SA 'Finding' a nomination

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Candidate3456

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Nov 10, 2020
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Hello, so I received two nominations from my MOC and Senator to USAFA (main choice), but it made me realize I still want to have an option for USNA, for which I did not receive a nomination. I've heard of the academies 'finding' candidates nominations; they found one for my ALO back when she applied. I'm just wondering how that works and what else I can do other than completing my application to USNA to obtain that nomination, which I know is still very unlikely? Please let me know.
 
The important part to understand is that it can happen, but is mostly transparent to the applicant and is an accounting matter in regards to which nominating authority is technically charged for the nom. Your MOC will call you, and as far as you know, they were the source. The technical requirement is that you actually applied from a source (assuming that source requires an application). A Superintendent NOM does not (to my knowledge). The SUPT nom is the ultimate wildcard for the school, but there are limits on how many can be used each year.

USAFA found one for me in June of 1995. It happens, but is outside of your control.
 
Here is one way to process it.

Nominations are full of "exceptions-to-the-rule". You will hear this person got this, that person did that, my MOC and Senators did this or that...and then hear a myriad of variations and exceptions, all subject to whether that person's story is even accurate at all, or if they misinterpreted their own nomination journey.

With that said, complete your USNA application with quality effort. You cannot optimize your nomination knowledge, only satisfy yourself that you applied to every source, INCLUDING the VP nom. If there is more than a 0% chance you would go to USNA if ultimately appointed, then keep your portal open. And I would say that's a yes, since you don't have an appointment to USAFA yet AND even if/when you do, one of the "risks" is that you become medically disqualified at USAFA, but through waiver process would be qualified at USNA and it becomes your only SA option. If there is more than a 0% you would then go to USNA - for that reason complete your application, and wait if you get a nom and appointment.

Optimize:
Apply to all your nom sources
Finish all your applications with quality effort
Carefully order your SA choices

That's it. The rest you can only be satisfied with any noms you get, and keep your SA portals live and open until the end. You will spend useless energy worrying about the Nom That Got Away. Don't do that! Channel your energies elsewhere, and right now you are entering......Scholarship Season! Go search for scholarships, work out, embrace being a high school senior. CLEAN YOUR ROOM! hahaha, no seriously, it's also a good time to clear out your room and get a big box of Things I Might Want My Mom to Mail Later.
 
HCopter said:
Nominations are full of "exceptions-to-the-rule". You will hear this person got this, that person did that, my MOC and Senators did this or that...and then hear a myriad of variations and exceptions, all subject to whether that person's story is even accurate at all, or if they misinterpreted their own nomination journey.
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A very good point, and one that applies to SAF and beyond, for nominations and all things SA related.

Bottom line: SAF is really 35% case-specific anecdotes with a million variables for that particular issue that will never be fully known, 35% policy/procedure/past practice, 15% commentary on the first two and 15% spin if not outright conjecture and/or BS.

Tread wisely, research, meet deadlines in advance, try hard, have a backup to the backup and carry on.
 
HCopter said:
You will spend useless energy worrying about the Nom That Got Away. Don't do that! Channel your energies elsewhere, and right now you are entering......Scholarship Season!
Click to expand...
TheRightStuff said:
Bottom line: SAF is really 35% case-specific anecdotes with a million variables for that particular issue that will never be fully known, 35% policy/procedure/past practice, 15% commentary on the first two and 15% spin if not outright conjecture and/or BS.
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^^^ Hear! Hear! ^^^

Thank you to @HCopter and @TheRightStuff for putting all this in the right perspective.

To OP and lurkers in a similar state: What's left of senior is going fast, and those days are precious. Ask any mid/cadet what their biggest regrets are about their final few months at home. Not spending enough quality time with loved ones will be in the top three. Endlessly playing "nomination/acceptance math" likely won't. So stop continuously playing around with that little equation in your head. You know, this one:

(2 [number of open slots MOC 1 has] + 1 [number of open slots MOC 2 has] * 0.65 [discount rate for fact that only have noms from one of them]) / X [equal to the number of kids in my district who got noms] + Y [equal to the number of kids from my school who've received offers of appointment in the past five years] + (Z [number of times per hour portal is checked] / 3.728 [factor that accounts for better/worse than average basketball throw]) - pi [because pie is better than cake] * lesser of ACT score or 28 [just because].
 
