<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>