<p>Hey I'm new to the board, and glad I have found it. I just got nominated and im hoping I get accepted to USMA. My dream has been to go into Aviation for a long time. Do any of you know how the branch selection works? Do cadets usually get their first choice?</p>
<p>Aviation is a popular branch. Selection depends a lot upon class rank. So get in and be diligent.</p>
<p>From what I understand, selection is done by class rank. There are a set number of slots for each branch and rank one gets first choice, rank two gets second choice, and so on. Once all the slots for a certain branch are taken, it closes. You find out what branch you will serve in during the Branch Night ceremony in September of your firstie year.</p>
<p>how hard would it be to get into the branch of your choice if, say, you were in the bottom half of your class?</p>
<p>i would say it would depends on how popular your first choice branch is.</p>
<p>which branches are the most popular? let's say, top 5....</p>
<p>i know aviation and infantry are popular (i was told this when I went to SLS). i was surprised about the infantry thing too, but a cadet I think, I can't remember who, told me that infantry is so popular because most of the military training you do at West Point is infantry related.</p>
<p>Though I'm not so sure about this one, I think military intelligence is also pretty popular, at least with the females. I've seen lots of parents on college confidential saying their daughters have chosen to branch intelligence. Again, I might be wrong on this one.</p>
<p>Aviation, Med Service, MI, and AG are all up there. Most branches "go out" meaning there are no more spots left, before the end of the class, so the people at the bottom generally get force branched. I had a friend get his seventh choice. We also had an option where you could serve an extra three years on active duty for a better chance at your branch, post, or a promise from the Army to send you to grad school. I ADSOed (additional service obligation) for three years for a chance to go to grad school.</p>
<p>Here is a link that shows the branching information for this year's graduating class: </p>
<p>Anticipating questions here is a list of the abbreviations:
IN Infantry
AR Armor
FA Field Artillery
AD Air Defense
AV Aviation
EN Engineer
The branches above are considered combat arms, below are the combat support and combat service support branches:
SC Signal
MP Military Police
MI Military Intelligence
CM Chemical
AG Adjutant General
FI Finance
OD Ordnance
QM Quartermaster
TC Transportation
MS Medical Service
MC Medical Corps</p>
<p>Four branches closed out:
(in order) MS, AV, AG, AR </p>
<p>Eight branches were force filled:
FA, AD, SC, MP, OD, QM, TC, CM </p>
<p>The CPR is basically the class rank (academic, physical, and military grades added together). ADSO is as explained above -- those cadets pledged additional years of active duty service to receive the branch of their choice.</p>
<p>As you can see, you basically determine your fate by your performance. The higher you are in your class, the more chance of getting exactly what you want. </p>
<p>If I've gotten anything wrong, please correct me -- heaven knows I'm still trying to understand it all, too!</p>
<p>Basic rule of thumb is that since 9/11, everyone who has requested Infantry as their first choice has been given an Infantry slot. There may be a few exceptions and this might not last through whenever you will end up graduating, but it's just something to keep in mind.</p>
<p>Another thing to keep in mind is that USMA has traditionally been the big supplier of new officers for the combat arms (Infantry, Armor, Field Artillery, Air Defense, Aviation, Engineer).</p>
<p>That comment about Infantry is 100% incorrect. The last two years many cadets who wanted Infantry did not get it because it is so popular. Some of my buddies who are firsties now tell me it 'went out' in the mid 500's of the class, so only about the top half of the class that wanted it got it (a comment on IN going out is that all the slots hardly ever get filled, however, too many males want to go IN and not all can go because FA and ADA need to fill slots).</p>
<p>That being said, Infantry does have the most slots (205 for class of 06 and 195 I think for 07). To put that in perspective, all the ROTC programs in the nation only got a combined 250 slots for IN last year (it was a running joke in my IOBC platoon that one of these days we'll actually run into an active duty ROTC infantry officer, because there are very few in our class).</p>
<p>Like everyone else has said, it all depends on how you do at school, or if you're willing to ADSO now (even AV has ADSO, a change from my class. Put in the work and do your best and you'll be fine, slack off and eat Schades every night for 4 years and you stand the chance of being that guy in tears on branch night.</p>
<p>My numbers are a little old, so ScreamingEagle is more than likely correct. Bottom line is that USMA is big on combat arm branches.</p>
<p>Historically, EN was the most sought after branch. Father-in-law was Class of '50 and at the time that was the most sought after branch. </p>
<p>When did that change? Just curious.</p>
<p>LFWB, I'm not exactly sure, and as far as I know, AV is pretty much the most sought after. EN is a big one, as is MI. As far as USMA being big on combat branches, that's correct. The Academy is required to branch 80% of males and 15% of females into combat arms branches</p>
<p>OReillyFactor: You also need good vision! I need contacts and I'm all kinds of colorblind, so aviation is out of the question for me</p>
<p>"My dream has been to go into Aviation"
From the admissions info I have the % who can receive aviation training after graduating from the various academies is as follows:
USMA 9%<br>
USNA 25% Navy 5% Marine Corps
USAFA 50%
USCGA up to 25%
USMMA 10%</p>
<p>^^^^^
The opportunities for aviation billets vary from year to year. For the USNA Class of 2004 the breakdown was:</p>
<p>Navy: 36%</p>
<p>USMC: 7%</p>
<p>It's always best to check with admissions for current data - the info I gave was from 2005 all academy admissions data.</p>