<pre><code>I graduated from West Point in 1998. I would be happy to address any of your questions regarding my dear Alma Matter. For current info on the admissions process go to www.usma.edu and go to admissions link. Also get the book, How to Get Into West Point...it was written in the 90's. It's an older book now, but the message and advice is as good today as it ever was. I read that book cover to cover...applied it...and I got in! and graduated.....Thank God!
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<p>So, I completed my WP application at the end of January. I turned in everything and even received the Principal nominiation from my congressman. However, I get an e-mail from a lady (some time later) who deals with my apllication and she tells me that my math SOE was lost and that I had to get it re-done. I faxed a copy of it to the fax number that I was given this past friday but apparently it hasn't been received yet. When it does make it there (naturally before the deadline), what will the chances be like there after. Has this happened to anybody else? What do you guys think will happen as a result? I turned in everything a while ago. But now, because of this, I don't want admissions to thnik that I waited untill the last minute. Any advise or opinion would be appreciated... Thanks!</p>
<p>I have 8 years in the army now. My promotion board to Major convenes this april. I am an Army Engineer. I've been stationed in Fort Polk, LA; Fort Leonard Wood, Mo and am currently the Senior Engineer Instructor at the US Army Field artillery School at Fort Sill, OK. Everything gets better after plebe year! Yuks are Yuks...they gripe and complain about everthing...nothing changes...ha ha. They have responsibilities like being team leaders in charge of plebes.....</p>
<p>I'd like to know about sapper training (your name leads me to believe you completed it), I've only heard a little bit about it but it interested me. And is Fort Polk as bad as they say it is?</p>
<p>No I am not a sapper...just thought it would be a cool username. But I've seen Sapper Training at Fort Leonard Wood...and it is no joke. I was leading a roadmarch and I saw Sapper Candidates running by us ...real fast...and they were the fallouts! running at a full speed...they were smoked. Fort Polk is isolated, but like all army posts, it is what you make out of it. If you think it will suck...your tour will suck....if you keep positive...then it's not too bad. What made Fort Polk great to me was the people. We took care of each other.</p>
<p>We have the book in our house so I checked the dates. David Lipsky started his book in the summer of 1998 with the incoming plebes, so that would have been after Cpt Sapper graduated.</p>
<p>Sapper, for the congressional nomination, do i send in the letter in the exact form the admissions page on the USMA site says? like write nothing else except for what it tells me to?</p>
<p>In the candidate questionnaire, it asks for things like SAT scores, and sports played, but i plan to take the SAT again in March, and complete this upcoming track season hopefully in varsity, so do i put in information as of now? (which might not be as good as it will in a few months) or wati a few months?</p>
<p>West Point and the Army is about following directions...paying attention to detail. Whatever the format is on the USMA admissions page and the info it requires would suggest to me to fill it out they way they want it.</p>
<p>As for the SAT...you could put in your SAT score now or update it later. CAUTION: when I applied to WP before 1994, I believe the Academy averages your SAT scores. So if you scored 1090, 1100 and 1600...they will take the average of those scores....so you might want to wait and put in your highest score. You should double check this with admissions or your laison officer.</p>
<p>West Point will use your highest score for each section of the SAT or ACT, not an average. For example, if you score a 700 math/750 verbal on one SAT sitting, then take it again and score a 750 math/700 verbal, they will take the highest score from each sitting, ie 750 math/750 verbal. Same with the ACT.</p>
<p>Send in the form USMA provides. It is the request form. The congressional members will send you their own packets or you will fill them out from their websites. They will most likely ask that you attach a picture so make sure you have something recent and "nice" like your yearbook picture.</p>
<p>Also, pick out your teachers whom you will be asking for your recommendations because you may need character and/or character recommendations.</p>
<p>Each senator and congressional rep has their own way of doing things. Check their websites and see if you can just download the application you need. You can also call - most have a local office, and a staff contact person who handles nominations. If you do not have the address, certainly call ahead to make sure that you have the correct contact person and adddress before mailing a request letter. Good luck!</p>