West Point asked me to apply. Does this sound legitimate? Does this happen often?

2020-02-13T21:44:59-05:00

As the question says, I received an email about 6 months ago now inviting me to apply to West Point. I had forgotten about it until the other night when I was going through my inbox. I’d never considered becoming an officer before, especially not at West Point. However, now I’m wondering if I’d be passing up an opportunity I’d come to regret. Does this seem legitimate? And if I did apply what are the chances I’d get in? I had good ASVAB and ACT scores, but I wasn’t very involved in extracurriculars outside of sports. Could anyone give me some information or advice on West Point?

Response by LCDR Robert Turner made Feb 13 at 2020 9:54 PM

2020-02-13T21:54:44-05:00

While I cannot speak to how you will do at West Point, I can encourage you to reach for the stars. If you have any part of you that is saying “go for it” then you must.

Life is a challenge on the best day. If you step away from this opportunity, you may regret it. There is always an opportunity to start over if this does not pan out. My experience and my career is built on taking advantage when opportunity knocked.

Go for it!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2020 11:20 PM

2020-02-13T23:20:20-05:00

SPC Private RallyPoint Member I agree with LCDR Robert Turner. If you are interested, I would explore this opportunity. Please keep us posted.

Response by Maj John Bell made Feb 14 at 2020 2:39 PM

2020-02-14T14:39:31-05:00

My experience is pre-email. I contacted a Navy recruiter to discuss enlistment in the summer of 77, between junior and senior year. Recruiters looked for potential academy candidates among potential enlistees, and passed the information on to the Naval Academy. USNA maintained a corps of "Blue and Gold" Officers. "Blue and Gold Officers" were retired Navy and Marine Annapolis grads. those retirees contacted the candidates, evaluated them and if they thought they were good candidates, shepherded them through testing, application, nomination, and acceptance.

If you are interested, get started, you are probably too far behind the power curve to be a part of the class of 2024 (inducted in 2020.) I knew I was accepted to USNA class of 82 (inducted July 1978) just after Christmas of 1977. The candidates for the class of 2025 are probably getting serious about the process now.

Best of luck.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Feb 14 at 2020 2:44 PM

2020-02-14T14:44:09-05:00

If you are planning to get a four year degree, why not get it from one of the top schools in the nation and have them pay for it. The worst that can happen is you get turned down. the Education, experience and the network that attending West Point will give will serve you the rest of your life.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 15 at 2020 1:29 AM

2020-02-15T01:29:59-05:00

You can take a look at the class profile and see where you'd likely stack up. A couple things stand out. A higher percentage of qualified women applicants get in. The other numbers don't tell whether that's just how it worked out or if there is a target to hit. About half the nominated turn out to be qualified. There's a spread of SAT/ACT. It was a very different process when I went there. I was gone shortly after Beast Barracks due to a crazy vision determination but that was before women showed up on the scene in '76. There was a lot of growing pains not unlike bringing women into the Seabees for real in the late '80s. Took time for the dinosaurs to die off. If your heart is set on medical, be aware they report only 2% of a graduating class go on to medical school. That's a small number but I don't know what percentage of the class is doing the Life Science stuff. If you do go, my advice is how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Do a day at a time and they'll add up quick. For how you changed getting to your current rank, you'll be vastly different coming out of it.

https://www.westpoint.edu/admissions/class-profile

Class Profile | United States Military Academy West Point

West Point Military Academy

Response by MAJ Tex Hall made Feb 17 at 2020 12:57 AM

2020-02-17T00:57:16-05:00

Here's some reality check Knowledge for you: Every year, there are 85 slots for prior service enlisted and 85 slots for Reservists to attend West Point. From everyone I've talked to in Admissions, those 170 slots are NEVER filled.
Go for it! Your likelihood of getting in to West Point are phenomenal coming in from the enlisted ranks. You have a head-start on military things and how to manage in a structured environment. You'll take your enlisted experience into your officer years (make it through, it's not as bad as you think while you're going through the SUCK) and be better able to know how your decisions impact your soldiers.
Afraid that your education/study habits aren't up to snuff for four years of intense study and training? No worry, the Prep School is one option that is offered to prior service folks as well.
Go for it. If it works, COOL! If you don't take a shot at it, you could spend the rest of your life wondering "what if".
And in the good old Army saying: You take ANY school the Army offers you, haha.
Tex