<p>I was wondering if additional (besides the required math and english) Letters of Recomendations are accepted and if they will help. I'm asking this partially because I would like to use some of the same letters that I used for nominations in the USNA admissions process.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>From what I've read, some MOC's would ignore additional LOR's. As for the Academy, I'm not sure what the policy is these days, but back in my day I sent in about a half-dozen letters from some recognizable names. If it worked or not I'll never know, but it obviously didn't hurt.</p>
<p>Just ensure that the letters in question are from people who know you well and can convey that through the letter. Canned "recommendations" are bound to backfire, I would think.</p>
<p>Ok, how would I send in the additional LOR's, since the normal application is online they don't bluntly provide an easy "mail to" address. I assume I could just include the sealed evelope in another packet with a cover letter explaining.</p>
<p>Now you have me worried, what is a "canned" recomendation?</p>
<p>Thanks again (for the 10th+ time).</p>
<p>Don't mention it.</p>
<p>By "canned", I mean a dry, boring recommendation that makes it clear that the person writing it doesn't know YOU well, but rather is doing this as a favor to your parents, or to your headmaster, or some such thing. It's akin to recommending a restaurant you've never been in, but have heard good things about. Not everyone will take your recommendation seriously.</p>
<p>As for an address, I seem to recall sending everything to the Candidate Guidance Office at USNA with a cover letter requesting that it be added to my application file. I know they got in there because five years later I pulled my file and the letters were all in there.</p>
<p>Of course, this was in the old days before the internet, so I honestly don't know what procedural changes they may have implemented. In any case, you should probably call the CGO (or your BGO) and ask them this question.</p>
<p>As a BGO, I know USNA does accept additional recommendations and will give them weight, provided the recommender has personal knowledge. However, I must admit that I don't know how you submit them. Unless someone else does, I'd email CGO and ask them. My guess is that Zaphod is correct and you snail mail them in, but I'm not sure.</p>
<p>It is critical that the person writing the recommendation: (1) has something to say that your math and English teachers as well as your BGO are unlikely to say, (2) that the recommendation adds something important to your packet and (3) that the recommender knows you and, preferably, can support his/her comments with specific examples from personal knowledge (not just from reading your resume).</p>
<p>I will tell you that it is patently obvious when a recommender doesn't really (personally) know you well. Thus, it would be better to have a letter from your minister/religous leader who has worked closely with you on various charity and religious programs for the past six years than from your Senator who's only met you to shake your hand (even if you interned in his office for a summer). </p>
<p>Quality also counts more than volume. One very strong recommendation will count more than a bunch of "canned" vanilla ones. </p>
<p>That said, you do not need to submit anything more than the required recommendations either to MOCs or USNA.</p>
<p>My daughter, Navy_Hornet, just received a recommendation letter for her MOCs from a retired Air Force Major who has interacted with her over the last few years in Civil Air Patrol. He's been a great inspiration, mentor and all around cheerleader of her path towards a military career. I apologize for bragging (okay, I don't apologize much) but I thought the following paragraph was just one of the finest things I had ever read. It is so cool when other people feel the same as you do about your children.</p>
<p>"Whereas these achievements may allow you to make an objective selection for an Academy position, they do not reveal the magnificent heart beating in this fine young person. Sir, only years of close observation by a committed mentor can do that for you. "Navy_Hornet" (name changed for anonymity) has a warm affable leadership style that makes her a natural leader. She has an innate sense of right and wrong which she consistently acts on. She always places service to her unit above service to herself. I have observed her in difficult leadership situations with her teenage peers, and every time she has made the correct decision."</p>
<p>The Major did tell her that her call sign should be Air Force<em>Viper, not Navy</em>Hornet, but he was just kidding.</p>
<p>My son specifically asked his BGO is if he should send additional LoRs to USNA and the answer came back....'only if they ask for them'...which made us wonder that they might ask to get more information if they didn't feel they had enough to make a decision but sending them would be frowned upon.</p>
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