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Minority Outlook


Why the Naval Academy?

The United States Naval Academy is like no other college in the country. It has one mission:

To develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to provide graduates who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character and assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

To accomplish this goal, the Naval Academy offers you more than an excellent education. You are encouraged to develop mature judgment, confidence, leadership, strong moral character and a sound body. You will develop into the best "total person" that you can be. Life at the academy isn't easy, but it isn't impossible either. As virtually every graduate will tell you, the rewards are worth the effort. At the academy, you will receive an excellent education and much more: you will learn about yourself, how to manage resources and how to deal with people. After graduation, you will be ready to take your place in life as a leader.

Besides the educational and personal development opportunities, the Naval Academy offers an uncompromising and honest acceptance of each individual, regardless of ethnic or social background, and the opportunity to interact, on an equal basis, with some of the most highly motivated students anywhere. When you graduate, you will have the distinction of joining an elite group of proven performers in the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps.

You will be fully prepared for the demanding and exciting role as a Navy or Marine Corps officer, responsible for the operation of high technology equipment and the welfare of many men and women. Whether you continue a naval career after your six-year obligation or leave the service at that time to begin a civilian career, you can be confident that you are well-equipped to succeed in whatever you choose.

It's an opportunity not offered by any other college and a career like no other in life. Only you can decide if it's what you want for yourself. Take a careful look at the information in this pamphlet and think about the oppor-tunities and rewards offered at the Naval Academy. Good luck in your decision for your continued education!

What to Expect at the Naval Academy

The Academy is the Navy's college and it functions in a military as well as an academic environment. The daily routine starts with reveille and ends with taps. The Academy is definitely not for everyone. To make it here, you've got to like the idea of the academy: what it stands for, where it leads and what it takes to get through. You are entering a college and preparing for a career, right from the first day. The academy offers a full four-year scholarship with free room and board, medical and dental care, and a salary of about $558 each month.

United States Naval Academy-where it all begins.

The 600-member faculty at the academy is about half officers and half civilians. All courses are taught by faculty members themselves, not by graduate assistants. Extra instruction is available on a one-to-one basis whenever needed.

All students enter as freshmen and have the opportunity to validate courses equivalent to previously completed college level work. Every student learns to use computers. Seniors selected as Trident Scholars pursue independent research programs as part of their studies. Most graduates go on to Navy-sponsored master's degree studies sometime during their careers.

Eighteen majors are available in engineering, science, mathematics and the humanities. Depending on your selection, you must take at least 28 semester hours of courses like navigation, naval engineering, weapons, naval science and naval history. A minimum of 140 semester hours is required for graduation.

The academy places great emphasis on sports and physical conditioning. There are more than 100 acres of lighted playing fields for tennis, soccer, lacrosse, football and baseball. There are indoor pools, an ice-skating rink, gymnasiums, basketball courts, fencing and wrestling lofts, a bowling alley and a golf course. There is also a boathouse for crew and a sailing center with a fleet of more than 150 boats. The academy sponsors 33 varsity sports teams during the year along with just as many intramural and club sports.

Social life during your freshman (plebe) year is limited. However, there are movies, concerts, plays and plenty of athletic events at the academy to attend. The Naval Academy sponsors several organizations for your enjoyment, such as the Black Studies Club, Latin American Studies Club and Gospel Choir. You can also spend time with your sponsor family; sponsors are local families who volunteer to open their homes to midshipmen as a place to relax. As an upperclassman, social life opens up considerably with more privileges and free time. Weekends allow for formal dances, sporting events and visiting sights in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area.

Leading the Way

Graduates from the U.S. Naval Academy include a former President of the United States, the first American scientist to receive a Nobel Prize, more than 25 Rhodes Scholars, two of the seven original astronauts and an African American space shuttle pilot. While the academy is proud of these achieve-ments, it remains a professional college for future Navy and Marine Corps officers. It takes four years of high school preparation to develop the strong academic, athletic and extracurricular background required to compete successfully for admission to the Naval Academy. It is essential to start preparing early in your high school career.

There are currently 748 highly tal-ented minority midshipmen at the Naval Academy. These include male and female African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. These midshipmen are involved in every facet of academy life and successful at meeting the challenges placed before them.

With midshipmen from all 50 states, the academy offers you a unique opportunity to associate with a broad cross section of the country's finest young men and women. As you might expect, the program is demanding, but the opportunities are limitless—and more than worth the effort!

Consider the information in this brochure, then call the academy's minority admissions counselors at 1-410-293-4361. They are available to answer questions, send you more information, arrange a visit to the academy and give you insight into the Naval Academy challenge and the rewards of being a naval officer.

The Road to Success

Applying to the academy is a two-fold process—like two lanes down the same highway. One lane is the actual application to the academy, including the physical tests, the medical exam and the academic requirements. The other lane, which must be pursued simultaneously, is the request for a nomination from an official source. You should apply for admission between the spring of your junior year in high school and February 28 of your senior year. The six steps to becoming a midshipman are:

Follow these six steps to become a midshipman.

1. Basic Eligibility
   You must be an American citizen of good moral character, at least 17 years old and not past your 22nd birthday on July 1 of the year you enter the academy, unmarried, not pregnant and without children.
   
   
2. Obtaining a Nomination
   Once you begin the application process a catalog will be sent to you with all the necessary details on obtaining a congressional or military service-connected nomination.
   
   
3. Qualifying Scholastically
   It is recommended that you have four years of math (including trigonometry), a year each of chemistry and physics, four years of English, two years of a modern language, a year of U.S. History and introductory computer courses. Provided you have a satisfactory class standing and SAT/ACT scores, you will then be scheduled for a medical exam and mailed an admissions packet.
   
   The majority of candidates admitted to the academy come from the top 20 percent of their high school class. Very few are below the top 40 percent. About one out of 12 candidates admitted will have had at least one semester of college work.
   
   
4. The Medical Examination
   All candidates must pass a medical examination. Candidates are notified by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board when and where to take their medical examination. Healthy candidates with normal vision generally have little difficulty passing the examination. Notification of exam results usually takes four to six weeks.
   
   
5. The Physical Aptitude Examination
   The admissions office will send you an illustrated pamphlet describing the test and telling you how to take it. There are four parts: pull-ups (men) or flexed arm hang (women), a timed shuttle run of 300-yards, standing broad jump and a basketball throw for distance.
   
   
6. Selection for Appointment
   Selection for appointment to the Academy comes as a result of a complete evaluation of your admissions package and completion of the nominations process. Approximately 2,000 candidates make it to this point; of these, about 1200 receive letters of appointment.

Candidate Guidance Office
United States Naval Academy
117 Decatur Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5018
1-410-293-4361
Worldwide Web: http://www.usna.edu

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