Candidate3456 said:
Hello, so I received two nominations from my MOC and Senator to USAFA (main choice), but it made me realize I still want to have an option for USNA, for which I did not receive a nomination. I've heard of the academies 'finding' candidates nominations; they found one for my ALO back when she applied. I'm just wondering how that works and what else I can do other than completing my application to USNA to obtain that nomination, which I know is still very unlikely? Please let me know.
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm a bit off today but maybe the helpful parent/advisor parts of me are laying low right now and the Naval Officer with many cycles of SA admissions is riding high in me. . . .
But looking at the calendar and seeing that it is February already and here is someone who didn't prioritize a USNA application enough to finish it by now that wants USNA to "find a nomination" for them instead of using those few for perhaps someone who has wanted to be a Naval Officer for years as shown by prompt completion of application requirements. The experienced person in me has seen several highly qualified and long completed applicants on just this board and I know of several in my district with this only a small slice of the real population who is in search of these very few golden noms.

To me this poster looks like someone who really wants USAFA and that is fine with me. They also want to be able to switch to USNA if their USAFA doesn't come in. Also fine with me but bringing it up this far into the cycle is a bit late. If they don't get into USAFA this year, I'd recommend reapplying to BOTH and getting the applications done much earlier in the cycle.
 
HCopter said:
Here is one way to process it.

Nominations are full of "exceptions-to-the-rule". You will hear this person got this, that person did that, my MOC and Senators did this or that...and then hear a myriad of variations and exceptions, all subject to whether that person's story is even accurate at all, or if they misinterpreted their own nomination journey.

With that said, complete your USNA application with quality effort. You cannot optimize your nomination knowledge, only satisfy yourself that you applied to every source, INCLUDING the VP nom. If there is more than a 0% chance you would go to USNA if ultimately appointed, then keep your portal open. And I would say that's a yes, since you don't have an appointment to USAFA yet AND even if/when you do, one of the "risks" is that you become medically disqualified at USAFA, but through waiver process would be qualified at USNA and it becomes your only SA option. If there is more than a 0% you would then go to USNA - for that reason complete your application, and wait if you get a nom and appointment.

Optimize:
Apply to all your nom sources
Finish all your applications with quality effort
Carefully order your SA choices

That's it. The rest you can only be satisfied with any noms you get, and keep your SA portals live and open until the end. You will spend useless energy worrying about the Nom That Got Away. Don't do that! Channel your energies elsewhere, and right now you are entering......Scholarship Season! Go search for scholarships, work out, embrace being a high school senior. CLEAN YOUR ROOM! hahaha, no seriously, it's also a good time to clear out your room and get a big box of Things I Might Want My Mom to Mail Later.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much!!! I have completed practically everything possible and just awaiting DoDMerb for which I should be qualified for most likely (fingers crossed). Otherwise, leaving all my portals open and just waiting.
 
OldRetSWO said:
Maybe I'm a bit off today but maybe the helpful parent/advisor parts of me are laying low right now and the Naval Officer with many cycles of SA admissions is riding high in me. . . .
But looking at the calendar and seeing that it is February already and here is someone who didn't prioritize a USNA application enough to finish it by now that wants USNA to "find a nomination" for them instead of using those few for perhaps someone who has wanted to be a Naval Officer for years as shown by prompt completion of application requirements. The experienced person in me has seen several highly qualified and long completed applicants on just this board and I know of several in my district with this only a small slice of the real population who is in search of these very few golden noms.

To me this poster looks like someone who really wants USAFA and that is fine with me. They also want to be able to switch to USNA if their USAFA doesn't come in. Also fine with me but bringing it up this far into the cycle is a bit late. If they don't get into USAFA this year, I'd recommend reapplying to BOTH and getting the applications done much earlier in the cycle.
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This may be a crucial thing I forgot to mention in my post above, but I actually completed my USNA application around a month ago, a little after my USAFA application. Honestly, I am holding both SAs to the same level because the career and how I want to serve in the future goes according to both academies. It was solely receiving the nom from my MOC and Senator to USAFA (whereas I did in fact prioritize USNA to my other Senator who did not offer me a nom) that made me think that USNA was just as much of a valid option because in the end, don't we all end up serving? That was my thought process. I wasn't too clear in my initial post and that may have been misguiding.

Also, you said it's too late in the admissions cycle to be asking this question. I only find out about noms a few days ago; I'm just going by what I hear about 'finding' a nom subsequent to not receiving one.
 
My son is in a similar situation.

