<p>Over the past month and a half I've been trying to contact my Blue and Gold Officer with no success. None of my E-mails have gotten responses and no phone calls have been returned. I got tired of dealing with it and contacted the academy and the lady who answered the phone was GREAT to work with. She got me the contact information to another BGO in the northern half of the state (I'm Southern IL) who returned my voicemail the next day. His response was to just wait it out and it wasn't holding up my admissions any. I have all my admissions done except the interview. The one time I did get ahold of anyone at the phone number provided by the academy was when his son answered, told me his father was unavailable and would call back tomorrow. That was Thurs. Sept. 4, and it is now the 8th.
Am I overreacting to the complete lack of effort being put forth by this fellow? I'm also wondering is there is ANYONE in state that can conduct this interview. I would like to finish things up with this admissions. By the way~ how do you think my chances are? ACT-composite 29, 3 sport varsity athlete, 4 time class president, student council etc etc... I figure I'm about par for the course, any thoughts?</p>
<p>This question comes up a lot it seems-
please give it a few more days for your BGO to contact you. Please remember, your BGO is a volunteer, with timelines of their own. Is the remainder of your admissions file complete? Some BGOs will wait until a certain percent of your paperwork is "in" before completing the interview.</p>
<p>I would suggest giving this a whole week- and then try calling again. </p>
<p>As for chances- will it make a difference in your applying? My guess is it will not- so welcome to the Navy, where we all "hurry up and wait".... and wait.... and wait! Just remember, "don't give up the ship"....but have a dinghy ready! (meaning, the competetion is tough, so have a plan B ready!)</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thanks- my BGO finally did send me an E-mail. He said he would try to contact me on the 11th or 12th I'm just glad to have gotten a reply. My chances at the Academy will not effect my application what so ever, it's just good to have an idea. If I'm correct I can send letters of recommendation to the academy admissions, right? I have letters from my boss, pastor, and teacher I would like to send. I finally have all my congressional nomination stuff in so I will be mailing that off shortly.
Do my thoughts of being one of the last ones to get things in have any merit? I just feel like I'm terribly behind.</p>
<p>Cockerkid- good for you on your persistance with your BGO. Found out well after the fact that our BGO deliberatly did not return the first or second call from an applicant. Reasoning was that somone that would quit after one or two tries was not seriously interested and would likly fail at USNA. My advise for your interview is to dress as if this was business interview, be yourself, and be prepared to respond with an honest answer why do you want to go to USNA. Everything else will take care of itself.</p>
<p>In regards to your addtional letters of reccommendation, you should know who your regional coordinator/contact is at the academy. Any letters of reccomendation should be sent to this person not to a generic admissions address. Unless policy has cahnged, admissions will consider 2 addtional letters of reccomendation on top of what has been sent in with your application. If you have more than two addtional letters, you pick the best and send those.</p>
<p>As far as being late, far from it you are actully still early. Keep slugging and best of luck to you.</p>
<p>B&G Called me Sat. Very nice guy once you get ahold of him. Interview set for Wed. Night. Also get my remedial papers released monday to mail back to DODMERB. If it's not one thing its another...</p>
<p>What information do you have access to about the candidates you are to interview?</p>
<p>With the information available to you do you determine if a candidate is qualified?</p>
<p>Do you have their GPA?</p>
<p>If you know they are medically disqualified does it say why?</p>
<p>Do you see the letters of recomendations?</p>
<p>Do you know the candidate attended Summer Seminar?</p>
<p>Do you know what sports they've been involved in, leadership activities or extracurricular activities?</p>
<p>Is it appropriate for you to cancel an interview with a candidate because of a medical dq?
Requested paperwork from the orthodontist had been turned in and the Dodmerb site already changed his status from dq to pending waiver review. </p>
<p>Is it appropriate for a BGO to tell a candidate that it may be a waste of time to interview him/her because the BGO feels the SAT scores disqualify the candidate? (scores low 600s and is taking them again)</p>
<p>The candidates application has been complete for over 3 weeks.
