Overqualified for NAPS?

All depends where you’re from. less competitive states, those scores and accolades would likely get an appointment. Same scores and accolades from competitive states and very likely he would not get a nomination much less an appointment. A huge factor depends on where your from. The Academies want diversity and inclusion. Honestly, they could fill an entire class from three to four North East states if strictly going off grades, SAT scores and true D1 athletes.

IMO!
 
Wow. $8000 . . . for what exactly?

For example, the site says it will help you select teachers and help them format the letters. USNA tells you the teachers you must choose and sends an email to those teachers that asks specific questions. I don’t think teachers will be receptive to some outsider telling them what to say or how to say it.

Parents — don’t waste your money. There is no secret recipe or magic formula to getting into a SA. There is also plenty of free advice, including the SA websites, BGOs, USNA admissions forums and this site.

For decades, candidates have successfully navigated the SA process on their own. I did. So can your child.
 
Aztec Tiger said:
All depends where you’re from. less competitive states, those scores and accolades would likely get an appointment. Same scores and accolades from competitive states and very likely he would not get a nomination much less an appointment. A huge factor depends on where your from. The Academies want diversity and inclusion. Honestly, they could fill an entire class from three to four North East states if strictly going off grades, SAT scores and true D1 athletes.

IMO!
Click to expand...
My son got an appointment with good credentials from a northeast state … His district was not competitive at all.

I think he would have been competitive anywhere.
 
usna1985 said:
First, I'm not sure anyone other than Admissions knows why some kids are recommended for NAPS or Foundation and others aren't.
Click to expand...
100%. In my case, it was because Admissions make a mistake with my file (paper in the Stone Age). I was probably "academically overqualified" as I had covered all of the NAPS/plebe year math/science before in HS (AP Chem, AP Physics & AP Calculus) and had a good SAT score. But Admissions, I think, wanted to make amends and I ended up going to NAPS instead of Johns Hopkins (much to my mother's initial dismay).
 
It is inaccurate to say that kids from less competitive states or districts are less qualified than those from competitive areas. While there is typically a smaller number of qualified candidates in those areas, those who are qualified may well be exceptional. Two of the last 4 USNA Superintendents were from North Dakota.

As an example, take exceptional Candidate A. If she lives in North Dakota, there are probably at most a handful of candidates with similar qualifications. Given that there are at 3 MOC slots each year, she's likely to be appointed. If that same Candidate A lives in super-competitive northern VA, there are probably at least 25 candidates in her district and maybe another 50 state-wide with similar qualifications. That's 75 extremely well qualified candidates vying for the same 3 MOC slots.

Conversely, take fully qualified but unexceptional Candidate B. If he lives in WY, he may be the only qualified candidate in his district. Thus, he would almost certainly be appointed. If Candidate B lived in highly competitive Annapolis, he probably wouldn't have a chance.

Obviously, the situation is more complicated than the simplistic explanation above. Nonetheless, the point is that one should never assume that appointees from SD or WY or certain districts are less qualified than an appointee from San Diego. They just have less competition . . . and that is the decision of Congress, not the SAs.
 
dddad said:
What is your source for the information you provide about the "NWL," "AAs," and numbers filled? Where did you obtain information that WCS is not considered with respect to AAs?
Click to expand...
US Code Search the US Code linked for Key Word additional appointment. There is an entry for Army, AF, and Navy. The number isn't specified but these additional appointments are defined and the 'category' is used every year at these three academies. There may be a more current version than 2011 of this US Code but the more recent versions would likely be similar.
 
usna1985 said:
It is inaccurate to say that kids from less competitive states or districts are less qualified than those from competitive areas. While there is typically a smaller number of qualified candidates in those areas, those who are qualified may well be exceptional. Two of the last 4 USNA Superintendents were from North Dakota.

As an example, take exceptional Candidate A. If she lives in North Dakota, there are probably at most a handful of candidates with similar qualifications. Given that there are at 3 MOC slots each year, she's likely to be appointed. If that same Candidate A lives in super-competitive northern VA, there are probably at least 25 candidates in her district and maybe another 50 state-wide with similar qualifications. That's 75 extremely well qualified candidates vying for the same 3 MOC slots.

Conversely, take fully qualified but unexceptional Candidate B. If he lives in WY, he may be the only qualified candidate in his district. Thus, he would almost certainly be appointed. If Candidate B lived in highly competitive Annapolis, he probably wouldn't have a chance.

Obviously, the situation is more complicated than the simplistic explanation above. Nonetheless, the point is that one should never assume that appointees from SD or WY or certain districts are less qualified than an appointee from San Diego. They just have less competition . . . and that is the decision of Congress, not the SAs.
Click to expand...
And the current DANT is from MO.

A candidate is competing against 10 slate members, no matter how populated the state. I understand the thought process of there being fewer numbers of people applying (‘less competitive’)….however, there are also more congressional noms available in a highly populated district. So one could argue there are more opportunities in a highly populated area, with this line of thinking.

What isn’t correct, however, is to say they are less qualified. And overall, it doesn’t matter. This is the system that’s been determined that creates a most geographically diverse group of Officers to represent our great Nation.
 
