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Admissions
Paul Dixon '70 Spring 20010 | |
Summer seems to be slipping by and I imagine the Class of 2014 New Cadets are counting the days till the “March back from New Cadet Training” (9 Aug) and for the “Acceptance Day Parade” (14 Aug). As I mentioned in my last summary, thirty-three Orange County Candidates were preparing to report to West Point on June 28, 2010. While all of them did, as of this report the number is down to thirty-one. I want to thank Murray Schrantz for filling in for me during my five week absence starting in early June. Just over a third of our OC Candidates requested that they be presented with their “Appointment Certificate” at their respective high school award ceremonies. Prior to my departure, these requests were covered by a number of your Alumni stepping up to fill the gap. But, “Murphy is alive and well” as Murray received a few “short-fused” additional requests and several of you who volunteered had to bow-out for various valid reasons - like work. The willingness of you Alumni to step-up helps make the admissions job easier – thank you for your support. While the Class of 2014 is now recent history, activity related to Candidates vying for an Appointment for the Class of 2015 has been active since mid-June. The entry Class size will be lower this year to keep the overall Corps strength within the limit approved by Congress. Based on historical data, the Academy does extend more Appointment offers than the allowable Class ceiling due to non-accept responses, change in medical status, etc. The Class of 2014 entry size was suppose to be 1,300, however the final number was 1,416 due to a lower non-accept rate of the offered Appointment. While MAJ Golden, Far West Commander, does not have a firm ceiling number for the Class of 2015, he projects the entry Class size will be between 100-200 Candidates lower this year (1,100). A major change in the admissions process this year is the issuance of the 2nd-Step Kit to potential candidates on 15 June instead of mid-August and sending out Letters of Assurance (LOA) earlier. This will allow the Academy to execute a “Rolling Wave of Admissions” so they do not end up in the situation they found themselves for the Class of 2014. The 2nd Step Kit provides each Candidate instructions on what they need to submit to seek admission, i.e., how to schedule their medical examination, procedures to submit transcripts, teacher evaluations, essay topics, Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) requirements, etc. MAJ Golden is also emphasizing that the Candidates complete their files by early September. Key areas that should be completed are submission of SATs and/or ACTs, Medical Exam, CFA, essays, etc. This allows the Admissions Department the opportunity to better assess the potential of each Candidate with the end result the issuance of LOA’s earlier in the admissions process. One other key item to support the above process is the “Candidate Interview” done by Alumni like yourself. Last year a number of you responded to a call for volunteers. This year the interviews need to be done much earlier based on what I described above. While I have retained the list of volunteers from last year, help is needed for this year. So, for those who would like to help in the process please contact me via my e-mail: grayhog70@gmail.com or cell: (310) 365-7113. For those of you who volunteer, I will provide you with interview guidance, a copy of the Candidates file, etc. I have found it to be a rewarding process to interview our young women and men in OC.
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