Proud Papa

Sealion II

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2021
Messages
444
Hi All, I've been reading as many threads as possible to learn about the process for potential candidates. My daughter (or should I say DD?, BTW: thanks for the acronym list) verbally committed to play her favorite sport at USNA. The coach made the offer about a month ago. She was so excited she was shaking and crying when she told us.

Since then I've been doing as much research as possible. This site has been incredibly helpful. Thank you to all the contributors who provide responses. I've no doubt that most questions have been asked multiple, so I'll do my best to search before I post my thousands of questions.

Anyway, thanks for the great resource and support.
 
Hi All, I've been reading as many threads as possible to learn about the process for potential candidates. My daughter (or should I say DD?, BTW: thanks for the acronym list) verbally committed to play her favorite sport at USNA. The coach made the offer about a month ago. She was so excited she was shaking and crying when she told us.

Since then I've been doing as much research as possible. This site has been incredibly helpful. Thank you to all the contributors who provide responses. I've no doubt that most questions have been asked multiple, so I'll do my best to search before I post my thousands of questions.

Anyway, thanks for the great resource and support.
Congratulations 🎉🎈
For next year’s Induction Ceremony, I’ve searched the AIRBNB for places to stay and about 100+ places were listed. However when the parking filter was applied less than 10 came up. We signed up for a 2BR two blocks from from the gate with free parking.
 
Hi All, I've been reading as many threads as possible to learn about the process for potential candidates. My daughter (or should I say DD?, BTW: thanks for the acronym list) verbally committed to play her favorite sport at USNA. The coach made the offer about a month ago. She was so excited she was shaking and crying when she told us.

Since then I've been doing as much research as possible. This site has been incredibly helpful. Thank you to all the contributors who provide responses. I've no doubt that most questions have been asked multiple, so I'll do my best to search before I post my thousands of questions.

Anyway, thanks for the great resource and support.
Welcome - this community is supportive and positive, with some occasional mild spats and off-topic adventures.

Best wishes for your daughter to complete all elements of her application, gain a nomination(s), become fully qualified, and successfully compete for an offer of appointment to get her in the door so she can play for that team she has been offered a spot on!
 
Welcome - this community is supportive and positive, with some occasional mild spats and off-topic adventures.

Best wishes for your daughter to complete all elements of her application, gain a nomination(s), become fully qualified, and successfully compete for an offer of appointment to get her in the door so she can play for that team she has been offered a spot on!
You mean to tell me the offer is not an appointment?!? ;)
 
Hi All, I've been reading as many threads as possible to learn about the process for potential candidates. My daughter (or should I say DD?, BTW: thanks for the acronym list) verbally committed to play her favorite sport at USNA. The coach made the offer about a month ago. She was so excited she was shaking and crying when she told us.

Since then I've been doing as much research as possible. This site has been incredibly helpful. Thank you to all the contributors who provide responses. I've no doubt that most questions have been asked multiple, so I'll do my best to search before I post my thousands of questions.

Anyway, thanks for the great resource and support.
This site was the "GO TO' for our family as well. None in our family had a military background and now DD looking to change it.
Welcome..
 
Summer Seminar is opportunity to get an exposure to USNA and is not a mandatory step. To some potential candidates it provides some info, time on deck and feel. In case your DD is not selected for SS, no big deal as she already has a big step in. Even applying for SS is not mandatory and a potential candidate can start the application when the cycle opens up.
 
Ah - a junior, so many steps to go yet on this journey.
I’ll post my omnibus advice below; some of it may be helpful. I can’t emphasize enough building out alternate plans.


This is my standard advice, which I copy and paste several times a year.

You are at the right time to begin serious research.



The service academy application process itself tests for qualities and attributes desirable in future junior officers: attention to detail, executive planning and organizing, time management, task prioritization, humility, perseverance, patience. Take ownership of the process.



If you haven’t read every page, link and menu item on your sa.edu of choice sites, taking notes and starting to build out an extended timeline of action items and long-term due dates, now is a great time. That is your primary source, and most answers are there.



Do the same kind of research into alternative paths to commissioning, such as ROTC and related scholarships. That is a prudent thing to do, and shows no lack of commitment to an SA. Additionally, a college ROTC unit is another nomination source, if you find yourself re-applying after a SA turndown. There will be thousands of candidates building HS resumes with similar stats, plus college re-applicants; leave no opportunity unexplored. Presumably, your prime goal is to commission as an X officer, with USXA your preferred path. It’s not the only path. Re-applicants to SAs make up a chunk of each class.



Take this time to research all five of the Federal service academies, and subsequent career paths, so you can make an informed decision about ruling them in or out. It’s very important to look past the interim waystation of 4 SA or college ROTC years to see if there are at least a good handful of career paths you could see yourself doing for a minimum of 5-6 years or whatever the applicable minimum active duty service obligation is.



For those interested in a Navy career, don’t overlook the Navy Nuclear Power Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program and the Civil Engineering Corps (CEC) officer program (think SEABEEs). These are college programs with financial assistance, but no ROTC time commitment.



Go to your elected officials’ websites (2 Sen, 1 Rep), read and take notes on their service academy nomination process. They can choose submission deadlines, interviews or not, panel interviews, any method they want. If they are having a F2F or virtual info session, sign up and soak it in, so you are well-prepared for your cycle, even a few years out. Stay current with that site, in case the elected official changes.



Apply for all nominations for which you are eligible, including the VP at the DOD service academies. This gives the SA max flexibility, if they want to offer you an appointment, as to what nom authority they eventually charge the appointment to.



