In order to attend a United States Service Academy, you must have a nomination. There are several nominating sources. If you live in Arizona, Senator Flake is a potential nominating source for you.
Senator Flake 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. You may also apply after completing high school. However, college credits are not transferable to an academy. If you receive a nomination and an appointment, you will be tested and placed at an appropriate academic level upon entering the academy.
A candidate must be a U.S. citizen, age 17 to 22 (age 17 to 24 for the Merchant Marine Academy) 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.
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 Flake’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 Flake’s code: SAT #3490, ACT #7105. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide a copy of the test results.
Academy Test Score Guidelines for Average and/or Minimum Scores are as follows:
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). You will be notified by DoDMERB to schedule your exam with a specific medical facility. You must schedule the exam as soon as possible as it may take up to thirty days before the results are received and reviewed. You must be medically qualified by DoDMERB and by your desired academy/academies to be considered for a nomination.
Academy summer programs
The academies offer one week summer programs for high school juniors. You must have taken one of the College Board tests prior to applying. These programs are scheduled during June each year and selection is highly competitive. Online applications open in January and close mid-March each year. Look on the academies’ websites for more information about their summer programs.
Senator Flake’s application process
A candidate file will be opened in Senator Flake’s Phoenix office upon receipt of a completed application form, which must include a small photo of the applicant. An official high school transcript of six or more semesters, including cumulative GPA and class rank, will be required. Three letters of recommendation will be required for your file. They should be written by persons who have known you personally for at least a year and may not be from relatives. Letters should provide information about your character and integrity. References to your academic record are not neccesary since that information will be obtained from your school transcript and test scores. All letters are required to have a hand written signature. The application packet will include additional information and a check list of all required items. The deadline for application and a completed file varies each year but is usually early to mid-October and is shown on the instructions.
If the applicant’s file with Senator Flake 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 Flake’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 Flake 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, please contact Senator Flake’s Phoenix office at 602-840-1891 or Tucson office at 520-575-8633. 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.