Your answers are greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>** With the information available to you do you determine if a candidate is qualified? ** </p>
<p>No</p>
<p>** Do you have their GPA? **</p>
<p>No</p>
<p>*If you know they are medically disqualified does it say why? *</p>
<p>We know the status but not the reason.</p>
<p>** Do you see the letters of recomendations? **</p>
<p>No</p>
<p>** Do you know the candidate attended Summer Seminar? **</p>
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>** Do you know what sports they've been involved in, leadership activities or extracurricular activities? **</p>
<p>No</p>
<p>** Is it appropriate for you to cancel an interview with a candidate because of a medical dq? **</p>
<p>No</p>
<p>** Is it appropriate for a BGO to tell a candidate that it may be a waste of time to interview him/her because the BGO feels the SAT scores disqualify the candidate? (scores low 600s and is taking them again) **</p>
<p>No, barring the fact that the BGO has unique motivational techniques.</p>
<p>USNA69, thank you for your reply. I have a few more questions I hope you can also answer.
BGO does know he should interview a candidate with a medical dq but he will not schedule interview until the medical status has changed or until the candidate receives the scores from the ACT. These scores may not be available until October. Is there a reason these scores are so important to the BGO? From everything I've read the interview can be scheduled once 30% of the application is complete so I'm having a difficult time understanding why these demands are being made. Is it inappropriate for the candidate to contact the regional director if the BGO continues to delay the interview?<br>
Thank you for taking the time to answer.</p>
<p>The interview may be scheduled anytime after the candidate has become an official candidate. CGO requests that it be completed no later than the 30% mark. However, they do not contact the AC until it is 100% complete. Many BGOs, me included, like to wait until the application is almost complete before scheduling an interview. At this point the candidate seems to be better prepared, knowing more about the Academy and the process, and the interview does not degrade to a counseling session on how to fill out the application.</p>
<p>Are you surmising reasons for the BGO not completing the interview? Are hardships such as excess mileage involved in doing an interview? A Medical DQ should not be an issue. The BGO should not (due to HIPAA) know the reasons for the DQ and therefore would not know the odds for a waiver. The waiver process is normally only initiated for viable candidates, however, unless you tell him, he will not know the status of the waiver initiation. </p>
<p>I can think of no logical reason to withhold the interview until updated test scores have been received. Perhaps, it is some misguided attempt to delay the package going before the board until it is more likely to be successful. However, the CGO will either determine this and not present the package or the board itself will place it on hold until the SAT/ACT cycle is complete. This is normal for marginal packages.</p>
<p>The regional director, if your package is complete, has already initiated correspondence to initiate the interview. If you are guessing as to the reasons the BGO has not completed the interview, wait a few more weeks and see what happens. If the BGO has related to you any of the above reasons you have mentioned, they are all incorrect, and you should probably contact the AC immediately and let him know what is happening.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>The interview may be scheduled anytime after the candidate has become an official candidate. CGO requests that it be completed no later than the 30% mark. However, they do not contact the AC until it is 100% complete. Many BGOs, me included, like to wait until the application is almost complete before scheduling an interview. At this point the candidate seems to be better prepared, knowing more about the Academy and the process, and the interview does not degrade to a counseling session on how to fill out the application.</p>
<p>Are you surmising reasons for the BGO not completing the interview? Are hardships such as excess mileage involved in doing an interview? A Medical DQ should not be an issue. The BGO should not (due to HIIPA) know the reasons for the DQ and therefore would not know the odds for a waiver. The waiver process is normally only initiated for viable candidates, however, unless you tell him, he will not know the status of the waiver initiation. </p>
<p>I can think of no logical reason to withhold the interview until updated test scores have been received. Perhaps, it is some misguided attempt to delay the package going before the board until it is more likely to be successful. However, the CGO will either determine this and not present the package or the board itself will place it on hold until the SAT/ACT cycle is complete. This is normal for marginal packages.</p>
