Many high school juniors are just beginning their college search. But for those who are interested in our nation’s military academies, there is no time to waste, as their application processes begin earlier and are much more involved than that for other colleges and universities.
Each branch of the military has its own academy, so there are five academies total: the Military Academy (also known as West Point), the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy.
While the application process for each academy differs slightly, they share some commonalities. For example, most of them encourage students to start the application process in the spring of their junior year. All of them require applicants to have a medical exam and to take a physical fitness test.
All of the academies require SAT or ACT scores, and some of them will not accept scores from tests taken with extended time. Some academies require more recommendation letters than traditional colleges and/or require that letters be written by teachers of certain subjects. Aside from students applying to the the Coast Guard Academy, applicants must be nominated by their members of Congress.
Most of the academies have summer programs for students who have completed their junior year of high school. These programs enable students to see what it’s like to attend the academy and also are a great way to demonstrate interest in the academy. The application deadline for some of these programs already has passed, while others are coming up very soon.
If you’re interested in the military academies, you can learn more by visiting their websites using the links below:
