<p>The header says I should take a few moments to post since I haven't in a while....so here's what I have to say: Good luck to all who are waiting! </p>
<p>My son would dearly love to attend USNA, his application was complete in the early fall. We think he is triple qualified, but we have not heard from anyone about that. He is in NHS and honor roll, mid 600's on SATs, and very good CFA scores. He is medically qualified per DODMERB. He got a letter from our congressman saying that he would be nominated if he is accepted. Now the big question remains!!!! The BGO says that the letter just means he is competing now with all the applicants in our district (but does not know how many) for the nomination. We also don't know how many slots might be open. We also heard from one Senator that he would not be nominated by him. Waiting to hear from the other Sen. The thin letter from the Senator was worded in a very discouraging tone. It was like a admissions rejection letter, as if the door to USNA is totally closed without his nod.<br>
Have not been invited to a CVW, another forum poster says to email regional director to ask for an invite. But I wonder if the CVW's are just for the kids USNA really wants but think are being recruited elsewhere.
My son has also applied NROTC, and that is still showing "no decision has been made on your application".<br>
My son has been crazy for fitness for the past 2 years. He gets up at 5 to swim at the Y before school many days a week. He works out every day after school and is really looking fit. He attended a Navy Seal challenge and achieved minimum standards.<br>
If USNA could only be a fly on our wall in our home to see how much he wants this. They should just ask the candidates parents if they think their kids would be right for the academy. Too bad we are not references!</p>
<p>Good Luck to all who are waiting! I know that my son's stats are like so many other deserving candidates, and the slots are so few!</p>
<p>And Congratulations to all who have already heard!</p>
<p>Does anyone know when in the year these 'regular kids' like my son (not the amazing class president types or recruited athletes, who are wonderful in their own way...) hear yes or no from the academy?</p>
<p>I'm what you would call a "regular" kid and I've already gotten my appointment. Part of it has to do with when everyone else on your congressman's slate finish their packets and when your congressman submits the slate. Is the nomination showing up in CIS? Slates are due by 31 January.</p>
<p>You could hear tomorrow, or you might not hear until April or May. Since the deadline for submission of nominations is Jan 31, my understanding is that the real work begins for admissions to match nominations and candidates to appointments.
Be sure you have a back-up plan. Many candidates I know put in their non-refundable deposits (May 1 deadline) to their back-up schools because they had not heard from USNA by then.<br>
Don't waste senior year obsessing about the appointment, or you will lose many happy memories of high school.
Good Luck
CM</p>
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He got a letter from our congressman saying that he would be nominated if he is accepted
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<p>I am not questioning that this is what you were told, but IMO, seems a bit backwards!!! Usually one gets a nominaton nod before being offered an appointment! No doubt there are exceptions to this, but that is the typical way it works.</p>
<p>the waiting part is hard. Hang in! Agree with CM- have back up plans in place.</p>
<p>The nomination shows up in CIS. The letter did say just that, he would be nominated if he got accepted. Kevin is enjoying his senior year...I'm the mom and I need to plan my summer and where he goes affects the family! I know I am helicoptering but I am not too bad... Anyway...</p>
<p>What the congressman might be trying to say is that if the academy selects your son for the appointment from that slate, he will receive the congressman's slot. If the nom is showing up in CIS then he has the nomination. Someone said on the forum before that if you're on the slate you have the nomination. A nomination is a nomination is a nomination.</p>
<p>I think I've posted something like this before, but at the risk of being redundant - and hopefully allaying some anxiety - here it goes.</p>
<p>I have one each in '10 and '11. Almost identical records. Same class standing 18/400. Same SAT's within 10 points overall. Same type of activities, sports, student government and work experience.</p>
<p>'10er got his appointment in early Feb of '06. '11er was waitlisted right before April/Easter vacation and he emailed the Admissions Office with a "yes, I want to be appointed" with 2011. We went on our vacation, and when we got home a week later, there was the "big, fat envelope" waiting for him. '10er had good grades as a Plebe, but '11er who was waitlisted has better ones - at least comparing each one's 1st semester Plebe Year QPR.</p>
<p>While I have no vis into his or his brother's WPM's, I would venture to guess that they were not far apart points-wise.</p>
<p>It's just different every year.</p>
<p>Currently, in my "night job" as a BGO, I have two candidates who are both tracking for appointment. One has an LOA - waiting on med clearance, the other whose record (at least to me) appears much stronger (SAT scores, activities and class rank) has been 3Q'ed but not yet evaluated by the Admissions board for appointment.</p>
