The Service Academy Application Process

Quick Application GuideJCHS School Counseling

First Things First – Know the Vocabulary

▪ Appointment

▪ Nomination

▪ Candidate

▪ Medical Exam

▪ DODMERB

▪ Service Obligation

▪ Commissioned Officer

The United States Service Academies

▪ United States Military Academy (USMA)– West Point, New York

▪ United States Naval Academy (USNA)– Annapolis, Maryland

▪ United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)– Colorado Springs, CO

▪ United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA)– Kings Point, New York

▪ United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA)– New London, Conneticut

What are the Qualifications/Requirements?

▪ Legal Requirements– 17-22 years old

– U.S. Citizen

– Unmarried

– Not pregnant; with no legal obligation to support a child

▪ Leadership/Character– Clearly demonstrated in school,

community, church, scouts, etc.

▪ Academic Qualifications– Above average High School or

College academic record

– Strong performance on ACT/SAT

▪ Medical Qualifications– Good physical and mental health

– Pass a Qualifying Medical Exam

▪ Physical Qualifications– Above-average strength, endurance,

and agility

– Good performance on Candidate Fitness Assessment

Necessary Steps to Becoming a Cadet

▪ Begin Step 1 by Spring of Your Junior year

▪ Complete Step 8 (start a file with the Service Academy) by the Spring of Your Junior Year

▪ Complete Step 5 (nomination) by the fall/winter of Senior Year

Step 1

Report as a Cadet/Midshipman

Step 2

Visit the Service Academy

Step 3

Await Evaluation and Status

Step 4

Complete Testing/Exams

Step 5

Obtain Nomination

Step 6

Complete Service Academy Forms

Step 7

Apply for Nomination

Step 8

Start a file at the Service Academy

Step 9

Determine if basic requirements are

met

The Evaluation Process

Academic Ability

• 60%

Leadership

• 30%

Candidate Fitness

• 10%

▪ Academic– HS Transcript/Class Rank

– Sat/ACT (With Writing) Scores

▪ Leadership– Extracurricular Activities

– Athletics

– Faculty Appraisals

▪ Candidate Fitness Assessment– Basketball Throw

– Pull-ups

– 40 yard Shuttle Run

– Modified Sit-Ups/Push-ups

– 1 Mile Run

Academic Preparation

Academic Course # of Required Years

English 4

Mathematics (Including Trig. & Pre-Calculus)

4

Lab Science (Bio/Chemisty/Physics+) 3+

Foreign Language 2

Social Sciences (History/Econ/Government+)

3

Computer Technology 1

Evaluation of Academic Ability

Aca

de

mic

Am

bit

ion

- Adequacy of program

- Extent of Program

- Teacher comments

- Program attempted vs. Available

Aca

de

mic

Ap

titu

de

- SAT/ACT

(trend, age of data, best score evaluated)

- Teacher Comments

Aca

de

mic

Ach

ieve

me

nt - HS Transcript

(course grades, GPA)

- School Profile

- Teacher Comments

- Competitive Environment

Evaluation of Leadership Potential

Ath

leti

c P

art

icip

ati

on Varsity

Letters

Leadership

Years of Participation

Achievements F

acu

lty

Ap

pra

isa

ls

English

Math

Science

Ex

tra

curr

icu

lar

Academic, scouting, church, civic

Leadership

Years of Participation

Achievements

Evaluation of Overall Fitness

Fit

nes

s A

sses

smen

t Basketball Throw

Pull-ups (M&W)/Flexed Arm Hang (W)

40 yd. Shuttle Run

Modified Sit-Ups

Push-Ups

1 Mile Run

Ath

leti

c A

ctiv

ity Opportunity

Major vs. Minor Sports

Size of School

Years of Participation

Achievements Oth

er C

on

sid

erat

ion

s Field Force Comments

Height & Weight

Coast Guard Academy Physical Fitness Exam Score (push-ups, modified sit-ups, 1.5 mile run)

Medical Qualification Process

AsthmaOrthopedic

Repairs

LDD

ADD

ADHD

Vision not correctable

to 20/20

Mental Health

Substance

Abuse

Medical Red

Flags

• “Qualified Pre-Screened” Candidates Full Scheduled

• Electronic request to DoDMERB by Academy

• Candidate receives medical scheduling information from DoDMERB and schedules exam

• Candidate takes exam• DoDMERB receives exam

results/has 14 days to issue medical status notification (Qualified, Remedial, Disqualified

Nominations

Congressional

▪ Each Member of Congress is authorized five cadetships at each Service Academy at any one time

▪ Each Member may nominate up to (10) young people to fill each vacancy

▪ The Vice President has (5) cadetships for applicants from the U.S. at large

Service-Connected

▪ Presidential: Sons and daughters of career military members

▪ Regular Army and Reserve Components

▪ ROTC and JROTC schools

▪ Sons and daughters of deceased and 100% disabled veterans

▪ Sons and daughters of Medal of Honor awardees

Summer Exploration Programs

▪ Air Force Academy Summer Seminar– 2 week long sessions in June

▪ Coast Guard Academy AIM Program– 3 week long sessions in July

▪ Military Academy Summer Leaders Seminar– 2 week long sessions in June

▪ Naval Academy Summer Seminar– 3 week long sessions in May/June

▪ Approximate Cost– $350.00

Quick Facts

▪ The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is the only service academy that does not require a congressional nomination

▪ Nominations are made mid-January. Notified by mail.

▪ A nomination does NOT guarantee an appointment. All appointment offers are generally made by May

▪ Every military branch except for the Marine Corps (which has a program at the Naval Academy) has their own academy. The academies provide a four-year university education and a commission as an officer in the military upon graduation.

▪ All of the military academies are highly competitive and tuition-free to those admitted. The Air Force even pays their students a stipend.

▪ Each academy supplies expertly trained troops to the armed services because they require a minimum nine-year commitment to the military — meaning at least five years of active-duty after graduating.

Resources

At the Academy

▪ Air Forcewww.usafa.af.mil

▪ Armywww.usma.edu

▪ Coast Guardwww.cga.edu

▪ Merchant Marinewww.usmma.edu

▪ Navywww.usna.edu

In the Local Community

▪ Air ForceAdmissions Liaison Officers

▪ ArmyMilitary Academy Liaison Officers

▪ Coast GuardAdmissions Partners

▪ Merchant MarineAdmissions Field Representatives

▪ NavyBlue and Gold Officers