AROTC Parent said:
US Code Search the US Code linked for Key Word additional appointment. There is an entry for Army, AF, and Navy. The number isn't specified but these additional appointments are defined and the 'category' is used every year at these three academies. There may be a more current version than 2011 of this US Code but the more recent versions would likely be similar.
Click to expand...
:yikes:. I'll have to call my lawyer.

Seriously, I took a look at 10 U.S.C. Section 7442 in its entirety, which is the applicable statute for USMA nominating sources. Maybe I'm missing something, but based on my (somewhat cursory) search I have some skepticism about the whether the $8,000 charged by the source the OP cited will be money well spent. ;)
 
It does appear that with the "at large" type noms like Presidential, VP, ROTC, SecNav, etc., that there are a huge amount of appointments from those "super competitive" areas.

MD and VA are highly represented in each class, far above what their MoC slates should account for in comparison to other places.
 
Banshee Mom said:
Wow ! Seriously , I did a google search for service academy application when DD was first applying and found this forum and told DD about it . CFA , nomination interview prep , DODMERb info and pretty much any other questions she and I had were answered just lurking here . Plus I met a lot of nice folks who were also going through the process with their kids .
Click to expand...
Agreed - wish I'd found this forum sooner!
 
justdoit19 said:
A candidate is competing against 10 slate members, no matter how populated the state.
Click to expand...
Last year my MOC had well over 70 applicants for nominations to the Service Academies in a very competitive district. Actually, we tied for the most admitted to USMA (17) in the entire nation and quite a few to USNA (9) so the competitive level is pretty high. That said, we did not have 10 APPLICANTS to USAFA nor USMMA so the competitive slates were below 10.
 
Ugh! My kid was going against 220-ish others in his MoC interviews each cycle! (Just for USNA, per the staffers). Sucked being in District 3 in Maryland - we're gerrymandered into the same District as Annapolis even though we're 35 miles apart.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Wow. So much misinformation here I dont know where to start. ( That said, Refugees comment is accurate.. he was way smarter than me!)
Click to expand...
.
Winter is closing in on Newport … it doesn’t let up ’til June … that is a fact
.
 
Last edited:
OldRetSWO said:
Last year my MOC had well over 70 applicants for nominations to the Service Academies in a very competitive district. Actually, we tied for the most admitted to USMA (17) in the entire nation and quite a few to USNA (9) so the competitive level is pretty high. That said, we did not have 10 APPLICANTS to USAFA nor USMMA so the competitive slates were below 10.
Click to expand...
I can see where how I typed what I was trying to express doesn’t read right…..

There are more slates from places with more congressmen/woman. So perhaps one could argue that the opportunity to get on a slate increases.

Point is still the same: one cannot assume they are less qualified than a ‘competitive’ state.
 
justdoit19 said:
I can see where how I typed what I was trying to express doesn’t read right…..

There are more slates from places with more congressmen/woman. So perhaps one could argue that the opportunity to get on a slate increases.

Point is still the same: one cannot assume they are less qualified than a ‘competitive’ state.
Click to expand...
For DOD SA's, there are only 3 MOC slates (2 senatorial & 1 House of Rep.) for each candidate, regardless of how many congressman are in that State. There would be no increased opportunity for States with more Representatives. Candidates, of course, are also eligible for V.P. Nom., and perhaps others.
 
Last edited:
Don't Give Up the Ship said:
For DOD SA's, there are only 3 MOC slates (2 senatorial & 1 House of Rep.) for each candidate, regardless of how many congressman are in that State. There would be no increased opportunity for States with more Representatives. They, of course are also eligible for V.P. Nom., and perhaps others.
Click to expand...
I understand. I wasn’t connecting the competitive thought in my brain, with what came out my fingers., in the competitive picture. I actually do know that a person can only apply for 3 MOC’s 😬
 
Last edited:
wnsham96 said:
My son has an interview appointment with both our Congressman panel and Senator panel this weekend. His grades are good (top 5% of class, 3.95 GPA), he's an Eagle Scout, is a team leader at his job, in NHS, taking AP Chinese, 1st tenor sax in jazz band, lots of service hours.

However, his SAT scores are a bit low (670/670) and he hasn't done any sports since his sophomore year (basketball club team). He's working out to improve his CFA scores, and will be taking the SAT (or ACT) again, but there's not a lot he can do about his lack of participation in sports now. So, he's competitive ... but average.

He's also not a minority. Just a white young male who works hard in school and at his job.

He's completed his DoDMERB and had his BGO interview, so he's moving along.

So - would he qualify for NAPS if he didn't get an appointment? Or are his grades too high? How does a candidate get an appointment if they can't check the athletics box? A miracle? 😂
Click to expand...
Current NAPSTER, there's definitely no such thing as being overqualified for NAPS. There are people here who got 1400s on the SAT and had 4.5 GPAs who are also recruited varsity athletes. People ask why they got sent to NAPS- they're killing it with all A's/B's in advanced/intermediate courses. Even the smartest people struggle here, there's definitely no such thing as being overqualified.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top