Principle vs Competitive?

[petermcd123]

I'm from Hawaii and I was talking to Senator Akaka's office and they told me they didn't do interviews because they did a competitive nomination but Senator Inouye does do them because they do a principal nomination. My question is what is the difference?

 

[Luigi59]

Nominees may be submitted in three categories:

• without ranking,
• with a principal candidate and nine ranked alternates,
• or with a principal candidate and nine unranked alternates.

When the Member specifies a principal candidate, that individual will be appointed to a DOD academy as long as he or she meets all other admission criteria.

If the principal candidate is disqualified, the service academies will appoint the first fully qualified, ranked alternate, if specified by the Member.

In circumstances where Members do not specify a principal candidate or ranked alternates, one individual from among the Member’s nominees who is found to be fully qualified will be appointed by the academies to serve as cadets.