There are five Service Academies:
• the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), located in Colorado Springs, CO;
• the United States Naval Academy (USNA), located in Annapolis, MD;
• the United States Military Academy (USMA), located in West Point, NY;
• the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), located in Kings Point, NY; and
• the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), located in New London, CT.
GETTING NOMINATED TO A UNITED STATES SERVICE ACADEMY: HOW IT WORKS
Nominations are required for all but the USCGA, to which appointments are made on the basis of an annual nationwide competition. For the USAFA, USNA, and USMA, there are various nomination authorities. Each eligible student may apply for nomination to both United States Senators from the applicant's state, to his or her United States Representative, and to the Vice President of the United States. For the USMMA, the locality boundary for nomination by a Representative is the State in which the District lies rather than just the District itself.
Each Representative and each Senator is allowed to have no more than five students at any one academy at any one time. For each vacancy, ten nominations may be made on a strictly competitive basis. In the spring of your junior year of high school, you should begin the application process with the academy of choice and, if applicable, submit your request for a congressional service academy nomination to my Dallas office and to the offices of Texas’ U.S. Senators. It is advisable to apply to all three sources, as well as to the Vice President of the United States, in order to maximize your chances of receiving a nomination. I also recommend that you plan to take both the SAT and the ACT during your junior year. Each of these tests has a slightly different emphasis, so it is advisable to take both tests to see which one measures your educational background more favorably. Then, if you feel you may improve on your previous scores by retaking the test, it may be possible to do so prior to the deadline for application.
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICE ACADEMIES 1.
As of July 1 of the year of entry to a service academy, you must be at least 17 years old, but not have passed your 23rd birthday. 2. You must be a citizen of the United States, unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation for support of a child or other dependents.
PREPARATION
Members of Congress want to nominate outstanding individuals who will have the best chance to qualify for appointment. The nominations are very competitive and are based upon a combination of academic achievement, leadership performance, and athletic participation.
All applications are due in the district office no later than Octocer 15 of any year and interested candidates should contact the office well in advance of that date to insure they have sufficient time to complete the application package. To meet the fierce competition for appointment and the demands placed on cadets at the academies, a thorough preparation is necessary. Applicants’ dedication, desire to serve others, ability to accept discipline, sense of duty and morality, and enjoyment of challenges will be given careful consideration. The decision to seek a nomination must be your own. The influence of parents, friends, or others, no matter how well-intentioned, seldom provides motivation to meet the rigorous challenges you will encounter at the academies. A college preparatory high school education provides the best background for the academic challenges at the academies. Four years of English, four years of math, with a strong background in algebra, trigonometry, functional analysis and analytic geometry, will better prepare you for the ACT and the SAT, as well as the academic expectations of the academies. To meet the physical fitness requirements, you should participate in both individual and team sports throughout high school.
Where possible, these should be organized, competitive sports. In addition, individual fitness programs to strengthen the upper body, improve your running speed, and build your endurance should be your objective. If you do not already know how to swim, you should learn. While not required for admission, you must be able to swim at least 500 feet in five minutes to pass the swimming test during the first summer. Quality of involvement in athletic and non-athletic activities, rather than quantity, is the key. Leadership in a few select activities, rather than being a " joiner" of many, is a real plus. I hope this information is helpful to you in preparing for your entry into the nomination process. If you have any questions regarding this process, please feel free to contact my Dallas office at 972.392.0505.