Service Academy Nominations

Each year I receive numerous inquiries from Pennsylvania’s 8th District students who wish to attend a military service academy. One of the application requirements for the United States service academies (with the exception of the United States Coast Guard Academy) is a nomination from a government official. Providing these nominations is one of my most cherished duties as your Congressman.  To help explain the application process I will be holding a Service Academy Information Session on September 10, 2016 from 9:00AM to Noon at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, PA (see attached flyer for details).

More information on the Military Academies and the nomionating process can be found on the FAQ Page --> HERE

In addition to my nomination 8th District students may also seek nominations from the following sources:

  • Senator Bob Casey, Jr. and/or Senator Pat Toomey
  • President Barack Obama, who nominates children of career military personnel, deceased or disabled veterans, military or civilian personnel in missing status and Medal of Honor recipients
  • Vice President Joseph Biden, who nominates five individuals from across the United Sates per year
  • The Secretary of the Army, Navy, or Air Force, who nominates members of regular military, reserve components, and participants in the ROTC

Information regarding the application process for these nominations is available through the individual academy websites which are listed below.  Although applying for more than one nomination may increase your chances of securing a nomination, doing so is neither required nor guarantees an appointment. If another authority nominates you, please notify me so that I may allow other candidates the opportunity for nomination.

(Please note: The United States Merchant Marine Academy only accepts congressional nominations)

Candidates for a service academy nomination should recognize that each academy has specific deadlines, separate and independent from my deadlines which must be met if an application is to be successful. Academy websites provide information about deadlines and other application requirements. Also please note that I consider applications only from 8th District residents and children of 8th District residents.

Please keep in mind that a nomination is only one of the requirements for matriculation to one of our nation’s service academies. You must also apply directly to each service academy individually. At the same time you apply for a nomination through my office, you should also request admissions information from each academy to which you plan to apply if you have not already done so. 

Finally, if you wish to be considered for a congressional nomination, you will need to submit the following to my District Office in Langhorne:

1.     A nomination application (Please complete, print and sign the NominationForm.pdf attached to this message and include it in your nomination packet.)

2.     An official copy of your high school transcripts, including your GPA, your class size, and your ranking within that class

3.     An official copy of your SAT or ACT scores (If taken multiple times, I will consider the highest scores for each section) - SAT CODE: 2362, ACT CODE: 7642

4.     Three letters of recommendation: one from a Math or Science teacher; one from an English teacher; and one from a coach, employer/supervisor or other non-family figure with firsthand knowledge of your leadership and interpersonal skills 

5.    A 500 word essay explaining, “What I will contribute to my country by attending a U.S. Service Academy.” Please forward the requested information at your earliest convenience to my District Office address which is listed below. Additionally, we ask that you submit information as you compile it rather than waiting until you have everything completed.

Applications will be open starting July 1, 2016.  Packets are due on October 13, 2016. Additionally, a Service Academy Advisory Board will conduct final interviews on October 29, 2016 from 8:00AM to 4:00PM at Holy Family University, Newtown Campus. Applicants will be notified via email of their interview times with the respective Advisory Boards.

Please contact the Langhorne District Office at (215) 579-8102 or Kelly McGinty at Kelly.McGinty@mail.house.gov or Al Sigafoos at Al.Sigafoos@mail.house.gov if you have any additional questions. I thank you for your interest in serving our nation and look forward to hearing back from you.

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