How To Apply To Service Academy

Congressman Fattah accepts applications for nomination for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy.  For the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard, we can provide recommendations and applications, but the student must apply directly to those academies for acceptance. 

Department of Defense 

U.S. Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, CO 1-800-443-9266 http://www.usafa.edu/rr		U.S. Military Academy West Point, NY 1-845-938-4041 http://www.usma.edu
U.S. Naval Academy Annapolis, MD 1-410-293-4361 http://www.usna.edu		Department of Transportation U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, NY 1-866-546-4778 http://www.usmma.edu
U.S. Coast Guard Academy New London, CT 1-860-444-8500 http://cga.edu

Eligibility 

A Member of Congress is allowed a maximum of five nominations at each academy during any given year.  We are authorized to nominate up to ten individuals for each vacancy in the entering class. 

Since the process is so competitive, we recommend that candidates apply to both U.S. Senators as well.

The Merchant Marine and Coast Guard Academies are the exception to this guideline. 

The regulations of the Air Force, Army and Naval Academies require that a nominee reside in the Congressional District of the nominating Congressman.  Therefore all applicants must reside in the Second Congressional District. The parents of the applicant must have a legal voting address in the district.  If the applicant moves out of the Second Congressional District, he or she must notify the Congressional Office immediately so the applicant’s file can be transferred to the proper office as soon as possible. 

Candidates to the service academies must be United States citizens and permanent residents of Pennsylvania.  They must be at least 17 years old, but have not yet passed their 23^rd birthday (For Merchant Marines, a candidate may not have passed his 25^th birthday).  Candidates cannot be married and cannot have children.  These stipulations have been established by the service academies. 

Method of Nomination 

Congressman Fattah uses the “COMPETITIVE” form of nomination to the Service Academies.  Members of Congress who use this method submit their nominees to the academies unranked.  The academies then review the nominees whom they feel is the most qualified. 

If an applicant has a parent who is on active duty or a retired military person, disabled, or a deceased relative, the applicant must review the instructions in the service academy literature to learn additional ways to receive a nomination. 

Application Process 

The application process for an academy nomination is challenging.  We recommend beginning the process by the spring of your junior year in high school.  After an application has been completed, it MUST be returned to the mailing address, as noted below. 

The following materials need to be submitted IN ONE PACKAGE, no later than the deadline on the current Application for Nomination.

• A completed Application for Nomination, including a recent photograph.
• High School transcripts
• TWO letters of recommendations that are written by individuals who are very familiar with the applicant.  The recommendations may be written by teachers, coaches, employers, clergy, veterans, neighbors, and other non-family members.  The recommendations must be written by someone who can accurately comment on an applicant’s character, ability, motivation, and potential.
• SAT and/or ACT scores.  These are acceptable from high school transcripts.
• A one page, typed essay explaining the applicant’s motivation to go to a service academy. 

Pre-Candidate Questionnaire 

If the applicant has not already done so, he or she must contact the Admissions Office at the Service Academy directly.  The candidate must request a Pre-Candidate Questionnaire to “Open a File” at each school to which he or she is applying.  

After completing and returning the form for each school, the candidate will be informed of the application requirements. 

Mailing Address 

All application materials and correspondence should be mailed to:

Congressman Chaka Fattah
4104 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 387-6404 

Finally 

There are many difficulties and complexities of each service academy.  The Office of Congressman Fattah will make every effort to work with the applicant and his or her family to explain the process and encourage the applicant through the system.  We are very proud of the young men and women who have been nominated or are currently appointed to each of the service academies.  We wish all applicants the best of success.