<p>I was dead set on applying to USNA and USNA only until my BGO recommended that I apply for more service academies. It really wasn't an attractive thought because of more work it would require (not that I'm really lazy but since I'm at college now, it's much much harder to get in contact with teachers and counselor, do interviews, etc.) and USNA was the only school I am truly interested in. So far, I did apply prelim for USAFA and got the candidate info., but along with the usual paperwork, I found out that DoDMERB wants additional data on my medical history and requires waivers on my vision(worse than 20/50) and height (5'3 female, didn't think it would be an issue). I'm still contemplating whether I should apply to USAFA especially now that I'm finished with all the academic, medical and nominations for USNA (physical in thanksgiving break). Are admission standards of all service academies all distinct that it is likely that I may be accepted by one and denied by another? Is it that necessary to apply to many service academies as you can?</p>
<p>My advice is that if you don't want to go another service academy, don't apply! Applying to other academies won't help your chances in getting into a specific one, it will just open your options up for a military career. I personally, would never have gone to air force or army, if it wasn't navy, than it was nothing. Plus, the general conclusion around here is, if you don't want to be here, you won't last very long. I don't think I would be able to make it at any of the other academies because I would have no drive to be there. So, choose carefully.</p>
<p>If you are only interested in USNA then you should also look at NROTC programs. The same applies to USMA and USAFA. I would expect that you should be able to clearly articulate the reasons why you are committed to just one branch of the military and what you expect to do within that branch after you graduate. A clear plan is likely of more value to you than applying to academies in which you have no interest just because you should.</p>
<p>If your goal is to serve your country, then I would recommend applying to more than one. Yes, it often happens that an applicant is accepted to one academy and not another. I would suggest visiting more than one, if at all possible. The application process is actually quite similar among the academies. And if your heart is set on the Navy, then apply for an NROTC scholarship.</p>
<p>My son felt the same way about USNA but was convinced to visit and spend a night at Kings Point and fell in love with the place and is now there. Sempergumby is right visit as many as you can.</p>
<p>If is about serving your country and going to sea the US Merchant Marine Academy should be looked at.</p>
<p>The options coming out of Kings Point are the most flexible of any academy (either an active duty commission in any of the services or a reserve commission in the Navy and an 8 year commitment to work anywhere in the US Maritime Industry) and if you want to be a Surface Warfare Officer, you will be far ahead of your USNA contemporaries, because you will have spent an entire year at sea (vice short summer cruises) and earned a USCG Third Mate's license or a Third Engineer's license. </p>
<p>Something to think about</p>
<p>I withdrew my application for USNA before I really even started it. When the Congressional boards asked "So you want to go to West Point and Annapolis" I would stop them and tell them I just wanted West Point and gave my reasoning for it. They seemed to like it, I guess it showed maturity and alot of thought on the part of a 17 year old kid. Make sure your reasons for applying are valid. I think its better to just apply to a few (or one) of the Academies and demonstrating that you are committed by giving good reasons on why you should be there than applying to all of the Academies in the hopes of getting into one of them. If an Academy is your second choice, I'm not sure if it would work for you, you've gotta be 100% committed to being there. That being said, if you have a true desire to go to more than one Academy, by all means, go for it. Good luck.</p>
<p>Also think of all the paperwork and work you have to do for each academy. While many things are not repeated (like the CFE and letters to MOC) that is still quite alot of things to do and if you really do not want to go to one, why not leave that slot open for someone who really wants it?</p>
<p>Sorry for bringing back an old post, but since I'm about to get into all the necessary paperwork for Air Force, I have a question regarding nomination because of the rule that limits a MOC's number of attendees to 5 per year. I just found out that in the Air Force alone, there are two people attending the AFA who graduated from my school. They won't be graduating for at least couple years and I'm sure there are others from my district who are filling up those vacancies. In this case, does this diminish your chances of getting a nomination from your MOC since there are already 2 people just from your school currently attending the academy? There are 2 High School Alumni currently attending AFA, 1 or 2 attending West Point and none at Annapolis and that's the only place I'm applying so far.</p>
<p>The limit per MOC is five (total attending EACH academy at any given time). The limit is separate for each academy. In the end, if you impress your MOC's and the academy is also impressed...they will find you a nomination somehow usually. Don't get wound up over the fact that a 'greater than usual' number of folks from your area are attending the academies, especially since none are at the only one you've applied to (USNA). Give the process your best and sit back and wait with the rest of us.... Good Luck!</p>
<p>Note: It is important to impress the USNA of your motivation to become a career naval officer, not just a USNA graduate. As a minimum (alternative to applying at multiple service academies), you should consider applying to NROTC in addition to USNA.</p>
<p>Did any of the current academy students receive a LOA? If so, they do not count against the MOC quota. </p>
<p>Did the current academy students receive a nomination from the senator or the Representative? Again, even without the LOA, there could be multiple appointments from the same school, one each from the two senators, and the representative. Don't panic. Only apply to the academy(ies) to which your heart is committed.
