Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! Field Force Training: Candidate File Management

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! EVERYONE who is appointed to a Service Academy must be FULLY QUALIFIED with a NOMINATION The Bottom Line

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Meet age requirement  U.S. citizen  Qualified academically  Qualified leadership  Demonstrated character & integrity  Qualified on the Candidate Fitness Assessment  Qualified medically What Does Fully Qualified Mean?

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Regional Commander: Age, citizenship 1st evaluation of…Academic, Leadership, CFA, Character & Integrity qualification  Admissions Committee: Final evaluation of... Academic, Leadership, CFA, Character & Integrity qualification  DoDMERB: Medical qualification How Does One Become Fully Qualified?

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! West Point seeks well- rounded young people who demonstrate excellent academic ability, leadership potential, and physical aptitude. ACADEMICABILITY60%ACADEMICABILITY60% LEADERSHIPPOTENTIAL30%LEADERSHIPPOTENTIAL30% PHYSICALAPTITUDE10%PHYSICALAPTITUDE10% CADET Whole Candidate Concept

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Academic (60%) High school rank SAT and/or ACT Transcript  Leadership (30%) Extra-curricular activities Athletic participation Teacher evaluations  Candidate Fitness Assessment (10%) –basketball throw –pull-ups (men & women) / flexed-arm hang (for women who cannot do one pull-up) –shuttle run –abdominal crunches –push-ups –one mile run Evaluation Process

Top 20% of High School Class % Valedictorians % Salutatorians % National Merit Scholarship Recognition % National Honor Society % Boys/Girls State % Class or Student Body President % Scouting Participant % Eagle Scout or Gold Award Winner % Varsity Letter Winners % Team Captain % Mean SAT: Verbal - 630, Math Mean ACT: English - 28, Math - 29, Sci/Reas - 28, Reading - 30 Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! Profile for a Recent Class

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Statistical data can identify top candidates  4 categories of candidates –Unknown –Non-competitive –Competitive –Admissible Quality Evaluation

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Candidates that have not fully completed CQ  Sent letter informing them of missing information required.  File closed after 60 days “Unknown” Candidates

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! Referred to as “screened” candidates Sent letter informing file is closed until over-all or academic record improves. CQ included with letter for rescreening ****** Opportunity to re-apply ****** Non-Competitive Candidates

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Sent non-committal letter (non-com) Encourages file improvement Instructions to seek nomination Provides additional information about USMA and the Army  Full-scheduled Candidate Kit CFA Schedule Medical Exam Competitive Candidates

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Non-Committal  Letter of Assurance (LOA) –Reserved cadetship contingent upon : nomination medical qualification candidate fitness assessment file completion days days Admissable

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Talent Searches (PSAT - 100k, PLAN - 15k, NRCCUA - 105k)  Mailings –Juniors (week 1 Oct) –Sophomores (week 2 Oct) –Freshman (week 3 Oct) –8th Grade (week 4 Oct) –7th Grade (week 1 Nov) –5th/6th Grade(week 2 Nov)  Summer Leaders Seminar (SLS) –Summer program at USMA for juniors –Two one-week sessions Pen & Banner Encouragement Letter Pen & Banner Encouragement Letter Nurturing for Future Candidates

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! Use of Admissible Mailings … generally 5 1st - Med/legal fact sheet, photo, elements of excellence, catalog 2nd - Photo, PT article, officers booklet, soldier almanac, summer’s video, ethics book 3rd - Parent’s Club almanac, new cadet book, parking pass, final semester transcript notice 4th - Supe/Comm/Dean/Cadet COC video 5th - Summer training schedule, P.O. Box # Nurturing Offered Candidates

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  AOG Civil Prep Scholarship Program –Fully qualified with a nom –1 year program at military junior college  United States Military Academy Preparatory School –Located at Fort Monmouth, NJ –10 month program prior to West Point –Strong leadership potential, but need academic remediation Strengthening our Officer Candidate Pool

