What does getting nominated twice do for you

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carterg21316

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I’m not sure on the fine details of this but I’ll get to my question at the end. Here’s where I’m at:
  • My representative nominated me last week to USMA
  • I’m interviewing today with one senator for a USMA nom
  • I’m yet to interview with my second senator
Does having two nominations double your chances of getting in?
Outside of wanting to do my best obviously, what does getting extra nominations do to help you?
 
It provides another slate where you can compete - and where the SA can place you if you are in a competitive district.

I wouldn’t necessarily say it increases your chances. It all depends on your competition.

For instance, a candidate that has two nominations doesn’t increase her WCS.
 
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It does the same as one nomination--so you are essentially set right now since your representative already nominated you. From what WP has told candidates, it seems that they don't care if you receive 4 noms or 0 noms.
 
carterg21316 said:
I’m not sure on the fine details of this but I’ll get to my question at the end. Here’s where I’m at:
  • My representative nominated me last week to USMA
  • I’m interviewing today with one senator for a USMA nom
  • I’m yet to interview with my second senator
Does having two nominations double your chances of getting in?
Outside of wanting to do my best obviously, what does getting extra nominations do to help you?
Click to expand...
Has your nomination uploaded to your portal?
 
More nominations = more slates = more opportunity to win a slate. A great opportunity for a strong candidate.

If you are ranked 10th on each of 3 slates, your chances of appointment are only a small percentage better than competing on one slate, just as buying 3 Lotto tickets does not significantly increase your chances of winning the lottery.
 
jl123 said:
More nominations = more slates = more opportunity to win a slate. A great opportunity for a strong candidate.

If you are ranked 10th on each of 3 slates, your chances of appointment are only a small percentage better than competing on one slate, just as buying 3 Lotto tickets does not significantly increase your chances of winning the lottery.
Click to expand...

Well, buying three lottery tickets does triple your chances of winning the lottery. The odds of winning are statistically against you either way though.
 
While having two nominations doesn’t double your chance of getting appointed, it does increase your odds.
We often use the analogy of the academies building a puzzle in putting together a class. While your piece (your profile) won’t change shape or get better with more nominations, there are now two (or more) places that your piece can fit in the puzzle instead of just one. If you only have one nomination you only get one shot at fitting into the puzzle.

Stealth_81
 
It increases your odds because other people who may be qualified for an appointment do not receive one since it was given to you, but IMO it really doesnt matter since you already received a nomination and be considered in the same way
 
Stealth_81 said:
While having two nominations doesn’t double your chance of getting appointed, it does increase your odds.
We often use the analogy of the academies building a puzzle in putting together a class. While your piece (your profile) won’t change shape or get better with more nominations, there are now two (or more) places that your piece can fit in the puzzle instead of just one. If you only have one nomination you only get one shot at fitting into the puzzle.

Stealth_81
Click to expand...
^ This. Absolutely this. This is one of the reasons why the academies tell you to pursue every nomination you are eligible for. This is the best analogy I've ever seen on this topic.
 
There is something of a "chicken and egg" scenario with nominations and appointments that can get quite complicated.

Assuming a "typical" candidate, such as the OP seems to be, there are four nominating sources: District MOC, Senator 1, Senator 2, and VP. In this scenario there are 3 categories of appointment with 6 opportunities for appointment: 4 as slate winner, 1 as Qualified Alternate, and 1 as Additional Appointee. Of those only the Additional Appointee can be appointed out of Order of Merit and the majority of these are recruited athletes and diversity candidates.

Appointments are not made because a candidate fits into multiple categories. The juggling of appointment categories takes place after appointment. It makes admissions job easier, but does not replace the WCS score as arbiter of appointment decisions.

A strong candidate has significantly increased odds by competing on multiple slates - think of it as playing multiple hands of Blackjack.

A weaker candidate ranked near the bottom of each slate does not have significantly increased odds of appointment - one in 20 million really doesn't affect my life any more than one in 100 million. When I buy a bunch of lottery tickets my next stop is not the Ferrari showroom. ;)

Bottom line: Get all the nominations you can because you don't know whether you are that strong candidate or the weaker one. You also don't know if one of those slates is significantly weaker or if the MOC's are coordinating.
 
TheAmericanDefender said:
It does the same as one nomination--so you are essentially set right now since your representative already nominated you. From what WP has told candidates, it seems that they don't care if you receive 4 noms or 0 noms.
Click to expand...

TheAmericanDefender said:
It increases your odds because other people who may be qualified for an appointment do not receive one since it was given to you, but IMO it really doesnt matter since you already received a nomination and be considered in the same way
Click to expand...

Huh? Not sure those statements are correct by themselves, let alone when read together as they are somewhat contradictory.
 
TheRightStuff said:
Huh? Not sure those statements are correct by themselves, let alone when read together as they are somewhat contradictory.
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You're correct. Those statements are, in fact, untrue or at least misleading. Saying nominees increase their odds over non-nominees, while technically accurate, is a ridiculous distinction to make. Same for the other statement. Is one nomination sufficient to get you in? Yes. Is receiving more noms better? Yes.
 
TheRightStuff said:
Huh? Not sure those statements are correct by themselves, let alone when read together as they are somewhat contradictory.
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Getting more nominations does not make it more likely that admissions will select you over other nominees. However, it does eliminate the competition of those who you displaced when you received that second, or third nom. What I'm trying to say is your increase in chance by competing on multiple slates is slim. Also, there's no point in worrying about this minuscule aspect if you are going to do your very best on every nomination application and interview.
 
TheAmericanDefender said:
Getting more nominations does not make it more likely that admissions will select you over other nominees. However, it does eliminate the competition of those who you displaced when you received that second, or third nom. What I'm trying to say is your increase in chance by competing on multiple slates is slim. Also, there's no point in worrying about this minuscule aspect if you are going to do your very best on every nomination application and interview.
Click to expand...

This is just simply incorrect in all aspects other than "a nom displaces others that don't get one" - which is axiomatic and obvious.
 
I was told by USAFA Team Blue, if you get more than one nomination, it basically places you in 2 buckets versus 1. They said it allows them to look at you in more than one area.
 
I have a strong desire to map this nomination process out in a Power Point presentation with animation. Having a visual for the 'slates' as it were would help those who are either new, or as confused as some of us were prior to experiencing it first hand.

Last year, my DH asked me to explain nominations. I attempted. He just stared at me with glazed eyes (somewhat normal when I talk, we've been married almost 25 years, lol).
I then got out several different colored sticky notes and labeled them 'slates. A few minutes later, he got it. It helped him understand why DS receiving 3 noms to USNA helped us breath just the tiniest bit easier.

I have a Power Point presentation due on the 9th for a class, topic up to me. Maybe I'll play with this idea. While it is a complicated thing to understand, it is clear in this thread that there are some rather large misunderstandings. I will leave it to those with combined eons (don't take that the wrong way) of real world, BGO, active or retired officer experience to clearly explain it.

Off to Power Point I go.
 
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