Question Regarding ALOs

[mb06189]

I'm applying for the class of 2028, and was wondering about how often I should meet with my ALO once I get my application really rolling, and around how often I should keep in touch beforehand. My Candidate Kit opens in July by the way.

 

[TLINAU2230]

I met with my ALO once. ALO's vary vastly in how helpful they'll be and how much you'll meet. Mine was very helpful, but we simply didn't need to meet more than once, and that was after I was accepted

 

[99Gold]

My ds corresponded with his mentor ALO twice over email. To be fair, he didn't really have any questions for him.

 

[Apollo 8]

My ALO was great at making sure I was pursuing solid backups, had all my nomination packets in order, prepping for interviews, etc.

If you don’t know/ have anyone with knowledge about the Service Academies, involved in your application, ALOs and BGOs are great people to run your thoughts, questions, applications confusions, etc. by. If they were originally from your area, that also puts you in a spot to glean some knowledge.

I didn’t contact mine more than once a month, but having a direct contact is quite helpful at times. It’s personal as to how much you need it, but getting answers from an ALO is so much better than making assumptions on your application.

 

[Academician]

Your should introduce yourself to the Mentor ALO, who will be a local resource for you if you have questions. M-ALO's vary in their involvement, but they can be a good resource as noted by the previous responses. As you may know, the Evaluator ALO will be designated when you complete the Candidate Kit. You will be asked to reach out to the E-ALO to arrange your interview within a few weeks of the designation. He or she will not be located in your state, but their interview (typically, via Zoom or similar platform) will be a very important part of the application process. Best of luck with your pursuit of an appointment!

 

[MDRDV]

For reference, I sent an introduction email to my mentor ALO at the start of the application. I didn't email after that time as I was able to get all my application questions answered here. SAF is an invaluable resource. E-ALO was only for the interview. The ALO is there if you need them.

 

[Clar]

While it does depend on a number of things, I am still in contact with my ALO now. Now that I'm at USAFA, they provide me with a lot of great insight, managing certain situations, and providing a good look at the operational side. There have also been a few things I have been able to help them with as well, so if at all possible, I would recommend staying in contact as well.

 

[snarfly]

Unfortunately, the mentor ALO was not very helpful for my applicant. While he was very accessible, responsive, and nice, he just wasn't very helpful. He's new, and recruited athlete so he never had to go through the normal nomination process, etc and couldn't provide insight on that or answer any of the traditional admissions questions. He also mentioned they were trying something new, that they were monitoring how much contact candidates had with ALOs.