<p>I called my Congressman back in July to introduce myself and get my name in their mind before I submitted my nomination app. Lo and behold, they tell me not to bother applying for a nomination because my Congressman has his five slots at the Naval Academy already filled. I got my Blue and Gold Officer to confirm that. Since getting a nomination from one of my senators is my best shot, how do I let them know that if I don't get a nomination from them, I probably don't get one from anybody, without making myself sound like I'm telling them that "I don't think I deserve a nomination from a Senator, but please give me one anyway"? It really sucks that I can't get a nomination from my Congressman, because Pennsylvania is a competetive state and my Blue and Gold Officer told me that there were sometimes 200 applications for each available slot at the Academy.</p>
<p>This is a good example of why you should consider ALL of the academies, even though your heart is set on the USNA.</p>
<p>There are other alternatives [e.g., ask your Congressman about: alternate appointments; if and when he gives competitive exams for appointments, check with your B&GO about alternatives and if that doesn't help, check with another, check with Congressmen from adjacent districts, try for the following year's class and go to a local college/university or a community college for that year, check out entry from the reserve or the fleet]</p>
<p>Seems a bit odd he would say that. You should still apply for a nomination from him on the chance you might receive an LOA. If you do, your nomination would not count against that congressman's 5 slots--its essentially a freebie for him. Dont give up.</p>
<p>Don't worry about the nom too much. You have two Senators in PA. The likelihood is that they will each nominate a slate of 10 candidates. It is very likely that all 20 of those people will be different. All you need to do is be one of those 20 people and in the eyes of USNA admissions, you will have an "official" nomination. </p>
<p>Nominations are governed by U.S. Law called Title X, and the process is exactly the same for all of the academies, so if your heart is set on USNA, don't be swayed by any argument that says consider other academies - unless you want to.</p>
<p>There are also other nomination sources available for the candidates. Talk to your BGO about those as well.</p>
<p>Keep smiling.</p>
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<p>Just because there are five midshipmen from your Congressman's district, doesn't mean that they are all allocated to his quotas. Many people, including congressional staffers, do not understand the relationship between nominations and appointments. Some candidates received nominations from more than one source and only the admissions office knows which quota that particular appointment is allocated against. Also, if a midshipman drops out or is expelled from the academy, a quota may become open.</p>
<p>I would recommend contacting the Candidate Guidance Office to get clarification on how many quotas your particular MOC may or may not have. I think that it would be very unusual, not to mention unwise, for a Congressman to be unable to submit a slate of ten candidates each year. I'm speculating that the staffer you talked to in July didn't know what he/she was talking about. You need to do some further research.</p>
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<p>If he truly does not have any appointments this year, LOA or not, it will not do any good to apply to him. You will have to find a nomination elsewhere.</p>
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<p>Wrong. If you are set on USNA, don’t give up. I tend to agree with GA that something smells fishy here. It is highly unusual for a MOC to plan, or maybe not to plan, to have at least one nomination annually. Especially to make this statement prior to the end of Plebe Summer and the return of the Brigade. </p>
<p>Apply to both the Academy and to all nomination sources. You will probably end up in the national pool. If your package is strong enough to compete in this arena, CGO will help you find a nomination. Don’t even consider this a stumbling block. Work closely with your BGO. Good luck.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^^ Make that: "Federal Law initiated back in the ‘70s requires a candidate to domicile in the district of the appointor".</p>
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<p>Now did I ever mention anything about giving up? I don't think so. If someone has their heart set on a particular school, more power to them. But, it can be to one's benefit to consider one of the other academies, should the door be closed on their favorite. The exact same scenario happened this past year when our son was applying for admission. The contact at the Representative's office asked if he was applying to USAFA, he said no, and the person said, "Well that's good, because we don't have any open slots this year for that academy due to a glitch from last year." Don't know what the glitch was, but they couldn't nominate anyone for one year. So a candidate would have to either hope they would receive a nomination from one of the other sources available to him/her, or choose another academy, or wait another year and hope for the best. But hopin' ain't gettin'. Generally speaking, your chances of getting a nomination should be a tad better through your Representative versus one of your Senators simply basing it on the quantity of applicants for each. The competition is generally a bit easier since you're not competing with everyone else from the entire state as one does through their Senators.</p>
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The point I was making is that the door is not closed, even if her MOC has no slots and she doesn't get her Senator's nomination.</p>
<p>hmmm ... well, that would have kept me from getting in ;o} ... long story ... had a 3rd alternate [to take the exam ... but had to sign that I would not use it, if it became available] from LA, arranged by my prep school Head Master, and principals from NY and Mass. [JFK for WooPoo] ... while living in DC. Of course this was back in the day when many if not most went to favored, political "friends" or to pay political debts ... so, the change is a good one, even though I can't say I'm sorry I got mine ... at least I know for a fact that my getting the appointment didn't take it away from anyone else ... ;o} </p>
<p>BEAT ARMY [despite the Darkside]!! ... again and again and ... oh, yeah, and, next week, af, too !</p>