What West Point Military School Looks For In A Candidate

West Point is looking for well rounded young men andinvolves "making time" but the point is that you
women who are good students, good athletes, anddemonstrate balance in your accomplishments.
good leaders. The balance is very important as itEnlisting in the Army or National Guard is certainly a
demonstrates that the candidate can achieve successviable alternative path to West Point. It is also, I will
in multiple areas.note, a path less often taken and there is much less
While that balance is important, not every candidate iscompetition in the military admissions category.
equally balanced. Some are stronger in some areasIf you are concerned about athletic participation (not to
than others. The point is that if you are weak in anbe confused with your athletic capabilities) and you are
area, to be competitive you need to make up for thatSERIOUS about getting in to West Point, this is an
weakness somewhere else, or work to reduce thatexcellent path.
weakness.If you enlisted in the National Guard, for example, and
In your case I would suggest that some level ofcompleted basic training next summer, you can apply
participation in sports and activities would certainly helpto West Point and be treated in an entirely different
your ability to compete. It is definitely NOT too late, butcategory. You will have to demonstrate leadership and
you need to act sooner than later. Find a winter sportathletic ability to get good recommendations from your
and spring sport to participate in. Join school clubs;military chain of command, but this may be an
participate in church activities; get that job and showexcellent option for you.
that you can achieve in school while holding down aThe question is not what percentage of enlisted
part-time job.members gets in to West Point, but rather what
Again, gaining a better balance in the three areas willpercentage of an incoming West Point class comes
go a long way towards making you a competitivefrom the enlisted ranks. The answer is that about 200
candidate.soldiers from the Prep School, Army and National
You should take the toughest course load you canGuard are admitted in each class. That, today,
handle. Do well and that will put you in the mostrepresents about 15% of the incoming class.
competitive position. The issue of "credit" for collegeI certainly know of who you are talking about he is a
courses at West Point is often a point of confusion.legend in the Army. Being related to such a figure will
You will certainly get "credit" in the sense that successreinforce your admission in that your motivation to
in college level courses certainly helps your academicattend West Point will be more clearly understood.
evaluation.You still need to be fully qualified academically,
That doesn't mean, though, that your course load atmedically and physically, but it certainly doesn't hurt to
West Point will be diminished. It's a 47 month programbe related to him.
for everyone with a prescribed 32 course "core"Keep at it, you might get in and you might not. Check
curriculum plus 10 to 14 courses for your major. If youout your Army and National Guard options and
have taken a college level course, you won't have toconsider them seriously. I would also contact your
repeated it, but you will have to take either a moreAdmissions Commander at West Point and discuss all
advanced version of the course or a different course.this directly with him. That way you will know ahead of
Holding down a job while doing well in everything elsetime what you might be able to do if you there is
certainly helps in your leadership evaluation, so don'tsomething that you do not have or need.
hesitate to proceed in that direction. In a sense that