Recommendation Letter Requirements

[dav1y]

Hi!

I'm currently going through the process of requesting recommendation letters from my teachers, and although they are not required for USNA/USAFA, are there any requirements for them if I do decide to submit them? (i.e. one STEM letter, one humanities letter, etc.) My math teacher has already told me he will write a letter for me (he was a WP grad which helps), and I am planning on asking my APUSH teacher for my second letter. However, I do have to provide a backup teacher in case one of my two first-choice teachers is unable to write one for me. I am planning on asking my physics teacher for that letter, but if there is a requirement for a humanities letter for USNA/USAFA, I'll make sure to ask my English teacher instead. Thank you in advance!

 

[Capt MJ]

Hi!

I'm currently going through the process of requesting recommendation letters from my teachers, and although they are not required for USNA/USAFA, are there any requirements for them if I do decide to submit them? (i.e. one STEM letter, one humanities letter, etc.) My math teacher has already told me he will write a letter for me (he was a WP grad which helps), and I am planning on asking my APUSH teacher for my second letter. However, I do have to provide a backup teacher in case one of my two first-choice teachers is unable to write one for me. I am planning on asking my physics teacher for that letter, but if there is a requirement for a humanities letter for USNA/USAFA, I'll make sure to ask my English teacher instead. Thank you in advance!

It’s more of an evaluation from specific teachers. You provide contact info, USNA supplies link for teacher to complete form.

For your nom applications, you’ll have to do the research at the elected officials’ websites, as they are free to ask for whatever they want, in various formats, with different due dates.

If you haven’t yet read every page, link and drop down menu item at USNA.edu, your primary source, I recommend it.

See:

School Official's Evaluation of Candidate

School Official's Evaluation of Candidate page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Thu Apr 03 04:23:36 EDT 2025.

www.usna.edu

 

[Aviator25]

Hi!

I'm currently going through the process of requesting recommendation letters from my teachers, and although they are not required for USNA/USAFA, are there any requirements for them if I do decide to submit them? (i.e. one STEM letter, one humanities letter, etc.) My math teacher has already told me he will write a letter for me (he was a WP grad which helps), and I am planning on asking my APUSH teacher for my second letter. However, I do have to provide a backup teacher in case one of my two first-choice teachers is unable to write one for me. I am planning on asking my physics teacher for that letter, but if there is a requirement for a humanities letter for USNA/USAFA, I'll make sure to ask my English teacher instead. Thank you in advance!

Keep in mind you also need a School Official Evaluation (SOE) and USNA and USAFA have specific requirements for those:

• USNA: 11th or 12th Grade English and Math Teacher
• USAFA: 11th or 12th Grade English and Math Teacher along with a third Source that is most likely your Guidance Counselor or Chemistry/Physics Teacher

From there, you get 3 slots for Letters of Recommendation (LOR) for USNA and 2 additional slots for USAFA. I would not have a teacher submit both an SOE and LOR. I would instead find other teachers and others you may know from extracurriculars/community work to write those other LORs.

 

[dav1y]

It’s more of an evaluation from specific teachers. You provide contact info, USNA supplies link for teacher to complete form.

For your nom applications, you’ll have to do the research at the elected officials’ websites, as they are free to ask fir whatever they want, in various formats, with different due dates.

Does this mean that they won't take rec letters at all? If I remember correctly on the USAFA website it says that we can submit rec letters that are separate from the teacher evaluation (as long as they are from a different teacher than the one completing the evaluation). I'm not sure if that's the same for USNA, but thank you anyways!

 

[Aviator25]

Hi!

I'm currently going through the process of requesting recommendation letters from my teachers, and although they are not required for USNA/USAFA, are there any requirements for them if I do decide to submit them? (i.e. one STEM letter, one humanities letter, etc.) My math teacher has already told me he will write a letter for me (he was a WP grad which helps), and I am planning on asking my APUSH teacher for my second letter. However, I do have to provide a backup teacher in case one of my two first-choice teachers is unable to write one for me. I am planning on asking my physics teacher for that letter, but if there is a requirement for a humanities letter for USNA/USAFA, I'll make sure to ask my English teacher instead. Thank you in advance!

