Military Academy applications have a lot of steps, and there are several things students should be doing throughout their high school careers to be prepared on time!
By Sophomore Year: Take Challenging Academic Classes
Most majors at military academies are looking for your choices in STEM courses, particularly in math, chemistry, and physics. They want to see that, when the option was available, you went with the more challenging version of the course, and then earned strong grades. Most cadets are from the top 25% of their classes.
By Junior Year: Get involved in sports and start practicing for fitness exam
Sports help you develop physically and provide opportunities to be a team member and leader, so they can knock out a few requirements in one activity.
Whether you’re in sports or not, start working on the different skills from the physical exam with free resources like Stew Smith Fitness!
Also By Junior Year: Find ways to get involved in leadership within your interests
Get connected to a cause or activity you care about enough to help fix a problem or bring people together for a common purpose. Caring for your family or performing family obligations also counts!
Fall of Junior Year: Start your SAT or ACT test prep
Start your test prep in summer or fall of junior year, and take the test by February at the latest so that you can have strong scores by April of junior year.
You’ll want to aim for above-average scores to secure your place:
For SAT: At least a 600 Verbal and at least a 700 Math score.
For ACT: At least a 27 in each subject, with higher priority on Math and Science.
Learn about the SAT and the ACT to choose the right test for you!
Winter of Junior Year: (Optional) Apply for Summer Leadership Program
Each academy has a summer program that helps prepare you for what attending a military academy will be like and gives you a head start on the application process.
Check out the requirements for the Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and West Point summer programs.
April of Junior Year: Preliminary Application
Designate yourself as an applicant and fill out the required information which is very similar to the Common App: Your grades, activities, essay questions, etc.