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! West Point Parents Club Field Force West Point Society ROTC USAREC Local Army units Posts, camps, stations Congressional Staffs School Visits Candidate Interviews Regional Commander requirements CDC CPRC Scheduling Congressional District Coordinator (CDC)

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! 1. Candidate contact 2. High school visitation 3. College Fairs & Academy Days 4. CPRC & outreach 5. Special events 6. Local Congressional “Liaison” 6 Primary Responsibilities

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Initial contact with mailings  Introductory call to candidate (June to August)  FF Website drives follow-up  Formal interview Candidate Contact

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Second Step Kit P = Personal Data Record Form R = Request for Secondary School Transcript Form T = Transcript (H.S. - # semesters) C = College transcript, if applicable S = School Officials’ Evaluations (# received) A = Candidate Activities Record Form G = Essay or Candidate Statement Form CFA = Candidate Fitness Assessment  Admissions/Field Force Website Applicants can access Candidate Website to view status Tracking Candidates

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Importance of interviews  Prioritizing  Good versus poor interviews  Location  Time Interviews

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Establish Relationship with Counselors Check for … Catalogue/Take One poster Use Parents Club/WPS POC/twice a year visit Recruit for Ed Visit and/or Ed Workshops Discuss open files … or lack of open files High School Visitation

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! College Fairs & Academy Days  Appearance!  Be engaging- don’t sit behind the table  Use your force multipliers – WPS – WPPC – Cadets  Plan ahead for reference materials – Path Guides/Take One Poster/Catalogue – Order online

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Purpose: –Actuate/excite/provoke/arouse/incite/encourage/ persuade/invite... interest in USMA among potential candidates –Conduct other USMA public relations functions  Pursue media coverage –TV & radio –PAO –Newspapers  Cadets are a valuable resource … use them wisely Cadet Public Relations Council (CPRC) Programs & Outreach

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! Hometown Visit Program –Thanksgiving –Spring Break –Graduation Week Candidate Orientation Visits –Daily Orientations –Overnight Orientations Special Trips –Congressional Academy Days –Major By-Invitation Candidate Meetings Academic Individual Advanced Development Program –Liaison Officer Conference –Summer Leaders Seminar (SLS) –Boys and Girls State CPRC Programs

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Know when CPRC is conducted  Include CPRC in 18-month plan  Request CPRC support when submitting plan  Help create cadet itineraries  Conduct By-Invite meetings during Hometown Visits  Inform Congressional offices of CPRC visits  Coordinate all CPRC engagements at least one month out  Send cadet itinerary at least one week prior to departure  Confirm CPRC engagements at least 3 days prior to arrival  Submit After Action Report NLT two weeks after visits Field Force Responsibilities

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! Special Events By-Invite Founder’s Day Educator Luncheon Away Football Games Award Ceremonies

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! Fall Travel  Purpose: –To make contact with candidates of the current admissions cycle and provide counseling and status of admissions files –Face-to-face contact with Field Force FF Workshops Educator Workshops Spring Travel  Purpose: –To make contact with potential candidates for the next admissions cycle –Face-to-face contact with Field Force FF Workshops Educator Workshops

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here! One out of five Congressional districts either do not nominate or do not nominate qualified candidates. Assistance with Selection Committees –WPS/WPPC/MALO Must have positive local coordination with congressional offices Congressional Liaison

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  West Point Parents Clubs  West Point Societies Media  Civic Organizations, Boy Scouts  Congressional Staffers  Recruiting Stations, ROTC Force Multipliers

Directorate of Admissions The Corps Starts Here!  Queries on AOG database and Reserve database  Nurture relationships with WPSs and WPPCs  Improve bond with both Sr and Jr ROTC programs  Communication with Recruiting Stations  Personal recommendations **More People…Less Work…Better Results** Recruiting / Maintaining the Field Force