Admissions are strict about it being a Math Teacher and an English Teacher. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, they usually do not allow a Physics teacher to write the SOE for the Math Teacher or a Humanities Teacher for the English Teacher SOE.

 

[Aviator25]

Does this mean that they won't take rec letters at all? If I remember correctly on the USAFA website it says that we can submit rec letters that are separate from the teacher evaluation (as long as they are from a different teacher than the one completing the evaluation). I'm not sure if that's the same for USNA, but thank you anyways!

You will need your Math teacher to fill out an SOE and an English Teacher to fill out another SOE for both USNA and USAFA. From there, additional LORs can be submitted (3 for USNA and 2 for USAFA -- you can probably have more submitted, but you won't be able to request them from your portal). So in your case, you can have a separate teacher (not your Math/English Teacher) to fill out an LOR.

 

[dav1y]

You will need your Math teacher to fill out an SOE and an English Teacher to fill out another SOE for both USNA and USAFA. From there, additional LORs can be submitted (3 for USNA and 2 for USAFA -- you can probably have more submitted, but you won't be able to request them from your portal). So in your case, you can have a separate teacher (not your Math/English Teacher) to fill out an LOR.

Thank you! My guidance counselor will be writing one for me, so I'll definitely use his letter. Just to clarify, if I chose to, I could just submit the one rec letter and that would be fine? Or would I HAVE to use up all the LOR slots? Sorry if that's a dumb question but I just wanted to make sure before I go ahead and submit my rec letter requests.

 

[Capt MJ]

Think strategically about LORs. If your grades, test scores, courses taken and required teacher evals, etc., are strong, what LOR sources are best suited to comment knowledgeably on other aspects of your performance, character, potential?

 

[Aviator25]

Thank you! My guidance counselor will be writing one for me, so I'll definitely use his letter. Just to clarify, if I chose to, I could just submit the one rec letter and that would be fine? Or would I HAVE to use up all the LOR slots? Sorry if that's a dumb question but I just wanted to make sure before I go ahead and submit my rec letter requests.

LORs for Service Academies are optional. However, I used up all the LOR slots. USAFA/USNA generally look for the same people to fill out the SOEs, so you can use the same people to fill out the SOEs and LORs for both.

 

[Aviator25]

Think strategically about LORs. If your grades, test scores, courses taken and required teacher evals, etcs., are strong, what LOR sources are best suited to comment knowledgeably on other aspects of your performance, character, potential?

Yes, as stated above, I would not recommend all the LORs being from teachers. For USAFA, I think they prefer the third SOE from a Guidance Counselor (they have a ranking of what they want to see, I think after Guidance Counselor is your Physics/Chemistry Teacher). If this helps, this is how I did it:
USNA:

• Math Teacher SOE
• English Teacher SOE
• Guidance Counselor LOR
• Chemistry Teacher LOR
• LOR from VA Hospital where I volunteered

USAFA:

• Math Teacher SOE
• English Teacher SOE
• Guidance Counselor SOE
• Chemistry Teacher LOR
• LOR from VA Hospital where I volunteered

 

[dav1y]

Yes, as stated above, I would not recommend all the LORs being from teachers. For USAFA, I think they prefer the third SOE from a Guidance Counselor (they have a ranking of what they want to see, I think after Guidance Counselor is your Physics/Chemistry Teacher). If this helps, this is how I did it:
USNA:

• Math Teacher SOE
• English Teacher SOE
• Guidance Counselor LOR
• Chemistry Teacher LOR
• LOR from VA Hospital where I volunteered

USAFA:

• Math Teacher SOE
• English Teacher SOE
• Guidance Counselor SOE
• Chemistry Teacher LOR
• LOR from VA Hospital where I volunteered

Thank you so much once again! I'll definitely use my guidance counselor LOR, and since I'm doing really well in physics I'll probably ask my physics teacher for the backup LOR. I might also consider asking my school's club advisor since I just started up a service club and I have a pretty good relationship with him as well.

