<p>I've been looking around the candidate portal for the form for applying for a congressional nomination. I found the vice presidential one, but does anyone know where the district and state senator forms are? Do they exist? I remember reading last year that there was a form that you entered your information on, but maybe I just imagined it. If there isn't a form do I just write:</p>
<p>Dear Honorable so and so,</p>
<p>I am writing to you to inform you that I am seeking a nomination to "x,y, and z" academies and I hope for you to consider me as a nominee.
Sincerely,</p>
<p>blah blah</p>
<p>Would that be right (obviously more formal)?</p>
<p>There was a letter one could download on the old candidate portal. This letter was to request an application packet from the nominating source (they all have their own requirements).</p>
<p>I believe that the new portal has a nomination tab that allows you to click on your nomination source’s website (instructions are to look it up online if the link does not work). Many of the Senator’s and Representative’s websites have instructions on how to apply for a nomination and allow you to download the application forms (if available) online. If they do not have the forms online the website may have instructions on how to apply. If not call the nominating source’s office (your portal site should have the phone number) and ask the nomination coordinator what you need to do to get an application form.</p>
<p>Thanks. I saw the links to the congressional members’ websites so I will go look at them and see what they have to say and see if they have any forms. Thanks again.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Find the web sites for your congressman and two senators.</p></li>
<li><p>On each MOC’s site, look for information about service academy nominations. If you cannot find the information, call their office and ask. </p></li>
<li><p>The letter mentioned above is just an ‘old-school’ way of having the application packet sent to you. Now, most have the packet/forms available online. Some even have an on-line (paperless) process. My son did not send any packet request letters. It will definitely take more than a ‘please consider me’ letter. For my son, the nomination applications were just as involved (if not more so) than the actual USMA application: test scores, transcripts, essays, letters of recommendation. Each MOC has their own process.</p></li>
<li><p>Some MOC’s may not have their 2010 (entry year) packets available yet.</p></li>
<li><p>Some ask that everything be sent at one time in which case you’ll have to wait until you have everything ready (including ACT/SAT scores that you are happy with). Other will take the application piecemeal. I suspect any will accept updates if new scores, awards, etc. are received. </p></li>
<li><p>Some were very specific about who they wanted letters of recommendation from. </p></li>
<li><p>Keep an eye on the due date for the application. It’s good to start early but no real advantage to submit early. I doubt any MOC starts their review of the applications until after the deadline. On the other hand, missing the deadline would be fatal to you application. Once you think you have everything submitted, CALL their office and confirm that your application is complete.</p></li>
<li><p>Make sure you apply to ALL available sources but especially the congressional representative for your district. They get applications only from your district, not the entire state like your senators. I hand carried my son’s application to the congressman’s local office and they were THRILLED to get it. They said that some years, the congressman doesn’t even get enough applications to fill his slate. That would mean anyone minimally qualified would get a nomination. Don’t bet on that (your district may be very different) which is why you need to apply for all available nominations (2 senators, 1 congressman, VP, Presidential/DOD/ROTC/JROTC if eligible). My son’s appointment was actually based on a JROTC nomination.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The only comment I would add is that <em>if possible</em>, it is always better for the candidate rather than the parent to interact with the nomination staff, USMA Admissions, and MALOs.</p>
<p>If possible, see if you can’t make an appointment with either your Senators or District Rep. I know someone who got the nomination that way, because he was the only person to take the effort to talk to the his Representative out of all the applicants, he was nominated. Even though he had low SAT’s, the Representative arranged for a special session of the SAT’s just so he could retake it in time. So its worth the effort to go the extra mile, if you can.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the awesome responses. I’m eligible for the VP, two senators, and district rep. I contacted my district rep last year informing him of my intentions, so I got to interact with him on an early basis (not that I felt it would help, but because I was unsure of the process at that point in time). I started my applications for all, but based on aprouddad’s response I will wait until the end of this school year to send in the packets (but I will continue to work on them up to the point when I actually put on the stamp). That way I’ll have my full Junior year transcript and May 2nd’s SAT scores to send in. I will be the one contacting the MOCs since my mom isn’t all found about my ambitions, but this is my future and it is in my hands. Again, thank you so much.</p>
<p>You may want to alert your teachers/coaches that you’ll be requesting reference letters from them over the summer. They may appreciate being able to write them before the rush of seniors in the fall make the same request. And they may tell you how to reach them over the summer. You’ll be under less stress in the beginning of your senior year if you can accomplish some of the application tasks this summer.</p>