Questions to the Group

xchefmike

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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May 15, 2007
Messages
137
1.Anyone have any idea what the % of NASS candidates that recieve an appointment are?
2. How much weight does a favorable CADRE eval factor in the admissions process
3. Any truth to the scuttlebut that there will be less members of the class of 2012 due to the lack of attrition.
4. Is there any interaction between NASS participants and the coaches of the varius sports during the sessions?

:idea:

Thanks
 
Here's one shot at responses:
1. I believe about a third receive and accept appointments ... around 600 as I recall
2. None know for sure. Some say VERY important, others say not much. I'd err on the side of the former. Point being don't worry about it. Do your best to be a good candidate and one that will be seen and evaluated as such.

3. That could be generally true since the Acad only receives funding for a specific # of Mids. Thus it could be a bit lower.

4. While ours did not interact with any coaches while there, several did make contact. It is possible, and it is not "scheduled," i.e. NASSies don't get a pep talk from Coach Johnson or others.

You're asking good questions, some of which you'll discover are wasted wonderings (examples: #2, 3). But it's good to ask anyway. Shows you're genuinely interested. Generally, worry about those things in YOUR control including:

1. Academic schedule ... take all the toughest courses you can, and work at them.
2. Academic outcomes, especially math and math standardized tests. While two of many elements going into your whole person score, class rank and math SAT/ACT are purportedly the heaviest in weight. See pages 13-14 of http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/BGO/briefs/2002 Master Admissions Brief.ppt. It's 5 years dated but still pretty close from what we understand.
3. SAT/ACT scheduling, preparation, and rescheduling until you are confident you've done your best.
4. Getting your application done ASAP and all the DoDMERB stuff and follow-up. Writing and rewriting.
5. Getting and staying in good physical condition
6. Initiating your contact and communication with your BGO
7. Getting your alternate plans B, C, etc. online
8. Following instructions and orders to the letter
9. Not doing stupid things ... getting tattooed and body piercings, speeding tix or other legal impingements, caught drinking/using or just caught WITH those doing this kind of stuff.
10. Identifying your weak areas and working on them.
11. Reading all you can about the Academy, its mission, etc. Reading books about the Navy, etc. Lots of suggestions on threads in this CC
12. Busting your hump to get it all done well and right ASAP. Remember ... it's rolling admissions and as I preach, there are way more spaces available to you in October than there are in April. WAY MORE. So you want to be at the front of the line.
13. Get your teachers and references lined up right now, before they and you all "get away" for the summer.
14. One special note: Follow up with your counselor and references to make sure they receive the Academy emails. For 3 years running, our school has not "allowed" USNA email into its system. This was a major pain. We finally used personal email accounts rather than the school designated accounts.
15. Save and copy often from your computer work. It can and does get "lost" in cyberspace and that can be extraordinarily frustrating.
16. When you get your DoDMERB stuff, hop on it right away. Get your appointments and make them priority.
17. Write, put aside, and rewrite your essays. Then rewrite them again. These can be important, very. So start now. And make the responses yours.
18. Work at being a good shipmate at NASS. Work at learning what that means. Stay in touch with your leader there.
19. Get your nomination applications and questions moving. Let your rep and senators know they're going to be hearing from you.

These and many more points forthcoming from the helpful cadre on this CC forum are all within YOUR CONTROL. Only the retaking, possible SAT/ACT prep costs anything, and compared to the value of the potential return or the alternative cost of college, it's pocket change. Those are the things you should focus on and work to get done well in a timely way.
 
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Anyway, excellent points Whistle Pig - from one who's been there.

I would, however, move DODMERB up on the list a bit. For USNA if you aren't applying to any other academies or ROTC programs - get over half of your application done quickly. This will get your name sent to DoDMERB and get your physical sooner (quicker?).

Even the healthiest of kids can have DoDMERB troubles that can take months to conquer. If you do run into any DoDMERB troubles - you know who can help - RetNavyHM.
Good Luck!
 
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With DoDMERB, one is totally at the mercy of the Academy starting the procedure, which they will only do once the application is more than 50% submitted.
 
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I have had to heavily edit this thread.

I hope I won't have to do so again. :mad:
 
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xchiefmike - let me weigh in with my response to your question about the NASS Squad Leader's evals....


It is alot of fun as the parent of a daughter helping to run NASS to hear this happening from THAT side of the story.

One thing she just told me last night was that the Evaluations that the Youngsters ( that is the rank of the Mids who will be working this) carry a GREAT DEAL of weight in the overall admissions applications for these young people. She said it sometimes carries MORE than the BGO's.

Also things like attitude of arrogance, particularly if one is in JROTC and the like, is to be noted.

Remember that folks.

NOW I understand why 2 years ago, when we picked up our child from NASS and had the privi:thumb: lege of meeting her Squad Leader he told us "your child is different....usually kids from jRTOC or C.A.P. ( our daughter was a CAP Officer and Cadet Commander of a Squadron ) are arrogant, but she wasn't." At the time I thought it was an interesting comment, but clearly he had been briefed just like my daughter has been.

With things hopping already for families all over the country getting flights, rooms, etc. in Annapolis today for tomorrow's big day as NASS starts - may all of those involved have a wonderful experience there at the US Naval Academy! God bless you one and all....have fun!

GO NAVY!
 
Old thread (NASS is starting its third session this week), but just got back to a computer from the woods of Quantico.

When I was a NASS detailer back in 2005, we were told by the admissions director that our evals were very important. Besides the BGO interview at a later date, our evals and comments were the only insight to the candidate that the Academy had. Additionally, NASS gave us the chance to evaluate the candidate on many different levels (ie. stressful situations, teamworking ability, leadership, etc.) which an interview couldn't really accomplish. We spent many a late night filling out all those evals the last night of every session.

A word about JROTC kids - we didn't like them at NASS. I'm sure there were plenty candidates that did JROTC, but there were the types who made it very well know that they did do it and came off as arrogant. Those types of individuals attempted to correct cadre on military procedures and demeaned other NASS candidates.
 
kamakzi....so you were a NASS 05 -which means you must know the Squad Leader my kiddo had....Shawn MacEwan right? I find it a lot of fun to be a mom of a former NASS 05 young lady, class of 2010 and now NASS 07 Cadre who tells me she really likes this stuff and will now seriously consider Plebe Summer Detail in a few years.

Are you doing Plebe Summer Detail soon?

As for Jrotc kids - my kiddo reports similiar stuff you experienced, although she said 'some' had their acts together and while they knew stuff did NOT come off as arrogant brats - so those of you in the high school jrotc pipeline continue to remember YOU are in control of your words/actions/behaviors if you are trying to 'impress' people at a Service Academy.
 
I find the fact that a lot of NJROTC NASSers are found to be arrogant totally amazing. However, my NJROTC applicants are well below the Academy average. Around here the instructors insist that the students either choose athletics or rotc, and after chastising the instructors, counsel the students to choose athletics. So, I have only had one pure true NJROTC NASSer and she is Class of 2011 via NAPS.
 
peskemom, I do know Shawn. I am doing PS, second set. Right now, I'm training with the Marines in Quantico till the end of this week. Leave is next for about 3 weeks, then PS. I'll be teaching classes to the plebes about character and honor. Not as glamorous as the regular cadre who interact with their plebes 24/7, but just as fast paced as I'll be going teaching at least 5-6 companies a day.
 
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