Legacy Impact

willp2022

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Dec 15, 2017
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Hello everyone, currently I'm in the process of applying to the class of 2022. I want to follow in my father's footsteps and become a career officer. I've noticed at many civilian schools that having a parent graduate from that college gives the applicant a bump in the admissions process. My father graduated from West Point in the class of 91 and served for 23 years. Will the admissions team take this into consideration? I'm sure many other candidates have also been inquiring about this.
 
It’s usually not an overriding factor for any application that isn’t otherwise strong, but since your dad atteneded West Point AND made a career of the Army, it definitely won’t hurt you. I do remember one kid from my high school class getting accepted to USAFA, who in my opinion was just an average guy, but his dad had been a pilot and career officer in the Air Force. I often believe that he got in just due to that fact. I was always under the impression the Air Force cared a little more than the other services about your family background/service. And after being on active duty for a while now I see I was mostly correct. Having not been in the Army I can’t say for certain, but as the son of a former Army Officer I was also under the impression the Army cares less about where you’re from and more about your leadership potential (which is probably a good thing). Since the Army is a bigger service, the family roots don’t seem to matter as much (unless of course you’re a direct descendant of Patton or MacArthur ).
 
It’s usually not an overriding factor for any application that isn’t otherwise strong, but since your dad atteneded West Point AND made a career of the Army, it definitely won’t hurt you. I do remember one kid from my high school class getting accepted to USAFA, who in my opinion was just an average guy, but his dad had been a pilot and career officer in the Air Force. I often believe that he got in just due to that fact. I was always under the impression the Air Force cared a little more than the other services about your family background/service. And after being on active duty for a while now I see I was mostly correct. Having not been in the Army I can’t say for certain, but as the son of a former Army Officer I was also under the impression the Army cares less about where you’re from and more about your leadership potential (which is probably a good thing). Since the Army is a bigger service, the family roots don’t seem to matter as much (unless of course you’re a direct descendant of Patton or MacArthur ).

Thank you Tex232 for your response. I also know one of those kids at my high school. The waiting game is killing me but I know there's nothing I can do in the meantime.
 
Check out the discussion in the thread listed below for some more comments on this, but this is what I posted recently in regards to this question:

You won't be admitted to USMA for being a legacy. Everyone gets there based on their own merits. Coming from a military family is beneficial up front because you have a better idea of the culture and the commitment you're getting yourself into, but that is easily learned by people coming in from outside the military just by being around the Army for a little bit.

The only "advantage" that I've seen has been for folks who come from military families is that it opens up some alternative nomination sources. If one of your parents retired from the military or if one of your parents received the Medal of Honor, you automatically qualify for a nomination that comes from a pool of essentially unlimited number of nominations. A nomination is by no means a guarantee for admissions It just means that if West Point, after looking at your packet, wants you, they are able to offer you an acceptance packet. No nomination, regardless of how good your file is, no admittance. Additionally, having the different nomination sources allows West Point to charge different nomination sources if there are multiple competitive candidates in a single area, without having to rely on the limited number of seats a Senator or House Representative can sponsor via their nominations in any given year.

https://www.serviceacademyforums.co...to-sa-versus-no-ties.59067/page-2#post-583436



That said, us Army brats have to stick together. Good luck!
 
The biggest reason why legacy candidates are admitted at most civilian colleges is because the college feels there is a greater chance that the legacy parents will contribute more money if the legacy child is admitted. In the case of West Point, most of the fund raising is done by the Association of Graduates (AOG) which has a more distant relationship from admissions then a typical college. Other than the involvement of the AOG scholarship, AOG has very little to no influence on who is admitted. Also private civilian colleges list high rates of tuition that most students do not pay. A "legacy" admit may find financial aid difficult to find and be forced to pay the full tuition rate. USMA has no tuition, so that game is not in play. The biggest advantage a legacy candidate to West Point has is the genetics that have been passed down. If the same qualities that got the parent in are passed down to the child then you have an advantage. There may also be an advantage in understanding the "language" of the military or a better understanding of the admissions process.
 
No one on this forum works in USMA admissions, so all you get are opinions and hunches each time this topic gets discussed. The best answer any of us can give is 'we don't know'.
 
The primary reason that legacy has little objective impact is that USMA is funded by federal tax dollars. It is too politically sensitive to create a system that gives advantage to legacies.

However, children of career military personnel do have an advantage in obtaining nominations.
 
@Casey is correct. We do know that having a parent that graduated from the Military Academy will not ensure you an appointment. You MAY (this is what no one is 100% sure of) get a few extra WCS points if your parents are a grad.

You still have to go through the process of obtaining a nomination and getting qualified. Once qualified, you must still win a nomination slate, be in the first 150 of the NWL or be chosen as an Additional Appointee.

I know of three other classmates beside my own daughter who were not admitted to the class of 2020. Two are now members of 2021 and the other two decided their Plan B was now Plan A.
 
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