West Point Admissions Information

Founded in 1802, the United States Military Academy-West Point is the world’s premier service academy, renowned for developing leaders in four critical areas: academic, military, physical, and moral. As the country's oldest service academy, West Point provides a free and highly respected education for young men and women. It was named the Top Public Liberal Arts College by U.S. News and World Report, and upholds a reputation for providing a balanced education in the arts and sciences. Voted #4 for Most Accessible Professors, West Point offers a core curriculum of 31 courses with attentive faculty in small classrooms which allows cadets to study a field in depth. Cadets are strenuously trained academically, physically, and militarily and upon graduation, students are commissioned as second lieutenant. Ranking in the top four for producing Rhodes and Hertz Scholarship winners, West Point has produced a number of distinguished leaders that include Ulysses S. Grant, George S. Patton, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Buzz Aldrin, and Douglas MacArthur.

In addition to their strenuous physical and intellectual daily undertakings, West Point cadets pursue a wide range of extracurricular activities. The school mandates that all students participate in at least one intercollegiate, club, or intramural sport each semester as part of the compulsory Physical Program. In addition, it offers 100 extracurricular activities, from academic organizations such as the debate team and Arabic Language Club, to special interest groups such as the Fly Fishing Club and Paintball/Close Combat Team. Cadets live in barracks for all four years and receive a monthly stipend.

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West Point has a 14% acceptance rate and has extremely competitive admissions standards. The process for applicants is extensive and demanding as candidates are evaluated based on their academic, physical, and leadership potential. In order to be eligible for admission, students must be U.S. citizens, at least 17 but not yet 23 by July 1 of year admitted, unmarried, not pregnant, and without legal child support obligations.

Prospective students must follow a multi-step process in applying to West Point. First, the applicant must apply for nomination by a member of Congress and pass the initial screening. Following the initial screening are physical and medical exams and a Candidate Fitness Assessment, which are important in admission. West Point places weight on the rigor of high school record, class rank, standardized test scores, and letters of recommendations to determine a student's academic qualifications. Demonstrated leadership potential through extracurricular activities and character/personal qualities are also very important. Important admissions factors are the application essay, racial status, talent, and the level of the applicant's interest. Additional considerations of lesser importance are the student's interview, and volunteer and work experience. When applying to West Point, a student should be sure to showcase his or her academic and leadership achievements and demonstrate that he or she is fully committed to West Point.

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