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West Point: Graduate as an Officer

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY

Founded in 1802, the United States Military Academy at West Point is the oldest of the five service academies.

West Point cadets are immersed in a military-oriented environment, gaining an unparalleled undergraduate education and leadership skills through a rigorous curriculum.

Upon completing their undergraduate degree requirements, cadets are commissioned and receive the gold bar of a Second Lieutenant. They will serve in the Army as Active Duty Soldiers.

Requirements

To apply for West Point you must be:

  • At least 17 but not yet 23 years old on July 1 of the year admitted
  • A U.S. citizen
  • Not married
  • Not pregnant or with any legal obligation to support a child or children
  • Congressionally nominated or have a service-connected nomination
  • A recipient of strong scores on either college entrance exam (ACT or SAT)

See the other paths to become an Army officer

West Point admissions info
  • Being a member of the West Point family

BEING A MEMBER OF THE WEST POINT FAMILY

Hello my name is Gabrielle Perez. I’m a cadet at the United States Military Academy and I’m a senior this year. I decided to go West Point because my cousin graduated from West Point and one of my great uncles did and both of my parents are also Marines in the military so I’ve always been a part of the military lifestyle. At West Point the majority of the year I do academic work but in the summertime we do military training. This summer I did Cadet Leadership Development Training where I’m out in the field. I did offense/defensive training and move into contact. Which is kind of like you’re living out in the woods for 12 days and running around getting away from people who are shooting at you. It was an interesting experience. I decided to go to West Point not just because of my family but because I read a book about it and I liked the fact that you have to be physically fit and you’re serving your country and it’s just, I’ve had a great experience there – I was able to go a semester abroad to China. You meet really good friends there due to the experience you have with them in the field an during the academic year. At West Point there’s a saying that you have to cooperate to graduate because there is something that you’re not going to be doing well at the school, but there are subjects that you will do well in. It’s a family there and when you graduate you join an even larger family.