What time frame is best to complete the USNA application?

M

Maximus

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
1,444
Since we've been talking about this topic in other threads, I wondered what the consensus here was for "best time to send in a completed application"
Keeping in mind the early fall SAT and ACT test scores. We (my son) also has another situation as I've mentioned here before, two D's are being removed from the transcript (freshman/sophomore years) and being replaced with A's but, that isn't official till late September. That will also improve the class rank.

Some of what I'm basing my observations on are; my sons friend is a Plebe with the 2012 class and she was only introduced to the academy process the summer between junior and senior years after she received a 34 on her ACT, junior year June/spring test. (side note, mediocre on prior SAT)
She then joined our NJROTC unit (NS1 as a senior) at the advice of her Guidance Counselor, her paper work for the USNA application was not complete till the last acceptable day with a Nomination from the Senior Naval Science Instructor. She had a few varsity letters in track and was Student of the Year at the school, so obviously it was a perfect fit for the Academy. I know she didn't interview with the BGO till late Spring and had her appointment soon after.

TYIA
 
In most cases, the earlier the better. My girl had things done as early as possible. Except for teacher recommendations, which really couldn't come until she completed junior year of high school, she had everything done in the first few days of due dates. The reason? The sooner you get that paperwork in, the sooner things like DoDMERB appointments happen, and you give yourself more time for writing of essays, any glitches, and multiple times to take the SAT/ACT if necessary. Our girl had her NASS application ( which in essence is the USNA app.) on Feb. 1st ...at the stroke of midnight - She knew in 3 weeks of her acceptance to NASS (Naval Academy Summer Seminar) and we got calls in early July from Admissions, right after her Summer Seminar, asking for her completed application. We could happily report a DoDMERB appointment that week, to which they said simply: "great". Her LOA came the first week of October - so in our case, the early application granted the early acceptance.
 
My daughter's experience was similar to that of Peskemom's daughter: app to NASS was sent in the first possible hour, and she received rapid acceptance. Her final app materials were turned in by July, and she had her initial medical exam for DoDMERB on 31 July. LOA came in late September. Congressional nom came in December.

The big difference for us was that it took until 13 May to get the medical stuff squared away, due to the need for several remedials that required doctor's visits and medical tests. In our case, if she had started any later, my Plebe would not be in the Class of 2012.
 
My son applied for NAPS the second day offered this year (Feb. 2, 2008...a slip up because he thought the app. was due March 1st...untill...I reminded him!) and he received his NASS Session 1 acceptance letter Feb. 19, 2008. BTW, for the record....I was really worried that he might not get in by missing that first crucial application day.
Ironically, he just [today] received his letter from the DoDMERB with contractor instructions directing him to make an appointment with their doctors within the next five days. I mention all this because we haven't even finished the whole application.
The USNA is still waiting for our HS Guidance Counselor to send in his transcripts, and the most up to date ACT scores are still not showing on his on-line application even though we sent them directly from the ACT site. They don't have his essay, and his SNSI told me he wanted to wait till August, at a minimum, to send in his Nomination and evaluation in as he thought that would be the best time frame. We have met and personally talked to one of our Senators and he showed interest, he even sent my son a picture of the two of them signed back to us with more instructions for his Nomination. The USNA activities record has been sent in and he passed the CFA at NASS, so as far as we're concerned his application is incomplete.
I'm guessing that they are able to see our portion of his on line application, like the NROTC application, the minute we put any info down they used it.

I guess the question I should ask is, when is the first meeting of the USNA board? I know it's rolling but there is a first cycle session like the NROTC board does, their first session is August 1st.
 
Last edited:
I forgot to mention, his Math and English teachers ~have sent in their recommendations last month (June).
 
My 2012'er did the bulk of the app in the summer between junior and senior year. I swear he worked on one part or another every single day. Complete one section, get into the next. Get the DodMERB physical. Get a letter here, get a letter there. He had it done early fall. Interviewed with MOC in...Sept or Oct. Can't recall.

I do recall that November had a series of events VERY quickly.

He got a letter from MOC with his nomination.
He got a letter from USNA referring him to the Foundation for prep school.
He got a letter from the Foundation offering him to apply for sponsorship.
He filled out the app for a sponsorship, and we drove to Annapolis to turn it in.
He got the sponsorship.

All within ONE WEEK.

Our MOC has a Christmas reception for all those he has nominated or IN any Academy..somewhere between Christmas and New Years, and our son already knew he was in for a prep year and then hopefully off to USNA. Made the rest of his senior year pretty comforting, knowing what he was doing.

