Anybody following this thread - there is a lot of politically correct and philosophical rhetoric going on here. Don't kid yourself - high class standing (however you attain it) is still your best hedge to get what you want for service assignment at the Naval Academy.
I completely disagree. You don't need to be top 25% to get what you want. Many communities do not weigh OOM and Academics as much as they use to. They look at what you do outside of class, what programs you have been involved in, some of the summer training assignments.
Additionally, in recent years, if you happened to be a "smart" male engineering major, you might have been drafted to select submarines (need of the Navy).
Furthermore, it is almost an unwritten requirement (with the exception of good reasons) that Marines do Leatherneck --- that is where they are best evaluated on potential to become a USMC officer. For SEALs/EOD, the screeners are the best place to evaluate their potential in those communities. Aviation runs through the entire OOM (and going back to "outside of class" activities -- if you participate in the aviation clubs, ground school class, get your private license, all that could outweigh a somewhat lower QPR).
At the end of the day, the boards want to find the best potential for their communities and grades/OOM doesn't always determine that alone (it is also another reason why your MAJOR doesn't factor into most communities).
Lastly, if you are that guy or gal who sits in your room and just studies and only shows up at required events, you standout and it normally isn't in a good way. As someone previously mentioned, if your concerns are only academics, there are plenty of other outstanding universities to attend; USNA is about making leaders who have a sound technical background (in addition to their major) and have good problem solving/critical thinking skills.
USNA graduates Leaders (not just Scholars) -- specifically mentioned in the mission.