<p>What, if any, awards do they give for outstanding candidates at the summer seminar?</p>
<p>At last year's NASS Session 2, they gave awards to one outstanding candidate from each company, and to the male and female candidates with the best physical fitness scores (I believe they were the top for CFA, but they did both the CFA and PFT during the session). For the record, someone we know from the Class of 2008 won one of the company outstanding candidate awards way back in 2003. That Mid's parents (oops - that Ensign's parents!) said they were told that winning one of those spots is nearly a guarantee of a Letter of Assurance (That means an automatic Appointment <strong>IF</strong> all other requirements - medical, nomination, etc. - are met).</p>
<p>Don't know, but that sounds like a severe stretch. Conversely, what it means is the individuals are top shelf candidates. THAT's why they'd be good bets for appointments; not because they won the awards, but rather what the awards recognize. Don't you think?</p>
<p>How many companies are there? Candidates per company? What characteristics are they looking for from an outstanding candidate award winner?</p>
<p>There's 4 companies with 150 candidates in each (although I think there's more this year). The "Iron Mike" and "Iron Michelle" awards go to the top CFA/PRT performers in the battalion. I don't exactly remember what the other candidate awards were, but I remember a "best squad leader" and "color company" awards.</p>
<p>yeah each squad leader nominates an outstanding candidate from their squad and then all the squad leaders and company commanders decide on an outstanding candidate. also iron mike and michelle awards to the best physical performer from the week. color company goes to the best performing and most spirited company. make sure you participate to you fullest in activities that can help your company</p>
<p>Whistle Pig is correct. Don't make any assumptions. I had an Iron Mike last year who was 3Qed but didn't receive an appointment. A very successful year of college at a good school playing a varsity sport and, after reapplying, was found not to be scholastically qualified this year.</p>
<p>Sorry for the confusion. My comment about "being nearly a guarantee..." in my earlier post referred only to the individuals who were chosen as the outstanding candidates from their respective NASS companies, not to the CFA/PFT awards.</p>
<p>WP: Of course it is not simply that they won a single award. However, if you're chosen as the "best" of ~150 candidates by consensus of all of the NASS cadre in your company, my guess is that your WCS will get a nice "bump," AND I would guess that you would be the kind of person who has many other awards and activities, such that you would be a top-flight candidate anyway. I would also guess that, if a candidate went in trying to "win" that award, they would fail miserably, because the cadre would see right through them. My friend's new ENS was totally shocked at winning the award in 2003. He/she simply went to NASS loaded with enthusiasm, tried in every way to help their company win the color award, and helped everyone in their squad along the way.</p>