<p>(Naval Academy, Military Academy, Air Force Academy,etc. )</p>
<p>Why are their acceptance rates so low, yet they don't rank very high in the rankings? Aren't these very competitive schools, so then why don't they have great academics?</p>
<p>Let's say I want to go to the Air Force Academy. Does that mean I have to become a cadet, or can I just graduate with a major in, let's say, aeronautical engineering?</p>
<p>Btw, how come their acceptance is so low, even lower than most of the ivies.</p>
<p>Here's my understanding of the military academies:</p>
<p>Essentially, the Academies are for training future officers in the armed forces. In addition to the Bachelor's degree, each student receives extensive training in various skills needed for the armed forces. I think there's a minimum number of years of service each student has to serve after graduating (after all, you are getting 4 years of education for free)</p>
<p>It is very competitive to get in; I believe each applicant needs to apply for a nomination letter from their congressman.</p>
<p>If you want more details, I'd recommend posting in the Service Parents Forum of the US Service Academies (you could also post in each Academy's page, but the Service Parents one is more general)</p>