hockey_life
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2018
- Messages
- 5
How much does a presidential nomination help when applying to the service academies?
Presidential Nominations?
- Thread starter hockey_life
- Start date
Depends on how you define “help.”
In order to rceive an appointment, you need a nomination. So it could help if you have no other nomination.
With a nomination, you compete within the nomination cateogrory. The Presidential nomination category is usually more competitive than a Congressional district, so if you only have Presidential nomination it won’t necessarily help.
So apply to alll the nomations you can. Goood luck.
In order to rceive an appointment, you need a nomination. So it could help if you have no other nomination.
With a nomination, you compete within the nomination cateogrory. The Presidential nomination category is usually more competitive than a Congressional district, so if you only have Presidential nomination it won’t necessarily help.
So apply to alll the nomations you can. Goood luck.
Applicants who have a 'career military' parent can apply for a Presidential NOM.
https://www.usma.edu/admissions/SitePages/Apply_Nominations.aspx
SA's advise that you apply for all eligible NOM's. No one type of NOM is 'better' than any other.
https://www.usma.edu/admissions/SitePages/Apply_Nominations.aspx
SA's advise that you apply for all eligible NOM's. No one type of NOM is 'better' than any other.
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2010
- Messages
- 16,005
Even if you have other nominations, a Presidential nomination helps, assuming you qualify. I oversimplify, but consider each nomination as different lottery ticket. If you have 2 nominations, you have 2 opportunities to win a slate. Last time I checked 2 > 1 is a true statement.
Belisarius
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2017
- Messages
- 50
Kinnem is exactly right. I was told that all nominations are essentially equal and having more than one is not helpful, but this is not the case. Consider the number of people competing for an average Congressional nomination versus a Senatorial one. It will probably be much harder to win the Senatorial slate because of the much higher number of competitors for it. If you have multiple nominations and the academy wants you, it gives hem more leeway and can charge the best nominating source with the spot that you get. So definitely apply to everything available to you.
I have a question, so to apply for a NOM do you just simply contact a senator or the vice president and ask/write an email or send a letter, I dont really understand how it works? Is there paperwork for this?
FMHS-79
Parent (no longer active on SAF)
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2017
- Messages
- 987
Each of your nomination sources will have a web page listing process, requirements, and deadlines. A simple google search should allow you to locate the web page for each.
shock-n-awe
5-Year Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2015
- Messages
- 762
cc.cg:
I see you are an applicant to CGA. If you are ONLY applying to USCGA, you do not need a nomination for an appointment there. Any of the other four Academies will require at least one nomination for appointment.
The "chances" in terms of how many people you are competing against are usually the same. Your Representative has 10 nominations for his one spot on a slate. Presidential nominations are unlimited but there are 100 slates.
You must have a nomination to compete for an offer so having two is greater than one.
You must have a nomination to compete for an offer so having two is greater than one.
Correct in most states.
There are seven states with only one congressional district. In those states a senatorial nomination will be easier to get than a congressional nomination since there are two senators.
It will vary from year to year, but in general a presidential nomination is very helpful. 100 seats per class may be allotted for presidential appointments. That is 100 appointments that a presidential nominee can compete for that other candidates can not.
Very helpful for a well qualified candidate. Not so much for an unqualified or marginally qualified candidate.
Yes I know that's one reason why I am applying! but I am also applying to other SAs just have my heart set on USCGA but thank you!
hockey_life
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2018
- Messages
- 5
Yes, my dad retired as an LTC. I did some research and saw that a retired parent in the military would get you a presidential nomination. My mom also attended West Point and said that she got a congressional nomination for her admittance to USMA.
Juvat
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2014
- Messages
- 185
Just to echo the above. I’m a BGO with a kid at USNA (soon to be Firstie). Yes, apply for every nomination you are eligible for!!! Makes you all the more competitive for an appointment. And don’t forget to apply for a VP nom too! My daughter received an early appointment to USAFA (October timeframe) and only had the Presidential nom on hand as she hadn’t event met the Congessman or Senatorial boards which weren’t till November. Then she didn’t hear from USNA till February (which she accepted). Not sure whose slate she won for USNA but no doubt that with a Presidential, Senatorial and congressional nom in hand she was all the more competitive.
navyscpo
Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2018
- Messages
- 22
My DD only received a Presidential nomination and received a direct appointment. I would be interested to know if when the admissions board is grading/scoring records if one nomination is worth more points than another or if two or more nominations gives them extra points.
No nomination is worth more than another. All nominations are equal when that nomination is used for an appointment as a Qualified Alternate (top 150 candidates on NWL) or Additional Appointee (200 - 400 remaining appointments from NWL).
However, one type of nomination will allow you to compete for slots that another will not. A congressional nominee cannot compete for a presidential appointment without also having a presidential nomination. Whether one category is more competitive than another will vary from year to year and by geography.
The bottom line is: more nominations = more slots to compete for. Apply for all you can.