a conditional offer that states if you are fully qualified and get any nomination, the candidate will get an appointment. A candidate has to be filly qualified to get an appointment, so LOA is not requiring something different. A nomination is required by law and there is a small chance a Congressional office might give a candidate a nomination to spread the wealth. Personally, I think it's a bad practice. Shouldn't play games. There are many consideration that factors into if a LOA will be charged against the candidate's Congressman or not. Typically a candidate that receives an LOA is very competitive so a good chance that kid is likely #1 kid in the district. It not the Admisssions office has to use the national waiting list or other nomination(s) the candidate might have.

So LOA is useless if the kid end up being medically disqualified, fail the CFA, or don't get a nomination. Otherwise, it's as good as getting an appointment.
 
Twin A got an LOA on his 18th birthday; TwinB, with virtually identical stats in every way, did not receive one. Both graduated USAFA and are now flying their preferred airframes.

Forget discussing it. Not worth the oxygen.
 
Even if you don't get an LOA, it still could be positive. DS had complete app done by Sept but needed a waiver for medical. Since it was still Fall, and nominations weren't out yet, he didn't get an LOA (needing both mom and waiver). But the minute he received his Nominations in December, he had an acceptance call from Senator Sanders office. Medical waiver was in our mailbox the next day.
 
USNA has never officially stated how many they will or did issue for each class. Every year BGOs get briefs from the Regional Directors who get briefed by Admissions. No one has publicly stated an official number, but ~150 has been the number most believe are safe. The belief is this number will edge closer to the ~120 mark. 1500... Absolutely. As stated previously LOAs are rare and not the norm. The number of those admitted has fluctuated but attrition has dropped therefore they have given out less appointments over the last decade or more. I have never heard this publicly but there are a few BGOs who always post very solid information, therefore when they put numbers like this up, I tend to follow their word.
 
And its positive for anyone who gets appointment, NAPS or foundation. As I have said before no one cares how someone got to USNA the moment a kid gets in line on I Day. No one says all the LOAs line up here! My roommate at USNA had a 1600 SAT, I didn't discover this until 1/C year when she was talking to her brother on the phone and he only got a 1590. Noms, LOAs, SATs, APs, GPA mean zero the minute they walk in the doors and aren't talked about. There isn't time Plebe Summer and by the time there is time to talk about the past no one cares anymore. Everyone gets a bad haircut and gets yelled at!
 
The number of LOAs varies....the ~150 is rough speculation...not an actual statistic...take it with a grain of salt. There is no quota for the number of LOAs...it is literally as Admissions sees fit.
 
To other LOA recipients: Other than the email notification and the updated portal information, have you received any other notification regarding the LOA? Have you actually received a letter in the mail?
 
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We didn't get a letter. Just an email and change to his status on the portal.
 
LOA is a good deal. It is a conditional offer that states if you are fully qualified and get any nomination, the candidate will get an appointment. A candidate has to be filly qualified to get an appointment, so LOA is not requiring something different. A nomination is required by law and there is a small chance a Congressional office might give a candidate a nomination to spread the wealth. Personally, I think it's a bad practice. Shouldn't play games. There are many consideration that factors into if a LOA will be charged against the candidate's Congressman or not. Typically a candidate that receives an LOA is very competitive so a good chance that kid is likely #1 kid in the district. It not the Admisssions office has to use the national waiting list or other nomination(s) the candidate might have.

So LOA is useless if the kid end up being medically disqualified, fail the CFA, or don't get a nomination. Otherwise, it's as good as getting an appointment.
Son passed his CFA and his medical. His paperwork is 100% done. All four nom sources are done. (3 MOCs and VP). He is just waiting now. His biggest stressor now is rereading his essays and feeling like he made a poor word choice or grammar choice. My job now is just to help him be patient and continue his college search with common app etc so he has a backup plan. It sounds like the BGOs all know 3 kids each year who have LOAs who don't get in. Since there are only about 150 LOAs, it sounds like none of them get in anyway by that statistic or perhaps when they say they "know" they mean they "heard of someone".
 
