Letters of Recommendation for Class of 2029

[TheFoxHound07]

My school counselor encouraged all of the juniors to secure letters of recommendation early during the 4th quarter of our Junior year. My math and English teacher both agreed to write me one for the academies/MO NROTC (English Teacher). I am getting a 3rd letter from my engineering teacher who knows me the best.

I understand that not all applications are quite open yet, but I told one of my teachers that I would send them a follow up email with more information. Does anyone have a suggested deadline and know how my teachers will be contacted/what they will be writing or evaluating me on?

Thanks!

 

[time2]

While it is generally good advice to start working on any college application in your junior year, every college doesn't have the same requirements. USNA has typically required 'evaluations' from specific teachers which are different from a 'letter of recommendation'. Many older threads about that. Make sure to look at the specific requirements for the latest application cycle. Some things do change from year to year.

 

[Capt MJ]

My school counselor encouraged all of the juniors to secure letters of recommendation early during the 4th quarter of our Junior year. My math and English teacher both agreed to write me one for the academies/MO NROTC (English Teacher). I am getting a 3rd letter from my engineering teacher who knows me the best.

I understand that not all applications are quite open yet, but I told one of my teachers that I would send them a follow up email with more information. Does anyone have a suggested deadline and know how my teachers will be contacted/what they will be writing or evaluating me on?

Thanks!

You are smart to start thinking about this now.

Be sure you get good contact info for your teachers over the summer. They may not be checking their school email, so ask if they will trust you with a personal email to be used only for this.

School emails often block external emails with links to an eval form, which is what the USNA eval email will be. Have an alternate plan for email.

Your first step is to dive into your primary source, usna.edu, and read every page, hamburger menu and link, taking notes on action items and due dates. Far better than asking strangers on an anonymous unofficial internet site! Do the legwork yourself - that is what expected of junior officers who take the initiative.

These are some of the pages you’ll find through browsing usna.edu or simple Google search strings. You will not find a copy of the eval form itself, of course. Also note all the details of what your guidance counselor or other school official will be filling out. It includes all kinds of things.

And - create a parallel list of actions and timelines for your 2 Senators and Representative - if they require letters, due date, format, how submitted. You want to go to your teachers with a clear explanation of what you need for whom, not a piecemeal set of requests.

Think through how you want to organize this massive project, which may well include multiple SA applications, nom requests, letters of recommendation, transcripts, scholarship applications for your alternate plan colleges, plus your civilian college alternates as part of your total strategy, should you not medically qualify or otherwise not get into a service academy, ROTC program, etc.

Folders, spreadsheets, whiteboard, binders - start organizing your action plan now. Strategy and tactics - this process tests candidates for many of the skills desired in junior military officers.

School Official's Evaluation of Candidate

School Official's Evaluation of Candidate page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Sat Apr 27 05:08:09 EDT 2024.

www.usna.edu

High School Transcript Application

High School Transcript Application page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Sat Apr 27 05:08:09 EDT 2024.

www.usna.edu

Application Guidance for the Class of 2028

Candidate Instructions page for Admissions at USNA.edu. Updated Sat Apr 27 05:08:09 EDT 2024.

www.usna.edu

 

[arz1677]

You will likely need letters for your applications for your nominations as well.

 

[atomeve]

My school counselor encouraged all of the juniors to secure letters of recommendation early during the 4th quarter of our Junior year. My math and English teacher both agreed to write me one for the academies/MO NROTC (English Teacher). I am getting a 3rd letter from my engineering teacher who knows me the best.

I understand that not all applications are quite open yet, but I told one of my teachers that I would send them a follow up email with more information. Does anyone have a suggested deadline and know how my teachers will be contacted/what they will be writing or evaluating me on?

Thanks!

I had enough good relationships with teachers that I could ask some to do my letters of recommendations for nominations and others to do the evaluation. Evaluation is something they filled out through email. I did have trouble with my Math Eval as the email never sent. But USNA cleared it up in 48 hrs. As a precaution maybe follow up to see if they got it. My nomination letters were due mid late October through November so that’s what i focused on.

For every teacher/coach/counselor writing me something I gave them a packet that I got from a friend at a prep school. It was organized with what clubs/sports/ classes I took. A lot of teachers at my school asked for something similar because in all honesty you’re one out of hundreds they have written letters for and they don’t know what you do outside their class.

You probably already know all of the above so forgive me if it’s repetitive. For me letters and evaluations required checklists and took a month and a half to have everything completed. I waited until a week after the start of my senior year to go to my teachers face to face, explain my situation and ask for their help. A sophomore teacher of mine expressed immense dislike of being asked for an entire letter after not having seen the student for a year so I wanted to ask in person. Best of luck!! It’s a lot of just waiting and patience- much like the rest of the application lol.

 

[time2]

I would make sure to choose individuals to write SA/MOC letters of recommendation who know enough about you to write a meaningful letter. SA's/MOC are not impressed if the main reason you chose someone was due to their title (i.e. Community leader or member of the military) when they really have limited/no specific knowledge of you. Generic letter of recommendation will mean less than one written by an individual who knows you well.

Each MOC runs their own NOM process. As mentioned above, be sure to read and follow whatever specific directions they provide to this year's applicants.

 

[navy_blue]

Agree with everything said above. One thing I think was helpful for me was I had a mock interview with my CAP senior members. This gave them a good idea of who I am/why I want to serve and added to that aspect for my nomination applications.