He asked for USAFA noms from our Senators, and a USNA nom from our MOC. He says it did not appear that he could choose more than one for the Senators, but was able to give a priority list for the MOC. And when he conducted his interviews, his panels for the USAFA were AF personnel based, and the USNA one was USN based.

BUT ....... he did not receive a USNA nom from the MOC. They offered him a USAFA one, and a USMA one (which he did not apply to, and had told them accordingly even though initially he had it as a #3 option on his nomination application). He was very happy to receive the USAFA nom.

He got a letter from one of the Senators congratulating on his USAFA nom from the MOC (which is kinda weird, but interesting), and nothing else from them. He seems a bit flustered that the USNA nom doesn't exist, but we are in an incredibly USNA-heavy area with the Academy within short driving distance (about 40 minutes from us).

The biggest gut punch? He received an LOA to USNA back at the end of November, and the nom and medical waiver were the outstanding things to satisfy. Now he is in limbo to see if one of the "mystery noms" becomes an option. We are telling him to not put many eggs in that basket.
 
I don't understand the so & so wants it more because their requirements were completed earlier idea. A deadline is a deadline.
OldRetSWO said:
Maybe I'm a bit off today but maybe the helpful parent/advisor parts of me are laying low right now and the Naval Officer with many cycles of SA admissions is riding high in me. . . .
But looking at the calendar and seeing that it is February already and here is someone who didn't prioritize a USNA application enough to finish it by now that wants USNA to "find a nomination" for them instead of using those few for perhaps someone who has wanted to be a Naval Officer for years as shown by prompt completion of application requirements. The experienced person in me has seen several highly qualified and long completed applicants on just this board and I know of several in my district with this only a small slice of the real population who is in search of these very few golden noms.

To me this poster looks like someone who really wants USAFA and that is fine with me. They also want to be able to switch to USNA if their USAFA doesn't come in. Also fine with me but bringing it up this far into the cycle is a bit late. If they don't get into USAFA this year, I'd recommend reapplying to BOTH and getting the applications done much earlier in the cycle.
Click to expand...
 
IronmanDaremo said:
My son is in a similar situation.

He asked for USAFA noms from our Senators, and a USNA nom from our MOC. He says it did not appear that he could choose more than one for the Senators, but was able to give a priority list for the MOC. And when he conducted his interviews, his panels for the USAFA were AF personnel based, and the USNA one was USN based.

BUT ....... he did not receive a USNA nom from the MOC. They offered him a USAFA one, and a USMA one (which he did not apply to, and had told them accordingly even though initially he had it as a #3 option on his nomination application). He was very happy to receive the USAFA nom.

He got a letter from one of the Senators congratulating on his USAFA nom from the MOC (which is kinda weird, but interesting), and nothing else from them. He seems a bit flustered that the USNA nom doesn't exist, but we are in an incredibly USNA-heavy area with the Academy within short driving distance (about 40 minutes from us).

The biggest gut punch? He received an LOA to USNA back at the end of November, and the nom and medical waiver were the outstanding things to satisfy. Now he is in limbo to see if one of the "mystery noms" becomes an option. We are telling him to not put many eggs in that basket.
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My DD in same position, LOA with no NOM. Hoping that SA finds that ‘mystery’ NOM for her.
 
lipton_hot_tea said:
I don't understand the so & so wants it more because their requirements were completed earlier idea. A deadline is a deadline.
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I advise all of my candidates that early is better than at the deadline. While completing your application is totally fine and meets the letter of the law, it is also true that the nomination sources are MOC, Senator 1, Senator 2 and the VP. Didn't get the nom from them? So Sad.

Meanwhile, recognize that actual appointments are handed out well before New Years so people who submit their stuff on the LEGAL DEADLINE of 31 Jan (most years) have already "missed" those appointments, they've been given out and the person coming in on Jan 31 isn't going to get them even if they have a better application. Let me put it this way, as of Jan 31, the appointment list in the USNA section had 15 appointment offers listed. If the SAF is getting 10% of the total action, that means that 150 appointments were already given out yet to your point the "legal deadline" has not passed yet. The answer is that USNA does a form of rolling admissions that fits within the construct of nominations and yes there is a deadline but recognize that the longer an applicant waits, the fewer appointments are open to them.
 
