| West Point is looking for well rounded young men | | | | involves "making time" but the point is that you |
| and women who are good students, good athletes, | | | | demonstrate balance in your accomplishments. |
| and good leaders. The balance is very important as it | | | | Enlisting in the Army or National Guard is certainly a |
| demonstrates that the candidate can achieve | | | | viable alternative path to West Point. It is also, I will |
| success in multiple areas. | | | | note, a path less often taken and there is much less |
| While that balance is important, not every candidate | | | | competition in the military admissions category. |
| is equally balanced. Some are stronger in some areas | | | | If you are concerned about athletic participation (not |
| than others. The point is that if you are weak in an | | | | to be confused with your athletic capabilities) and |
| area, to be competitive you need to make up for | | | | you are SERIOUS about getting in to West Point, this |
| that weakness somewhere else, or work to reduce | | | | is an excellent path. |
| that weakness. | | | | If you enlisted in the National Guard, for example, |
| In your case I would suggest that some level of | | | | and completed basic training next summer, you can |
| participation in sports and activities would certainly | | | | apply to West Point and be treated in an entirely |
| help your ability to compete. It is definitely NOT too | | | | different category. You will have to demonstrate |
| late, but you need to act sooner than later. Find a | | | | leadership and athletic ability to get good |
| winter sport and spring sport to participate in. Join | | | | recommendations from your military chain of |
| school clubs; participate in church activities; get that | | | | command, but this may be an excellent option for |
| job and show that you can achieve in school while | | | | you. |
| holding down a part-time job. | | | | The question is not what percentage of enlisted |
| Again, gaining a better balance in the three areas will | | | | members gets in to West Point, but rather what |
| go a long way towards making you a competitive | | | | percentage of an incoming West Point class comes |
| candidate. | | | | from the enlisted ranks. The answer is that about |
| You should take the toughest course load you can | | | | 200 soldiers from the Prep School, Army and National |
| handle. Do well and that will put you in the most | | | | Guard are admitted in each class. That, today, |
| competitive position. The issue of "credit" for college | | | | represents about 15% of the incoming class. |
| courses at West Point is often a point of confusion. | | | | I certainly know of who you are talking about he is a |
| You will certainly get "credit" in the sense that | | | | legend in the Army. Being related to such a figure will |
| success in college level courses certainly helps your | | | | reinforce your admission in that your motivation to |
| academic evaluation. | | | | attend West Point will be more clearly understood. |
| That doesn't mean, though, that your course load at | | | | You still need to be fully qualified academically, |
| West Point will be diminished. It's a 47 month | | | | medically and physically, but it certainly doesn't hurt |
| program for everyone with a prescribed 32 course | | | | to be related to him. |
| "core" curriculum plus 10 to 14 courses for your | | | | Keep at it, you might get in and you might not. |
| major. If you have taken a college level course, you | | | | Check out your Army and National Guard options and |
| won't have to repeated it, but you will have to take | | | | consider them seriously. I would also contact your |
| either a more advanced version of the course or a | | | | Admissions Commander at West Point and discuss all |
| different course. | | | | this directly with him. That way you will know ahead |
| Holding down a job while doing well in everything else | | | | of time what you might be able to do if you there is |
| certainly helps in your leadership evaluation, so don't | | | | something that you do not have or need. |
| hesitate to proceed in that direction. In a sense that | | | | |