That was our timetable.
 
wolfemom said:
My 2012'er did the bulk of the app in the summer between junior and senior year. I swear he worked on one part or another every single day. Complete one section, get into the next. Get the DodMERB physical. Get a letter here, get a letter there. He had it done early fall. Interviewed with MOC in...Sept or Oct. Can't recall.

I do recall that November had a series of events VERY quickly.

He got a letter from MOC with his nomination.
He got a letter from USNA referring him to the Foundation for prep school.
He got a letter from the Foundation offering him to apply for sponsorship.
He filled out the app for a sponsorship, and we drove to Annapolis to turn it in.
He got the sponsorship.

All within ONE WEEK.

Our MOC has a Christmas reception for all those he has nominated or IN any Academy..somewhere between Christmas and New Years, and our son already knew he was in for a prep year and then hopefully off to USNA. Made the rest of his senior year pretty comforting, knowing what he was doing.

That was our timetable.
Click to expand...

Was your son recruited for sport, or are either you or your husband USNA alumni? And if you don't mind, good GPA and SAT scores?


Everyone keeps telling us to take and re-take the CFA and ACT's/SAT's. Even the USNA website talks about taking these test's over and over. They even state the record number of times the test was taken by an applicant, eight times. But....somewhere here I read where they look at the application as it comes in, that's it, pass or fail and I'd like to know the day they actually sit down as a board and read what has been submitted. August 1'st or September 10th? (arbitrary dates for example only)
From sample information here, I'm guessing you can update as much as you want as long as you hold your spot in the pending file, and once they look at them it's pass or fail on a rolling basis.
 
When people say to take and re-take the SAT, I feel sure they mean until your candidate feels he/she has achieved the best score they can. My daughter had planned to re-take the SAT or take the SAT, but her USNA acceptance letter arrived the day before the registration window, so..... no need to take it again!

The first acceptance letters to USNA started arriving in mid-late September last year, so the first Admissions board would have been near that time.
 
He was not recruited for a sport, we are not alumni, and he did not get a LOA.

He had 700 math SAT and like 530 verbal SAT. I'm sure the verbal score hurt him. He retook a few times (3 SAT's total? not a ton) to bring up that verbal score, but it didn't move.

I don't know exactly his scores or times on the CFA, but they were really good. He was and is *extremely* fit. He maxed several areas when he redid it this year. He is not a big guy, though. He will have to walk on if he wants to make a team, but he sure as heck knows how to work his butt off to prove himself.

Summary:
He had solid academics--some advanced classes, some academic classes. Very full schedule with very good grades. (All A's with maybe a B or 2 in 9th or 10th grades. Probably a B here and there in Calc his senior year.) Top 5-10% of his class. Not #1 or 2 or 3.
Very good SAT's--better in math than in reading.
He was very involved in EC's at school--with real leadership positions in several. Not just "offices" but real leadership with real results to back it up.

I think (in my biased mom-opinion) that the strength of his application was his character. His references, his interview, his behavior, his leadership. Solid--seriously.

Academics can be beefed up at prep school. Character cannot. If there is a weakness in one's profile, it ought to be in an area that can be improved.

Clearly USNA decided somewhere along the line that they wanted him, because within 24 hours of his app being 100% complete, they referred him to the Foundation. Even though he couldn't see it at the time, it was absolutely the BEST thing that could have happened. It was a good year for him, and he is much more ready for what he's in now than he would have been a year ago.

I don't know if that helps. I hope it does. You don't have to have a perfect SAT score to get in, nor must you be a recruited athlete. You can be from a little itty-bitty town in the middle of nowhere, do solidly well in high school, and stand out for your amazing work ethic and leadership in real life situations. Must be able to articulate all of that, and be willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

Good luck!
 
Something that came to a surprise to me was the BGO I called today said that I was "extremely early" with all my application (I have only the personal statement left to submit). I didn't think that I was that early since CIS opened up over a month ago. Almost two months now. Do they not get many early finishers?

He also said that I'm getting reassigned to a different BGO. Has this happened to anyone? I've been trying to set up an interview for about two weeks now with no results. He said that it would be at least 2 weeks before I get in touch with another BGO.
 
Last edited:
Please note I meant NASS, not NAPS.

