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<p>Of course you should apply for a Pres nom. However, it’s not competitive. Thus, if you are qualified to get one, you will get one. Given that a lot of candidates who apply to SAs are children of military personnel, that’s a lot of people getting these noms. And there are only 100 appointments from the President. </p>
<p>All I’m saying is not to rely on only a Pres nom without making an effort to obtain an MOC nom, a VP nom or any others to which you may be entitled. Getting more than one only helps your cause; however, one is enough for many candidates.</p>
<p>Finally, as noted above, the reason people with Pres noms may get their appontments early is that MOCs typically don’t make their picks until late Nov - early Jan. Thus, a very highly qualified candidate with only a Pres nom (or someone with an LOA and a Pres nom) may hear earlier than someone who must await an MOC nom. That said, many folks with Pres noms don’t hear until March or April.</p>