<p>The regional director, if your package is complete, has already initiated correspondence to initiate the interview. If you are guessing as to the reasons the BGO has not completed the interview, wait a few more weeks and see what happens. If the BGO has related to you any of the above reasons you have mentioned, they are all incorrect, and you should probably contact the AC immediately and let him know what is happening.</p>
<p>WWalrus every applicants situation varies. Without knowing the strength of your childs application it's not a straight forward call if your BGO is giving good or bad advice not to interview. Except for the BGO interview is the rest of the application complete??? You mentioned SAT's in the low 600's. Are you talking 601 or 649, also what prospective major was selected? If an engineering or aeospace major is selected the math SAT scores in the low 600 range could be marginal and your BGO can be giving good advice to do better.</p>
<p>My mid was in a similar situation with her BGO. Application was complete except for the BGO interview. SAT's 650 verbal 620 Math. BGO told my mid straight up he would not interview until the SAT scores approached or exceed 700. My mid was in touch via e-mail with the regional director and had been asking questions along the way. Once her application was complete an e-mail arrived the next day asking why an interview was not scheduled. My mid sent a reply e-mail to the regional explaining the situation. That night my mid recieved a phone call from the BGO asking to schedule the interview. Four days after the interview my mid recieved notice of being academicly qualified. Several months later the BGO admitted that he recieved a phone call from the regional tell him explicitly to get his ### in gear and interview this candidate. At the time the situation was not humorous but now it so of is.</p>
<p>USNA 69 is giving great advice. Your child should be corresponding with his/her regional coordinator. They are a resource of information and I am not advocating in any way you complain about your BGO. Far from being a posative this would be viewed as a negative. Also, if it's not complete get the rest of the application done</p>
<p>Best of luck</p>
<p>My son's B&G Officer told us that he had several interviews and that he was instructed by the Academy to inform some of the kids he was going to interview to seek alternative ways to join the Navy and to encourage them. He termed them as "courtesy interviews". He further stated that the Academy had contacted him and told him to prioritize the interview with my son and several other candidates. Not trying to brag, just reporting what we were told.</p>
<p>Occasionally on this and other threads, I see references to candidates sending in "scrapbooks" or additional letters of reference.........I am guessing that USNA wants the application and that is all. The teacher refs they asked for, etc. Not additional stuff. If we are wrong on this and it really it is beneficial to send in additional stuff, please advise.</p>
<p>We did not send one shred of information other than what was precisely asked for and that includes tha Academy, the nominators, and anything else we were asked to do. Nothing Nada. My son read all of the directions and we followed them EXACTLY, nothing more nothing less. Might not work for everyone, but it worked for us. Others experience could be different, as I do not hold myself out as an expert on admission to the Naval Academy.</p>
<p>
<p>Perhaps a little misunderstanding here. A part of ALL BGO interviews is to ascertain backup plans. No SA candidate should not have those plans. It is an indication of maturity to be realistic. For the BGO not to ask about backup plans indicates an incomplete interview, not a superb candidate.</p>
<p>The Academy does the prioritizing. All candidates who the CGO deems qualified, are interviewed. Of course the more complete the application package, the more timely the interview. BGOs are directed to "Contact and Council" those candidates who are not qualified. This is the "courtesy interview". And yes, if they are unable to meet the minimum qualification standards, the BGO should ensure that their expectations are realistic and alternate plans are in place. </p>
<p>Really nothing at all to brag about. </p>
<p> [quote=MIDNDAD] Without knowing the strength of your childs application it's not a straight forward call if your BGO is giving good or bad advice not to interview</p>
<p>BGO told my mid straight up he would not interview until the SAT scores approached or exceed 700. </p>
<p>My mid sent a reply e-mail to the regional explaining the situation. That night my mid recieved a phone call from the BGO asking to schedule the interview. Four days after the interview my mid recieved notice of being academicly qualified. Several months later the BGO admitted that he recieved a phone call from the regional tell him explicitly to get his ### in gear and interview this candidate.