Maximus said:
My son applied for NAPS the second day offered this year (Feb. 2, 2008...a slip up because he thought the app. was due March 1st...untill...I reminded him!) and he received his NASS Session 1 acceptance letter Feb. 19, 2008. BTW, for the record....I was really worried that he might not get in by missing that first crucial application day.
Ironically, he just [today] received his letter from the DoDMERB with contractor instructions directing him to make an appointment with their doctors within the next five days. I mention all this because we haven't even finished the whole application.
The USNA is still waiting for our HS Guidance Counselor to send in his transcripts, and the most up to date ACT scores are still not showing on his on-line application even though we sent them directly from the ACT site. They don't have his essay, and his SNSI told me he wanted to wait till August, at a minimum, to send in his Nomination and evaluation in as he thought that would be the best time frame. We have met and personally talked to one of our Senators and he showed interest, he even sent my son a picture of the two of them signed back to us with more instructions for his Nomination. The USNA activities record has been sent in and he passed the CFA at NASS, so as far as we're concerned his application is incomplete.
I'm guessing that they are able to see our portion of his on line application, like the NROTC application, the minute we put any info down they used it.

I guess the question I should ask is, when is the first meeting of the USNA board? I know it's rolling but there is a first cycle session like the NROTC board does, their first session is August 1st.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
SemperExcelsius said:
Something that came to a surprise to me was the BGO I called today said that I was "extremely early" with all my application (I have only the personal statement left to submit). I didn't think that I was that early since CIS opened up over a month ago. Almost two months now. Do they not get many early finishers?

He also said that I'm getting reassigned to a different BGO. Has this happened to anyone? I've been trying to set up an interview for about two weeks now with no results. He said that it would be at least 2 weeks before I get in touch with another BGO.
Click to expand...


When we received the application number and access to the candidate area (CIS) after NASS, we called the B&Go officer a few days later and he said the same thing, way too early. He wants to wait till about mid August when at least half his application was complete. At that time we only had about 30% of it done.
 
process

I find it interesting that some of the interviews are already happening. Ours aren't until November or December. We have everything done, except the essays for the congressmen, etc. What is the time frame from here?
 
Kamajama,
I believe everyone is talking about the BGO interviews not MOC. Check your Congressman's and Senator's sites because they should have the final date that everything has to be post-marked by- I know in CA it's by November 1st and then my MOC's staffers look over everything and then decide who they want to interview for the nom. I hope that helps! - I would get everything in as soon as possible (everyone I have talked to have all advised me on this)
Very Respectfully,
usnahopeful
 
usnahopeful said:
Kamajama,
I believe everyone is talking about the BGO interviews not MOC. Check your Congressman's and Senator's sites because they should have the final date that everything has to be post-marked by- I know in CA it's by November 1st and then my MOC's staffers look over everything and then decide who they want to interview for the nom. I hope that helps! - I would get everything in as soon as possible (everyone I have talked to have all advised me on this)
Very Respectfully,
usnahopeful
Click to expand...

I'm talking about the Blue and Gold Interview. All our Nomination interviews are scheduled for November also.
 
LOA - "Letter of Assurance" USNA sometimes gives an Early Offer to their top candidates - similiar to the Early Action Decisions of Ivy-League colleges.

MOC- "Member of Congress" - your Senator and/or Congressman
 
kamajama said:
What is an LOA, MOC, etc....
Click to expand...

LOA is Letter of Assurance and it's the letter stating an early offer to appointment. Not a definite appointment because you can screw up your last year in High School and they could revoke it but, you're pretty assured an appointment after receiving that letter early on in the process. The earliest I've read about receiving a LOA is September and the latest is December, I could be mistaken though.

I don't know what the actual words are for MOC but basically it's the person that conducts the interview for a Nomination from your Congressman, Senator, or other source of Nomination. I don't think the VP has one and the USNA actually holds that interview?
 
MOC = Member of congress - i.e. your US Senator and US Congressman.
The VP nomination is made by the academy and there is no interview.
 
I got all of my application finished by mid August, including the BGO interview. My teacher recommendations were requested before school was out in June and both submitted the recs the second week in August when they returned to school. The guidance counselor confirmed the activities portion of the application within an hour of my submitting it (it generates the e-mail to that individual when you submit it)

I had all of the Nominating sources packages completed by the start of school. I wanted All Academy associated paperwork submitted prior to the start of my senior year so that I could concentrate on the Civilian College apps in the fall. My SAT scores and ACT scores where good enough from the June testing date after Junior year so I knew I would not be taking either again and then could use the October SAT date to take SATII's. Worked out very well. I also received the LOA the first week of October. Interviewed with all 3 MOC's the first week in November and had appointment in hand the second week of November. Luckily I did not have any medical issues.

I personally think the sooner the better so that you can concentrate on the Civilian apps during the fall. Also, what was stated to us at an USNA recruiting session in my home town was that the earlier the better as it is a rolling admissions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top