<p>Say it ain't so.</p>
<p>Ick. Not good. I would imagine the other academies gather the data in a similar manner.</p>
<p>I always thought there was something “off” about the Naval Academy’s numbers on collegeboard. They report an 8% admissions rate, but their superscored SAT numbers do not indicate a highly selective student body.</p>
<p>Does the Naval Academy require a nomination from a congressperson like some of the other military schools do? I could see this extra hurdle (which, in itself, is a part of the application) be a good argument as to why uncompleted applications could be counted towards stats.</p>
<p>I live in naval academy land. Yes, those boys look cute in their uniforms when they’re out and about. </p>
<p>Yes, you also have to have a nomination from your congressmen, and from talking to friends, you must have a 1350/1600 to be admitted at a minimum. Not to mention you better be pretty darn athletic as well.</p>
<p>Interesting - my S, currently a senior in HS, applied for their summer seminar, which is open to high school students who have completed their junior year. He was not selected, but was informed that by virtue of applying to the summer program, he would automatically be considered as an applicant to the Naval Academy for Fall 2012.</p>
<p>Since then, S has decided he has no interest in applying to the Naval Academy, and we have not pursued a nomination. But evidently his application for admission will be counted!</p>
<p>Hmmm . . . it does sound like a strange and hard-to-justify way of counting apps, but it would be a pretty ineffective way to boost your US News ranking. Acceptance rate counts for only 1.5% of the total score. </p>
<p>Of course, sometimes that last 1.5% can make a difference. Right now the Naval Academy is tied with West Point and Vassar for the #14 spot among LACs, each with a raw score of 87. Without “enhancing” its acceptance rate, the Naval Academy could easily fall to #16, or perhaps to #17 behind Hamilton (with a raw score of 86).</p>
<p>On the other hand, you don’t need a nomination from your Member of Congress to apply to Vassar or Hamilton–one of many reasons I’ve always thought the service academies shouldn’t be in US News’ liberal arts college rankings.</p>
<p>The two kids I know who applied and were accepted to the Naval Academy applied because it was the NA, and the rank was probably irrelevant. They both (one boy and one girl) had planned on applying from a very early age.</p>
<p>I doubt it is that hard to get a nomination from a member of Congress. I don’t remember either of these kids being stellar students or athletes - the boy was more of a student (nerd).</p>
<p>I also think that the service academies recruit from the military forces, which would further skew their rank.</p>
<p>I know what the girl (who has graduated) is now doing, and it would be the envy of anybody who knew. Huge envy!</p>
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<p>From what I’ve heard from people who went through the process, this can vary by state, congressional district, and by individual Congress member. If the state/district doesn’t have many high school kids who are gung-ho on Federal military academies and/or one or more of a congress member’s nominees flunks/drops out in the year of application…nominations would be relatively easier. If the opposite is the case, getting one may be difficult/impossible in a given period. </p>
<p>Moreover, some Congress members will have extra requirements such as an essay, passing a civil service exam with a minimum score, and/or a personal interview before deciding to grant the nomination or not.</p>
<p>parent1986, you might be surprised how competitive it is to get a nomination in some states. My son is waiting to find out if he got a nomination from his representative or remaining senator. The first senator had over 250 kids apply for 1 of 4 service academies. I’m sure in some states it’s a breeze to get a nomination, but unfortunately not in all. : )</p>
<p>^^^Sorry if I misstated, and good luck to your son!</p>
<p>Yes, considering that it is a free education I am sure it is competitive.</p>
<p>^ ^</p>
<p>And prestige. Military academy graduates are given great respect in most areas of our country. In some parts of the country…this level of respect far exceeds those given to kids accepted to tippytop private elite colleges.</p>
<p>This is old news. The issue generated some interest when the USNews adopted the Carnegie classification that moved the military academies to the LAC group. In addition to making no sense whatsoever, as it is typical from Bob Morse and his troops at the USnews, the magazine makes no effort to correct information that is blatantly misleading. </p>
<p>Fwiw, here is an older post on the issue:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/6393074-post182.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/6393074-post182.html</a></p>
