Service Academy Recommendations vs. Evaluations

Don't confuse the two assessments 'types,' and they're usage by the Service Academies

The US service academies — USAFA, USNA, USMA, USCGA and USMMA — use two types of assessments throughout the process of applying to the schools. They are often 'lumped together' in a confusing combination. In fact, even the SAs themselves, use the terminology loosely and somewhat randomly in their instructions. Let's take a few minutes to discuss the differences, commonalities and usages of these two assessment types that you will collect during the application process: recommendations and evaluations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A recommendation is a more personalized document, where your teacher (or any other recommender) writes a narrative about your character, accomplishments, and capabilities. Recommendations are forward-looking providing insights into your potential and capacities to be successful

Recommendations are principally in the form of a letter of recommendation (LOR) for the SA application process. Most often LORs are required by your members of Congress (MoCs) as part of the nomination application process. They are typically due in the early to late fall of your senior year in high school. MoCs may define the required sources of the LORs, including STEM and English teachers. I also recommend adding other mentors to your list of LORs, such as your coach, Scoutmaster or Civil Air Patrol (adult) commander. LORs should never be from a family member or a relative.

The SAs themselves will utilize LORs, too. The Air Force Academy allows two 'optional' LORs to be submitted. And the Naval Academy allows three LORs to be 'placed' into three separate (and optional) online forms under the "recommendations" section of the application. This year, 2026-27, USNA added a third recommendation from a "school official," such as a coach club sponsor or music director. The Coast Guard Academy uses LORs for all of their application submissions from your counselor, teachers and others.

EVALUATIONS

A candidate will collect written evaluations (i.e., typically, online assessments) that are meant to give the service academies an objective appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses as a student and a candidate for military commissioning. Evaluations are backward-looking and draw details from your past performance.

Evaluations are most often in the form of a questionnaire that is completed by the evaluator. Your math and English teachers complete the principal assessments for each of the five service academies as mandatory evaluations. In some instances, an evaluation from your high school science teacher and your counselor are required, depending upon the SA application(s) you choose to submit.

West Point and the Merchant Marine Academy specifically call their evaluations, "SOEs," or School Official Evaluations. Both require SOEs from your math, science and English teachers. USMA restricts the "science" evaluation to either a physics or chemistry teacher.

The online questionnaires employed by USAFA, USNA, USMA and USMMA ask evaluators to rate very specific attributes, such as your communications skills, your ability to work with others, your work ethic and your integrity as compared to other students. Comment sections are also included, which ask some questions about your potential in the particular subject they teach or overall abilities to do college-level work. In other words, they ask some 'forward-looking' questions usually included in a recommendation. In fact, USNA calls their application evaluations, "recommendations," just to add to some more confusion to the terminology!

The table to the right provides some more insight around recommendations and evaluations required in the application process. In very general terms, LORs are used primarily for nominations and online evaluations are used by the service academies with some exceptions to both generalized rules.

One last 'evaluation' will be conducted by your local admissions officer for the Military Academy and Naval Academy. For the Air Force Academy, an Evaluator ALO will be named when you complete the 10 key steps designated in the Candidate Kit. As part of the completed evaluation, the officers will be asked for a 'recommendation' based on their interactions and interview with you. The other two SAs, USCGA and USMMA, rarely conduct interviews as an evaluation/recommendation.

The entire application process for the US service academies includes both recommendations and evaluations. They are easy to confuse. I advise my students to start with their recommendations (i.e., LORs), and then use this feedback to decide which teachers should complete their evaluations (i.e., online questionnaires).

I hope you found this blog helpful. Some other blogs that may assist you are:

• USAFA recommendations

• USMA recommendations

• USNA recommendations

In all instances, to apply to the service academies, you must organize your efforts to collect both recommendations and evaluations. It is never too early to make your preparations and to start executing on your plans to collect both. Good luck!

[I would welcome a chance to discuss details with you. I offer coaching services to pace and prepare you (and your parents!) for the entire Academy application process . . . including insightful advice on your recommendations and evaluations! Contact me at chris@cbbrechin.com, 503.515.7406 or use my contact form on this website.]