<p>I just received a call from my Congressman, and...</p>
<p>I just got an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point!</p>
<p>Ahhhh, so excited. Hard work and months of waiting has finally paid off! I'm pretty familiar with the admissions process, so if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. </p>
<p>Btw, I didn't have an LOA. ;-]</p>
<p>I’m a junior right now (will be 17 in April) and I’m still a little confused on how getting the nomination works.
I live in southern cali and my congressman is David Dreier. How soon should I contact him? What should I do in order to catch his interest? Should I drive down and actually meet him? And also, when, do you believe, is the best time to apply for his nomination?</p>
<p>Just another quickie, is the medical process/examination needed prior to attending SLS? Or do I just need to get that stuff done during summer before I start my actual application?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Go to his website and check out the section on Service Academy Nominations. All your questions will be answered. </p>
<p>[Service</a> Academy Nominations - Congressman David Dreier](<a href=“http://dreier.house.gov/service_nominations.shtml]Service”>http://dreier.house.gov/service_nominations.shtml)</p>
<p>:cool:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The Academy will submit your name to DODMERB and you will be contacted by them (or their contractor Concorde) to schedule your physical with a local doctor. </p>
<p>Most likely this will be after you attend SLS.</p>
<p>Luigi was right on the money! Nice! ;]</p>
<p>After SLS, they will submit your name to DODMERB for the medical exam. Don’t worry about it right now!</p>
<p>The link answers a lot of questions about Nominations, but it still a pretty difficult process! I wouldn’t recommend that you drive down and meet him, but it would work to your favor if you call the Congressmen office with some questions; it will establish a line of communication and get them familiar with your name. Also, you should finish your application (for the nom.) ASAP. At least a month before the due date. It will really help.</p>
<p>Any more questions anybody? Keep 'em coming!</p>
<p>For the three letters of recommendation I need for the nomination, do you believe that my boy scout troop master and a retired Lieutenant Colonel’s letters would suffice? Also, many of my teachers at school do not finish their letters of recommendations prior to December, so should I contact them towards the end of this year so that they could possibly write it sooner so that I’ll have it ready much before the due date (Which is November 1st according to the website)?</p>
<p>Yes, those two sound like EXCELLENT selections for your recs.</p>
<p>& YES, contact your teachers early for the recs. Even if it means that its this year. </p>
<p>Good questions! Keep 'em coming people! =]</p>
<p>Do you have to get a nom. from your congressman, or any?</p>
<p>Secondly, do you know what the commitment is for the summer before freshman year?</p>
<p>Nope, you can get nominations from a couple of different sources.
FYI, this info is pretty general, for specifics visit [United</a> States Military Academy at West Point](<a href=“http://www.usma.edu%5DUnited”>http://www.usma.edu)
<p>Most, people are eligible for 2-4, but you are encouraged to apply to every source possible. This is highly recommended. If you are eligible for 1-4, apply to all of them. Especially if you have a competitive disctrict (you can contact your admissions counselor for that info. Its usually going really competitive if you’re near an Army base, or apart of the big five [cali, texas, virginia, new york, cant remember the last one… florida?])</p>
<p>Also, the commitment for the summer before Plebe year is simple: Cadet Basic Training (CBT), or affectionately called, Beast Barracks.
It’s 6 week basic training for the new cadets. If you want some specifics, there’s PLENTY of details on this site and others about it. Search engine it.
This year’s Beast starts on June 28th.
I know a guy who graduates on June28… needless to say, you don’t get much of a summer.
:P</p>
<p>do I need to have attended the SLS?
i got rejected.</p>
<p>Nope, you don’t have to attend SLS.</p>
<p>SLS is pretty competitive. However, most West Pointers DONT attend SLS. In fact, only around 40% of them attended the program. So that means that the 60% has just a good shot at getting in. Of course, SLS helps. But it doesn’t hurt if you don’t attend. </p>
<p>Continue to strengthen your file, and everything will be A-Ok. </p>
<p>P.s. Especially focus on the weaker parts of your file. If you’re bad at standardized testing, TESTPREP it up! Or if its lack of extra curriculars, join clubs your passionate about and excel. =]</p>
<p>It is important to apply for all the nominations that you qualify for. For most applicants this is your 2 senators, local congressman, and the vice-president (some may also qualify for ROTC and presidential noms).</p>
<p>Every nominating source will have their own application process with specific requests - learn to read everything very carefully!</p>
<p>As far as I recall, at least one of my son’s MOC’s didn’t request that everything be sent in altogether, but we felt that surely this would be easier to avoid anything going “missing” in transit. (Remember to follow up that the MOC’s office has received everything before the deadline).</p>
<p>When requesting the recommendation letters, son sent an email to the teachers/scout leader/others explaining his request (personalized and with all the relevant MOC names, addresses, and specific details) and his desire to attend the academy (e.g. mentioned that his visit to USNA last spring and the Summer Seminar experience helped confirm his desire for USNA), and attached a resume for their benefit. He explained that he would stop by with an addressed envelope that they should use for the letter, then seal it and sign across the seal - regardless of whether or not this was requested, we felt it was easier for the teachers etc. to do this for all the letters. He kept in contact with them and then stopped by to pick up all the letters (his school requires you to give the teachers 2 weeks for recommendation letters to be completed). Those that needed to be mailed separately (including his transcript to go to the academies), were ready to go and the others were added to the growing MOC application packages, remaining in their sealed envelopes. It is also comforting if you can know that you are keeping control of everything and that the letters have actually been mailed. BTW the VP nom application is really easy. It is a simple form that needs to be completed and you do not send in anything else - no recommendation letters, etc. </p>
