<p>I've hear about this place and I was wondering what are the minimal requirments to get accepted into USMAPS? Is it open to high school students?</p>
<p>You cannot apply to Prep, the Admissions Committee will automatically consider an applicant once it has been determined they will not be granted an appointment for the current class. Yes, it is open to high school students. Every year there are around 200 Prepsters, of which about seventy percent come directly from high school and thirty percent from the regular Army. A great number of the class will be athletes needing to boost their SAT while also getting in a year of training before West Point. If you are offered the opportunity to attend Prep, I would strongly consider it. There are many advantages to being a Prepster. I know, our son was one.</p>
<p>What if I have great SATs and ACTs but my GPA is not that strong?</p>
<p>Then you might be a good candidate for Prep, or a great candidate to attend college for a year to improve your GPA. Remember, West Point is one of the most difficult schools in the world and because of the demands placed on the cadet, the Admissions Committee wants to make certain you are capable of succeeding in the tough environment. I remember reading a comment by a Harvard student during a tour of West Point saying "I know I couldn't cut it here". SAT scores and high GPA's are but one measure of success. I don't know of any minimal scores required to be a Prepster, but it's far from what you think, trust me. And also remember, if you really want to attend the Academy and don't get in on your first attempt, try again next year. It is NOT like a regular college, meaning there are other "freshmen" who are as old as 23 years, something you typically do not see at State U. A more mature individual will have a much better chance of success than most kids fresh out of high school who don't know the first thing about the Army. Remember, USMAPS was created as a way for the enlisted soldier to gain admission into West Point. A good portion of the RA's (regular Army soldiers) have seen combat before attending Prep. They have invaluable experience that an untrained high school kid simply can't comprehend, no matter how smart he is.</p>
<p>So lets say I attend the city college, and I improve my GPA and take hard classes and etc. I can still transfer/re-apply to USMA</p>
<p>In the admissions packet though there is a card that you can fill out saying that you would be interested in USMAPS or a prep school like Marion Military that puts you in an entirely different catagory when re-applying. What they told us here is they are our appointments to lose, ie by doing something stupid, or failing etc</p>
<p>You may re-apply to West Point every year until you are no older than 23 on R-Day of that year. The reason for this is that you have to be 27 or under for a commission (23 + 4 years=27). You cannot transfer into any of the academies, everyone starts at the bottom as a plebe. The Academy will look favorably on your application in subsequent years as it shows determination. As long as you keep improving yourself, you stand a better chance of acceptance. And as you probably figured out, a Prepster must be no older than 22 to begin at USMAPS.</p>
<p>There actually is another path you might consider. Every year the Association of Graduates at West Point gives a certain number of scholarships (I think this year it was about 60) to young men and women to attend a military junior college for one year that for a number of reasons didn't get into West Point on the first try or are the waiting list. The scholarship recipients are identified, I believe, by the Admissions Committee as strong candidates for the next years class at West Point. The recipients do not compete per se with the other candidates seeking admission to West Point in a given year. They do not have a guarantee of admission to West Point, but its as close as it can be. The recipient needs to make good grades during the year and get a nomination from the appropriate source to be considered...but the success rate is really high for getting into West Point. If this sounds like something you might be interested in tell your MALO and/or Admissions Officer.</p>
<p>The two military junior colleges that have the largest number of AOG scholars are Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama and New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico. My son is spending this year in Marion, Alabama and I can't tell you how pleased he has been with his choice. The professors are top rate and take a real interest in each cadets progress. I think this year Marion has 22 AOG scholars. The other military junior colleges are in Pennsylvania, Missouri and I think Georgia. Good luck and always keep your options open. There are many roads to the prize...</p>