<p>Gotta agree with 69. This is probably the most important choice a candidate has made up to this point in time in his/her life. You really need to make the "right" call for yourself based on what you know and feel. If your first choice comes in - even late - you should take it. Nobody in Admissions at any of the schools is going to take it personally.</p>
<p>I respect the desire to make a commitment and stick to it as much as anyone, but USNA69 is correct; this is one of those times in your life when you get to exercise the "get out of jail free" card.</p>
<p>I keep making the mistake that the recruited athletes are the "norm"-
and letters of intent a very seperate issue from accepting an appointment.</p>
<p>Part of GNBAs original question was, "Is it unusual to get nominations from both Senators and a Congressman?" (I paraphrase)</p>
<p>In some of the lower population states it's not that unusual. Still pretty cool and something to be proud of, but not unheard of. In Idaho the Senators and Congressman sometimes don't have enough qualified applicants to spread their nominations around too, so duplicates happen.</p>
<p>Does more than one Nomination help you get in? Most people say no, or at least it just gives the Academies a little more flexibility. I say it can't hurt and you have to apply to all sources anyway.</p>
<p>Personal story. Daughter has received 5 Nominations. Before everyone jumps on me and tells me that's not possible, or highly improbable (2 Senators, Congressman, Presidential and Vice-President? Probably would never happen) let me say that 3 were from last year and 2 from this year. Yes, she got both Senators and Congressman last year and didn't get the appointment.</p>
<p>This year she got one Senator and our Congressman, and a staffer from the other Senators office called and said they wouldn't be giving a Nom this year but had checked with the other MOCs to make sure she had at least one.</p>
<p>We're now in the waiting boat again. It doesn't get any easier the second year.</p>
<p>Did she go to a traditional college this year? NROTC or not? Besides needing to get transcripts from college, was there any difference in the application process this year compared with last year?</p>
<p>Please excuse me if I make mistakes, this is my first time posting here. I've been reading all the posts during the last few weeks and I can't thank everyone enough for sharing their stories. Sure helps someone who is new to this hold steady and not get too impatient. </p>
<p>My son currently has 5 noms, 2-USNA, 2-USAFA, and 1-USMA. 3 were from a senator and 2 from our congressman. We have a LOA on file for WP and expect his packet in the mail any time. After kicking around a lot of thoughts and talking with a number of people, he has decided that USNA is his first choice. He is scheduling an overnight at USMA and is scheduled for a WVC (or whatever that is, I forget!) at USNA so that his decision (IF he gets the USNA appointment) will be as informed as he can get. </p>
<p>I hate the idea of hanging on to the USMA appointment while we wait for the USNA because I hate the thought of some other student waiting and hoping but it seems like that is the way things work. </p>
<p>I am the world's least patient Mom. If I didn't have these forums to check frequently, I'd probably drive someone crazy. My son is totally relaxed!</p>
<p>Thanks again and to everyone else waiting, we're with you, waiting too!</p>
<p>In most congressional districts in CA it is 'impossible' to get multiple nominations. The congressional staffers work with the senatorial staffers to ensure they do not duplicate nominations so that as many candidates as possible have an opportunity to compete for an appointment. It's neither good or bad, it is just the way it is. I'm sure there are some exeptions.</p>
<p>Pmarol: perhaps you won't have too wait long. Do not feel bad for holding onto the WP appt until your son knows what is what w/ USNA...my son is doing the same thing basically: holding his navy appt until he has a chance to visit...he is 99% sure he's going to West Point...but will visit Navy this month to finalize his decision. I am sure not everyone is fully decided and looks at his/her appointments daily, waiting for the decision fairy to enlighten him/her. It would be nice for all to be finalized...but it really is still early in the process!</p>
<p>Do not worry about "holding" on to the nomination.
