Official Candidate

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I just submitted my Preliminary Application to USNA. Any estimate on how long it generally takes between submission and becoming an Official Candidate? (if deemed qualified)
 
You became an "official candidate" right after you hit the "Submit" button.
The Candidate Information Portal (same place you entered your preliminary info) will list everything you need to submit from here on out.
You just log in from time to time, as you get things submitted.
It puts you in the driver's seat, as you will need to get recommendations from teachers, transcripts sent from your school, etc.
You are a little behind the eight ball here, so you need to get applications in for congressional nominations from your State's Senators and your District's Representative, as they are beginning their interviews for these nominations now.
Everything needs to be complete by January 31st.
Good luck.
 
So to have a "complete" application, you'll need ;
Academic Information (From your H.S. Guidance Counselor directly to USNA).
High School Transcript (Sent from your school directly to USNA).
ACT/SAT Test Scores (Sent directly from the College Board testing authority directly to USNA).
Personal Data Record (You can input this data online).
Candidate Fitness Assessment (You submit name and EMail address of your coach, and your coach uploads the results to USNA).
Candidate Activities Record (online).
English Teacher Recommendation (Your teacher sends it to USNA).
Math Teacher Recommendation (Your teacher sends it to USNA).
DoDMERB Medical Examination (You will get an email telling you when to schedule this exam in your area).
BGO Interview (Bottom of Candidate Information Portal lists your Blue & Gold officer's name and contact info).
Nomination (Get on this right away - two Senators and your District's Representative to Congress).
 
You became an "official candidate" right after you hit the "Submit" button.

Actually, I think there is a pre-screen process. Candidate has to meet a minimum threshold before receiving a Candidate ID number and receiving access to the Candidate Information portal. I don't know mechanics or timing, but presume it occurs pretty quickly.

OP - are you applying for 2021 ?
 
Listen to Old Navy BGO. He sounds like he knows more about what he's talking about than I do!
My DS started this back in June - and if he told me how he got that number - I have long since forgotten.

The OP has to be applying for 2022, I'm thinking.
 
Actually, I think there is a pre-screen process. Candidate has to meet a minimum threshold before receiving a Candidate ID number and receiving access to the Candidate Information portal. I don't know mechanics or timing, but presume it occurs pretty quickly.

There is a pre-screen process. If you don't meet the minimum threshold you will not receive a Candidate Number. My question is, have you missed the MOC nomination window? I know in this state, both senators and representative in this district deadlines have passed.
 
Actually, I think there is a pre-screen process. Candidate has to meet a minimum threshold before receiving a Candidate ID number and receiving access to the Candidate Information portal. I don't know mechanics or timing, but presume it occurs pretty quickly.

I believe you are correct. Simply hitting "Submit" does not automatically make an applicant an official candidate (i.e. assigned a candidate number). It's possible the academy may determine, based on the submitted information, that the applicant is not qualified and will therefore they will not be assigned a candidate number. The prospective candidate may have entered information that was immediately disqualifying.
 
OP - are you applying for 2021 ?
-- OOPS, I meant 2022 ! Time flies when you are having fun.


My question is, have you missed the MOC nomination window? I know in this state, both senators and representative in this district deadlines have passed

That's the reason for my question about Class. . If applying for 2022, OP is well behind the power curve. If 2023 -- a bit premature. I don't know when Admissions opens the pre-app for the next class, I thought it was Spring of Junior Year. They don't get entered into the BGIS (BGO portal) until late Spring.

If 2022-- look at MOC deadlines asap! You have time on the USNA application. I actually had a candidate recently that did not even submit the USNA preliminary application until after he had a Nomination. He completed the application in January, and is a member of 2021.
 
(In regard to the change from "I" to "DD," DD came on to ask the question) If DD has received a BGO, does that mean that she is going to become one? I feel that she is qualified. She is a reapplicant who received appt last year. She chose to attend a top college instead but isn't pleased with her decision. Also, she's under circumstances that caused her to be so late (just realizing that she should reapply, etc), and I understand that can definitely be a problem, she has missed deadlines already. She just wanted to at least try to apply for this year.
 
If DD has received a BGO, does that mean that she is going to become one?
> Not necessarily. Persons who are not Official Candidates are posted as "Contact and Counsel" on the BGO portal system. BGO's are supposed to do that -- reach out and make themselves available to answer questions, advise the candidate on admissions process and what is necessary to be an official candidate,

That being said, if DD had an appointment last year, she is qualified and should be an Official Candidate shortly. If she doesn't hear soon , she should reach out to the designated BGO and ask him/her to follow up with CGO. As noted above, the MOC Nomination deadlines are probably most critical --there is plenty of time for the USNA application, and in fact, would expect DD to be treated much the same as a reapplicant, with Admissions waiting to see how she did first semester at College.
 
As has been noted many times by the vets, make sure she applies to other nomination sources, e.g. Vice Presidential...DS got a VP nomination late in the process last year (April 11th) to fill out an LOA to USAFA without applying for such since he'd committed to USNA, so clearly they have some flexibility...he stuck with his choice of Annapolis and is a plebe
 
What kind of things are they looking for on the preliminary application to make you a candidate? Is it very difficult to become an official candidate?
 
my son applied to NASS on Jan 10 2017, so the NASS application is the same as the preliminary application. May 10, 2017 he got an email that he is the official candidate with the instructions how to log in to the candidate portal. It's probably wont take 4 months, but i'm guessing you wont get the email that you are the official candidate until May. Not sure what happens if someone doesn't meet the qualifications to become one.
 
I just submitted my Preliminary Application to USNA. Any estimate on how long it generally takes between submission and becoming an Official Candidate? (if deemed qualified)

As an aside, and general advice to all who apply .... BE PATIENT . If you are worried about how soon you will be considered an Official Candidate right after submitting the Preliminary Application, just think what its going to be like waiting for a decision from Admissions next spring. I understand the desire for instant gratification, and am guilty myself at times...but the Admissions process is not designed or intended to provide individual gratification. Sure, there are some LOA's...but the vast majority are CPR while Admissions reviews individual applications, then tries to work through the Nominations and Appointments process.
 
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