CM</p>
<p>Nope, as far as I know, None who entered received any form of LOA and all AFA students were nominated by my district representative. I'm not really panicking except now I'm unsure again because I think it'll be really hard for our Congressman to justify having 3/5 slots taken by same school alumni. Oh well.</p>
<p>Think positive!! The success of the current cadets is a positive reflection on your high school and the preparation they give their students. It puts your school and its graduates (ie you) in a superior light. The alumni may have also received additional nominations upon which their appointment was based: presidential, JROTC, etc.</p>
<p>There are many factors about which we may never know that affect the selection decision. All you can do is be the best you can be, and go for it. Make sure you have a viable back-up plan (or two) and press onward. My son had a medical which he was told was an automatic DQ (not waiverable). He pressed onward, and would not take no for an answer, and is serving his second year at a service academy.
Good Luck,
CM</p>
<p>Thanks for the boost candidatemom, I'll definitely keep pushing.</p>
<p>The 5 person limit is a very loose rule.</p>
<p>The rule is firm. The connection of each nominee to a particular MOC is fuzzy. LOA do not "count" against the quota; district residents who receive a superintendent's or JROTC or presidential nomination do not "count" against the quota.</p>
<p>Good luck to all.
CM</p>
<p>I've posted this before, but it seems to be a tough point to grasp so I'll do it again:</p>
<p>Each MOC has 5 total "slots" at each Academy -- one or more may be open in any given year based on graduations, dropouts, etc. BUT Just because your MOC has only 1 slot open in a given year doesn't mean that only 1 of his/her nominees will get in. The process goes like this:</p>
<p>Each MOC has the right to nominate up to 10 applicants for each slot that he/she has open in a given year. The Academy MUST admit at least one qualified applicant from each MOC's slate of 10. This is to assure national representation at the Academy. However it does not fill the class. The Academy then selects additional appointees to fill up the class from the pool of qualified applicants with nominations (from any source). LOA's are guarentees that you will be in this group.</p>
<p>Candidatemom is right -- the connection of each nominee to a particular MOC is fuzzy. It is entirely possible that an MOC's entire slate will be appointed. One Senator from our state had all 10 appointed in 2003. But none of the appointees will ever be told that they are the "official" nominee.</p>
<p>As for worries about several from one school: there is a high school in our state that has at least 7 midshipmen at USNA right now. It happens!</p>
<p>Another way of looking at the Nominations is that there are 100 Senators and 435 Representatives, so there have to be a lot of candidates who come from the pool of Nominations but don't count against the MOCs numbers.</p>
<p>^+100 Presidentials...</p>
<p>Also nominations from the Vice-President, Secretary of the Navy, Superintendent, and JROTC.
CM</p>
<p>Here I am again tooting USMMA's horn some more. I agree with the BGO that said you should apply to more than one academy. However, one should only do that if their interests lie within those academy's offerings. Mixalot has one goal so this woudn't apply. And by golly, I hope you make it to WP! Would love to see you living your dreams! For green, if your goal is to become an officer and your interests are in the maritime fields, you can get there through the three maritime academies, USNA, USMMA, USCGA. As LFWB dad said, USMMA offers all branches and you can choose a branch after you're there a while and have been taught all of your options. An 05 Grad from USMMA I know is now a commissioned Army officer and is in the military transportation field. I found that strange coming from USMMA but it goes to show that there are many options there. Don't shut out any of your opportunities. Apply!</p>