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Regarding my previous post, I am crushed to say that I have finally recieved a letter from DoDMERB saying they will not qualify me until my braces come off. My braces are scheduled to come off in MAR 2008, Will USMA still accept me? or do i need to rip them out of my mouth tonight?
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<p>Inhibitor: Don't rip them out of your mouth tonight. Admissions will see your dq is for orthodontics. Don't hesitate to contact your admissions officer - they may want a letter from your orthodontist saying they will be removed by R-Day -
as always the very best dodmerb advice is found at:
<a href="http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/</a>
You will get excellent advice.</p>
<p>"Both USNA and AFA admissions have both made repeated visits to WP admissions to ask them to curtail this practice."</p>
<p>I don't believe that either USNA or USAFA have the authority to tell USMA how to run their admissions process. However they are entitled to run theirs in any way they see fit. If that means they choose to wait until later in the process to hand out LOAs that is their decision.</p>
<p>"I really think early admissions or early offers are detrimental on the whole. Not so much with USxA because we do have until May to decide, but still..."
The idea behind early decision is that you only apply if you are 100% committed to going to that school - if you want to weigh your options, early decision is not for you. The advantage of early action or an LOA is that you know your options a little earlier in the process and do not need to apply to a whole host of back up schools. The downside of early decision is clear - you have a commitment if accepted, but I do not see a downside to early action or an early LOA.</p>
<p>My son received a letter from USMMA today that says, "I Congratulations! You hae been recommended by the Board for an apointment to USMMA. Accordingly, I have reserved an appointment for you..." contingent on a nomination. Is this an LOA? Or does an LOA actually state LOA. This is all so new to us.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned forward a copy of the letter to his Congressman/Senators. Is this correct?</p>
<p>Surely you do not believe that USMA uses LOAs simply for the benefit of students so they do not have to make back up plans. The very nature of the beast is what makes it detrimental to the whole process. The LOA is an attempt by USMA to cause candidates to limit their choices by looking at fewer options, pure and simple. There will be candidates who will attend USMA simply because they received an early LOA. An LOA that, due to the abbreviated nature of the application, did little to screen their moral character, their interest in becoming a Professional Officer, their potential for leadership, or their likelihood to remain in the service beyond their initial obligation, among other traits. Traits that an admissions board should see as their primary purpose.</p>
<p>With this in mind, certain less than ideal candidates are bound to be offered appointments to USMA. These are the candidates that might be more than likely to attrite, wasting my taxpayer dollars. These are the candidates that might be more likely not to be on board with the whole WP system, not carrying their load in the Corps, causing the sons and daughters of the posters herein to have to cover for them and carry portions of their load. All in all, not an ideal situation.</p>
<p>Well, there certainly seem to be differing points of view on this topic :)</p>
<p>Does USNA no longer offer LOA's? There was less than 3 months between the two LOA's that came to our D. I don't see how the info available to USNA in October varied much from that available to USMA in mid July. By the time she had received each LOA's the respective academy had received her SAT's, she had attended both summer seminars, her high school grades were complete through her junior year, interview was done, PAE was taken and passed, and DODMERB was complete. In fact, neither academy really knew any more about her than the other. The official long paper application for USMA had not been sent out (August timeframe) and USNA's had been sent. I would say that the only thing that was of substantial difference was the letters of rec that Navy had that Army did not by the time the LOA was issued. Certainly nothing that would make more of a difference in "assessing their moral character."
As far as there being a larger percentage of candidates who received LOA's not pulling their weight in the Corps (vs those who didn't have LOA's) because they weren't screened properly, I'd love to see that study. The candidates I am familiar with certainly have not had that particular problem.
Bottom line, if the LOA process for West Point wasn't an effective means of attracting top candidates then I doubt the Army would be allowing the practice at all. Many candidates I am sure choose West Point, not simply because they got an LOA, but rather it was likely their first choice anyway. Regardless, an LOA is non-binding---they can hold off on their decision until May.</p>
<p>"The LOA is an attempt by USMA to cause candidates to limit their choices by looking at fewer options, pure and simple."</p>
<p>No, it is to let highly qualified candidates know that if they really want West Point, West Point wants them. Candidates in that category invariably have a number of options already presenting themselves simply by virtue of their academic and or athletic achievements. They are smart kids. If West Point is their first choice, they will go that route. If they are unsure they will wait till the spring when the offer is STILL on the table and they can assess their options.</p>
<p>We are not discussing normal LOAs, awarded after the completion of the application. At issue is WP sending out 200 or so very early LOAs based on the initial pre application where they have not seen the entire package and are not sure if they are highly qualified well rounded candidates or not.</p>
<p>Beg to differ with you on the "moral character", etc etc which only come from the letters of recommendation, interviews, etc. which, as you yourself stated in your D's case, USNA had received and USMA had not.</p>
<p>USNA69: “Surely you do not believe that USMA uses LOAs simply for the benefit of students so they do not have to make back up plans.”
