I have always been told by BGOs that SATs below 600 math or eng will not qualify, some tell me 650. However, I also know of several current mids with scores in the high 500's. I understand the magic formula to be a closely kept USNA secret. Being scholastically qualified is more than just test scores & grades. They consider your GPA/test scores/Class Rank/difficulty of classes taken & even difficulty of the HS you are in. It is a very complex thing that cannot be easily reduced to numbers. That being said, USNA Class of 2012 test scores are noted below. I don't have immediate access to avg GPA or class rank at the moment. How do your sons scores fall within these statistics from 2012?
SCHOLASTIC ASSESSMENT TEST I & AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING SCORES
Score range Verbal Math
>700 (31-36) 26% 32%
>600-699 (26-30) 44% 50%
<600 (<26) 30% 18%
* Sorry - table doesn't seem to "paste" very well - it lost its formatting!
The good news is that with a principal nom you can rest assured that the Academy will be looking at his qualifications very carefully. He will get the appointment unless he is not QQQ - and before they deem him to be non-QQQ they'll have reviewed the file very thoroughly. Typically, a MOC would not submit a principal that didn't meet the min academics. When was the nom submitted? If it was fairly recent, be patient - they are very busy right now. If it's been a month or more, then your son may want to evaluate his academic profile & send in 7th semester grades or update the file with any academic achievements (NHS type things).
Good luck - it sounds like he is in a good spot