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Admissions Competition Is Fierce at US Military Academies

by Taylor Crehan

   You may think you have what it takes to get into some of the U.S.'s
   most prestigious universities.

   But we're not talking about Ivy League schools. It might be easier to
   get into Cornell University, Brown University or Dartmouth College than
   some of the U.S. military academies -- a handful of schools that are
   steeply competitive.

   And these schools are not only tuition-free -- the cost of educating a
   student at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, is
   estimated at $56,000 -- students are paid to go there.

   Service academies are federally funded universities that train students
   to become officers in the U.S. armed forces. After graduating, domestic
   students must serve for five years in their respective force, while
   international students return home to serve.

   "We're training them for military life and educating them, but then
   they'll go home and serve for a certain amount of time," said Brent
   Matthews, associate dean of international academic affairs at West
   Point.

   The U.S. Military Academy and the four other service academies -- the
   U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland; the U.S. Air Force
   Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the U.S. Coast Guard
   Academy (USCGA) in New London, Connecticut; and the U.S. Merchant
   Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, New York -- welcome
   international students annually.

   U.S. federal policy allows the service academies combined to have 60
   international students at a time, up from 45 in 2004. Students are
   called cadets at West Point, the Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard
   Academy. They are called midshipmen (nicknamed "middies") at the Naval
   Academy and USMMA. Each year, eligible countries -- this year about 100
   -- are selected by the U.S. State and Defense departments.

   "They increased it [enrollment] to 60 to allow us to increase
   international relations with other countries," said Deborah McDonald,
   director of admissions at West Point.

   West Point admitted 16 international students to the Class of 2022 from
   countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, joining a class of more than
   1,200.

   McDonald said the admissions process for international students is
   similar to that for domestic students. "The big difference is that they
   need to receive a nomination through their state department," she said.
   "They're nominated by their home country, which is different than our
   process for U.S. citizens."

   U.S. applicants must secure a nomination from their local
   representative in Congress or Senate, or from the U.S. vice president.

   Applicants to any of the five academies should be at least 17 years
   old, but no older than 22 prior to entry. They can't be pregnant,
   married or responsible for the support of children.

   International applicants of service academies must also take the Test
   of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before being admitted. In
   2016, the mean TOEFL score for West Point was 94 out of 120.

   Potential international cadets must take the SAT standardized college
   admissions test and aim for above-average scores -- around 1340 for
   West Point, 1400 for USNA, 1320 for USCGA, 1370 for USAFA and 1310 for
   USMMA, out of the highest score of 1600.

   The Naval Academy admitted 14 international students to its Class of
   2022 from countries in Europe, Africa and Asia.

   "We average 60 to 80 nominations [a year]," Tim Disher, director of
   international programs at USNA, said. "We try to bring in 15 a year."

   The Air Force Academy admits about 15 international students annually
   and USMMA has slots for three full-time international students.

   "Roughly about 10 apply each year," Keith Watson, international
   admissions officer of USMMA, said. "Out of the 10 that apply, about
   half get in."

   When Saranjoe Sukcha began his academic career in 2015 at USCGA, there
   were only three other international students in his class. He was also
   the fifth Malaysian to attend USCGA -- the fourth graduated in 1996.

   "I feel blessed and extremely lucky to be selected after almost 20
   years," Sukcha said.

   He was given the option of attending there, the Naval Academy at
   Annapolis, or the Australian Defense Force Academy.

   "As an officer cadet in the Royal Malaysian Navy, I was selected with
   about 19 other candidates to undergo a selection process in order to
   get a spot in" the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Coast Guard Academy
   in Connecticut or the Australian Defense Force Academy, Sukcha said.

   International students are brought in before the domestic class for
   orientation and to help them get over jet lag, USNA's Disher said. They
   attend a political science course to become more familiar with the U.S.
   Constitution. And they get a local "host" family.

   For their service, [1]first-year cadets are paid more than $900 a
   month. Part of that money goes into a personal checking account, and
   the other part goes into a separate account that helps cadets pay for
   uniforms, books, a computer, activity fees and other expenses.

   When Sukcha told his family about the news, they had mixed reactions.

   "My mother is very emotional," Sukcha said. "She was crying, she was so
   happy."

   Others, however, were worried about how he would compare to the big,
   buff Americans they watch in movies.

   "We've never had anyone in our family who was sent to other countries,"
   Sukcha said.

References

   1. https://www.usma.edu/admissions/sitepages/faq_life.aspx