@OldRetSWO , 100% agree that not only are slots going going gone, it's not just all slots available, but the slot in which category YOU fell, they have their 1-10 people. They don't need you, #11. The first ten were serious - enough that they blast through doing the CFA and elements of their application during the summer, getting DoDMERB triggered and moving before school starts, and if they have a "cooperative" school, some, a few, even finish the application before summer is over. BGOs don't often mention this on SAF so I won't either but I&M guessing (get it?) it goes towards their seriousness of USNA PLAN A #1 on my list! vs someone just opening their portal now and trying to finish in 2 weeks - may smell like their Plan B, C, or D.
 
OldRetSWO said:
better than at the deadline. While completing your application is totally fine and meets the letter of the law, it is also true that the nomination sources are MOC, Senator 1, Senator 2 and the VP. Didn't get the nom from them? So Sad.

Meanwhile, recognize that actual appointments are handed out well before New Years so people who submit their stuff on the LEGAL DEADLINE of 31 Jan (most years) have already "missed" those appointments, they've been given out and the person coming in on Jan 31 isn't going to get
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If that is the case then the nomination offices and schools should communicate that to applicants.
 
Let me make this very clear...I COMPLETED MY US NAVAL ACADEMY APPLICATION IN DECEMBER, ALONG WITH MY AIR FORCE ACADEMY NOMINATION. I think that is considerably early for someone not getting an LOA. I AM NOT JUST "LOOKING FOR A NOM," NO. I WANT IT BECAUSE I'M DEDICATED ENOUGH FOR IT, BUT IT JUST SO HAPPENS I GOT TWO NOMS FOR USAFA. I don't think this deadline talk applies to someone like me asking this question; it's about what can happen at the SA now, once looking at my file.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
My son is in a similar situation.

He asked for USAFA noms from our Senators, and a USNA nom from our MOC. He says it did not appear that he could choose more than one for the Senators, but was able to give a priority list for the MOC. And when he conducted his interviews, his panels for the USAFA were AF personnel based, and the USNA one was USN based.

BUT ....... he did not receive a USNA nom from the MOC. They offered him a USAFA one, and a USMA one (which he did not apply to, and had told them accordingly even though initially he had it as a #3 option on his nomination application). He was very happy to receive the USAFA nom.

He got a letter from one of the Senators congratulating on his USAFA nom from the MOC (which is kinda weird, but interesting), and nothing else from them. He seems a bit flustered that the USNA nom doesn't exist, but we are in an incredibly USNA-heavy area with the Academy within short driving distance (about 40 minutes from us).

The biggest gut punch? He received an LOA to USNA back at the end of November, and the nom and medical waiver were the outstanding things to satisfy. Now he is in limbo to see if one of the "mystery noms" becomes an option. We are telling him to not put many eggs in that basket.
Click to expand...
Woah that is like most weird and confusing scenario. So, he only received a MOC nom for USAFA and USMA, none from senators but got the mail from them congratulating him? That's so unfortunate that he did not receive one for USNA with his LOA; do you think you could contact them IDRK?
 
It's relatively simple. USNA appoints on a rolling basis, therefore, it's to ones advantage not to wait to the deadline, why? Because there are less open appointment slots then. More slots = higher probability of an appointment.
 
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This also really is a life lesson, too. It’s why there is a really old saying, that goes back a really long time (as in our culture values it, via norms), “The early bird gets the worm”.

The whole process is not completely transparent. Never has been, never will be. There is a learning curve with EVERYTHING in life (my oldest did not know all the nuances and strategies for applying to SA’s and ROTC’s. Didn’t get into either. By my third applicant? Had it all down pretty good). Everything you need to know is on their websites. Filling in the cracks happens here, through consultants, Google, HS counselors, BGO’s, books, FB pages, admissions Instagram sessions (BTW...they ALWAYS recommend getting your best app in ASAP...I’ve watched and seen USNA say this).

Personally? I would never, ever wait until the last minute. The deadline. To do anything. Leaves too
much opportunity for issues to arise. There is a poster presently that was trying to submit stuff at the last minute that wouldn’t go through. Why risk it?

To say that it’s not a ‘known’, or shared, that you should complete as soon as you can, your best app, isn’t fair. Or that a SA ‘hides’ this information isn’t true. Yea there is a deadline. But you don’t show up to a football game ast the start of the game and expect to to find a parking spot and good seat at that time, either. Maybe some do? But they don’t get that parking spot.

Its all over the forums, from BGO’s, ALO’s, seasoned posters, etc, to get your best app in as soon as possible. Probably in the stickies, probably on the SA websites. It’s been a while since I’ve read them. But it’s no secret, and is repeated as a significant point often.
 
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