<p>I had a son go through the application process for USAFA (he was nominated but did not receive an appointment) and now my younger son is looking at WP. At USAFA, I had thought that LOA's only went to recruited athletes or other special situations. From what I am reading here, it sounds like WP awards some LOA's based on a student just being a really strong candidate. Is that correct? Are these LOA's issued after the student participates in the SLS?</p>
<p>I received an LOA on Nov 2, w/o being a recruited athlete. I'm not special really, to be honest, I was suprised I got one. My guess is I was just a decent candidate. Just to give you an idea heres my stats, hopefully they give you a ballpark idea of whats needed for an LOA.</p>
<p>SAT M 800 V 640 W 680
GPA 92.5
SLS, BOYS STATE
MODEL UN PRES
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD CAPTAIN
DEBATE OFFICER
STUDENT COUNCIL
X COUNTRY, TRACK, GOLF all varsity letters earnt</p>
<p>LOA's are issued at USAFA to quality candidates too. I'm no recruited athlete, minority or special situation and got one to USAFA.</p>
<p>LOA's are given to students with outstanding records, they don't have to be a recruited athlete. It shouldn't matter if they have participated in the summer leaders seminar (if that's what SLS means) I know three people with LOA's who have not participated in the SLS.</p>
<p>Timely: My understanding is that all the academies issue letters of assurances (LOA) to "highly qualified candidates" that are not recruited athletes.</p>
<p>I have heard that about 200 candidates receive such LOA's from West Point each year with the earliest LOA issued in July. Although attending the Summer Leadership program is not a requirement for an LOA, I believe some LOA's are issued to attendees based on the information included in their SLS application and their performance at SLS. I highly recommend that any serious candidate attend the SLS.</p>
<p>From the postings on this forum by LOA recipients, the differentiating qualification of candidates receiving LOA's seemed to be SAT scores of 1350+. While the LOA recipients possessed other qualities such as high class rank, participation in varsity level athletics and leadership roles in school/community, the major distintinction (from my observation) was the SAT scores. </p>
<p>Good luck on your journey.</p>
<p>I agree on the SAT scores--that's what pushed me over the top.</p>
<p>I think other things - National Merit (ok, that's SAT related) could probably put you over too. I'm definitely not a recruited athlete and I have an LOA to both USMA and USNA.</p>
<p>I went out to visit and was kinda told it was b/c of my SATs. </p>
<p>I got my LOA based on my application to SLS, I wasn't actually able to attend the program.</p>
<p>My admissions councelor at the academy was extremely helpful to me in my process to an appointment. I called in early july and asked how I stood in regards to an loa and such. She told me the amount of points I had in each of the three areas, ec's academics, and physical. Apparently my ec's were lacking a bit so she told me I probably wouldn't be in line for the first batch of loas.</p>
<p>So in september, after I was named editor of the newspaper at school, I called her up so she could add it to my file. Then I asked how many points it had raised me in my ec's, she told me I had maxed out. Two weeks later I had an loa. </p>
<p>My sats 1380 were good, but not quite good enough compared to loa recepients. However, my mistake was that I at first overlooked the simple things such as leadership positions. Truly being editor of the paper allowed me to get the loa, a nomination, and ultimately an appointment. How grateful I am to the newspaper :)</p>