<p>is it by ed ruggero?</p>
<p>Yes–author is Ed Ruggero</p>
<p>[Duty</a> First: A Year in the Life of … - Google Books](<a href=“Duty First: A Year in the Life of West Point and the Making of American Leaders - Ed Ruggero - Google Books”>Duty First: A Year in the Life of West Point and the Making of American Leaders - Ed Ruggero - Google Books)</p>
<p>my dads an 0-6 but thats not why some of us/me choose to come… west point is one of the only acedemys who offer molecular biology</p>
<p>almost done with battledress, it is such a great book can’t wait to read Duty First!</p>
<p>well this is kinda related, but after you serve 5 years active and then you go for your 3 years on reserve during that 3 year period are you able to get a normal job? and what are ones chances of being able to fly helicopters? thankx</p>
<p>oh and does being a girl help my chances of getting in? or it doesnt make a difference?</p>
<p>No advantage or disadvantage as far as chances of being fully qualified and getting an appointment–if you look at % of women accepted vs women applied its pretty close to that of the men. Here is 2009’s class profile for example:</p>
<p>Volume of Applicants</p>
<pre><code> Men Women
</code></pre>
<p>Applicant Files Started 8,422 2,351<br>
Nominated 3,340 596<br>
Qualified (academically
& in physical aptitude) 1,859 328<br>
Accepted/offered 1,062 189</p>
<p>As you can see 57% of the women who were fully qualified were offered appointments and 57% of the men were likewise offered appointments if they were fully qualified. No real advantage to being one or the other as far as that goes.</p>
<p>As a percent of those offered acceptance vs files started its actually a bit tougher on the ladies—13.9% of those women who started files were actually offered appointments vs 22% of the men.</p>
<p>39% of them men who started files got nominations vs 25% of the women so again, slightly tougher for the women to garner nominations. Good luck1 if you’ve got what it takes you’ll be fine, man or woman!!</p>
<p>thankx thats really helpful.</p>
So I know this thread is 7 years old, but the question is still valid and I remember when I was applying, I looked here and at this thread
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/military-academy-west-point/189698-minority-report-girls-guide-west-point.html?highlight=Girls%27+guide
for a lot of my ideas on what West Point would be like.
But for those girls applying now or accepted into West Point, I think it could be a good thing to hear an updated version from someone who very recently was in your position. I can go over some things about the application, what happens after you get accepted, Beast, and the academic year. Actually this post applies to everyone interested.
~~ The application~~
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to stay on top of your application and paperwork. If you’re really interested in going to West Point, you’ll find the motivation to do everything quickly. That being said, take your time on the essays and really think about it, edit it, and get some family, friends, and teachers to look it over. If you’re not a senior, this is your chance to make yourself look even better by taking on extra leadership positions or even staying committed to the activities you’re doing, which shows dedication.
No matter what, photocopy or print a copy of everything in your Candidate file and keep it in a folder just in case something gets lost or you have to refer to it later on.
As far as the CFA goes, practice! You can start by practicing the individual events because some of them (the basketball throw) are really strange, but it’s more important to practice the whole test. Look on West Point’s website for more information about the regulations for the test and see if you can go through it as a whole a few times before you take your graded one. Girls can do either a flexed arm hang or pull-ups, but I strongly recommend that you work to get even 1 pull-up because 1 pull-up is better than 3 days of flexed arm hanging. I started my junior year not able to do one, but I bought a pull-up bar and put it over the doorway to my room, so every time I went into or or out of my room, I would do my best to do a pull-up. I took my CFA over the summer and did 3 pull-ups and then on R-day about a year later, I did 6.
After accepting
Good job!! This is the first step in a pretty long commitment to serving, but it’s a step not many take. Don’t worry, the paperwork doesn’t stop. I know about senioritis and all of that, but do your best to keep up with all of the documents and things that have to be done. Don’t let it pile up, because it’s a lot! Most acceptances come out in March, but recruited athletes and a few lucky people will know earlier, so don’t worry if it takes time, just be patient.
Also, run! Run up hills, run long distances, run 2 miles at a time. Trust me, it will help you during the summer.
