<p>I just wanted to know does Being a military kid or a Legacy (related to an ALumni) give one any advantage in any aspect of West Point?</p>
<p>You can apply for a military-affiliated nomination (Presidential). For my Coast Guard and Air Force summer program essays I mentioned my dad's military career. Not sure if it helps, but I think it could show them that you have some sort of what idea of what you're getting into. Past that I'm not sure.</p>
<p>When I applied I was repeatedly told that candidates are scored for admission entirely objectively, e.g., you get X points for having 3.8 gpa, Y points for being on a varsity team, etc, and the kids with the best scores soonest get in. </p>
<p>On the other hand, it's tough for me to believe that if dad's a general who taught at USMA and grandpa went there too, they wouldn't make room for you.</p>
<p>Unless things have changed I don't believe the application asks for any information regarding whether you have/had relatives at the academy. I imagine you or someone else would have to go out of their way to make that info known to the admissions folks (perhaps during an interview or in your application essay).
In any event it's your own file that will either make or break you.
Good Luck!</p>
<p>I have a friend who has a similar background his dad is a General and and Alumni. He is really smart though so he did not need any help.</p>
<p>Short answer: It can't hurt. </p>
<p>The application DOES ask for information about relatives. It asks "Do you have a brother or sister presently attending a U.S. Service Academy?" and "Was either parent a graduate of any U.S. Service Academy?".</p>
<p>I'll guarantee that if a kid with the last name of Schwarzkopf applied, there would be some pretty quick checking to see if they were related to H. Norman.</p>
<p>A representative from admissions actually sought out my older son (2008) and asked him directly if he thought his brother (2011) would do well.</p>
<p>a friend of mine is named Sam Thayer and he is directly related to the Thayer of West Point. he says he gets stuff all the time from West Point asking him and his siblings to consider applying to West Point but, unfortunately for the Thayer legacy, i don't think they have any interest.</p>
<p>I think there is a difference between recruitung candidates simply because they are legacies and recruitng them because the academy thinks they might do well. I would suspect that recruiting legacies for West Point would fall under the the latter instance. The academy is always looking for indicators of the possibilities of success.</p>
<p>How it was explained to me was that admissions gives one more points being a legacy, although the presidential nom is the best part of the deal.</p>
<p>Interesting article (short)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5625378%5B/url%5D">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5625378</a></p>
<p>I suppose it all comes down to "why" a legacy might be given the "nod", all other things being equal (or not). Is it because it is an indicator of potential success or simply a vestige of a by-gone era built around privilage and influence? Hopefully the former---and I suspect it is. Again, when it comes down to it, the candidate will have to stand or fall on the strength of his/her application.</p>