Principal Nomination Question

Navyboy17

Navyboy17

USNA '21, Student Naval Aviator
5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
55
Hello,

I am a 2021 applicant from a midwestern state with much less competition compared to Maryland, California, etc.

I was recently informed this past week by the US senator from my state that I have received his principal nomination to USNA. I am thrilled but have a couple questions.

According to some Academy sources I've talked to and read, a principal nomination is practically a guarantee for appointment. Is this true?

I am 3Q, as I'm fully confident in my academics, CFA, and DoDMERB results.

I have read multiple threads on both sides of this issue, either saying it certainly means appointment... or saying that it is just a normal nomination.

I would really like to hear some insight and advice about this situation and would appreciate any!
 
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It is ALMOST a guarantee. USNA is not REQUIRED to admit a principal nomination. It would take an extreme case for them to to admit.

USMA and USAFA have language that say if a principal nominee is qualified they will admit. USNA does not have the same definitive language.
 
If you are truly 3Q USNA will offer you an appointment if you are a principal nominee.

There may be some nuanced way not to appoint a 3Q principal nominee, but then they would undoubtedly be called to explain themselves

Congratulations

FYI- state senators are not part of the process. US Senators from your home state have the ability to nominate.
 
USNA Language from the Code of Federal Record
Each Senator, Representative, and Delegate in Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, is entitled to nominate 10 persons for each vacancy that is available to him under this section. Nominees may be submitted without ranking or with a principal candidate and 9 ranked or unranked alternates. Qualified nominees not selected for appointment under this subsection shall be considered qualified alternates for the purposes of selection under other provisions of this chapter.

USMA Language
The priority that a fully qualified candidate may receive when considered for appointment is actually governed by the method of nomination used. For example, a principal nominee who is found minimally qualified must be offered an appointment. Conversely, the same individual nominated on a totally competitive basis, may be ranked as one of the least qualified nominees for that vacancy and, consequently, may not be offered an appointment. Many nominating authorities hold preliminary competitive nomination examinations to select their nominees. Those selected are required to be actual residents of the geographic location represented by the nominating authority.

USAF Language for one of the principal methods
(a) The principal numbered-alternate method. The nominating authority indicates his or her personal preference by designating a principal nominee and listing nine numbered alternate nominees in order of preference, and the appointment is offered to the first fully qualified nominee.

As you can see USNA has no definition of Principal a principal nomination. The other SA have a much more definitive language. Very subtle, but it could be significant. For USNA the intent is to admit a Principal nominee, but it is not specifically required by the CFR.

Reference
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/6954
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/32/575.3
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/32/901.18
 
5Day is spot on regarding the nuances of a principal. The good news is that as long as you are 3Q your chances of an appointment with a principal is extremely high. It is extremely rare to not get an appointment in this situation. The key is being 3Q at this point. Congrats on this big step and hope you will be adding your name to the list soon.
 
I thought USNA no longer routinely tells applicants if they are 3Q? How were you informed of this? Saying 'you are confidant' is different from USNA giving you official notification.
 
I apologize for declaring myself 3Q. I guess I do not know officially.

English and Math ACT scores are 34 and 31 respectively. 4.0 GPA. #1 in class. I am assuming I'm in the clear academically.

With the CFA, I maxed the push-ups, almost maxed shuttle runs, and was well above average on the other workouts.

Medically, my DoDMERB account has been updated and I have been granted a waiver for a disqualifying condition for USNA.

I do not know officially that I am 3Q, but I have strong confidence that I will be.
 
One of the Q's is Scholastic (not academic) since it also includes a lot of other factors.
 
usna1985 said:
The third Q is scholastic qualification, which includes grades, standardized tests, leadership, etc. You are typically not informed whether or not you're scholastically qualified, although your BGO can generally give you a good idea based on his/her experience.
Click to expand...

Several older threads on that topic.
 
@Navyboy17 Based on your stats you won't have any problem being 3Q. Now it is just a matter of time for your MOC to notify the academy that you are there principal nominee, and your application and DoDMERB are completed. You could be waiting till January (my assumption) but it could happen sooner.
 
5Day said:
Each Senator, Representative, and Delegate in Congress, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, is entitled to nominate 10 persons for each vacancy that is available to him under this section.
Click to expand...

A quick related question I was wondering about; I had read somewhere (but nowhere official) that a Congressman might be limited to 5 candidates at a SA at any stage (plebe through 1st Class). True? I don't know how you would find out that number but it would definitely be a factor, if true. Thanks.
 
mpete2150 said:
A quick related question I was wondering about; I had read somewhere (but nowhere official) that a Congressman might be limited to 5 candidates at a SA at any stage (plebe through 1st Class). True? I don't know how you would find out that number but it would definitely be a factor, if true. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Have you reviewed all the stickies, links and posts on the Nominations forum? Your answer may be there. I would find it for you, but we are feeding Naval Bagels to 5 hurricane evacuees from Nuclear Power School in Charleston, our USNA sponsor alums and housemates, before they get on the road. ;)
 
Navyboy17 said:
I apologize for declaring myself 3Q. I guess I do not know officially.

English and Math ACT scores are 34 and 31 respectively. 4.0 GPA. #1 in class. I am assuming I'm in the clear academically.

With the CFA, I maxed the push-ups, almost maxed shuttle runs, and was well above average on the other workouts.

Medically, my DoDMERB account has been updated and I have been granted a waiver for a disqualifying condition for USNA.

I do not know officially that I am 3Q, but I have strong confidence that I will be.
Click to expand...


My son had a principal nomination. He, like you, based on his stats, assumed he was 3Q. He's now a happy member of the class of 2020. Congratulations!! Enjoy the ride! Go Navy!
 
mpete2150 said:
A quick related question I was wondering about; I had read somewhere (but nowhere official) that a Congressman might be limited to 5 candidates at a SA at any stage (plebe through 1st Class). True? I don't know how you would find out that number but it would definitely be a factor, if true. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, senators and MOCs can have five at the Academy at any given time. So, for a particular year, if one of those vacancies is open, they can nominate ten to fill it. If you are one of the ten and do not get the slot charged to that MOC, all is not lost. You then go into the national pool, from which USNA will fill out the remainder of the class. I know that more than one in our district is class of 2020. What no one knows is to whom any of them was charged. DS had congressman's principal, but also had a senate nom. No way to know which (if any) he was charged to, but my guess is congressman because of the principal nom. Not much at stake with that guess as it literally could not matter less.
 
mpete2150 said:
A quick related question I was wondering about; I had read somewhere (but nowhere official) that a Congressman might be limited to 5 candidates at a SA at any stage (plebe through 1st Class). True? I don't know how you would find out that number but it would definitely be a factor, if true. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Just call the MOC's office. They will tell you if they are nominating 10 applicants for 1 slot or 20 applicants for 2 slots. It is very unlikely to be less than 1 or more than 2.
 
I am no official nor do I have any connections but it looks like to me that you are in as long as you don't screw it up. So stay out of trouble, cancel the skydiving lessons or anything else too risky, don't take a nose dive in any classes and congrats!
 
Let's not predict or speculate whether someone has the "stats" to be 3Q'd or receive an appointment...no one here actually knows the entire background of the candidate. Let the process play out...a nomination is a requirement to receive an appointment...so that is a check in the box and a step in the right direction.
 
But the subject is a principal nomination. The OP has a principal nomination, a 4.0 GPA, class rank of 1 and ACT scores of 31 and 34. His BGO would have let him know if he need to improve his CFA and he passed his DoDMerb. I can't imagine this candidate is not 3Q.
 
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