R-day
The packing list for R-day comes maybe in April or May, and there are three lists: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd priority lists. 1st priority means you must get all of the items on the list, and it includes shoes and swimsuits and things like that. 2nd priority has stuff that is highly recommended and 3rd are things that you can survive without but might make things easier. Make sure you follow the regulations for the 1st priority items, because shoes have to be within regulations. Pack light or pack it all, just know that whatever you bring on R-Day, you will carry around practically the whole day. I can make another post about things I highly recommend you pack, if ya’ll are interested.
R-day is a blur. Its hectic and fast-paced, and you won’t really have a chance to think until that night. I heard many girls cry that evening, but I’m not much of a crier and honestly, just know that R-day is just a mental game. Do what you’re told, go where you’re supposed to go, show respect, you’ll be fine. For me, the hardest thing was that I brought pretty much everything on all lists, and as a short person, I found it hard to carry all of it around with me for the day. But I did it, so you can too, or you can pack smarter.
On R-day, you meet your roommate, your squad leader, and your squad. You report to the infamous cadet in the red sash, you go through some screenings, you do pull-ups, you change into the PT (physical training) uniform, you get all of your stuff issued to you, you eat fast, and finally you put all of your things in your room and start organizing. It’s crazy and I don’t remember most of what happened even though it was only months ago. It’s both the longest and the shortest day.
Beast
Beast is divided into two parts. During Beast 1, you are taught how to be a cadet as well as the basics about being a soldier. These soldier skills are refined and applied during Beast 2, which we spend at Camp Buckner.
Beast 1 is a crash course of sorts. You go to morning PT, you go to briefs on topics like sexual assault, majors, branches, other things. They issue a knowledge book that you are responsible to learn, so much of your time is spend standing and reading this book. You learn shooting positions and basic rifle care. You also learn the basics of drill as well as how to wear the uniforms you are issued, and how to ruck.
Beast 2 is the application part. You spend this in the field, meaning that you pack all of your belongings, some of which are sent over to Buckner, the rest of which you carry on your back and ruck 9 miles. Then you spend nights in the field learning how to set up patrol bases and do other military things. This part is based on discipline you learned the previous 3 weeks, and it really teaches you to work as a team and to trust your “battle buddies.”
The Academic Year
Finally, the six weeks are over and you enter a week of admin called Re-organization week in which you get a Team leader, a cadet one year older who takes you around to get your books and other items and answers all the questions you could have about the upcoming school semester. Your TL is there for you the whole semester and he or she will come in every week to counsel you and answer questions.
The school year is as hard as you make it. What I mean is if you have good time management, then it won’t be so bad. If you validate classes, which you will have a chance to do during Beast, then you may be placed in advanced courses which can sometimes mean a bigger courseload. If you do your homework and have friends who can answer your questions if you get stuck, then the class is exponentially better. Also, teachers are always available and usually respond to emails. They love helping you out and are very willing to stay after class to answer questions.
Classes are about an hour and have no more than 18 people in it. The physical education classes have more, around 40, but they are mandatory. Every plebe takes Military Movement and Boxing, even women now, but many people enjoy boxing. Mil Move is a harder class to master if you’re not a gymnast to begin with, but again, there are tutoring sessions and plenty of upperclassmen you are willing to help you out if you make the time and effort.
A lot of people are tired, so coffee is always available and many people own coffee machines or keurig coffee makers. Just be careful not to let the stress get to you because that’s when many people start drinking Monster energy drinks in large quantities and dipping. Yes, tobacco is very, very available and used here, which is a problem not only at West Point but in the Army in general.
So that’s the end of my post. I know it’s very long, but if even one person reads it and finds it helpful, I’ll be happy! I addressed things that both girls and guys will face, but I can talk a little more about the specific issues girls have, if ya’ll want. Let me know if you have any questions, general or specific, and I can give you an insider’s perspective.
Thanks 
@TheMoreYouKnow thank you. It is very helpful. I may suggest my daughter to apply.
@annamom That’s awesome!! Let me know if ya’ll have any questions!
Hi, your first post was really helpful! Could you explain a little more about what it is like for girls at West Point? Are they treated differently? And also what are some things I could do to increase my chances of getting in? (I just finished my freshman year of high school). Thanks so much!
@TheMoreYouKnow, sorry didn’t tag you in my above post. Thanks for any advice you might have!