Nominations

[BmiraiC]

Hi, my name is Briana, and I am a prospective student for the Academy. I have been to the Summer Seminar and have been approved to candidate status just a while ago. I am very serious about entering the USAFA. I've gathered most of LORs, and I'm currently filling out apps for my congressmen. These questions might be obvious, but I figured it wouldn't hurt:

Should I try and contact them soon? Just to let them know who I am and that I'm serious? Or does that not even help?

And what is the nomination experience like? Is there anything I should prepare for in advance besides the basics?

Thank you for the help!

 

[murfthesurf]

Hi, my name is Briana, and I am a prospective student for the Academy. I have been to the Summer Seminar and have been approved to candidate status just a while ago. I am very serious about entering the USAFA. I've gathered most of LORs, and I'm currently filling out apps for my congressmen. These questions might be obvious, but I figured it wouldn't hurt: Should I try and contact them soon? Just to let them know who I am and that I'm serious? Or does that not even help? And what is the nomination experience like? Is there anything I should prepare for in advance besides the basics? Thank you for the help!

Great question !

Most MOC's have a Service Academy Liaison working on the MOC's Staff. Sniff around each website , look at Press releases and/or Google "Congressman Joe Blow Service Academy coordinator" or "Liaison" get thier email and send them a note :

" My name is XXXX XXXX and I am currently candidate #0XXXXX for appointment to the United States Naval Academy. I am writing to introduce myself and provide you with my candidate number for my application to the United States Naval Academy.

I expect that various components of my application will begin arriving at Congressman XXXX's office soon .
Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

XXXX XXXX,
USNA Candidate #0XXXXX "

Son (USNA Class of 2020) was gratefully acknowledged by an email reply from each of his (3) MOC staff coordinators. BTW, these folks really love this part of their job; dealing directly with the SA Applicants, ...without the Parents being involved !

The most difficult part of the Nomination Process is assembling the 2-3 individuals to write your Letters of Recommendations. These people you choose should be the (2-3) Teachers who are already writing LORs for your Academy Applications.

You need to put a 'Heads-up' letter or email to alert each person (the Math Teacher, the English Teacher, Guidance Person, possibly a Science Teacher) who will be sending your LOR on your behalf to what will be coming at them by email, telling them first to expect that the Service Academy will be sending them a request for a LOR for your Application. The letter you write them should also if they could also prepare (3) additional LORs which be the same document only a modified version of the Academy LOR adapted for each particular MOC (provide address of each). Let them know you will follow up with the Name Address and format to also send an LOR to the politicians.

Thankfully, computers and WORD allow creation of (4) slightly modified LORs to (4) separate entities (Academy, Congressman, Senator #1 and Senator #2) in a matter of minutes.

 

[brovol]

There is a section here about nominations, but understand each MOC does things his /her own way. I would encourage you to go to each MOC website and read up. Then you can call if additional questions.

My sons experience was good for each of his interviews. The application process is like a simplified academy application. They want transcripts and test scores, a list of accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and an essay question. Obviously, the nomination committee does interviews. In my sons case, there were simultaneous interviews in multiple locations of around 250 candidates, or so he was told. You can practice for those interviews, and I recommend you do. My son used the West Point Candidate Book, by Sue Ross ( she also has the same book for USAFA and USNA, which say the same thing). The book has great information and lists many questions, most of which my son said he was asked almost verbatim.

My son was seeking nominations for USMA, USNA, and USAFA, so he had to rank them in order of preference, both in the applications and in the interviews. He told them West Point was #1, but was still awarded nominations for all three, and multiple nominations for West Point. (I would encourage you to also consider the other academies, and ROTC, but others would debate that, so I won't go through my reasoning unless you want it).

It is never too early to get started on this stuff, so get at it. Good luck.

 

[BmiraiC]

Thank you so much for this insight, sir! I appreciate you taking the time to write this and will act on emailing my congressmen as soon as possible!

 

[Daretodream]

I can only give you our experience and the decisions we made as our DS applied and sought the nomination. Many applicants take this part for granted as they research the heck out of the academy but forget this integral part of the equation for admission.

Our DS went to SS too. He reached out in the 8th grade to his ALO to let him know his interest. He emailed or met with the ALO once a year to track progress. The ALO had a great relationship with our DS by the time the interview came around and it made our DS very comfortable with him. We also reached out to each MOC and our DS sent an email to the staff member responsible for the nomination process. In the summer between his junior and senior year we traveled to DC and set appointments to meet with each of them. We had a great conversation with our Representative in DC (as well as attending his Academy Days event for several years) and with one of our Senators. We met the staff of the other Senator and got a tour of Capitol and met the person responsible for the process. It gave our DS one extra opportunity to make an impression on them. I have no idea if this made any difference but our son got the needed nominations and is in the Class of 2020.

 

[ruralakay]

He reached out in the 8th grade to his ALO to let him know his interest. He emailed or met with the ALO once a year to track progress. The ALO had a great relationship with our DS by the time the interview came around and it made our DS very comfortable with him.

Our DS did the same, and it has made a real difference in the "approachability" of our ALO. He also did the same, beginning at age 12, with our MOC; first, by attending the MOC's Academy Forums, and subsequently building a relationship with the MOC and his academy staff person, over the years. This has helped tremendously in preparing DS for the season he now finds himself in (actively completing the application process).

 

[Daretodream]

Best of luck Ruralakay! I think it really helped our DS get the nomination. It is almost as nerve wrecking on the parent as the child. You know how hard they worked and how much they want it and you want it for them. The wait is a killer, but all of the kids who make it to the end of the process are winners and great kids admitted or not. Hope you get to share in the nervousness that is BCT next year. It is a completely different roller coaster ride.

 

[ruralakay]

Best of luck Ruralakay! I think it really helped our DS get the nomination. It is almost as nerve wrecking on the parent as the child. You know how hard they worked and how much they want it and you want it for them. The wait is a killer, but all of the kids who make it to the end of the process are winners and great kids admitted or not. Hope you get to share in the nervousness that is BCT next year. It is a completely different roller coaster ride.

Thank you so much, Daretodream! Yes, I agree about the "nerve wrecking"! Ever since DS and I returned from Summer Seminar, it has been a whirlwind of activity! DS just completed his CFA, this morning, and did fantastic (maxed out on two events and was well above average on all but the basketball throw, which we knew would be his greatest weakness, but he still managed average on even that). He has his DoDMERB exams on Monday. After that, the only checkmarks on his application he will have left are his HS and dual-credit college transcripts and his school profile (school counselor just got back from vacation and states it will be in the mail no later than early next wk). Nomination packets to all the applicable MOC's are completed too. Whew!! We feel like we just survived a hurricane!!!

Now, we wait... and hope...We opted to get what parts we could get done early completed now, so that DS could concentrate on and enjoy his last year of HS without all of the "what needs to be done" stuff weighing on him. You can't ever get your last year of high school back, so I want him to make memories that will last him a lifetime. He also starts 2-a-days, next week, and began captains' meetings, this week, in football, so it's good to have the CFA and DoDMERB out of the way, before he has the opportunity for injury or muscle fatigue.

I do hope to get to share in the BCT nervousness, too! Thank you for your well wishes! As wild and wooly as the ride is...I have to admit, the anticipation is a lot of the fun, too.