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<p>Te most recent Class profile is available at <a href=“http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/USNA%202015%20Class%20Portrait.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/USNA%202015%20Class%20Portrait.pdf</a></p>
<p>They are no longer disclosing the correct numbers for the tiered application process.</p>
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<p>That is also incorrect. Half of the enrolled students score below 650 on the SAT for Math and Verbal.</p>
<p>Both of my sons applied to and were appointed to the USNA, USMA and USAFA.</p>
<p>They all require nominations from their sitting members of congress. Or in some cases nominations from the vice-president or president. Nominations are a lengthy application process that is seperate and apart from the application process itself. They require essays (several pages), interviews and seperate LORs from the academies themselves. Each member can have 5 appointment attend at any one time. So 1 senator can be sponsering 5 students at any one time, that includes all 4 years at the acaemies.</p>
<p>So yes it is highly selective for the nominations alone.</p>
<p>Then passing the physical fitness tests is another hurdle.</p>
<p>Then the DODMERB medical fitness exams. Perfect vision, no color-blind, no flat feet, waivers needed for asthma, the use of any medications for ADD or ADHD, any history of mental illness (anxiety, depression regardless of the reason), broken bones, hospitalizations of any kind…the list is over 150+ issues long. Waivers are granted, albeit another hoop.</p>
<p>SAT/ACT scores need to be high, particlarly math.</p>
<p>Leadership needs to be easily seen, in clear sight. Captain of varsity teams.</p>
<p>Apps are started in junior year, completed in senior year. Interviews, LORs, background checks. These are not ordinary college apps.</p>
<p>Son mosts difficult decision was declining his appointment to West Point until April28th after quickly turning down MIT, CalTech, Harvard, Chicago, Duke…for Princeton and ONLY after the commandant at West Point said they would hold his spot when he could later be a field trauma surgeon. To this day he still questions this decision.</p>
<p>For my boys it was an honor and a privilege to be accepted.</p>
<p>If one wants to start an application for one of the SAs they need to fill out a prelim app to determine their eligibility…ie citizen, no criminal record, no drug use, no alchol infractions, no speeding tickets, high enough SATs and GPAs. That would constitute an application. Many are weeded out this way.</p>
<p>And to be clear, the service academies are not free. They pay very dearly for them as do their families.</p>
<p>At noon time meals they roll on the screens in the cafeteria of all the recent fallen soldiers from their previous classes. It is a grim reality that they pay their “free education” with their lives.</p>
<p>Each cadet/midshipman owe 5 years active and 3 or more reserve depending on the needs of the service.</p>
<p>Not free. Not ever.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>^^^^Sorry, that doesn’t describe AT ALL the kids I knew.</p>
<p>Yes, it is true they pay for their education through service. That is usually understood.</p>
<p>And, again, perhaps it is related to the competitiveness of the area, or the economy.</p>
<p>My son has been accepted at USNA. It is not easy to be accepted there even though the academic requirements are a little easier than some other highly ranked schools. The process is just not the same as applications to civilian schools and I think it is nearly impossible to rank the service academies against civilian schools.</p>
<p>In addition to USNA my son has applied to U of Chicago and Williams. I doubt those schools will value my son’s leadership nearly as highly as USNA. They also won’t care what any member of Congress thinks of him, or how many push ups he can do. However, my son’s ACT score was much more impressive at USNA than it was at those schools. It’s just really really really different.</p>
<p>The process does seem very different and there is probably some self selection involved -more kids applying whose parent was a graduate, kids who come from a military background, Eagle Scouts,etc. This is of course a generalization but the whole process seems pretty daunting. The requirements for service after graduation seem pretty well laid out . Proudpatriot,Congratulations to your son.</p>
<p>Why would Naval Academy care about ranking? It is not like average Joe or Jane would apply to the Academy because of its ranking.</p>
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<p>Because there seems to be a perception among recent academy leadership that they need to compete with the elite private colleges/universities on HS academic stats/board scores to maintain/increase their prestige among non-military parents. </p>
<p>A perception that has been discussed/criticized by a cousin and some friends who are/were military officers and editorials written by older academy alums.</p>
<p>cobrat - you have to stop talking about your cousin(s). :)</p>