1. Life is tough that way, I am sure there are other examples where you have had to defer a decision upon which others were waiting.</p>
<ol>
<li>The slot WILL be used. Once you decline the offer, the Academies will move on to the next qualified candidate. Right up to I/A day.</li>
</ol>
<p>mom3boys and Bill0510: Thanks for the reassurance. I'll try think of it as getting to make someone's day instead! (hopefully)</p>
<p>Ruben: apparently ONE of our senators tries to co-ordinate but the other two guys just do their thing. I was astounded when he ended up with 5. Made very little sense to me but we are from a low population state (Utah). In fact, I haven't seen a single other person on any forums from UT yet.</p>
<p>We're not LDS so I don't know. I do know that BYU has an ROTC program and they work with the kids who go on their mission. (see below) We do have an air force base so the meetings for nomination stuff that I attended had tons of JROTC Air Force cadets in uniform all hoping for USAFA. We were told outright that the chances of landing a USAFA nomination were slim so please consider USMM and USCG as well as the other academies when applying. We wrote off his landing a nom to the USAFA so were staggered when he got two. </p>
<p>LDS Missions. Students, including scholarship recipients, who wish to serve a two-year LDS mission can do so most conveniently between their freshman and sophomore years. This allows students to be on campus during the spring of their sophomore year to facilitate their selection for the advanced course. Interruptions of the program at other times for a mission may be arranged by obtaining individual approval from the professor of military science.</p>
<p>Hopefully she'll forgive me if this identifys her too closely. She attended Northwestern Preparatory Academy ( <a href="http://www.northwesternprep.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.northwesternprep.com/</a> ) in Southern California last fall and is currently enrolled in our home town college for the Spring semester. They only have Army ROTC and she's hoping not to be there too long (fingers and toes all crossed) so isn't participating. She's also working part time and keeping in shape for I-day.</p>
<p>The application process wasn't too different, maybe a little easier becasue she kept records of everything she had already done. For the Nominations one Senator's staffers just had her obtain one more letter of recommendation and continued her app from last year. The Congressman was new this year so all the paper work was started from scratch as it was for the other Senator.</p>
<p>We're pretty optimistic this year, but we were last year also. Sometimes you have a pretty good idea why you don't get in and other times it's a mystery. Daughter is still working on what her backup plan is for next year, but vows to try at least one more time if necessary.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In most congressional districts in CA it is 'impossible' to get multiple nominations.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Here is another urban myth that just isn't true. However, it's so prevalent that our BGO (president of SoCal USNA alumni assoc. and practicing attorney) told my dd not to "even bother applying to Senator XX because she's "anti-military and doesn't give nominations to service academies." That's odd because there were lots of photos on the senator's website showing her visiting the troops in Kuwait and in military hospitals throughout California. Also, her office had already provided my dd with a nomination packet. Moreover, for the candidate interview we had to make our way through a virtual barricade of BUSH/Cheney posters on sawhorses mr. BGO had placed across his driveway. (Frankly, I was somewhat miffed since I had gone to the trouble to remove my Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker before the interview!) It appeared that this BGO had a grudge against democratic MOCs, non-Catholics, and female applicants. </p>
<p>Senators from every state in the Union nominate qualified candidates to United States service academies. With a population exceeding 37 million, the US senators from California state up front that they receive approximately 1,000 applications for service academy nominations each year. In other words apply for a nomination, but don't call us we'll call you, maybe.</p>
<p>My dd applied for every nomination that she qualified for and ended up with a competitive nomination from our congressman and Senator XX's principal nominee. (I think Shogun's dd also got a California US senator's nomination.) I made my dd call her BGO and share the good news. After he stopped gagging, he told her not to call him anymore because his only function was to interview candidates. </p>
<p>I would like to add that our experience was unusual, because the vast majority of BGOs are selfless, dedicated, hard-working volunteers who provide candidates with valuable information and guidance, as we have witnessed on this forum.</p>
<p>Please tell us that the BGO is no longer a BGO. Each BGO that we have met has been professional and positive. My son was scheduled for an interview with the same Senator. As it turned out his appointment came in the mail that same day so he didn't need the interview.</p>