1. General Information
Because of the competition for nominations, you are urged to apply to every nominating authority which your eligibility allows (U.S. Senators, Congressman Rogers, or Vice-President Cheney). In order that more Eighth District applicants have an opportunity to be reviewed by the academies, please let me know immediately if you are nominated by another authority or are no longer interested in pursuing an appointment to one of the service academies.
Careful thought should be given to your first choice of an academy. Second choices can be considered only in the event that there are not a sufficient number of qualified candidates in an academy category to fill a slate of nominees. However, it is strongly recommended that you provide a second choice on your application.
Certain information is required as outlined below in order for you to be considered as an applicant. It is your responsibility to submit this information and to keep it updated.
2. Requirements
A) Residency: Applicant must be a legal resident of the 8th Congressional District of Michigan. Please pay careful attention to this because of the upcoming redistricting for the state of Michigan.
B) Application Form: The application from must be completed and returned before the application deadline. Formal candidacy is established in my office upon receipt of the completed application. It is not necessary to send all required information at once.
C) Transcript: An official transcript of your high school record and class rank must be submitted. This transcript must show your final junior grades and class rank (percentile will not be accepted). If you apply before this information is available, it is your responsibility to request and up-to-date transcript to keep your records current.
D) College Board Tests: Your ACT or SAT scores are required entrance examinations by the service academies. You only need to submit one of them. Applicants are responsible for registration for tests and requesting scores be sent to the academy and to my office. Make sure you schedule your exam so that scores will arrive before the deadline. If you submit more than one, the higher scores will be used.
E) Essay: An essay is required (250 words or less) detailing why you wish to attend a service academy and why you should be considered for nomination.
E) Medical Examination: All applicants are required to complete a complete medical physical by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB). They are arranged by the service academy and the results are forwarded to us by the respective academy.
F) Leadership Potential: Leadership potential and physical fitness are judged from the information provided on your application form. This information should be kept up-to-date. Unlike the civilian colleges, the service academies place strong emphasis on physical training. Therefore, consideration must be given to each candidates abilities in these areas.
3. Basis for Selection
Selections are made competitively on the basis of a composite of academic factors, leadership potential, extracurricular activities, physical fitness, and recommendations. Normally, a competitive candidate will have an SAT score above 500 on verbal and 550 on math, or an ACT score above 22 on English and 26 on Math. A student should stand in the upper fifth of their class. The higher you scores and class standing, the greater chance for a nomination, assuming qualifications in the remaining areas of consideration.
One of the most important considerations in the selection of nominees is motivation -- the candidate's desire to attend the academy. It is also the most difficult to measure. To an extent, motivation can be judged by the candidate's diligence in completing their file, which is one reason those with incomplete files are not considered for nomination. In addition, candidates are asked to write an essay on their reasons for wanting to attend the academy.
|