The following is a preparation guide contributed by an anonymous cadet at the US Military Academy at West Point.

The purpose of West Point is to produce leaders of character for our army and our nation. Your acceptance demonstrates your potential. Your 4 years at the academy will be demanding and challenging. Come because you want to come, and be ready to accept that challenge. Come because you understand what we do and because you want to become a West Point graduate. Come because you will be joining men and women, who for two centuries proudly served our nation — the long gray line. If you are interested, this is my approach in gaining admission to West Point.

Fall of Junior Year

• Look at the USMA website and fill out the online forms requesting information. I received a letter in the mail about West Point and it mentioned their Independent Academic Workshop. Apply for this — it was one of the best thing I have done. It’s not a big deal if you don’t get in, but it helps give you a better idea of what West Point is like (also you can put it on your resume to other colleges and it is the equivalent of adding 100 points to your SAT score).
• To improve your SAT score, I would strongly recommend this book from The Princeton Review: Cracking the SAT, 2007 Edition (College Test Prep).
• If you are interested in athletics, contact the coach of your sport at West Point (mention the academic camp, for some sports they also hold training camps). I know some people at the camp actually got in with the help of the West Point coach who they talked to.

Spring of Junior Year

• Write letters to 2 senators and the local representative to request a nomination. The website has formats for these letters.
• This is when you will receive a prospectus in the mail. If you are really interested, fill out the early action card.

Summer before Senior Year

• If you did not send requests for nominations, do this now. They will send you papers to fill out. The actual date you must return these papers is around October, but do not wait that long (they like to see enthusiasm: so, if you have any questions, call their office repeatedly). Get an appointment as soon as possible. For me, they only scheduled academy applicants every other Monday.
• Read about the CFA (Cadet Fitness Assessment). You must perform pushups, flexed arm hang/pull-ups, kneeling basketball throw, a shuttle run, mile run, and sit-ups (check the website). Also, you do not have to pass each event to still have a passing score.
• Using the help of exercise equipment like the following can vastly improve your CFA test abilities: Perfect Pushup Bars / Shipping Included; Chin Up Bar / Pull Up Bar; Inversion Therapy - Inversion Rack.

Beginning of Senior Year

• By this time I sent in my information to my representative. I think I procrastinated and sent in the senators’ stuff towards the end of September. (By this time you will have school and sports, and I don’t recommend waiting this long to send things.)
• Around this time I had my DODMERB appointment. I waited three hours and they looked at me for three minutes (a little less than that). However, it does depend on the company the government contracts. Some are very thorough. You might not want to mention every little medical problem that you had since you were 2 years old. If things don’t really affect you anymore, I wouldn’t mention it (DODMERB will hunt you down and make your life difficult — this could jeopardize your appointment).
• Around this time you will receive a very important packet of forms that you have to send back to West Point (start sending within a month, or else they will close your file). The faster you fill these out, the better chance you have of getting in. This included a personal data form, CFA form, a candidate activities form, request for transcripts, fall grades, employer’s evaluation, school official’s evaluation form, request for letters of recommendation from a math, science, and English teacher.
• Also, they give you a personal statement form (your own essays). They only give you 10 lines to write on, so make it good. My questions were: (1) Which of your current academic courses interests you most? Explain. (2) Discuss that which you count as your greatest success during the last two years. (3) Discuss the social issue in your community that most concerns you. (4) Pose a question that you would like to answer and answer it. This best-selling book gives you many unique and personal ideas for your college essays: 100 Successful College Application Essays (Second Edition)

This was the schedule that I used for early acceptance. If you are not that interested, or just want to apply regularly, these dates can be pushed back. The deadline for early admission applicants is the first Monday in December, whereas the deadline for regular applicants is the first Monday in March. If you are interested, the Early Action Plan is really worth it.

Throughout this process, remember why you want to go there (you will ask yourself countless times).

When you go for interviews, go for the conservative business look. Make sure you have good posture, and be confident.

Also, I suggest a running program. Even if you’ve never run before, it wouldn’t hurt to start (try reading this book: Runner’s World Complete Book of Running: Everything You Need to Run for Fun, Fitness and Competition (Runner’s World Complete Books)). Also, try practicing pushups and situps. Try to get around 78 situps and 42 pushups (girls) and 71 (guys) in under 2 minutes. This will impress everyone when you have to take the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test).

Good luck! Stay focused on your goal. If you want to go, you will get in (if grades are a problem, consider USMA prep school).

– Anonymous Cadet Sergeant at West Point

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