<p>Thanks to all for all the imput. It helps alot to try and understand .But in the end it is still a just wait and see game. So here’s to waiting</p>
<p>Quote by navy2010
“For the USNA class of 2009, his BGO told him he was being referred to the foundations program (they wanted him bigger and stronger)…”</p>
<p>“and even strengthened his academics in calculus and chemistry…”</p>
<p>I certainly hope you misunderstood your son’s BGO. Foundation prep schools are not weight training camps. The sole mission of the Foundation is to prepare applicants academically whose defencies do not allow them to competitively enter the Academy. The Board selected him for Foundation based solely on these concerns.</p>
<p>I received a LOA about mid-December and I have two nominations to USNA. I only need a medical waiver to receive an appointment. Anyone know how long this takes or if there is a number I can call or anything besides the website to check on my medical status?</p>
<p>KLQUAIL… we are in the exact same boat as you. I just got off the phone with my daughter’s BGO and he said for a Vision Waiver the appointment will happen (if vision is correctible to 20/20), just a matter of paperwork and then the Appointment will appear in the mail… as unexpectedly as the LOA came! So exciting!</p>
<p>BUT… my question is… just out of curiousity… if anyone knows … is there a specific number of LOA’s sent out each year?</p>
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<p>ahhh, the “million dollar” question!</p>
<p>Well, can someone give me the answer so I can get the million? I’ll split it, 80/20!</p>
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<p>You are correct- and perhaps my post was not entirely clear- it was the coach who wanted “bigger and stonger”… and the BGO who used the analogy of a “red-shirt year…”</p>
<p>trust me, the added of academics was welcomed- especially in light of plebe chem and calc! </p>
<p>Just to restate: the offer of NAPS or the Foundation Program is terrific- and should be stongly considered if offered!</p>
<p>The question was asked of the Dir/Admssions @ CVW. Her answer: “We usually don’t have more than 500 or so out at any given point.” We were all pretty stunned and there was no opportunity for additional questions.</p>
<p>I’m surprised that it is that many as for the class of 2010 the answer was in the 200 to 300 range.</p>
<p>^^^^ might simply be USNA’s answer to the increase in numbers going early decision- more and more every year!</p>
<p>huh? no comprende, Senora …
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<p>Hmmmm…</p>
<p>let me try to explain…</p>
<p>back when my daugher was applying to colleges (2005 for 2006) about 18% of her class (rather small, at 109)…applied to some school as “early decision”, which is binding, with another handful going early action…</p>
<p>When our son applied a few short years later (2008, for class of 2009) from the same high school, nearly 48% out of his class of 154 applied to one school “early decision” and nearly all had “early action” schools on their list. Obviously, those applying to the service academies (3 kids, 1 to USAFA/USNA, 1 to USMA, and our son, USNA/USMA/USMMA) were advised not to apply ED if any of the academies were their first choice school, however all 3 applied early action to their other civilian choices… keeping in mind ED is binding in just about all cases, where EA is not…</p>
<p>What changed? Perhaps several articles that claimed there was an “advantage” in the admissions process to apply ED if the school offered one…this assuming you had the grades to do it. Add in early action schools and a lot of highly competetive kids are taken out of the running early on.</p>
<p>So… the academies do not have early decision- they offer rolling admissions, but by that time ED and EA results are coming out- at the same time, they start looking at those that apply early- as soon as your application is completed- and for those students who are deemed highly qualified, a Letter of “Assurance” is issued to let them know that pending completion of DoDMERB and a nomination, they will be offered a seat in the upcoming class…thus, balancing out at least the early action programs at other schools that are competeting for the same kids…so considering the rise in ED and EA applications, it stands to reason the academies will issue an increasing number of LOA’s in kind…
at least that is my understanding of the process…
then again, who really knows???</p>
<p>anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter and hope that sheds some light Senior! :)</p>
<p>Great explanation and appreciated. Can you explain more about EA and how it works? I’m not sure I get it and what the point is.</p>
<p>I have heard that a great many students @ highly competitive places are taking these options with the idea that there is an advantage. </p>
<p>And I remember some research that came out a number of years back … 10 or so … indicating ED admits do not get the F/A they should … and there’s little they can do about it since they’re commited and obligated.</p>
<p>EA is Early Action by the part of the admitting insititution, non binding on the part of the applicant. In other words you find out that your are admitted in December and do not have to commit to attend until May 1st. Most AE schools do have a requirement that you only apply AE to one school, thus the term Early Action single choice. Many more schools have ED. </p>
<p>EA allows you to compare FA with your regular admissions.</p>
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<p>true…</p>
<p>VS Early Decision: which is binding…and to add some info, you will be requested to (and expected to) immediately withdraw any and all pending applications to all other schools that you have applied to… so be sure you only apply ED to your first choice school if you opt for this route</p>
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<p>not necessarily true…while you are restricted to apply to only one school as “Early Decision” (as it is a binding contract, more or less), there is no such restriction as to the number of schools you can apply to Early Action…however, as pointed out, not all schools offer Early Action.</p>