No, I said that was an advantage for the candidate – clearly WP gains its own advantage. As Shogun said it is a win-win situation for a candidate who has USMA as his/her first choice. If a candidate is not sure then nothing is lost. I can’t imagine any candidate who has the credentials to earn an early LOA not pursuing other options because they have an LOA. These are young men and women who could likely get into many of their top choice schools.
I will repeat my previous statement since you seem to be ignoring the point: LOAs are conditional – candidates still have to meet the same requirements that every other candidate does. All an LOA does is take the candidate out of the competition to win their “nomination pool”. If they meet all of the requirements, then an appointment is automatically offered. LOA recipients must complete the full application (including the why I want WP essay), they are interviewed, their teacher recommendations are evaluated, they must receive a nomination, and pass the medical and physical requirements. If they do not meet these requirements the LOA is withdrawn. The application process for LOA recipients is not abbreviated, and you are making sweeping judgments that have no basis in fact.</p>
<p>Sorry for not addressing this. I was not disregarding it but simply discounting it. The traits picked up in the application that are not apparent in the pre-ap are more subjective, falling under the "feel good" or "not feel good" overall assessment of the candidate. These are the type of endorsements that are much easier to give than to take away. The academy would be sore pressed to explain to someone that their moral compass needs calibrating when it would be much easier just to not grant the initial appointment in the first place.</p>
<p>USNA69,
Keep in mind as well that a good number of the early LOA's (certainly not all) from USMA go to candidates who attended the summer seminar (IAW). There the academy has the opportunity to see these young people up close for a week. They probably learn a bit from about their "moral character", physical abilities, and potential to succeed at WP while they are there as well. Perhaps the issue is that USNA needs to start looking at highly qualified candidates before October if they feel they are being put at a competitive disadvantage.
Frankly, unless the defect is so obvious that it could not be hidden in an interview or would be revealed in a teachers recommendation, ANY academy would be hard pressed to see a serious defect in "moral character" until the candidate showed up for R day and self-destructed. I would be willing to bet that far more candidates separate from the service academies because of physical, academic or personal reasons than do because of a defect in moral character that caused them to run afoul of authority. The USMA LOA is still issued to candidates that have a higher probability of success at the academy.</p>
<p>"The academy would be sore pressed to explain to someone that their moral compass needs calibrating when it would be much easier just to not grant the initial appointment in the first place."</p>
<p>Are there any published stats on number of LOA's sent by each academy, the number of LOA recipients qualified (medically/physically etc..), the number of qualified LOA recipients who actually attend the academy? I'd like to know where I can find this information.<br>
As far as I am concerned USNA69- the LOA was exciting for me to recieve, and I do wonder how I was chosen over the over prospective candidates; but one thing I am sure of is that before they chose me, I had already looked into multiple colleges and was sure that West Point was my first choice. I looked into the other academies, and decided that I really didnt want to go to them. I am completing my ROTC apps for other colleges I am interested in and feel that the LOA does not and will not affect my choice of college. As for moral character: I dont need my moral compass to be calibrated, it already runs true.</p>
<p>What argument? I was a part of a lively discussion on an admission policy with which both myself and my school find a lot of disfavor. Ann and I will agree to disagree. However, in following through the thought processes necessary to make my points and counter all of the opposition, I realized that the quantities of those cadet applicants with which I was very concerned, are probably smaller than I realized.</p>
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We're not fighting, we're "harmonizing"
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<p>I thought it was just conversation - ;)</p>
<p>BAnglin08, don't take the "arguing" too seriously - I know I don't but then I grew up in a big family with a conservative Protestant father and liberal Irish Catholic mother - a family dinner was never complete with out a good argument - discussion - I mean - "conversation".</p>