Go to the DoDMERB site, the entity which does the physical qualification of candidates. Explore each menu item on the left. This often turns into one of the most frustrating and time-using aspects of the process. Get smart on it now so you won’t be surprised. There are some medications that must be discontinued for a certain period of time. IEPs and accommodations also are off the table at a certain point.



Research the CFA or applicable fitness test for the SA or program of interest. Assess yourself and develop a training plan. Women, learn to do pull-ups. It’s worth more points, and you will value that strength and confidence. Do not procrastinate when it’s your cycle. Leaving it too late invites illness, injury, bad weather, family emergency or sudden non-availability of your test administrator or video person, if that is required. There are YouTube videos on various techniques Google Stew Smith’s website and YouTube videos; he’s a USNA grad, former Navy SEAL, now a fitness pro.



If you are a non-swimmer or not a confident swimmer, take some adult swim classes at the Y or other program to get more comfortable in a pool. Though the SAs will teach you to swim to meet various required tests, you don’t want to spend precious time in remedial swim. It’s a good life skill anyway.



Here on SAF, read the Stickies at the top of the Nominations and DoDMERB forums. There is also The Acronym List on the Home page if you haven’t found it yet.



There is a Search function tool inside SAF, and google works well when you include “site:serviceacademyforums.com” in the string. The same questions come up every year. The “Chance Me” and “stats” threads can be illuminating as to ideas for summer leadership programs such as Boys State and Girls State, and other competitive elements. The SA summer programs in your rising senior summer are worth looking into to get a feel for that SA.



There is no one cookie-cutter magic formula; a class is made up of individuals who bring different combinations of strengths.



If you are not involved in a sport, be sure you prepare well for the CFA to prove basic physical ability, and also ensure your other activities supply the leadership, collaboration skills, work ethic, time investment and discipline learned in a sport.



Don’t overlook the Senior Military Colleges (SMCs), which offer a military-type environment and structure, as well as paths to a commission. Some are only Army ROTC; some have Army plus other service ROTC.

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List of Colleges & Universities | GoArmy.com

The Army ROTC training program is held at select schools across the country. Visit goarmy.com for a list of these military colleges & universities.



Research the state maritime academies, which also offer commissioning programs.

Maritime Academies | MARAD

Studying merchant marine operations at the university level is a core component of MARAD's education strategy; particularly its essential responsibility to meet national security needs and maintain maritime defense readiness. The six maritime academies and USMMA meet that need by educating young...

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www.maritime.dot.gov



Create your organization system - binders, folders, spreadsheets, calendars, wall boards, whatever works for you to plan, track and execute. Many apply to multiple SAs, nom sources, ROTC scholarships, ROTC schools, etc.



Finally, stay flexible and open to the paths that open before you. The key is to show sustained performance, personal growth and achievement in a well-rounded person.
 
Summer Seminar is opportunity to get an exposure to USNA and is not a mandatory step. To some potential candidates it provides some info, time on deck and feel. In case your DD is not selected for SS, no big deal as she already has a big step in. Even applying for SS is not mandatory and a potential candidate can start the application when the cycle opens up.
I knew the forum members would come through with great advice. I think the wording on the admissions site is "strongly encourage" to apply for Summer Seminar. If it's optional and doesn't impact getting an appointment, we may skip it. She could use the down time. I'm sure your DS and DD are like mine, always going.
 

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I knew the forum members would come through with great advice. I think the wording on the admissions site is "strongly encourage" to apply for Summer Seminar. If it's optional and doesn't impact getting an appointment, we may skip it. She could use the down time. I'm sure your DS and DD are like mine, always going.
There is 1 big tangible benefit of going to SS and this is opportunity to complete CFA and get that checked off the list. I am not sure how this works for candidates that are recruited as DD was not recruited.

My DD was opposite of your DD, happy to stay at 1 place and if not required to move then why to move. I am sure that has changed since plebe summer.
 
The coach is interested which is a plus however I would say that it is not an appointment, but if she is interested in perusing, she has a WILD 2 year rollercoaster ride (emotional and mentally exhausting at times) ahead of her so do you. These forums are a great source of information as you can see by CAPT MJ's post and the rest of us have been through it at one academy or another and will gladly offer our input, just ask. The academies' websites however will be the go to place for information and what you need to complete and the timeline to complete those in.
Best of luck to her!!!!
 
A little more color on our journey so far...NCAA allows coaches to reach out to recruits on 9/1 of Junior year. SA can reach out 7/1 (at least in this sport). DD got a text from USNA coach inviting her to visit campus (not sure if that's appropriate word) the following week. I dropped her off the gate having no idea how she would react. She met the coaches, did a tour, went to class with team members and then watched practice. I kept myself busy for about 5 hours. I met her at the gate after she was all done. The first words out of her mouth were, "I love it!"

Two weeks later she participated in camp at USNA. She felt she played really well. Coach texted Monday to see if she could talk that evening. She went to her room to take the call. 15 minutes later she came down in tears saying the coach offered her a spot on the roster. Now imagine a parent sandwich around DD jumping up and down.

My advice to her was to sleep on it and talk to her various team coaches. She slept on it okay, but called Navy coach at 7:30 AM to accept. We couldn't be more thrilled.

I know it's a long road from here with lots of hurdles. Thank you again to forum members for their already helpful suppot.
 
I knew the forum members would come through with great advice. I think the wording on the admissions site is "strongly encourage" to apply for Summer Seminar. If it's optional and doesn't impact getting an appointment, we may skip it. She could use the down time. I'm sure your DS and DD are like mine, always going.
The best advice I can give is listen to Capt MJ. She is never wrong.

Congrats.
 
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