I just opened my file at WP a few hours ago.. nerves are uncontrollable. Unsure of what to do now, just wait? Nomination applications for my senators and congressmen don't open for months. I feel like there's something I should be working on right now. Thoughts?
This is a loooong haul. There is much you cannot control,
but you can control how you feel and react, so learn to manage those nerves by whatever works for you, PT, intentional breathing (look up SEAL box breathing), or coaching yourself to go do something productive. Applying for a service academy is part of the application itself, testing your executive organization skills, attention to detail, perseverance, patience, determination, grit, communications and drive. These are all traits of future junior military officers.
Things you can do now:
- Figure out your process management system for all the documents, deadlines, follow-ups, etc. Binders, folders, white board, Excel worksheet, whatever. Think about the sheer scale of the application projects ahead and the amount of detail to be managed.
- Build the framework for a master timeline for submission deadlines, your target submission date - for example, don’t procrastinate on your CFA, pick a target month well before 1/31/23, and work backwards on a practice schedule.
- Read and mine USMA.edu for information, every page, link, menu item.
- Ditto nomination source websites. USMA recommends applying for all for which you are eligible. At a minimum, that is usually 2 Senators, 1 Representative, the VP (managed by USMA).
- Start thinking about which teachers you will be identifying to USMA to fill out evaluation forms for specific courses you have taken. Be sure they know who you are because you haven’t been a wallflower in class and have been respectful. Once you are clear on what is required, you can provide them a copy of your resume and brief them on what you are doing and what to expect. Before summer break occurs, be sure you know how to contact them outside of school email. It’s a big chunk that’s nice to get done before your senior year starts or early next fall. Remember they will have many others to help.
- Start thinking about letters of recommendation, how many you will need, and for what entity on your master plan. Ditto heads up and contact info.
- Craft that student resume with achievements, experience, etc.
- In parallel fashion, develop your alternate plans: applying for AROTC scholarship, researching schools with AROTC programs, researching the civilian college only route. This is prudent operational risk management. If the goal is to commission as an Army officer, plan accordingly.
- Research the other 4 SAs and service officer specialties to ensure you are clear on why you are ruling them in or out. Put the work in. You will probably be asked.
- Have an adult discussion with your parents about The Money. If you do not get into USMA on first application or run into a roadblock due to medical disqualification, what options do you have, what can the family afford.
- Identify other scholarships to apply for. Many can be applied at USMA to pay for certain things, or at an AROTC college and of course the straight college path. Build that into your master plan.
- Map out your SAT/ACT schedule.
- USMA, I would venture to say, has the strictest grading of the CFA. Research that guidance thoroughly, watch the test video, and get someone to give you an inventory CFA in the near term, exactly as the real test would be run, to assess where you are. The CFA as a whole is designed to test endurance and overall fitness; applicants are often unpleasantly surprised by how little gas is in the tank near the end. Build CFA prep into your plan as needed to meet your target submission date. Another item nice to get knocked out over the summer.
- Apply to SA summer programs if still open for applications. This usually opens up an avenue for accelerated application. Summer programs help you make an informed decision.
- Research Boys State/Girls State summer programs. These are highly regarded by SA.
- Go to the DoDMERB site and work your way through every menu item on the left. This will give you key insights into what often becomes the most drawn-out element of the process, the medical qualification.
- Figure out to what extent your parents will be involved. You are the mission commander, running point, think about what you might ask them to do to support you. In particular for the medical questionnaire, they will know about medical history as a young child. Every year, there are applicants who rush though that, checking things “yes” when it’s not accurate, and finding they cannot edit the selection, and now have to provide additional information. The medical part requires thoughtful reading and attention to detail.
That enough to get you moving?
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