LOA in Naval Academy applications?

I recently heard about something called LOA when it comes to applying to the Naval Academy. What exactly is a Letter of Assurance, and how does it affect my chances of getting in? Do I need to do anything special to get one?

A Letter of Assurance (LOA) is a conditional letter of acceptance to the United States Naval Academy (USNA). It is provided early in the admission process, usually around September or October. It's essentially the Academy saying, "we're highly interested in you and, provided future conditions are met, you've got a spot."

The conditions usually include receiving a Congressional nomination, passing the Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA), and completing the application. Creating a quality application and scoring highly and spatially on the ACT or SAT tends to be helpful in receiving an LOA. However, the LOA is not a routine part of the application process but is reserved for particularly competitive applicants.

An LOA is not required to get into the Naval Academy, but it certainly increases your chances, as it signifies that the admission committee is considering you for admission even before reviewing all other applicants. You can't specifically apply for an LOA. Instead, early submission of a strong application increases your chances of being considered for one.