SA 'Finding' a nomination

@justdoit19 your advice is spot on. DD delayed sending CFA scores to USNA thinking she could do better and thus missing consideration for nom to USNA. She received LOA but that was after the nom process was over. Had she sent the CFA scores earlier, with LOA in hand she could have easily secured nom.
 
How did sending in her CFA scores a little later to USNA affect her not getting a nomination?
 
FlyFalcon said:
Some senators prefer a completed application. If your application is not completed they may not view you as competitive as one who has their application competed
Click to expand...

I totally understand that, but was the candidate told this or was it possibly another reason? There are many applicants with noms that also receive them despite not having a completed application at the time as well.
 
TheRightStuff said:
How did sending in her CFA scores a little later to USNA affect her not getting a nomination
Click to expand...
Our is a very competitive district. If she had sent her scores earlier before her nom decision, with an LOA in hand she could have received the nom. She delayed sending her scores thinking she could do better, but decided to send the same scores and ultimately recived the LOA with those scores.
 
txfwindian said:
@justdoit19 your advice is spot on. DD delayed sending CFA scores to USNA thinking she could do better and thus missing consideration for nom to USNA. She received LOA but that was after the nom process was over. Had she sent the CFA scores earlier, with LOA in hand she could have easily secured nom.
Click to expand...

An LOA in hand did not get my son a nomination ...... Isn't always that cut and dry.
 
TheRightStuff said:
I totally understand that, but was the candidate told this or was it possibly another reason? There are many applicants with noms that also receive them despite not having a completed application at the time as well.
Click to expand...
Not sure most likely not told as most won't tell. Someone from my district received one from a senator and didn't have his application completed. (He was eventually disqualified for having 35 push-ups and one pull up.)
 
txfwindian said:
Our is a very competitive district. If she had sent her scores earlier before her nom decision, with an LOA in hand she could have received the nom. She delayed sending her scores thinking she could do better, but decided to send the same scores and ultimately recived the LOA with those scores.
Click to expand...

I could be wrong, but I think you are putting too much stock on the CFA turn in date affecting the nom decision. They are two separate processes, and unless it was specifically asked on the nom app or asked by the interview panel, I would think it is highly unlikely the Senators or MOC knew the app file was incomplete.

IronmanDaremo said:
An LOA in hand did not get my son a nomination ...... Isn't always that cut and dry.
Click to expand...

Correct.

FlyFalcon said:
Not sure most likely not told as most won't tell. Someone from my district received one from a senator and didn't have his application completed. (He was eventually disqualified for having 35 push-ups and one pull up.)
Click to expand...

I think this is the case in many situations. Many nom apps are due in September and October (with some in August or earlier, and even some in December) and many applicants don't have the SA app completed at the time of the nom app and interview, and also have items such as CFA, DoDMERB, 7th semester grades, letters, etc., outstanding.
 
While the OP has explained they weren't 'last minute', but in December, I will echo what others have said, @justdoit19 nailed it with the 'early bird gets the worm' analogy.

Last admission cycle our DS was done with 3 SA applications in their entirety by the 3rd week in September. Medical, CFA, FFO, BGO, and ALO interviews. All of it.

I know the academies view quality early applications in a positive light. Each of his interviewers told him so. His FFO remarked (paraphrasing here, I, of course, was not in the building during these interviews) "WOW, you are already done with your West Point app and it is September, and it's not your first choice".

It shows initiative, it shows drive, it shows that you are prioritizing things in such a way that demonstrates this process, of becoming an officer and a leader of men and women is of the utmost importance to you.

This isn't just important in terms of an appointment but can be huge in terms of nomination interviews. To be able to walk into interviews with MOC, Senator 1 and 2, and say that your applications are not in process, but complete---100% complete also can carry weight and leave an impression with the panels. I know this to be true because it was mentioned to our DS in 2 interviews.

That also goes to NROTC or AROTC applications. Having a first-round award in hand in nomination interviews also carries some weight.

This is not to say an applicant should rush through a poor quality application. Never ever do that. But I can only say that for our DS, having 3 appointments offered to him before 14 February was humbling, overwhelming, and such a relief. I don't say this to brag, at all. Nor to say he was a rock star to finish apps early. He did that on his own, I just drove and took notes. I can only say what we experienced going through this tough process and how it may have helped aid him in achieving his goal.

There are impressions you inadvertently leave on interview panels, admission counselors, FFO, and BGO's. Submitting a CFA in January, finishing an app during the winter, are things that might not be viewed in a positive light in my opinion.
 
I don’t disagree that having everything finished as early as possible is not a help. That said, plenty of applicants are finished with their applications early, the applications are good, they have an LOA, etc. yet they still do not receive a nomination.

You can find plenty of people on SAF right now in that same situation through no fault of their own as an applicant.
 
TheRightStuff said:
I don’t disagree that having everything finished as early as possible is not a help. That said, plenty of applicants are finished with their applications early, the applications are good, they have an LOA, etc. yet they still do not receive a nomination.

You can find plenty of people on SAF right now in that same situation through no fault of their own as an applicant.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. Some areas are just that competitive. I am sure they are frustrated and I understand that.
 
