What is the full process of applying to West Point USMA?

StixTheNerd

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Mar 17, 2017
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Hi guys, I am currently a high school junior and I was wondering what the process is for applying. Thanks for the help in advance!
 
Read every USMA page, drop down and link. Take notes. Build timelines.

Then go to your MOC websites, read everything about their nomination process. Go to their information sessions, if they have them.

Read The Acronym List sticky here on SAF.

The entire process is complex, detailed and runs for several months, sometimes a year. Some actions are sequential, some are concurrent. Best you do research on your own with primary sources, come back here and use the Search function to find the answers to common questions, and if you still can't find the answer, start a thread. The resourceful future officer demonstrates initiative and diligence. This community of posters is very supportive and helpful, and you will understand the basic process better by going to the actual institution's information.
 
+1 to the above. They were far too kind to you.
 
You could experience a similar situation by traveling through the fiery depths of hell for at least 6 months, sometimes longer if DoDMERB doesn't find evidence of immortality.
Where did you apply to - sounds like you had a rough application process, no?
 
Trackgirl: It's the most rigorous application. Captain MJ is only slightly exaggerating, but not much. Seriously...go to the USMA website and read (and then follow) the directions. If you are not willing to at least do some research on your own, then the process is not for you.
 
First part of the process is figuring what you want? Interested in being and officer and leading men and women in the armed service? Why Army? Any reason you wouldn't consider marines, navy, airforce or coast guard? If you are open to any of the services, and want to serve as an officer, apply not just to USMA, but also USNA, USAFA, and USCGA, as well as usmma, which also can lead to a commision in any of the armed services. For sure apply for ROTC scholarships, which are issued separately through each of the separate services, and the process for all of these applications is similar.

The starting point for the academies is their web sites. They all have very detailed admissions pages. Each academy has almost the exact criteria, and, with the exception of USCGA, require that you receive at least one nomination; usually from a member of Congress (your US representive), or one of your two US senators. You can apply to all three of those members of Congress (MOC). Each MOC has its own application process, and you can find them on the congressman's web page, or by calling the offices.

The academy applications are very detailed. Each will set up a internet portal for you, which you will essentially feed information into. They will assess you based on academics (the largest weighed assessment by far, consisting of your HS class standing, and your ACT/SAT scores), leadership (want to have varsity team sports, officer positions on organizations like student council, or NHS), and fitness (you will need to complete a candidate fitness test, CFA). Teachers need to evaluate you, and you will be interviewed by a representative of the academy, as well as nomination committees for each of the MOC's. It's a time consuming process, but well worth it if you win an appointment. The academies are thought to be the hardest schools in America to be admitted to because they assess so much on so high a level.

If you apply to multiple academies most of the processes are duplicative, so it is manageable. If you are not fixed one one academy, it will increase your odds of getting an appointment to at least one. ROTC is also a tremendous option, and the process for getting a scholarship is similar, but different.

Read up on this quick, because you need to start the process right away. My son took an interest in West Point at exactly the same time (end of Junior year), applied to USMA, USNA, and USAFA, ultimately getting an offer of appointment to each, and he is at West Point now. It is doable.

Have you taken the ACT/SAT? What are your scores? The Academies all superscore, so take the test as many times as you can afford. Are you in the top 15% of your HS class academically? Do you play varsity sports? What are they? Any leadership positions? Work on this stuff if you are week in anything. Lots of videos on the CFA. Train for it now and test yourself along the way. Check out the requirements. It's not easy, but you can get good at it.

Check back and let us know how it's going. We all enjoy watching young people suffer. Lol. Good luck.
 
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+1 to the above. They were far too kind to you.
Lol. I thought you might say something like that.

Because your gamecocks won Friday night, slightly screwing up my bracket, I need them to win a few more games, so I am back to rooting for your boys. You better not let me down brother.
 
Read every USMA page, drop down and link. Take notes. Build timelines.

Then go to your MOC websites, read everything about their nomination process. Go to their information sessions, if they have them.

Read The Acronym List sticky here on SAF.

The entire process is complex, detailed and runs for several months, sometimes a year. Some actions are sequential, some are concurrent. Best you do research on your own with primary sources, come back here and use the Search function to find the answers to common questions, and if you still can't find the answer, start a thread. The resourceful future officer demonstrates initiative and diligence. This community of posters is very supportive and helpful, and you will understand the basic process better by going to the actual institution's information.


There's an excellent time line here. This is where we started Jan 2016 with my DD.

http://www.usma.edu/admissions/Shared Documents/Admissions Timeline.pdf


Use the SA websites, MOC websites, and this forum as reference. The search feature on this forum works well.
 
Trackgirl: It's the most rigorous application. Captain MJ is only slightly exaggerating, but not much. Seriously...go to the USMA website and read (and then follow) the directions. If you are not willing to at least do some research on your own, then the process is not for you.

@mom3boys Hi! Is the USMA application process more intense than the USNA process? I checked the USMA website, but didn't see a difference. My application for the USNA was opened in September and I finished everything by mid December 2016. I have been CPR ever since. My response was to SA Applicant 1999, because of the "immortality" comment, it made me laugh. As for CaptainMJ's comment, I cannot imagine the process lasting up to a year. I never knew the different academies existed until April/May of last year. The process is not that difficult or intense.
 
Trackgirl: It's the most rigorous application. Captain MJ is only slightly exaggerating, but not much. Seriously...go to the USMA website and read (and then follow) the directions. If you are not willing to at least do some research on your own, then the process is not for you.

@mom3boys Hi! Is the USMA application process more intense than the USNA process? I checked the USMA website, but didn't see a difference. My application for the USNA was opened in September and I finished everything by mid December 2016. I have been CPR ever since. My response was to SA Applicant 1999, because of the "immortality" comment, it made me laugh. As for CaptainMJ's comment, I cannot imagine the process lasting up to a year. I never knew the different academies existed until April/May of last year. The process is not that difficult or intense.
The processes are almost exactly the same. Slight differences only. And the majority can be completed within a few months, but much is dependent on others doing things on their end, so a lot is out of your control, and then there is a lot of waiting. You tend to want to keep pushing to better your position too, so there is a lot of supplementing. Things like new ACT scores, or athletic accomplishments. So in total the whole process goes for about a year.
 
I mentioned a year as the outlier for related activities in the app cycle process - some early birds could be organizing nom letters of rec about now, building their task lists, at the start of the cycle - some could be delayed by DODMERB challenges that drag out or get their offer or declination at the very last.
 
Typically your statements trigger your DODMERB request at West Point. You don't need to turn them in July, but you also shouldn't wait till February.
 
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