</p>
<p>From my last post. The BGO does not have the application package. The BGO has no clue as to the strength of the candidate's application. His task is pure and simple. Interview ALL candidates which the CGO deems qualified and do it when the application is 30% complete. SATs, Medical status, etc. should have nothing to do with this decision.</p>
<p>An interesting aside would be that if 700/700 SATs were required, 74% of last year's class would not have been admitted. See the Class of 2012 SAT profile.</p>
<p>Yes, once the application is 100% complete and the interview has not been completed, the CGO becomes involved and appropriate people are notified. The interview will happen. I guess one's only question would be, do they want a BGO with incorrect ideas doing the interview. If this is a concern, one can contact the Area Coordinator, a list of whose names and contact information is listed in the online catalog, and request a new BGO assignment. Explain your reasoning. It should happen discreetly with no undue prejudice against the candidate.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You can produce a scrapbook or a CV. Yes, the postal service will accept it. Guaranteed, it will be delivered to the Admissions Office. What will happen from this point forward, you have not clue. However, you do know that your official application will be dissected with a fine tooth comb and that every bit of information will be carefully analyzed. It will be that official package which will be presented to the board. Therefore, my advice is to look at a proposed addenda. Determine what is absolutely necessary to present a more complete 'picture' of yourself. Then add it to your admissions package. Only in the very very rare (I can think of only a couple of unique situations) instance, where it will not fit, send an addenda. Also, limit it strictly to additional information. Do not repeat yourself. Then, continue to keep in mind that the reviewer might still consider it redundant, boastful, etc etc and allow it to affect your package negatively. I am sure there is anecdotal instances where extra information was submitted and the candidate was admitted. Did it help?? No one outside the Admissions Office will ever know. Could it be a waste of time? Probably. Could it prove detrimental? Perhaps.</p>
<p>Additional letters of recommendation. Only rarely. And only if the letter can provide unique positive first-hand information that is necessary to present a whole person and the board cannot gain it elsewhere. Casual influential 'acquaintances' are a waste of time. A minister who observed your selfless tireless teamwork and hard work on mission trips for three consecutive summers, maybe not.</p>
<p>
Again, if you work discretely through your area coordinator, this should not be a problem. This is both a tough call for you to make and a sensitive recommendation for me, but there is no way, if the facts have been presented correctly, that the BGOs mentioned by both wwalrus and MIDNDAD can be viewed as anything other than incompetent.</p>
<p>We have not even addressed NAPS/Foundation. Exactly the same process occurs for these programs as it does for direct entry. The same application, the same interview, and the same admissions process. In round numbers, whereas, each year's class is composed of only 800 BGO direct entries and 400 from the previous year's process. Therefore, when a BGO goes to an interview, the chances are almost 1 in 3 that he will be interviewing for and recommending NAPS/Foundationfor the following year's USNA entry and whose average combined SAT is in the 1140 range. A BGO who refuses to recognize this part of his job is either totally ignorant or completely incompetent. Get a new one.</p>
<p>Actually, the whole thing is so ludicrous, I would like to think somehow, no matter how inconceivable, that there have simply been some type of communication breakdowns. A grad BGO would, from first hand experience, definitely know better.</p>
<p>Thanks USNA69. My sense is that son put a great deal of effort into his application and got it all in there. Some of his activities were a bit unconventional, for eg., he has competed in equestrian events since age three, ultimately competing nationally, even internationally. Even though this did not fit the mold of traditional sports with letters, captains, varsity, etc, I think he got the point across in the application itself. I would imagine the Admissions Board can only compare applicants based upon their application, not extra fluff.</p>
<p>Frankly, I think some here are overcomplicating the process and implying some "deep dark cloaked room" approached to admission to the Academy. It is fairly straightforward, follow their directions, meet the criteria, which is clearly set out on the official Naval Academy website, get your nominations and hope for the best. The better your SAT/ACT, GPA, extra curricular activities with an emphasis on leadership and sports, community involvement, the better your chances are, along with being in top physical shape and passing the Dodmerb. If you get Academically Qualified and pass the CFA and Dodmerb, it is all in the hands of the competition between your nominating sources, which vary WIDELY from state to state and the admissions board. I suggest a gander at the statistics which are for public review for the classes of the last several years. That is a reliable indicator as to whether or not you will be admitted.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Some of his activities were a bit unconventional, for eg., he has competed in equestrian events since age three, ultimately competing nationally, even internationally. Even though this did not fit the mold of traditional sports with letters, captains, varsity, etc,
[/quote]
</p>
<p>jennyp-
make sure your son applies to USMA as well- I hear they need cadets that can ride those old mules over there! ;) </p>
<p>(only kidding!)</p>