AOG Scholarships

<p>Is anyone familiar with AOG Scholarships? If you have an AOG Scholarship do you go through the regular West Point application process? Do you get an LOA early in the process? Is there any interaction between the candidate and West Point during the school year? I know that you still have to get a nomination, but do you retake the DoDMERB physical? Do you retake the CFA? Any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>My son received an AOG scholarship for this year and will attend New Mexico Military Institute. You do not apply for an AOG scholarship directly, you just apply to West Point and the admissions officers pick candidates that they submit to the AOG committee. In our case we live in a very competitive legislative district and the admissions officer told him that if we lived in any other leg district in our state he would have been in the class of 2010. He must have had a pretty good whole candidate score but it was not good enough to be the highest in our district. I think this is one reason he was selected for an AOG scholarship. It seems to be a way to get good candidates into West Point the next year if there is an issue, such as nominations, keeping them out in the current year.</p>

<p>My son did not have an LOA. He had a DODMERB issue that had to be waived, which did not get resolved until March. In early April he was notified he received the AOG scholarship. I don't think he will have to retake the DODMERB physical because I have heard they are good for 2 years, but I guess we will find out if that is true. I do believe he will have to retake the CFA while he is at NMMI.</p>

<p>I will know more about the process as we get into the coming school year, so if you have more questions you can PM me anytime. Hope this helped you a little.</p>

<p>He won't need a new DODMERB.</p>

<p>Do AOG recipients get an LOA during the summer or fall?</p>

<p>They usually get their appointments around March of their prep year</p>

<p>My son finished at NMMI this past year and I can confirm most of the information above. For example you do not apply directly, but it comes through the Admission department at USMA. </p>

<p>While I am the parent, I had two worries for my son. First, is this really a guarantee of admissions. By all accounts receiving an AOG scholarship puts you in a special category with some of the same benefits of an LOA. NMMI has an individual who works with all the Service Academy Preps, to see that they have everything in order. In addition, and this was very improtant to me, they have -at least this past year- an admissions officer (Major) for USMA who is responsible and meets at least once -in Roswell with the AOG civil preps. Confirming to me that they are "inside the fence" of USMA.</p>

<p>The AOG letter stated in the 25 years of the program that they have never had anyone not get in due to not receiving a nomination. THis worried me at the beginnning, but while I did help get letters of rec, etc for S it wasnt a problem, but it is an area that has to be tended and I assisted S with this, since MOC offices are local. They also secure other nominating sources as a back-up. </p>

<p>S received AOG offer in JUNE--after graduation, so he was happy to get the opportunity. Our Parents Club, included civil preps and USMAPS in picnic and new candidates lunceon. So we felt welcome.</p>

<p>This was the best thing for my S, very competitve district and he is much more prepared physically and emotionally, and he was very mature before...so R-day and we just got back, was a little easier. I think one ought to be very happy to have recieved an AOG scholarship... and make the most of NMMI. Academics will be challenging--to my surprise (S was NMF and 1500SAT ) and PT was a huge help on CFA ..they have a special class for Service Academy preps three days, weights on two days and Corps PT on the saturday. Enjoy your time</p>