West Point

June 30th, 2009 admin Leave a comment Go to comments

West Point

What is one way that can basically ensure me of getting in to west point?

I've got a lot of time to get prepared, and i really want to get accepted in to West Point, any suggestions of what i can do to ensure me of getting in?

There are only two ways to ensure an appointment.
1) Be a triple qualified(triple q'd-scholastically, physically, medically) son/daughter of a Medal of Honor recipient.
2) Be politically well enough connected so that one of the pre candidates MOC(Rep and Senators) will name him as his Principal Nomination regardless of whether West Point has assigned a higher whole candidate score to any other of the MOC's nominated candidates. A fully qualified Principal Nomination wins the appointment.
Back to reality, a high probability of an appointment can be assured by attaining an academic composite and extracurricular composite well within LOA(letter of assurance) range, having great letters of recommendation from a high school English and Math teacher, a good MALO Interview, a good written evaluation by an SLS squad leader and knocking off a maxed out CFA at West Point SLS. About half the pre candidates selected for SLS are offered appointments. See the West Point Class of 2013 Profile:
http://admissions.usma.edu/moreInfo/Profile2013.pdf
However, I believe the figures quoted there are on the low side because they include approximately 250 students who spend a year at USMAPS, who are almost exclusively recruited athletes or students recruited to meet certain other academy goals, but who are not scholastically competitive for a service academy without additional prep beyond high school. The stats given in Usafa's Class of 2013 profile are probably more indicative of the range for a pre candidate not recruited to meet athletic or other academy goals, since they do not include USAFAPS students.
https://admissions.usafa.edu/RRC/Class_of_2013_profile.pdf
The selection process is nearly identical at West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy. The biggest difference is probably in the qualifying medical standards and waivers granted for varying medical conditions.
Great advice to prep for any service academy is offered on the Usafa website:
http://www.academyadmissions.com/#Page/Preparation
[Be sure to open all links to the left of the dialog box.]
It is helpful to read the first chapter of the Air Force Academy catalog on Admissions. The weighting of the whole candidate score for the average candidate(non recruited) by which selection decisions are made is depicted on the top of page 7.
http://www.academyadmissions.com/#Page/Videos_and_Downloads
The academies consider the Academic composite.
Academic Composite=PAR + Standardized test scores
PAR = Weighted GPA + Class rank based on weighted GPA.
The Academic Composite which makes up about 60% of the Whole Candidate Score, as noted in the Pie Chart at the above link.
Usna Class of 2013 Portrait shows similar accomplishments:
http://www.usna.edu/admissions/documents/Class%20Portrait%202013.pdf
It is helpful to understand the three tiered nature of competition for an appointment, and that each MOC(candidates rep or senator) can have five nominated cadets/mids at each of the four service academies that use nominations at any point in time, so 20 total. Uscga does not use nominations. For each vacancy due to graduation or other separation from the academy, an MOC can nominate 10 cadets to compete for the appointment.
1) National competition for an LOA(letter of assurance)
http://www.usna.edu/admissions/steps10.htm
[Note: appointments on an LOA are not charged off to the nominating MOC]
2) Competition within nominating sources
3) National competition for declined offers of appointment, strictly according to whole candidate scores.
Be sure to apply for the summer seminars at the Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, and West Point during Junior year. This year the Air Force Academy began accepting Summer Seminar applications on Dec 1 and West Point on Dec 14 and . Usna opens for Summer Seminar on Feb 1 and is the best chance to attend a summer seminar. 2200 places v 1000 at West Point and 1100 at the Air Force Academy. Make sure that you have practiced to knock off a maxed out CFA at Summer Seminar.
http://admissions.usma.edu/MoreInfo/summer.cfm
http://www.academyadmissions.com/#Page/Summer_Seminar
http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/nass.htm
http://www.usna.edu/admissions/documents/Summer%20Seminar%202010%20web.pdf
Prep for the SAT and ACT and start to take both and continue to sit the exams till you have scores in LOA range. The Math on the SAT is limited to Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2. The ACT includes Trigonometry. There are three SAT test dates left this year. Don't have your scores sent to anyone at this point, except of course the summer seminars if you are a Junior. If you are a team captain that will also help as the academies consider team captain to be significant leadership, around 2/3 of each service academy class are team captains. Be sure to compete for selection to Boy's State during Junior year as the service academies consider Boy's State a very high form of leadership and recruit at Boy's State events.If you are not an NHS member, do the community service needed to apply and be selected. Again the academies consider NHS to be a sign of leadership and around 2/3 of each class have been NHS members. If you are a Boy Scout, earn Eagle Scout. If in CAP earn Billy Mitchell. Both of these awards are exemplary of leadership. If you have any questions about the above, let me know.
Good Luck!