Whats it take to be a West Point cadet?
West Point’s application process takes approximately 18 months to complete. The admissions office recommends high school students start the process in December of their junior year. Doing so gives applicants a chance to participate in summer leadership programs and schedule visits at West Point. Every application requires a nomination from a member of Congress or the Vice President of the United States, so applicants need plenty of time to work with their elected officials.An application’s merits are divided into three categories: 60 percent is academic potential, 30 percent is a leadership evaluation and 10 percent is a physical fitness test.Academics: West Point has no floor or ceiling on test scores, but accepted applicants typically rank in the top 20 percent of their high school class, score about a 1230 on the SAT’s (630 critical reading; 630 math) and/or score a 27 on the ACT.Leadership evaluation: Admissions officials look at extracurricular activities, particularly those that
