Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that he is presently accepting nomination applications to the U.S. Military and Naval Academies.  His deadline for accepting applications is Friday, December 9, 2005.

Each applicant for nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements by July 1st of the year he/she plans to enter the academy. 

• A candidate must be at least 17 years of age and not more than 23 years of age.

• A candidate must be a U.S. national or U.S. citizen.

• A candidate must be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.

To meet the high qualifying standards set forth by the academies, applicants must also have a minimum Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score of 1,000 or an American College Test (ACT) score of 25 for English, 27 for Math, 26 for Reading, and 26 for Science Reasoning.  Obtaining a minimum SAT or ACT score does NOT automatically qualify an applicant for admission.

In some cases, candidates that do not meet these requirements may be eligible to attend a military preparatory school.  However, candidates may NOT apply directly to a military preparatory school but instead must be referred by a military academy.

The law provides that only two cadets or midshipmen from American Samoa may be enrolled at a service academy at any given time.  Presently, Congressman Faleomavaega has one vacancy available at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York and one vacancy available at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.  The Congressman may nominate up to ten applicants for each slot.

Students interested in obtaining admission to the U.S. Coast Guard in New London, Connecticut, do not need a nomination.  Applicants may apply directly to the academy. 

Students interested in attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York may seek a nomination from Congressman Faleomavaega.  Presently, American Samoa has vacancies available for this academy.

Additional information about each of these academies may also be obtained by visiting the following academy websites at www.usma.edu, www.usna.edu, www.usmma.edu and www.cga.edu.

Candidates admitted to one of the service academies, which are ranked among the top rated education institutions in the United States, can look forward to being challenged both academically and physically.  They will also receive a four-year education valued at approximately $320,000 and the opportunity to serve as an officer in the U.S. Armed Forces.  For more information, please contact Faleomavaega’s district office in Utulei at 633-1372 or his DC office at 202-225-8577.