<p>The actual USNA & USMA (don’t know about USAFA) Academy applications don’t ask for any hard copy recommendation letters, but as you are completing the online application, you are asked for your guidance counselor and 11th grade Math, Science, and English teachers’ names and email addresses. Send them an email letting them know the request will be coming and include your resume. Some folks reported that you need to be sure to follow up that the teachers received the online request because sometimes it goes into the school’s SPAM folder - son attends a huge public school and there were no problems at all.</p>
<p>A couple of the people gave him a copy of their letter and it was interesting to see the difference it makes when the letter is really personal. The teacher we thought would give him the strongest recommendation gave a nice, but somewhat generic letter stating that he was a strong student, disciplined, natural leader, etc. etc. and listing some of his resume, that we felt could really refer to almost any applicant to a SA (this was his 11th & 12th grade English teacher, really likes son, he’s always in the top 3 in her AP class, and she has strongly supported his SA applications - very disappointed in her letter). The letter from his Scoutmaster was amazing and spot on. Scoutmaster had been in the Army and made very specific references to son’s character, extra training, leadership style and experiences, etc. and how all this would lead to him being an excellent military officer, with further specific details. Son actually asked his Scoutmaster to send this letter to his USMA & USNA Regional Directors because he felt it gave an incredibly strong picture of who he is.</p>
<p>Think very carefully about who you ask for your letters (if you have a choice), because it’s not how important they are (AgentOh2 does the retired Lieutenant Colonel actually know you really well?), but how well they know you in the elements that are important to the Academy, e.g. your leadership style, work ethic.</p>
<p>Whether for the MOC’s or the academy application, read all instructions very carefully and don’t rush to complete them so early that you miss including something really important, e.g. Son went backpacking with Scouts in the Rockies (Philmont) for 2 weeks after his junior year and used this experience as the basis for all his academy & college application essays - I was amazed when I read the essays and realized what a life changing time it was for him. Remember it is also really important that your essays show who you are and help you to stand out from all the other candidates.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I asked my friend about the teacher recommendations and he said I need an English teacher, A Math teacher, and a Science (Chemistry or Physics) teacher. I have taken Chemistry (10th grade) and did fairly well in that class, however, I never really spoke much and the teacher rarely knows me. On the other hand, I’m taking AP Environmental Science right now and this is my 2nd time having this teacher (I took Biology with him freshman year). Next year, I’m going to be taking Physics so is it possible for him to write me a letter of rec for Physics EVEN THOUGH I’m a senior and have not completed the class? Or do I have to get one from my Chemistry teacher?</p>
<p>Some of the nominating sources will allow you to choose who to get letters from and some will specify exactly what you need to get. I stated in my previous post that the VP doesn’t want any letters of recommendation. However, that was for Class of 2014, and I believe letters are required for Class of 2015 - the VP website gives all the details.</p>
<p>For the Naval Academy (Class of 2014), just 11th grade Math and English teachers, and school guidance counselor were required to complete the online recommendations - no Science teachers.
For USMA (Class of 2014), 11th grade Math, English, and Physics/Chemistry teachers, and school guidance counselor were required to complete the online recommendations.
You do not send in any hard copy letters of recommendation to USNA and USMA.
I do not know about USAFA.</p>
<p>You will need to read and follow all instructions very carefully (this is just the beginning of following military instructions/orders). If you have a real problem getting one of the required recommendations then you should contact the MOC nominations contact (will be in with the instructions), or your Regional Director at the academy (this info. can be found on your academy portal/Candidate Information System) and explain the situation and ask what they recommend for you to do.</p>
<p>Personal experience. I had a math teacher from 10th grade to write my rec.</p>
<p>For USMA, it actually doesn’t need to be 11th grade year teacher recs. The catch is, you have to have COMPLETED the class from the teacher. And It can be any type of science teacher (bio, chem, ect), any type of english teacher, and any type of math teacher.</p>
<p>The whole 11th grade teacher thing is just at USNA. =]</p>
<p>So did you get the packet with the official appointment? I got the call from the congressman in early December stating I had been accepted but I still have not received the official appointment.</p>
<p>Yes, I received the official appt about a week after I got a call from my congressman…</p>
<p>If you havent go it by now, give admissions a call!
:]</p>
<p>" And It can be any type of science teacher (bio, chem, ect)"</p>
<p>I believe that he Science SOE must be completed by a Chemistry or Physics teacher. Candidates should follow the instructions on their candidate portal.</p>
<p>Ann,</p>
<p>Yeah, I just noticed the place in my portal where it had “physics/chem”. Oops! But unfortunately, that part isn’t easily noticeable. If that info was super easy to get, I suspect AgentOh2 would not have asked about his AP ES Class teacher. Gahh, USMA admissions…</p>
<p>=]</p>