[QUOTE=" Since there are only about 150 LOAs, it sounds like none of them get in anyway by that statistic or perhaps when they say they "know" they mean they "heard of someone".[/QUOTE]

Admissions said they send out about 300 LOAs per Class when they were in front of parents at the CWV a few days ago.

When the kid was checking in, I saw them take a kid aside after he said his name aloud as he checked in at the table. A woman with a Clip board was real nice to him and said 'why don't you go down the hall to this room, someone whats to meet with you' Whelp, that was an LOA on the spot ! I was very happy to witness that in person, what a feeling !

It is he waiting that really sucks and the ONLy control your kid has on is future is to provide the Academy with best paper 'package' he can put together. and when he is interviewing, he had better not pick his nose.
 
LOA is a good deal. It is a conditional offer that states if you are fully qualified and get any nomination, the candidate will get an appointment. A candidate has to be filly qualified to get an appointment, so LOA is not requiring something different. A nomination is required by law and there is a small chance a Congressional office might give a candidate a nomination to spread the wealth. Personally, I think it's a bad practice. Shouldn't play games. There are many consideration that factors into if a LOA will be charged against the candidate's Congressman or not. Typically a candidate that receives an LOA is very competitive so a good chance that kid is likely #1 kid in the district. It not the Admisssions office has to use the national waiting list or other nomination(s) the candidate might have.

So LOA is useless if the kid end up being medically disqualified, fail the CFA, or don't get a nomination. Otherwise, it's as good as getting an appointment.
Son passed his CFA and his medical. His paperwork is 100% done. All four nom sources are done. (3 MOCs and VP). He is just waiting now. His biggest stressor now is rereading his essays and feeling like he made a poor word choice or grammar choice. My job now is just to help him be patient and continue his college search with common app etc so he has a backup plan. It sounds like the BGOs all know 3 kids each year who have LOAs who don't get in. Since there are only about 150 LOAs, it sounds like none of them get in anyway by that statistic or perhaps when they say they "know" they mean they "heard of someone".
My son's advice, once you send in an essay or statement, dont re-read it again. It will drive you crazy and convince you that you messed up..Just saying..
 
[QUOTE=" Since there are only about 150 LOAs, it sounds like none of them get in anyway by that statistic or perhaps when they say they "know" they mean they "heard of someone".

Admissions said they send out about 300 LOAs per Class when they were in front of parents at the CWV a few days ago.[/QUOTE]


This is what I mean by taking everything on here with a grain of salt. The number of LOAs varies from ~100 all the way to this 300, as high a number as I've ever seen.

We have the LOA email and it's on his portal. We've never seen an actual letter though.
 
No more LOA talking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It really doesn't matter.

If they didn't matter then the SAs wouldn't use them.

I understand your point that people shouldn't dwell on whether or not they will get an LOA. However, they do exist and in order to learn about them and what they do and do not entail, we should discuss them.

Stealth_81
 
Admissions said they send out about 300 LOAs per Class when they were in front of parents at the CWV a few days ago.

If so, I hope USNA has a good control and limitation on LOAs. There some negative aspects to LOAs (I am speaking more from USMA perspective, but my guess is other SAs should have similair challenges). Since a LOA reserves an appointment, until the candidate is disqualified, accpets, or turns down the LOA, that slot can't be used for other candidates. The overall number wise, not a big issue. But on an individual level, there is another candidate just waiting
 
Sorry, but an LOA matters in a lot of ways. Everyone here would take an LOA.

Everyone here would also take an early "Letter of NO" , too. But they don't give out any early, LofNOs .

Kids have to wait till April of next year to get a NO or a YES!

No 17-18 year old kid likes to be frozen in place for months, filling that time by working on various 2nd team fall back positions .
 
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