Branch Selection, Infantry Slots

cmccollum4693

USMA 2015 Appointee
5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Messages
194
Could someone explain how West Point assigns Cadets to the branch they will serve in upon commissioning?

What criteria helps you get your first choice?

How many infantry slots is USMA given?
 
Your class rank determines which branch you get. Your class rank is made up of your academic, military, and physical grades. I believe it is 55% academic, 30% military, and 15% physical.

In the last 2 years USMA has received a little over 200 infantry slots.
 
I believed I've read somewhere in these forums that normally, if you want an Infantry slot, you'll normally get it.
 
Does academic major have any role in branch selection?

For example, hypothetically, if an Electrical Engineering major wanted to branch Signal, would he or she have preference over someone majoring in something else?
 
Does academic major have any role in branch selection?

For example, hypothetically, if an Electrical Engineering major wanted to branch Signal, would he or she have preference over someone majoring in something else?

Only the things in my first post will affect your branch selection. The only other thing would be the extra requirements you need to fulfil to branch aviation. Other than that, it's fair game based on class rank. Majors have no influence on your branch.
 
I've heard and read that if you opt for 8 years active, instead of 5, you will get preference of your branch. Can anyone confirm this?
 
Only the things in my first post will affect your branch selection. The only other thing would be the extra requirements you need to fulfil to branch aviation. Other than that, it's fair game based on class rank. Majors have no influence on your branch.

What would be the extra requirements for aviation?
 
So about a fifth of the class will branch Infantry.

Do you know the number of slots for the Armor and Artillery branches?

Last year had 230 Infantry, 83 Armor, and 151 Field Artillery slots.

While a fifth of the class goes Infantry, a quarter of the males in the class do.

I've heard and read that if you opt for 8 years active, instead of 5, you will get preference of your branch. Can anyone confirm this?

Giving three extra years active duty will give you an edge in getting your branch but by no means guarantees it. About a fifth of the class usually does this.
 
I've heard and read that if you opt for 8 years active, instead of 5, you will get preference of your branch. Can anyone confirm this?

I read that, if you opt for 8 years of service, you'll have the chance to choose your theater of service. Not making this up, but America's Finest has already answered... and he knows better than me :thumb:


No, that is not the case.

Ah, okay. I just thought I had read somewhere that "whilst many people opt for Infantry, there are (normally) enough Infantry slots to cover the demand".

Thanks, though!
 
this thread is very helpful and it gives great insight on the academy. Ultimately, my first choice is west point just because of the infantry slots available and the fact that you get to jump out of planes. :shake:

Its weird because my local dude (yes i say dude, so cal #1) told me that infantry is one of the more competitive slots. Yes I realize you still have to work hard and have a good class rank but how competitive is it really. Also assuming you sign up for the 8 years active.
 
I read that, if you opt for 8 years of service, you'll have the chance to choose your theater of service.


To add on to what AF said: the way it was explained to me is that you can do ADSO (3 extra years active) and have one of the following: better chance at branch preference, guaranteed first post, or guaranteed grad school paid by the Army. Just curious, but wasn't ADSO started when GWOT was just getting heated up? Is it possible that this stuff might not be available by the time 2015 or 2016 gets to branch night?

this thread is very helpful and it gives great insight on the academy. Ultimately, my first choice is west point just because of the infantry slots available and the fact that you get to jump out of planes. :shake:

Its weird because my local dude (yes i say dude, so cal #1) told me that infantry is one of the more competitive slots. Yes I realize you still have to work hard and have a good class rank but how competitive is it really. Also assuming you sign up for the 8 years active.


Not to get off on a tangent and derail the thread but most cadets who go to Airborne school during the summer only make 5 jumps in their entire career. Now if you get a slot in an Airborne unit on post night then that's a different story....

Oh, and I'm sure your local admissions rep will be thrilled to know you call him dude :shake:
 
To add on to what AF said: the way it was explained to me is that you can do ADSO (3 extra years active) and have one of the following: better chance at branch preference, guaranteed first post, or guaranteed grad school paid by the Army. Just curious, but wasn't ADSO started when GWOT was just getting heated up? Is it possible that this stuff might not be available by the time 2015 or 2016 gets to branch night?




Not to get off on a tangent and derail the thread but most cadets who go to Airborne school during the summer only make 5 jumps in their entire career. Now if you get a slot in an Airborne unit on post night then that's a different story....

Oh, and I'm sure your local admissions rep will be thrilled to know you call him dude :shake:

Jake makes excellent points. Do not expect that an extra ADSO in exchange for branch/post/grad school will be an option. It might be, but it is not a guarantee.

He is correct in stating that most folks who go to airborne will only jump 5 times. Some of us got lucky :wink:
 
I believed I've read somewhere in these forums that normally, if you want an Infantry slot, you'll normally get it.

depends on your class rank. I know few of my classmates that wanted Infantry didn't get it. However, they were like bottom 5% class rank wise. Also, during your senior year you will be commissioning physical and some (don't know how many) gets disqualified for combat arms branch.
 
is it easier to go to west point and go infantry or go rotc at like UT or UCLA and then go Infantry?
 
is it easier to go to west point and go infantry or go rotc at like UT or UCLA and then go Infantry?

Generally speaking, it's easier to get infantry at West Point because USMA receives so many slots relative to the number of cadets competing for said slots. Plus USMA uses the straight OML system. ROTC uses their strange system where they divide the OML in half and then dole out slots.
 
I recently looked on the aviation slots thread and saw where someone had noted that the slots ran out at number 850. Does anyone know how far Infantry slots lasted?
 
I recently looked on the aviation slots thread and saw where someone had noted that the slots ran out at number 850. Does anyone know how far Infantry slots lasted?

It went out at 910.

*There numbers are with additional service. Without additional service, Infantry and Aviation went out at 577 and 526 respectively with 58 and 29 people ADSOing.
 
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