Contact Us
Life in the Corps
Cadets come from all 50 states and from all lifestyles. Several foreign countries are
represented as well. This diversified mixture of young people provides an opportunity for
establishing lifelong friendships.
A cadet's daily schedule is busy. Classes, physical education, extracurricular activities, athletics, and study time are all part of the daily schedule.
While many colleges like to describe their campus as a "community," there is no better example of a true college community than West Point. Instructors do not flood the roads leading off post at the end of the teaching day. Most reside on post. The officers help cadets who need additional instruction. They coach athletic teams. They teach Sunday school and they serve as advisors to the many extracurricular clubs and activities that meet in the afternoons. Officers and their families are totally immersed in the college life and community activities at West Point.
There is a strong religious environment at West Point with chapel services available on post and opportunities for special religious observances. Retreats, Fellowship of Christian Athletes conferences, choirs, discussion groups and Sunday school teaching are coordinated by the numerous religious affiliations at the Academy. A large and enthusiastic group of cadets participates regularly in religious activities.
Women were first enrolled at West Point in July of 1976 and now number nearly 15 percent of each incoming class. Women take the same academic courses and participate in the same physical education courses as men, with one exception. Female cadets take a self-defense course instead of boxing and wrestling.
Why are women interested in attending West Point? Women have an interest in West Point for the same reasons men choose the Military Academy. They want the academic, physical and leadership challenges and opportunities that are available to them, and the variety of career options following graduation.
Cadets at West Point live by the Cadet Honor Code, which states: "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do." The code is both a vital and valued tradition, helping cadets foster a commitment to moral-ethical excellence. It also helps them gain a better understanding of the more comprehensive professional military ethic that is the cornerstone of the Officer Corps. The mutual trust fostered by the Honor Code makes everyday living at West Point more pleasant.
