Service Academies
*** Military Academy Day 2016 POSTPONED ***
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham today said Academy Day 2016 is being postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. The event, which attracts more than 400 South Carolina high school students each year, was scheduled to take place this Saturday, October 8, 2016 at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia. The make-up date for Academy Day 2016 will be announced at a later time.
ACADEMY NOMINATIONS
Each year hundreds of South Carolina's best and brightest young men and women contact my office about a nomination to a Service Academy. There are five Service Academies: United States Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, Military Academy at West Point, and the Naval Academy. Please note that nominations are required for all but the Coast Guard Academy.
Applicants are encouraged to visit the websites for each Academy to determine their entrance requirements as well as their deadline for application. You must also must meet certain eligibility requirements and be nominated by an authorized nominating source. Nominating sources include, but are not limited to, your two United States Senators and your United States Congressman (you may verify other sources with the Academies).
Members of Congress may have no more than five people attending each Service Academy at any given time. For each vacancy, ten nominations may be submitted to the respective Academy Admissions Office. Offers of appointment are made by the Academy on a competitive basis measuring the eligibility of all ten nominees. **NOTE: a nomination does not guarantee an appointment.
Those interested in a nomination from my office must create an online account.
High School Seniors:
To start the process, click the link below
High School Seniors click here
Once you create an account, you will be able to access the online application.
Active Duty Military and students attending a Service Academy Prep School or College/University:
Please email academy_nominations@lgraham.senate.gov and include your contact information for a staff member to follow up with you.
Thank you for your interest in our nation's Service Academies. Please contact my Greenville office if you have any questions or need further information at 864-250-1417 or academy_nominations@lgraham.senate.gov.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
An applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements as of July 1st of the year of admission to a Service Academy:
• Must be a United States citizen
• Must be a legal resident of South Carolina
• Must be at least 17 years of age, but cannot have passed their 23rd birthday
The US Merchant Marine Academy varies slightly, allowing individuals between the ages of 17 and 25 to apply.
• Must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy (contact the Academies directly for more information regarding their standards)
• Cannot be pregnant or have a legal obligation to support children or other dependents
2016-2017 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR SENATOR GRAHAM
You must submit the information below through your online account by 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, November 1, 2016 - incomplete application accounts will not be considered, no exceptions will be made.
For High School Seniors:
1. Online application - click here.
2. Correspondence from the Academy(s) verifying you are an official candidate. You will upload this document through your online portal.
3. Principal or Guidance Counselor Recommendation Form: CLICK HERE FOR A DOWNLOADABLE RECOMMENDATION FORM (PDF). Your school will upload this document. See instructions on your checklist.
4. Two Letters of Recommendation: Letters must be addressed to Senator Graham and may come from sources of your choice, except family members. ** DO NOT SUBMIT MORE THAN 2 LETTERS. The recommender will upload this document. See instructions on your checklist.
5. Transcript: An official transcript of your high school academic record must show your final junior grades and numerical class rank (percentile ranks are not acceptable). Your school will upload this document. See instructions on your checklist.
6. College Boards (SAT and/or ACT Scores): Your scores may be submitted from the respective testing agency (reporting codes: ACT: 7180 and SAT: 5720) or you may upload a copy of your scores printed from the testing agency website. You will upload this document through your online portal.
7. Candidate Overview: Your Overview will provide a more in-depth view of your desire to attend a Service Academy; therefore, you must answer each question below. Please provide an Overview for each Academy you are seeking a nomination. You will upload this document through your online portal.
• Which Academy are you seeking a nomination and why?
• Each Academy carefully designs curriculum to meet the needs of their specific branch of service and ensures they graduate officer-leaders of character to serve their service as well as the Nation. If you receive an Appointment, what do you think might be your chosen major and why?
• Your service commitment begins at graduation, when you become a commissioned officer. During your senior year, however, you will decide your service specialty. If you had to choose today, what service would you select?
• Please describe how Academy life will benefit you, post-graduation, as a service member and individual in the local community.
For Students attending a Service Academy Prep School or College/University:
1. Online application – contact my office for application through email at academy_nominations@lgraham.senate.gov.
2. Correspondence from the Academy(s) verifying you are an official candidate. You will upload this document through your online portal.
