Over the summer I was on a West Point tour and I spoke to a captain. He told me that even if you don’t get a nomination they will “find one” for you if you cannot get one, how common is that?
Can only speak to what my coach told me for USNA recruited athletes. He said basically this is true for pretty much any recruited athlete who is high on the coaches list... and 3Q of course. I assume it's similar to West Point.
