Presidential Nominations

[aidantcbennett]

I was wondering how much a presidential nomination helps out with getting into the naval academy? And how competitive the presidential nomination process is? Both my parents have served active duty in the navy for 20 plus years so I believe I qualify. However my gpa is not the best(3.3uw) and my sat score is a 1300.

 

[Capt MJ]

I was wondering how much a presidential nomination helps out with getting into the naval academy? And how competitive the presidential nomination process is? Both my parents have served active duty in the navy for 20 plus years so I believe I qualify. However my gpa is not the best(3.3uw) and my sat score is a 1300.

A nom, any flavor. Is one of the things you must have to be offered an appointment. One is not more special than any other for this purpose.

The Presidential nom is not competitive. If you are qualified for one per documentation you supply, you get one. The competition comes in on a national level. Only 100 appointments can be charged to this nom source. There might be 600 who qualify for this nom and get it.

USNA website encourages candidates to apply for all noms for which you are eligible. For most that is 2 Senators, 1 Representative, VP and any other noms for which they are eligible. Each candidate competes against others in the same nom category.

A nom plus being fully qualified - physical /DoDMERB Q or waiver; athletic-CFA; and academic-scholastic, everything else evaluated - makes a candidate eligible for an offer of appointment.

Assume you are not applying for Class of 2028 but looking ahead.
- Go read the pinned post at the top of the Nominations forum.
- Read every page, link and drop down menu item on usna.edu, your primary source.
- There is a profile for each incoming class. See how you compare.
Example: https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Apply/Class-Portrait.php
- And some guidelines for HS: https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Apply/General-Advice-for-Grades-9-12.php

And welcome new member of a few hours!

 

[aidantcbennett]

A nom, any flavor. Is one of the things you must have to be offered an appointment. One is not more special than any other for this purpose.

The Presidential nom is not competitive. If you are qualified for one, you get one. The competition comes in on a national level. Only 100 appointments can be charged to this nom source. There might be 600 who qualify for this nom and get it.

USNA website encourages candidates to apply for all noms for which you are eligible. For most that is 2 Senators, 1 Representative, VP and any other noms for which they are eligible. Each candidate competes against others in the same nom category.

A nom plus being fully qualified - physical /DoDMERB Q or waiver; athletic-CFA; and academic-scholastic, everything else evaluated - makes a candidate eligible for an offer of appointment.

Assume you are not applying for Class of 2028 but looking ahead.
- Go read the pinned post at the top of the Nominations forum.
- Read every page, link and drop down menu item on usna.edu, your primary source.
- There is a profile for each incoming class. See how you compare.
Example: https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Apply/Class-Portrait.php
- And some guidelines for HS: https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Apply/General-Advice-for-Grades-9-12.php

And welcome new member of a few hours!

Should I attempt to get a nomination from a congressman located in a rural part of Pennsylvania or would I be better off just getting a presidential nomination?

 

[Capt MJ]

Should I attempt to get a nomination from a congressman located in a rural part of Pennsylvania or would I be better off just getting a presidential nomination?

Re-read my post where I respond about Presidential nominations. Time to do your legwork and research primary sources.

Your competition will be applying to multiple nom sources, potentially multiple SAs, AROTC/AFROTC/NROTC scholarships, colleges, etc., as part of a comprehensive strategy that includes alternatives. Applying to a SA tests a candidate’s: attention to detail, executive organization skills, project and time management, prioritization, strategic and critical thinking, decision-making, determination, perseverance, drive and many other traits desirable in future junior officers. The process itself is part of the weeding out process.

It is good you are researching and asking questions. But this is an unofficial, anonymous forum. Your primary resources are the SA websites and Admissions staff, as well as your MOC service academy pages on their websites. Just get in there and do the work, check back here using the Search function, and the picture will become more clear.

Here’s a hint:

 

[Heatherg21]

Should I attempt to get a nomination from a congressman located in a rural part of Pennsylvania or would I be better off just getting a presidential nomination?

As previously stated USNA admissions recommends, stresses, encourages, implores candidates to apply for and compete for all nominations they are qualified for.

 

[usnabgo08]

Please see my post on a similar thread. It is correct that obtaining a nomination checks one of the boxes in being eligible to receive an offer of appointment, however not all nominations are equal. In your example, if you aren’t one of the 100 Presidential nominees to receive an appointment then you are at a disadvantage when trying to fill the balance of the class. As stated above, pursue all nomination sources to increase odds of being selected (remember that you must also be triple/fully qualified).

 

[JUCO]

If my DS already received an Appointment (via Presidential Nom), should he still pursue MOC nominations? I thought I read in one of these threads that he should because SA’s may switch which nomination source to use. …or did I misread that and it only meant to do so if still awaiting an Appointment?

 

[Thegirlinthefireplace]

If my DS already received an Appointment (via Presidential Nom), should he still pursue MOC nominations? I thought I read in one of these threads that he should because SA’s may switch which nomination source to use. …or did I misread that and it only meant to do so if still awaiting an Appointment?

There seems to be a bit of a split decision on what you should do from the people on here. Some say you have the appointment so you should withdraw your application for nominations, and others say what you described. If your son didn't have an appointment yet, he'd definitely want to continue with the nomination process, because a Presidential spot isn't guaranteed.

If your son has already completed the interviews, he could just let them know that he has received an appointment (and it's possible they will know anyway) and let them decide what to do. I let my MoC know that I had gotten an appointment to the USNA before my interviews, but I wanted to continue the process because I also applied to the USAFA. They were totally fine with it. Very soon after my senate interview, I got an appointment to USAFA, so I contacted them and let them know immediately. I figured they could do what they wanted to then. I got a nice notification from one of their offices letting me know that I wouldn't be getting a nomination because I already had my appointments which was fine with me. I live in an area where a lot of people want nominations to service academies.

Congratulations to your son! Has he made a decision yet?

 

[ProudPapa26_28]

The way I look at it is thus:

Going for all Nomination sources provides maximum flexibility to the Academy. They can choose how to build out their class, as they can move people with multiple nomination sources to ensure they get the best class.

Removing yourself from extraneous Nomination sources gives the flexibility to the Nomination source. Meaning that the Nominating source gets to award an additional nomination to someone they deem worthy.

So, it comes down to. . .Who do you want to have that Flexibility? USNA, or the Nominating source?

 

[edhvoice]

Should I attempt to get a nomination from a congressman located in a rural part of Pennsylvania or would I be better off just getting a presidential nomination?

The SHORT ANSWER: Yes apply for the Congressional nomination (and while you are at it also the Senatorial and Vice Presidential nominations.). Of course, also apply for the Presidential. Appointment since you are eligible. As previously stated, only 100 PresidentIal appointments be accepted annually. .
Applying only based on a presidential nomination really restricts your opportunitiy.