If one has a retired from active duty parent, who exactly does that person receive an automatic nomination from? Senator? Representative? I am a bit confused with what you are saying
It is the Presidential slate...none of those that you are asking about. It is a separate slate. Most posters will call this a non-compete slate. Iows, every candidate that is eligible will get a Pres. nom. they than compete against those on the Presidential slate, which is competitive.
~ It is confusing because it is competitive to get the appointment, but posters say it is not competitive because it is automatic...no interviews, etc. If Mom or Dad meet the military eligibility requirements (time in the military), than the candidate gets it, no ifs, ands or buts.
Now for the posters question regarding a hook, first I agree with CC aka Mike, they need to be 3 Q, however, if we assume that they are 3 Q....I would say being 1 of the following:
1. MoC child
2. Flag officers child
~ Parents network. Do you actually believe John McCains DS would not have received a principal when he applied for USNA
~~ Not inferring he did not deserve it, just saying Dear Old Dad helped.
~~~ I am also going to say just because the folks gave a donation for the reelection of a specific MOC, that does not equate to a hook
3. Interning on an MoC staff....maybe.
~ Maybe....see #1 &2.
~~ Interning can help and hurt. You better be on the ball 110% of the time.
4. In VA, it is insanely competitive. Many MoCs like 2nd time applicants.
~ Eric Cantor was known to give principals to 2nd time applicants that were also in ROTC at college.
~~ MoCs talk in VA. 1 nomination is common.
5. State champion for a sport.
6. NMF with the Whole package.
~~ NMSF is easy. NMF is different
~~~ If you also apply for AFROTC scholarship, you could be like many other posters. Type 1 AFROTC scholarship with admittance to HYPPSM, and enough merit to make it a free ride. It can become a hard decision to choose between Harvard free ride and USAFA.
My very best advice is to attack this like you would an Ivy, minus any URM aspect. If your child is a freshmen than be prepared for the hook line to move.
~ In 2008 I recall they offered @1650 appointments, but by 09 or 10, it dropped to 1300. It literally was in 1 year a drop of 20% appointments.
Nobody is psychic. Nobody here sits on the selection board. If you really want to see the current competition, look at the following, and pm specific posters.
1. USAFA 2019 list from your state
2. Nomination forum threads from your state
3. ROTC forum for AFROTC scholarship recipients
~ AFROTC is national, and majors matter.
4. HS Naviance program for Ivy selection
If you do that than you can get a glimpse of how they rack and stack. Remember for an appointment, it starts geocentric (MoC) and goes to a national level. AFROTC scholarship starts and ends nationally.
I also would have your child sit one on one with the GC now. Tell the GC you want to be competitive for an Ivy league education.
~ Posters typically forget 1 of the 3 Qs is medical. You might think they have no issues, but if I could collect a dime from every poster that didn't realize allergies or an inhaler after age of 13 was going to place them in remedial, I could pay my mtg every month. Add in color deficiency that they didn't know existed would pay my car payment too.
Hence why we always say have a solid plan B in place.
Good luck, and I am glad you are being proactive, just saying from someone that rode the rollercoaster, this is the kiddie rollercoaster. The true ride starts once they are at USAFA or AFROTC.