 

[Aviator25]

Thank you so much once again! I'll definitely use my guidance counselor LOR, and since I'm doing really well in physics I'll probably ask my physics teacher for the backup LOR. I might also consider asking my school's club advisor since I just started up a service club and I have a pretty good relationship with him as well.

However, I do have to provide a backup teacher in case one of my two first-choice teachers is unable to write one for me.

Not sure what you mean by "backup LOR", but you just get slots to enter in the contact of your teachers for SOEs and LORs. There is no "back-up". They consider everything that is sent in.

 

[dav1y]

Not sure what you mean by "backup LOR", but you just get slots to enter in the contact of your teachers for SOEs and LORs. There is no "back-up". They consider everything that is sent in.

Sorry for the confusion!!! I meant 'backup LOR' as in requesting my LORs from teachers since I have to enter two 'first-choice' teachers and one 'backup' teacher in case I don't get one of my first-choice teachers.

 

[Gabe_]

Keep in mind you will need LOR's for MOC applications and plan B schools. As Capt MJ stated above. Be strategic. You can double up using a LOR where applicable. Good Luck!

 

[Don't Give Up the Ship]

Applicants be advised. its not unusual for teachers to be very slow at writing LORs. This can make them critical path. Start the LOR process early and keep on top of them...

 

[usnabgo08]

This thread might be helpful (https://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/who-receives-letters-of-recommendation.44050/).
Bottom line any LOR outside the SOE needs to add something to the candidate's record that is NOT otherwise covered in the application including the SOEs, guidance counselor, or BGO interview. More is NOT always better. Before submitting one, I would ask yourself the rhetorical question...what does this add to my application file that is not already known AND is the added value worth 5 minutes of a board member's time, who has a stack of other candidates applications to review? If you can confidently answer yes, then it probably is worthwhile.

Copying what USNA Admissons had up on their Facebook page (not sure where it has moved to under the new features):

Additional letters of recommendation are not required for admission to the United States Naval Academy. Our application for admission already includes the requirement for written input from your math and English teachers, counselor and Blue & Gold Officer. This input provides us with more than enough information to make a determination on behalf of... each candidate. Additional letters of recommendation will only be meaningful if they are provided by someone who has observed you for a long period of time and can provide information about your overall qualities that is not already provided in other parts of the application file. For example, a letter from an official who has had direct observation of your participation in an activity and/or performance in a leadership position may be helpful to the Admissions Board.

If you do ask someone to write a letter on your behalf, please have them include your name and candidate number on the letter. Letters should be mailed to the following address:

Office of Admissions
52 King George Street
Annapolis, MD 21402

 

[NextGen89x2]

Hi!

I'm currently going through the process of requesting recommendation letters from my teachers, and although they are not required for USNA/USAFA, are there any requirements for them if I do decide to submit them? (i.e. one STEM letter, one humanities letter, etc.) My math teacher has already told me he will write a letter for me (he was a WP grad which helps), and I am planning on asking my APUSH teacher for my second letter. However, I do have to provide a backup teacher in case one of my two first-choice teachers is unable to write one for me. I am planning on asking my physics teacher for that letter, but if there is a requirement for a humanities letter for USNA/USAFA, I'll make sure to ask my English teacher instead. Thank you in advance!

Everyone else on here has started explaining which teachers/counselors you need to ask to do what for each service academy, so I will skip that. However, when you go to ask for LORs for MOC or extra LORs for Service Academies, take some time to think about WHAT you would like for them to write. My DS looked at the Mission of USNA and at several lists of traits the military would like to imbue in officers. In his request to teachers, he listed what traits he thought he had and how he thought he had exhibited them to each teacher individually. He also did this for his employer and volunteer coordinator. This gave them an idea of what traits he thought were important and it helped them to remember specific things that had happened in class or at work. It seemed to work really well. They wrote great LOR s(we could see those for MOC.) And, unless I am dating myself, this is something you will also have to do as a Junior Officer (or really as any member of the military.)

 

[KiwiBird]

For my USAFA application, I used the two extra LoR slots. I got one from the person in charge of the non-profit summer camp where I volunteer at and one from one of my jiu jitsu instructors. I was offered an appointment with them.