LOAs

[Ricer]

She plays varsity sports but not Division 1 material, however she is athletic. She is 1st in her class, works a job, does several community service and extracurricular activities, she is involved in marching band and concert band as well. She has above average SAT and ACT scores. So I believe she received it because she is a well rounded student.

I believe LOAs might have been sent out in Sept. Or Oct. she was done with most all her application in June and medically qualified in August.

 

[MammaMia]

DS received his LOA last year in December; some candidates reported receiving them earlier, some later. Not a recruited athlete (but walked on to a varsity team this fall), strong academics and test scores, leadership and recs. But having the LOA, in the end, made no difference except that he knew USNA was an option sooner than most candidates did. He still waited to see his other options because he got injured and had to go through the waiver process. He's never been asked whether he had an LOA, and it hasn't made a bit of difference during plebe year.

 

[Skegs]

MammaMia, and Ricer,
Thank you for your reply. I'm glad to hear that the LOA seems to be going to excellent all around applicants.

MammaMia, Congratulations to your son for making a team as a walk on, I understand that is hard to do. My son has similar hopes of making a team as a walk on.

 

[MammaMia]

Thank you, Skegs. It's been a great experience for him at the only place he wanted to play. Best of luck to your son. Feel free to PM me if you want more information on the walk-on process.

 

[Letsdothis]

Actually, as long as a candidate completes the stipulations of the LOA and keeps their nose clean academically/conduct, then the Academy MUST give them an appointment. In fact the LOA states something like this...."You are guaranteed an offer of appointment if the remaining admissions requirements are met." The situation maplerock is talking about, I believe, is if a candidate is designated the principal nominee on a slate. That DOES NOT guarantee an appointment even if all the remaining admission requirements are met.

So an LOA + nomination = appointment. It is also why LOAs are short for "Conditional Offer of Appointment."

I thought SA's are required to accept the principal nomination. That's incorrect?

 

[5Day]

I thought SA's are required to accept the principal nomination. That's incorrect?

Nominees may be submitted in three categories: without ranking, with a principal candidate and nine ranked alternates, or with a principal candidate and nine unranked alternates.7 When the Member specifies a principal candidate, that individual will be appointed to a DOD academy as long as he or she meets all other admission criteria. If the principal candidate is disqualified, the service academies will appoint the first fully qualified, ranked alternate, if specified by the Member. In circumstances where Members do not specify a principal candidate or ranked alternates, one individual from among the Member’s nominees who is found to be fully qualified will be appointed by the academies to serve as cadets.

 

[usnabgo08]

That is not true. USNA does not have to accept a principal nominee whether they are triple qualified or not.

Each Senator, Representative, and Delegate in Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, is entitled to nominate 10 persons for each vacancy that is available to him under this section. Nominees may be submitted without ranking or with a principal candidate and 9 ranked or unranked alternates. Qualified nominees not selected for appointment under this subsection shall be considered qualified alternates for the purposes of selection under other provisions of this chapter.

Notice that the language does not state that if the principal is found qualified, that USNA must offer them an appointment. You might be thinking that is the logical reason for having principal and unranked, but legally, it doesn't say that. The only real "guarantee" is that each MOC is entitled to 5 MIDN at USNA.

 

[HopefulDad3210]

That is not true. USNA does not have to accept a principal nominee whether they are triple qualified or not.

Each Senator, Representative, and Delegate in Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, is entitled to nominate 10 persons for each vacancy that is available to him under this section. Nominees may be submitted without ranking or with a principal candidate and 9 ranked or unranked alternates. Qualified nominees not selected for appointment under this subsection shall be considered qualified alternates for the purposes of selection under other provisions of this chapter.

Notice that the language does not state that if the principal is found qualified, that USNA must offer them an appointment. You might be thinking that is the logical reason for having principal and unranked, but legally, it doesn't say that. The only real "guarantee" is that each MOC is entitled to 5 MIDN at USNA.

Perhaps, but it does refer to the vacancy being "available to" the MOC. Would the Academy really second guess the MOC's preference for a qualified candidate?

 

[usnabgo08]

As you said...it is a preference...but it isn't legally binding. There may be the case where the #1 and another ranked/unranked candidate are both fully qualified, but the "other" has a higher multiple and/or is more "desirable" for USNA. Most MOCs have a disclaimer that USNA, ultimately, decides who is appointed. Again, a principal DOES NOT guarantee an appointment. You can make the argument all day and night about second-guessing MOCs, but there is nothing written into the law that says USNA has no choice but to accept the principal nominee if they are otherwise qualified....if that is what Congress intended, the law probably should be written so it is very clear.

Midshipmen at the Naval Academy shall be appointed by the President alone. An appointment is conditional until the midshipman is admitted.
...
(a)The authorized strength of the Brigade of Midshipmen (determined for any year as of the day before the last day of the academic year) is 4,400 or such lower number as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy under subsection (h). Subject to that limitation, midshipmen are selected as follows:
(1) 65 selected in order of merit as established by competitive examination from the children of members of the armed forces who were killed in action or died of, or have a service-connected disability rated at not less than 100 per centum resulting from, wounds or injuries received or diseases contracted in, or preexisting injury or disease aggravated by, active service, children of members who are in a “missing status” as defined in section 551(2) of title 37, and children of civilian employees who are in “missing status” as defined in section 5561(5) of title 5. The determination of the Department of Veterans Affairs as to service connection of the cause of death or disability, and the percentage at which the disability is rated, is binding upon the Secretary of the Navy.
(2) Five nominated at large by the Vice President or, if there is no Vice President, by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
(3) Ten from each State, five of whom are nominated by each Senator from that State.
(4) Five nominated by each Representative in Congress.
...

 

[Sydney C.]

Perhaps, but it does refer to the vacancy being "available to" the MOC. Would the Academy really second guess the MOC's preference for a qualified candidate?

Happens every year...you need to look no further than the carnage from last year. If you have the time or the inclination, search it out on the forum...it wasn't pretty.