Non recruited athlete LOA

For applicants reading about LOAs and apparently pending appointments, resolutely “keep your eyes in the boat” and forge on with your application, especially if you feel like you don’t have much checked off yet on your To Do list.

Keep in mind the majority of applicants offered appointments never received an LOA, that Admissions uses these as class-building tools and can choose to give them for a variety of reasons, that every year there are candidates with LOAs who don’t become fully qualified with a nomination and do not receive an appointment.

Keep your eye on your goal, work your plan, tend your alternate plans, don’t look right or left at someone who gets an LOA whose (pick a stat) is lower than yours, go PT to bleed off stress, finish this year strong, spend quality time with friends and family. After all, you may be reporting to a service academy next June and after that, you are a visitor to your home and family for at least 9 years.

One step at a time. You have the power to control how you feel about things out of your control; it’s a life skill.
 
Some words of advice for all you SA applicants, I just went through this process (2026), I was an early 3Q and Noms from my Senator and Congressman and didn't receive an appointment, with that being said, Definitely apply for ROTC scholarships as your fall back, getting 4-year NROTC and AFROTC scholarships was a lifesaver for me and I'm very happy where I am today.
I just want to say how happy this makes me to read this as a parent. My son is also applying for the NROTC 4-year scholarship and is making extra effort everywhere he can to really find out about the different battalions. It’s important to have a Plan B, C, etc in life always, and I think when you know your goal is to serve in the Navy, that helps make it much easier when the path takes different twists and turns. Congratulations to you for having that wisdom and maturity, and thank you for your service!
 
As mentioned, my son got an LOA but not an appointment his first round. His plan B was a local school where he had received a partial scholarship through NIH. He actually decided to walk on as a college programmer to NROTC and apply for the 4-year NROTC scholarship as a college freshman. That meant he had to give up his NIH scholarship, as part of that one was "no other outside assistance" (it was a PI led study that had certain parameters required to keep the scholarship).

Fast forward a semester, he won the 4-year AND got a recommendation/nomination from his CO for the Academy, to which he got an appointment offered in May. So he had a tough choice to make - start college over at USNA, or continue on with NROTC and get his commission earlier. He chose the Academy.

Always, always, always give yourself as many options as you can to help you make the best decision for yourself and your goals.
 
Nice, my kid got a USMA LOA in August last year and was a nice way to feel he had a chance to go to a SA. I got a HS Junior getting up to speed, but he is thinking ROTC and enjoying the College Experience, so off to more visits we go this Fall.
 
Do LOAs get sent at only one time within the admission cycle or are they sent out at different times, throughout the fall and winter, as application material is reviewed?
 
Back
Top