How to Get Into a Military Academy
For your application to be considered, you need a recommendation from a Member of Congress or something similar. The reality is you probably need political connections. If you have no idea how to get a nomination, it might be better to look at other college plans.
Congressional Nomination Process
Children of senior officers also get nominations. There are a few for children of Medal of Honor recipients. There are also some places that go to enlisted military. If you are a recruited athlete, the coach may be able to help get you a nomination.
The Merchant Marine Academy does not require a Congressional nomination like the other academies.
Athletic and Physical Requirements for Military Academies
The athletic requirements rule out most students who are academically qualified. They look for someone who has a letter in a sport. It is also highly desirable to be the captain of a team, for leadership ability. Team sports, like football, are preferred. Being an Eagle Scout is really important.
Leadership and Character Requirements
You also have to be in good shape medically. A disciplinary record at school or too many traffic tickets can disqualify you.
They are looking for leadership in other activities besides sports. Writing ability is important. Recommendations are also more important than for other schools. You can be disqualified if you are not in perfect physical shape. Too many traffic tickets or a school disciplinary record can also rule you out. It is important to understand that they are considering you for a job, so the intangibles they look for in applicants is different than civilian colleges.
Military Academy Requirements vs Other Colleges
You can be accepted at all the Ivies and have no chance at a military academy, if you don’t have a nomination and meet the athletic requirements, etc. However, the academic requirements at the academies are significantly more difficult than for becoming an officer through ROTC or OCS.
Is Military Academy Free? Costs and Benefits
Tuition at military academies is free. This is in contrast to competitive colleges and universities, which are very expensive. Some students there get financial aid, but many get in on money and connections. As a result, military academies are about the same level of “preppy” as comparable civilian schools.
Military Academy Curriculum and Training
The curriculum is basically 4 equal parts: straight military courses; basic engineering, including the math and science necessary for that; relevant academic subjects, history, international relations, geography, psychology, etc.; and a major. The major is generally more on one of the required courses. Even if you have an English major, you study basic engineering. There are majors very oriented towards military careers, as well as obviously relevant ones, like engineering or military history. In addition, a lot of your time will be taken in athletics, marches, running, swimming, drill, target practice, etc.
Most of the instructors are military officers. There is limited time for studying with all the military activities. Of course it is not so much academic theory as some civilian universities.
There are advantages in that it is a more general education, plus mandatory basic engineering, combined with athletics and management training. Plus it is very challenging to prepare you for challenges in career and life, not to mention possible combat.
Military Academy System in the US vs UK
This is different from the system in Britain, where it is a one year course, only about military issues. Most cadets there apply after university, but most are still “public school”, that is prep school, graduates. This is not at all true in the US.
History of US Military Academies
In the 19th century, when the Civil War officers studied, West Point was all fixed curriculum, similar to today, but with no major. Then Congressmen directly appointed the cadets with no academic requirements. They were given an exam when they got to the Academy, and those who failed it were sent home. Then the students at the top of their class became Engineers and the next ranking became Artillery. Civil War General JEB Stuart purposefully did badly enough to be put in Cavalry, which he probably found more fun than Artillery.
West Point was founded by Jefferson after failures of poor commanders in Indian wars. Annapolis was founded in the mid 19th century. Before that cadets would train on ships. They were called midshipmen, because they slept between the officers in the front and the enlisted men and the back. The Air Force Academy was founded in the 1950s. They made up new traditions there, as the older academies had long time traditions.
Military Academy Life and Challenges
Cadets will be extremely busy between academics and all the required athletic and military activities. They order each other around and are trained to command. There is fairly serious hazing. It is not really a pleasant experience. West Point cadets call it the grey prison.
It is sort of like 4 years of boot camp with academics and leadership. It is a difficult and not pleasant experience and it is not for everyone.
Some civilian universities are very intense, but the emphasis is on academics, without all the athletics and marching around.
Military Academy Dropout Rate
About 20% of cadets do not graduate. Many of those drop out during the first summer. If they drop out during the first 2 years, there is no military service obligation.
Military Academy vs ROTC and OCS
Officially, academy graduates are treated the same as ROTC and OCS graduates. The other methods have a less rigorous selection process and a less extreme military experience. ROTC is reserve officers training and only some of the graduates are offered an option of active duty. Some of the ROTC students have military scholarships. Civilians and enlisted / non-commissioned officers can apply to Officers Candidate School, which is about a 3 month program.
Career and Promotions After Military Academy
I think academy graduates get first choice of assignments. I saw that most Naval Academy graduates become pilots, submarine officers, or choose the Marines. Those are probably the most difficult and dangerous assignments, and also have good promotion possibilities.
Promotions to O3 (Army Captain) are close to automatic. After that they get progressively more difficult. It is up or out for officers. If you get passed up for promotion twice, you are out. About half of academy graduates continue on active duty after the required 6 years military service. Some choose to leave and some have to leave because they were passed up for promotion. Academy graduates probably have a significantly better chance of getting promotions if they want to stay in.
There is a good pension retiring after 20 years service, but many officers have to leave before getting there. Promotions to O6 (Army Colonel) are difficult. About 1/10 of O6s make O7 (Brigadier General).
Life After Military Service
Most academy graduates become managers in civilian life. Often, someone retiring as a senior officer moves directly into corporate middle management.
Is a Military Academy Right for You?
Understand that not only does a military career result in certain danger, but you are also being trained for a bureaucratic career. It is probably not as bureaucratic as the civilian federal government, but it is bureaucratic.
At the academies, you will be trained to order people around, but be careful about that in the real military. New O1s are called “butter bars” for the gold bar on their uniforms. Enlisted soldiers are mostly from poor backgrounds, as historically, and there is some resentment of the young O1s. They officially outrank high ranking non-commissioned officers and warrant officers, but that is not as true in practice. The senior non-commissioned officers generally act as assistants to the senior officers, so have power in practice. Junior officers, particularly in infantry, are often in one of the more dangerous jobs. They have little experience, and it may be better for them to more or less relay the instructions of the sergeants. There is also a negative stereotype of “ring tappers”, showing off their West Point rings.
This book gives a more detailed treatment: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1J56V1G/ This is by West Point graduates, and gives the information in a more detailed and drier way than here.