<p>My points are that a) we just can't know the inner workings of the Admissions Board - unless we've been on it, and I have not; b) it "seems" to change from year to year, but in reality is probably pretty much the same every admissions cycle.</p>
<p>Thanks USNAdad&grad. How proud you must be. Based on how late in the year your son was waitlisted, I guess we better send in deposits to the NROTC choices he was accepted at (even though we have not heard from the scholarship board) because they need to know by May 1st.<br>
I forgot to mention that my dad will keel over with pride if grandson gets appt., he was a 30 year enlisted man. He came with us on all our college visits last summer and had a blast at all those NROTC offices, and at USNA.</p>
<p>Yes on the ROTC deposit. Mine received apptmt in early Dec, NROTC in Oct last year. We painfully sent in deposit to his ROTC #1 school as a plan B should he break his leg, wreck a car, have an appendectomy on June 25th, etc. Consider it an insurance policy no matter what the outcome for your son.</p>
<p>Oh, the waiting. It is truly the hardest part I think for us parents anyway. Meanwhile the kids are off having a great senior year. One thing we were told by our adopted BGO (from Long Island and we live thousand+ miles from there) is to continue to express your interest in attending by doing things like sending notice of an award received, updated grades if better, scores if better etc. For example, my daughter was featured in local paper for athlete of the week. We copied it and sent it up to the senator and to USNA. Also, if your son bonded with anyone in the MOC interviews, have them be your ally. By the time this was done, we had the senator's office checking status for our daughter. She had a really good interview with one MOC's office and they jumped on the bandwagon to help her. Then, she got rejected, flat out. That's when the real job began as we had good grounds for an appeal. The MOC office got involved too and she is now well on her way to completing USNA. It's such a tough game and many times I think that is what it is. Depending on the competition in each area, sometimes it doesn't seem to make much sense. But based on graduation rates, they seem to know what they are doing. I had to physically remove myself from my computer during the decision times just to stop thinking and obsessing about it all. Prayers are with all of you waiting right now.</p>
<p>USNA D&G and Naps05mom, thanks for the posts. My son wanted to send his most recent honors, achievements, etc to admissions as stated by a letter received from the USNA. He also wanted to send in a recommendation letter from his coach which is an incredible testimony of son's leadership, etc. I told him not to send it because they did not request one - only recs from Eng and math teachers via the candidate site. I thought adm would see it as "not following instructions." As his father, I think his record speaks for itself. My son thought it would tip the scales if necessary. Did I advise him incorrectly? Thanks.</p>
<p>Well, I am only going off our individual experience here. So, take the advice as just that; not expert etc. Just individual. I would definitely send in grades, honors etc. with a little statement attached to be added to the file. In the statement I would include something along the lines of how much USNA is your top pick and that you would be honored to receive an appointment blah blah blah. Not too wordy; more like a little note just to say what you are sending and to remind them how much you want this. Squeaky wheel theory I call it. I am not sure about the recommendation. Might be over the top. I am a rules-follower myself so I have a tendency to go with what is asked for. What do others think?<br>
Anyway, hang in there during these next couple of months. Hoping you receive good news soon.</p>
<p>Okay - I'm just a candidate - but I would say have your son tell the coach that he's not allowed to send in more than the required two recs. Maybe the coach will send it in on his own and that might be something that could really "wow" the admissions office - this coach thinks highly enough of this candidate that he went out of his way to tell them why.</p>
<p>USNA’s policy on Letters of Recommendation is that they should have significant first hand knowledge. They will be considered, especially if they provide additional information. They key here is “first hand knowledge” and “provide additional information”. Don’t abuse it. Only one or two and only if they meet the above criteria.</p>
<p>One my families friends, who is USNA alumni, wrote me a letter of rec. Dont know how much it helped, but I cant say it hurt me because I received an appointment.</p>
<p>Ditto NAPS05mom ... send it in. It's information USNA seeks. I doubt you'll receive anything but merit for allowing them to know that which is. So if it merits their knowing, let them know.</p>
<p>Our Mid sent in one from his coach and one from his boss. Send it as long as it speaks to your Mid, as opposed to a - a "one size fits all" letter which is best left at home.</p>
<p>Well, I guess son knows best. The letter is very specific about his abilities, accomplishments, and leadership. Thanks to those who provided input.</p>