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<p>There is some concern on the part of many concerning this issue- however there are cases where you can get out of an early decision agreement if the amount of the financial award falls too short of what is needed to attend… but do consult your guidance office on this and read the fine print CAREFULLY before embarking on this… </p>
<p>we were cautioned to use Early Decision ONLY when 1. you are definate it is your first choice school and 2. you will attend no matter what financial package is offered… </p>
<p>Another thing to consider re: Early Action is that it will also be a “yeah” or “Nay” vote…meaning if you do not make it on the first go-around, your application is generally not forwarded to the general application pool… for later consideration. (this varies greatly, so that is a good question to ask when you attend the information sessions offered by the schools you are considering). There are advantages and disadvantages to this- hopefully your academics/SATs are strong enough to make the mark early, however if you are on the low end of the curve you might be passed over- yet, as more and more applications arrive, the SAT scores may actually curve lower than what the admissions board at that particular school anticipated… whereby if you were still in the regular pool your application may make the cut…</p>
<p>this gets very, very confusing, but hopefully you will have a guidance dept that will have enough expereince and knowledge of the schools to which you are applying to guide you well-
if not, using the admissions profile of the admissions class for the previous year may serve as a raw guide- </p>
<p>best of luck!</p>
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<p>Not necessarily true. My son applied Early Admission to MIT and was given a deferral. His file will be looked at again in February. MIT states that they admit several hundred students who are deferred each year.</p>
<p>^^^^ perhaps you misread the post… </p>
<p>to repeat: “this varies greatly, so that is a good question to ask when you attend the information sessions offered by the schools you are considering.”</p>
<p>Some will defer early action denials, some won’t…thus, the best policy is to ask the question…</p>
<p>“not necessarily true…while you are restricted to apply to only one school as “Early Decision” (as it is a binding contract, more or less), there is no such restriction as to the number of schools you can apply to Early Action”</p>
<p>Early Action Single Choice has a restriction that you only apply to one school Early Action. Many schools who use Early Action do have this requirement. </p>
<p>This is from Stanford’s Admissions page:</p>
<p>Candidates who apply early to Stanford are asked to sign a statement in their application agreeing to file only one early application. Their parents and high school counselors are also asked to sign statements indicating that the applicant is aware of the terms of Single-Choice Early Action.</p>
<p>Early Action is defined as:</p>
<p>There are two types of early action programs: single-choice early action and multiple-choice early action. As their names imply, single-choice allows candidates to apply to only one early action institution and to no institutions early decision, while there are no such restrictions on multiple-choice early action. Regardless, the applicant is still permitted to reject any offer of admission in both types of early action.
Almost all institutions offer some form of early decision or early action, with the majority offering early decision. Notably, Harvard recently switched from multiple-choice early action to single-choice early action, and soon dropped all early admissions procedures along with Princeton and the University of Virginia. Yale and Stanford recently switched from early decision to single-choice early action.</p>
<p>^^^^ great info, but again- it his highly school-dependent.</p>
<p>Early Decision is a no-brainer: it’s one school</p>
<p>Early Action: is variable…while stanford and yale and princeton and the rest of the ivy’s may post a restriction on this (not ALL do), there are lots of other non-ivy Tier 1 schools that place no such restriction… so again, the advice given was to “ask the question”… </p>
<p>case in point: our son applied to 3 tier 1 “top-50” civilian schools “early action”… and had decisions by thanksgiving…and that was as recent as 2009…(BTW- UVA had no such restriction for early action for 2009)… he applied to none as “early decision” as USNA was his first choice… none of the institutions to which he applied “early action” stipulated that he apply to “only one”… if he was under any pressure, it was from the coaches, who wanted their school listed as “Early Action” for them to give their nod…and backed down when we made it clear that USNA was choice #1… surprisingly enough, the coaches did not withdraw their support (which some implied) but continued to recruit him in the event the USNA failed to come through for him… now I doubt any of them were holding their breath for this- but the calls continued to come in reguarly (he heard from at least the asst coaches from most of them at least weekly to reassure that he was still on their “Radar” and inquiring if they were still on his, and if he had any word from USNA yet)…again, individual case…may or may not be applicable to others…</p>
<p>which leads me to one final thought: admissions is a dynamic entity… rules change all the time- just look at Harvard that dropped their early decision option all together… who is requiring SATs this cycle, what institutions are not… the key is to attend the information sessions offered by the admissions department, know the questions to ask, do the homework and act accordingly… IMHO</p>
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<p>GreatAmerican- good luck to your son with MIT- but hope USNA wins out!!! :)</p>