Simple question to anyone who has any frame of reference:
I consider myself more of an intellectual than an athlete but I still easily see myself participating in all of what West Point has to offer. Due to this however, the academic rigor is a HUGE determining factor in my college application process. I want to go to a “smart” school that will challenge me, I always love a good challenge. Are the academics at West Point good? Comparable to Ivies? Thanks!
You should want to go to West Point because you want to be an active duty officer in the Army.
My son is a plebe at West Point and not only are the academics challenging, but it’s more the fact that you are kept so busy that you don’t have the free time you would have at a normal college. That is a reason so many Ivy League schools like West Point grads for their graduate programs. But unless you like losing most of your freedom for the next 4 years and are prepared to spend a minimum of 5 years in the Army, then WP isn’t for you. If you don’t have it in you to give yourself to your Country and be willing to fight for the freedom we have, then WP is definitely not right for you. Hope this helps.
Ditto what Brettcook said.
From what you posted, please consider any Ivy over WP. Nothing you posted indicated that WP is a good fit for you.
The academics at West Point are challenging. Cadets carry more credit hours than their counterparts at highly selective colleges. Class sizes are typically small, on a par with a good liberal arts college. West Point is 5th in the country in terms of Rhodes Scholarship winners. The average ACT scores of admitted students are a few points lower than the Ivy League schools but I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that academics lack rigor
Maybe the OP is looking for a tax payer paid college education.
Academics at West Point do not compare to the ivy leagues. The only people who pedal that lie are proud parents, the admissions department, and plebes/yuks looking for dates for their class weekends. The Army doesn’t need Ivy league educations: they need well-spoken, well-informed leaders with a broad knowledge base who can run fast, shoot well, lift heavy things, gain the respect of their men, and remain calm, cool and collected while communicating effectively over the radio when they are being blown up and shot at.
^this coming from someone who clearly has no idea what the military does with its officer corps.
The academics at the service academies is every bit as challenging as that at Ivy League schools. This is especially true if you are interested in the liberal arts. To a certain degree, every officer is an engineer and gets a BS (or at least that was the case in the past).
The difference is that the cadets are more diverse. There are always representatives from all 50 states and the US territories. Only a small percentage of the very top academic students can handle the rigor of military life and training. This means that the average cadet will have lower stats than the average Ivy League school. This has nothing to do with the rigor of the programs.
^Here’s an article that proves @Torveaux’s point: West Point is Equal to Harvard.
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1920/5/27/harvard-man-upholds-west-point-training/
That was true in 1920, and remained true for sometime thereafter (likely up until September 2, 1945-I’ll let the ivy league liberal arts tackle that one) but it is no longer true today. For better or for worse, West Point is not now what it once was.
All graduates still get a BS. There is no world in which every Cadet is an engineer. Every cadet takes the most elementary of engineering courses (and most struggle mightily and complain constantly).
And the only nationally ranked individual programs at West Point are STEM, not liberal arts.
Sorry you didn’t get accepted, mosscen. The pain will fade.
Touche.
-x35376
A little late to this forum. But, I think there are very large differences between the Ivies and West Point. In general, the student body will be far more varied at West Point than the Ivies. Not everyone will be an intellectual. The academics will vary in their level of exceptionalism at WP and will be taught by a range of professors, many of whom are very young and recently received graduate school training in the courses that they are teaching. But, ALL courses will be taught at a level of competence that is probably unmatched anywhere, including the Ivies - meaning you will get no “clunker” professor or a professor who is not invested in their students. As one advances through West Point there are MANY opportunities for academic intellectualism, especially in the higher level courses where cadets can develop very personal relationships with gifted and talented professors (in classes that average 10-15 students/class). But, what most distinguishes the education at West Point from the Ivies is that the academy’s educational experience includes many other facets - leadership, military, athletic. When a cadet pulls an all-nighter to finish an academic assignment or prepare for an exam, he/she doesn’t sleep in. They are still expected to be up the next morning, groomed and in formation for breakfast, take part in afternoon athletics and/or march in a parade. It is this balancing act that, IMHO, makes the West Point graduate unique and, in many ways, better prepared than an Ivy League graduate for taking on the world regardless of the intellectual elitism at the Ivies. Frankly, Harvard MBA admissions recognizes this.
ProudDad26 said it well. To add, the education you will receive at West Point (while it’s not taught by world-renowned professors) is unparalleled because of the involvement and commitment of your instructors. Many cadets I know even have dinner with their instructors, their instructors’ personal phone number, etc. They have a more recent and “updated” knowledge on the subject, and will do everything for you to pass. The community is like no other - there is always someone there to help you out, whether it’s a professor, older cadet, or classmate. But to address your question more directly: Yes, the actual curriculum is quite challenging. The Military Academy is the top public university and produces a competitive amount of Rhodes scholars, generals, and other people with significant roles in their community and the nation.
Of course, at West Point, you will be among some who are more gifted in athletics and more inclined to do well in sports. To be frank, they’re not always that smart. However, these are few and there are quite a bit of people who could have attended an Ivy or other top school in place of West Point. They are there because they want to serve in the military. That isn’t to say that I agree with some of those who are saying the only reason you should attend West Point is to jumpstart your career in the military. If your family faces financial hardship with tuition, or you enjoy the busy and structured lifestyle, then by all means, attend. The years you are required to serve are the years that have been deemed by our government, military leaders, and West Point’s officers to be equivalent to the education you will receive there. Once you do your time, then you’re done. However, they do hope to attract future military leaders in the process. In the end, no one here should be telling you not to apply. You’re smart, so I’m sure you know of the commitment and dedication required to be successful and, especially, happy during your four years at this grueling academy. Good luck dude!