Military academy appointments
[Criteria] [Required Material] [Nomination Process]
Students interested in attending any of the United States Service Academies should contact my district office for information and applications.
Nominees for appointment to the service academies are selected on a competitive basis, using criteria determined by the academies to be indicative of one’s potential for success as an Army Cadet, Navy Midshipman, Merchant Marine Midshipman, or Air Force Airman. (See links for academies, below.)
Each Member of Congress is given a limited number of vacancies to fill for each academy. The nominees must reside in the Member’s Congressional district. I will make ten nominations for each vacancy. The academies will select the most all-around qualified nominees for appointment.
Each candidate seeking a nomination must meet the following basic eligibility requirements as of July 1 of the year of entry to a service academy:
• Age: Be at least 17 years old, but not have passed your 23rd birthday.
• Citizenship: Be a United States citizen.
• Marital Status: Be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation for support of a child or other dependents.
At the beginning of the academy selection process, you should open a pre-candidate file with each of the service academies. You can obtain additional information about the academy admissions process through your high school counselor, academy Liaison Officer, or your local library.
I require the following material for participation in the nomination process:
- A completed Congressional Nomination Application, which is available by download or through my district offices. (Download requires free Adobe Reader.)
- An official Transcript.
- Official SAT and/or ACT scores. My code is 4309.
- A list of your extra-curricular activities (grades 10-12 only).
- Three letters of recommendation. I suggest that these come from people in the community who are familiar with your school, work or extra-curricular activities.
- A recent photograph.
- Please remember to open a Pre-Candidate file at each of the service academies.
Please submit all of the above required information by November 1. All of the items must be in my district office by the November 1 deadline.
During the nominations process, you will be evaluated on your academic qualifications, leadership ability, and physical aptitude as well as an interview with members of my Academy Selection Board. The interview will be conducted in my district office during the first week of December. You will be notified of the time of the interview by the second week in November.
Your academic qualification for nomination to an Academy is determined by your grade point average, class rank, and your SAT or ACT scores. Candidates must take the SAT or ACT prior to my November 1 deadline.
Leadership ability is also an essential factor in evaluating a candidate’s potential success at an academy. Be sure to include with your application any material which might indicate leadership ability, such as offices held, activities, sports, employment, scouting, etc.
An official medical examination is required for all candidates who are found to be academically qualified. There is no cost for the examination. You will be notified later of the specific details of the examination.
Please direct all correspondence or questions regarding the academies to my Solvang office (485 Alisal Road, Unit 144, Solvang, CA 93463; (805) 686-2525). Again, please submit all required information no later than November 1.
• U.S. Military Academy
• U.S. Naval Academy
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
• U.S. Air Force Academy
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