3. Three Letters of Recommendation: Letters must be addressed to Senator Graham and may come from sources of your choice, except family members. ** DO NOT SUBMIT MORE THAN THREE LETTERS. You will upload these documents through your online portal.
4. College Boards (SAT and/or ACT Scores): Your scores may be submitted from the respective testing agency (reporting codes: ACT: 7180 and SAT: 5720) or you may upload a copy of your scores printed from the testing agency website. You will upload this document through your online portal.
5. Candidate Overview: Your Overview will provide a more in-depth view of your desire to attend a Service Academy; therefore, you must answer each question below. Please provide an Overview for each Academy you are seeking a nomination. You will upload this document through your online portal.
• Which Academy are you seeking a nomination and why?
• Each Academy carefully designs curriculum to meet the needs of their specific branch of service and ensures they graduate officer-leaders of character to serve their service as well as the Nation. If you receive an Appointment, what do you think might be your chosen major and why?
• Your service commitment begins at graduation, when you become a commissioned officer. During your senior year, however, you will decide your service specialty. If you had to choose today, what service would you select?
• Please describe how Academy life will benefit you, post-graduation, as a service member and individual in the local community.
For Active Duty Service Men and Women:
1. Online application – contact my office for application through email at academy_nominations@lgraham.senate.gov.
2. Correspondence from the Academy(s) verifying you are an official candidate. You will upload this document through your online portal.
3. Three Letters of Recommendation: Letters must be addressed to Senator Graham and may come from sources of your choice, except family members. ** DO NOT SUBMIT MORE THAN THREE LETTERS. You will upload these documents through your online portal.
4. College Boards (SAT and/or ACT Scores): Your scores may be submitted from the respective testing agency (reporting codes: ACT: 7180 and SAT: 5720) or you may upload a copy of your scores printed from the testing agency website. You will upload this document through your online portal.
5. Candidate Overview: Your Overview will provide a more in-depth view of your desire to attend a Service Academy; therefore, you must answer each question below. Please provide an Overview for each Academy you are seeking a nomination. You will upload this document through your online portal.
• Which Academy are you seeking a nomination and why?
• Each Academy carefully designs curriculum to meet the needs of their specific branch of service and ensures they graduate officer-leaders of character to serve their service as well as the Nation. If you receive an Appointment, what do you think might be your chosen major and why?
• Your service commitment begins at graduation, when you become a commissioned officer. During your senior year, however, you will decide your service specialty. If you had to choose today, what service would you select?
• Please describe how Academy life will benefit you, post-graduation, as a service member and individual in the local community.
AFTER NOVEMBER 1st DEADLINE - INTERVIEWS
After the November 1st deadline, my office will work with the Academies' Admissions Offices to determine interview status for candidates who submitted a complete file to my office by the deadline - submitting a complete file to my office does not guarantee an interview. For those candidates who are scheduled for an interview, you must sit for your interview with my Academy Panel to be considered for a nomination from my office. Interview dates will be announced after November 15th, and are held on a Saturday in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville. Interviews are ongoing through late January. Please remember submitting a complete file to my office does not guarantee an interview.
FINAL NOTES
It is in your best interest to complete your application file at your Academy of choice as soon as possible. The Academy will notify you about a medical examination which is administered by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB) and a Candidate Fitness Test.
Due to the competitiveness of the admissions process, you are encouraged to request a nomination from all possible nominating sources.
Remember, you are responsible for submitting all application requirements via your online account no later than 11:59 PM on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. *INCOMPLETE APPLICATION ACCOUNTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED - NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.*
Keep in mind receiving an offer of appointment is an extremely competitive process; therefore, you may wish to consider one of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs at your college or university of choice. ROTC can offer you the same officer commission and military career opportunity as a Service Academy. In addition, ROTC offers a variety of tuition and fees scholarships. For more information, please visit the ROTC website: www.rotc.com
For more information on the Service Academies, you are encouraged to check out their websites:
United States Military Academy at West Point
United States Air Force Academy
United States Merchant Marine Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
