About The Academy

Renowned as the world’s premier leader development institution, West Point accomplishes its mission by developing cadets intellectually, physically, militarily, ethically, spiritually, and socially. The student body, or Corps of Cadets, numbers 4,400 and each year approximately 1000 cadets join the Long Gray Line as they graduate and are commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the U.S. Army.

Forbes Logo Recent acknowledgments of our success include Forbes.com pronouncing West Point as the best public college or university in America for undergraduate education and U.S. News and World Report calling us the best public liberal arts college in the country.

The Academic Program consists of 31 core courses which establishes the foundation for elective courses that permit cadets to explore in greater depth a field of study or an optional major. All cadets receive a Bachelor of Science degree, and are fully prepared meet the intellectual requirements of a leader in today's Army.

The Physical Program at West Point includes both physical education classes and competitive athletics. Every cadet participates in an intercollegiate, club or intramural level sport each semester. This rigorous physical program contributes to mental and physical fitness.

The Military Program begins on your first day at West Point. Most military training takes place during the summer, with new cadets undergoing Cadet Basic Training - or Beast Barracks - the first year, followed by Cadet Field Training at nearby Camp Buckner the second year. Cadets spend their third and fourth summers serving in active Army units around the world; attending advanced training courses such as airborne, air assault or northern warfare; or training the first and second year cadets as members of the leadership cadre.

Ethical, Spiritual, and Social development occurs formally and informally throughout your 47 months as a cadet. These include formal instruction in the important values of the military profession, voluntary religious programs, interaction with staff and faculty role models, and a vigorous guest speaker program. Cadets also develop ethically by adhering to the Cadet Honor Code, which states "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."

Admission is open to all young men and women, and is extremely competitive. You will be evaluated on your academic, physical and leadership potential. Those candidates who are fully qualified receive appointments to the Academy.

The life of a cadet is demanding, but West Point has the most robust extracurricular activity program in the nation. In fact, the Princeton Review ranked West Point #3 in the nation in the category “More to Do on Campus.” On-campus facilities include a ski slope, skating rink, and golf course. Clubs include DJ club, orienteering, rock climbing, and Big Brother-Big Sister. Cadets also get opportunities such as singing backup for Billy Joel as 12 cadets did at his last concerts at Shea Stadium, and holding the American flag and staying for the game as 75 cadets did at the final Major League Baseball All-Star game at Yankee Stadium.

The History of West Point is integral to the history of the United States of America. From the day of its founding on March 16, 1802, A favorite expression at West Point is that "much of the history we teach was made by people we taught." Great leaders such as Grant and Lee, Pershing and MacArthur, Eisenhower and Patton, Schwarzkopf and Petraeus are among the more than 50,000 graduates. Countless others, following military service, have had distinguished careers in business, medicine, law, sports, politics, and science.
Four current graduates and two former faculty members of the United States Military Academy are members of the 111th Congress:

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), USMA ’71, Also was an Asst. Prof. in the Dept. Social Sciences
Congressman Geoff Davis (R-KY), USMA ’81
Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) USMA’87
Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA), (Commissioned through Army R.O.T.C. at Kings College, PA) Was an Asst. Prof. in the Dept. of Law
Congressman Tom Rooney (R-FL) (Direct commission to the JAG Corps) Was an Asst. Prof. in the Dept. of Law
Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL), USMA ’80, Also was an Asst. Prof. in the Dept. of Social Sciences

Guided by its timeless motto, Duty, Honor, Country, West Point continues to prepare its graduates to serve as commissioned leaders of character in America's 21st Century Army.

USMA FACTS

Firsties show off their class rings on Ring Weekend

Location
The Academy is located approximately 50 miles north of New York City on the Hudson River. The campus and central post area comprise only a small portion of the nearly 16,000 acre reservation.

Admission
To be considered for admission to West Point, a candidate must be at least 17 but not yet 23 years old on July 1st of the year of admission, be unmarried, and have no legal obligation to support children. Candidates must be qualified academically, medically, and physically, and must receive a nomination from an approved source, such as a member of Congress.

Corps of Cadets
The 4,000 members of the Corps of Cadets represent every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries. About 1,200 New Cadets enter the Academy on Reception Day each year (about July 1st).

Classes
In addition to a core curriculum, balanced in the arts and sciences, and a required five-course engineering sequence, cadets may select from 31 fields of study and 19 optional majors. Classes are small, usually fewer than 18, and the faculty-to-student ratio is 1:8.

Activities
Over 100 extracurricular activities are available, including religious, hobby, and sports clubs.

Graduation
Upon graduation, cadets are awarded Bachelor of Science degrees and commissions in the U.S. Army. They serve on active duty for a minimum of five years. West Point graduates have served our country in a variety of capacities over the last 200 years, as military leaders, engineers, explorers on land and in space, and as leaders in business and government.