I might also point out that this application cycle was greatly affected by Covid. My son didn't even take his first SAT until late September and was lucky to get a second chance in late October. So no way would any of his applications been done early based on that alone. In fact, I wound up calling one of the MOC's to point out the difficulty of getting tests done. They all extended their deadlines after my call. :cool:
 
Personal Organizer said:
I might also point out that this application cycle was greatly affected by Covid. My son didn't even take his first SAT until late September and was lucky to get a second chance in late October. So no way would any of his applications been done early based on that alone. In fact, I wound up calling one of the MOC's to point out the difficulty of getting tests done. They all extended their deadlines after my call. :cool:
Click to expand...

Did your son end up getting an nomination and appointment?
 
Personal Organizer said:
I might also point out that this application cycle was greatly affected by Covid. My son didn't even take his first SAT until late September and was lucky to get a second chance in late October. So no way would any of his applications been done early based on that alone. In fact, I wound up calling one of the MOC's to point out the difficulty of getting tests done. They all extended their deadlines after my call. :cool:
Click to expand...
Your son is a Senior? As a BGO and as a parent, I was and am a fan of starting the SAT in either late Sophomore year or fall of Junior year. Yes, I know that the PSAT is in fall of Junior Year but nothing says that you can't start the SAT before or around the same time.

By the way, my eldest took the SAT in 7th grade to get admitted to a gifted and talented program. All you need to do is schedule it and show up.
 
Personal Organizer said:
I might also point out that this application cycle was greatly affected by Covid. My son didn't even take his first SAT until late September and was lucky to get a second chance in late October. So no way would any of his applications been done early based on that alone. In fact, I wound up calling one of the MOC's to point out the difficulty of getting tests done. They all extended their deadlines after my call. :cool:
Click to expand...
If I could like this a million times I would.
 
DS got noms for USAFA and USNA from his Representative and one Senator. Our state pays for the first SAT, which was scheduled for March or early April (can't remember which) and he had signed up for the ACT. He was trying for a Merit scholarship, so he retook the PSAT the fall semester of his Junior year. He had not originally considered a service academy until his friend came back excited about USNA after attending NSS, and so he signed up for NSS shortly after that portal opened. Prior to that, he was happy to attend our very good in-state university so early testing was not on his radar. Covid made everything a whole lot more complicated.
 
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...
Just curious, did the MOC‘s committee know that your son had received an LOA from USNA? Had that been added to his file or mentioned in the interview process?
 
I have sat on numerous MOC panels and am a BGO. Prior to the interviews this year we knew exactly how many times the SAT/ACT were offered in our area. Some had taken it once and were retaking it a few weeks after our panel. I would venture to say most MOC panels know this also. We currently interview candidates where I live in mid-Nov through mid-Dec. I understand for many that their MOC app was completed months prior. The first question we always ask, 'What is left of your application?" If I get an entire list of nearly the entire app I know the candidate is probably not going to get it done. If they tell me, I am re-taking my SAT on X date, have my CFA scheduled for X date and one LOR left, I know they are on top of it. I then ask what they have done to improve their SAT since the last test. 50% of the time I get some generic answer about self study. The other 50% will be some combination of self study, tutor, referencing specific sites or programs, working with a teacher, etc. I know some of this costs money and I will never hold it against a candidate for not being able to afford a tutor, but there are so many resources available that don't cost anything. I want to know they put the effort in and have a plan, because this is what makes for a successful Mid/Cadet and future officer. I had a kid last year who explained how he got a part time job to pay for a tutor because his family could not afford one. This kid did not even have close to the scores required to attend a SA, but he is one of the more memorable candidates from the interviews that day because of his desire, his planning, his knowledge of the process and what being a officer is about. I then usually ask what their practice CFA scores are and when they plan to take it. I can tell from that answer alone if they will pass the CFA when they take it. For those of us who have been around this awhile, we are looking for a plan, that the candidate (not the parents) has done the research, that the candidate wants this, they understand what a SA is, what military service is. I don't expect a 17-18 year old to know every detail, but I expect them to know if they go to USNA they have researched majors, basic terminology, what the 4 years entail, what Plebe Summer is, what the general service assignments are.

MOC panels know if someone has an LOA (as long as it has been issued). Extremely competitive districts, some LOA candidates might not get a Nom. I have had at least 1 candidate each year with an LOA on our panels. Some have interviewed extremely well and others did not. In my current state we have put each LOA candidate on the nom slate. In my previous state, I lived in an extremely competitive area. Probably top 3 areas in the country. There were several LOA candidates left off each year as it was that competitive. Yes, there are deadlines and as long as a candidate gets their app in it will be reviewed and considered. Getting it in early is always recommended, but not at the expense of a poor app. MOC deadlines are separate and done earlier. Many submit their apps in the summer and it can be months until their interview. If a candidate as updates in terms of SAT/ACT scores or major awards and accomplishments then by all means send them to your MOC.
 
beachcomber70 said:
Just curious, did the MOC‘s committee know that your son had received an LOA from USNA? Had that been added to his file or mentioned in the interview process?
Click to expand...

Yup. He got the LOA before the interview, and definitely mentioned it. My son is very humble and certainly wasn't trying to flaunt it to them, but I told him to be sure to mention it, which he did. And his application was totally complete.

We live in MD, and are very close to the Academy in the overall picture. Which means there are a ton of candidates in very competitive school systems that apply.

Oh well, c'est la vie.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top