Introduction
In order to attend a U.S. Service
Academy, you must have a nomination. There are several nominating
sources. If you live in Arizona, Senator Kyl is a potential nominating
source for you.
Senator Kyl nominates candidates
statewide. He uses the competitive method of nominating applicants
to the U.S. Service Academies. Each Member of Congress may nominate
10 candidates each year to each of the following academies: U.S.
Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, U.S.
Military Academy in West Point, New York, and U.S.
Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Applicants wishing to attend
the U.S.
Coast Guard Academy do not need a nomination and must apply
directly to the academy.
Eligibility
Requirements
Candidates may first apply for
a congressional nomination in their junior year of high school.
A candidate must be a U.S. citizen, age 17 to 22 (age 17 to 24
for the Merchant Marine) as of July 1 of the year entering the
academy, and maintain a permanent Arizona residence. If a student
is under 18 years of age, the parents' permanent state of residence
must be Arizona. You may also apply after completing high school.
For those transferring to a service
academy from a college or university, or those who earned college
credits while in high school, those credits are not transferable.
However, if you receive a nomination and an appointment, you will
be tested and placed at an appropriate academic level upon entering
the academy.
Strong math and science courses
in high school help prepare students for the academy curriculum.
Consideration is given to academic record, class rank, extracurricular
activities, SAT/ACT test scores, and leadership experiences.
Because the standardized SAT/ACT tests are an important indicator of your academic ability, it is recommended that you take them early and as often as possible. Each of these tests has a slightly different emphasis, so you should take both to reflect your true potential. The academy considers the highest test score received in each category (Math and Critical Reading/English), regardless of when that score was received. If you wait until your high school senior year to take the tests, you may not have the opportunity to retake them if your scores are not at a competitive level. At least one set of test results must be received in Senator Kyl's Phoenix office by the October deadline of the year prior to entering the academy. You may provide a photocopy of an official report or have the report sent directly by designating Senator Kyl's code: SAT #0230, ACT #7105. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide the test reports.
The test scores for the most
recent class entering the academies are as follows:
| |
MEAN
SAT-1 SCORES |
MEAN ACT SCORES |
| Air Force |
Crit Read
639, min 580
Math 664, min 560
|
English
29, min 24
Math 30, min 25 |
| Army |
Crit Read
623, min 560
Math 642, min 560 |
English
28, min 23
Math 29, min 24
Plus English/Writing required |
| Navy |
Crit Read
661, min 590
Math 639, min 640 |
English
25, min 25
Math 28, min 28 |
| Merchant Marine |
Crit Read
590, min 510
Math 620, min 560
|
English
26, min 21
Math 28, min 24 |
Candidates are also required
to open a file with the desired academy/academies. Upon opening
a file with an academy, candidates who meet the academy's academic
standards are scheduled for a physical fitness test and a medical
examination by the Department of Defense Medical Evaluation Review
Board (DoDMERB). Most assessments and exams are scheduled to be completed
at a nearby military facility and it will take 30 to 60 days before
the results are received and reviewed by DoDMERB.
Academy Summer Programs
The academies offer one week summer programs for high school juniors. The programs are scheduled during June each year and selection is highly competitive. Online applications open in January and close mid-March each year. You must have taken one of the College Board tests prior to applying. Look on the academies’ web sites for more information about their summer programs.
Senator
Kyl's Application Process
A candidate file will be opened
in Senator Kyl's office upon receipt of a completed application
form, which must include a small photo of the applicant. An official
high school transcript, including cumulative GPA and class rank,
will be required. The application packet will include additional
information and a check list for all required items.
If the applicant's file with
Senator Kyl is complete, he/she has opened a file with the desired
academy/academies, and he/she meets the minimum competitive nomination
standards, a personal interview will be scheduled. Senator Kyl's
Academy Screening Committee interviews the candidates on one day
only, usually in early to mid-November.
The Academy Screening Committee
recommends and submits a slate of 10 nominees to each academy.
It is each academy's final decision as to who will receive an
appointment. Although Senator Kyl is only guaranteed one appointment
at each academy, frequently several of his nominees receive appointments.
It is very important to apply
through as many nominating sources as possible. This will increase
your chances of gaining a nomination. ONLY ONE NOMINATION IS
REQUIRED in order for an academy to offer you an appointment.
To request an application form,
contact Senator Kyl's Phoenix or Tucson offices. Applicants must
provide their full name (as recorded on their birth certificate), address, telephone number, date of birth,
Social Security number, name of high school, and year of graduation.
Please Senator Kyl's Phoenix office at (602) 840-1891
if you have any questions.
