Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between a nomination and an appointment?
- Do I have to know my congressman to obtain a nomination?
- How do I know if I'm eligible to apply to the Naval Academy?
- Are there any other qualifications necessary?
- What courses should I take to make myself competitive for admission?
- What Grade Point Average do I need to get an appointment?
- Do you take the strength of my high school into consideration? If so, how?
- Do you accept transfer students?
- I'm home-schooled. Can I still get an appointment?
- What is NAPS?
- What is the Foundation?
- I am not a U.S. citizen and am interested in applying to the Naval Academy. What do I do?
- Can I get corrective eye surgery prior to entering the Naval Academy? Will this enable me to fly?
- Should I take the Writing portion of the ACT?
- Will pre-Writing Test SATs and ACTs be used by the Naval Academy?
What is the difference between a nomination and an appointment?
A nomination is required in order to receive an appointment. All
students can apply to their congressman, senators, and the Vice
President for a nomination. Alternative nomination sources are
also available. Applying for a nomination is a separate process
from applying to the Naval Academy. All nominating sources officially
notify the Naval Academy of their nominees by the end of January.
Students should apply to all the nomination sources for which
they are eligible. Appointments are invitations to attend the
Naval Academy. In a typical year, approximately 4,000 candidates
receive nominations. However, only 1,500 appointments will be
given out. In other words, obtaining a nomination in no way guarantees
that a candidate will receive an appointment. You will be notified
of your appointment status by the middle of April.
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Do I have to know my congressman to obtain a nomination?
Absolutely not. Nominations are given on a competitive basis.
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How do I know if I'm eligible to apply to the Naval Academy?
You must be:
- at least 17 years of age and must not have passed your 23rd birthday on July 1st of the year of admission;
- unmarried, not pregnant and have no incurred obligations of parenthood;
- a United States citizen (except for the limited quotas of international midshipmen specifically authorized by Congress); and
- of good moral character.
Are there any other qualifications necessary?
You must:
- be found scholastically qualified by the Admissions Board;
- be medically qualified;
- pass the Naval Academy's Physical Aptitude Examination (same for all the service academies); and
- receive an official nomination from one of many sources available
What courses should I take to make myself competitive for admission?
To improve your chances of qualifying scholastically, your high school preparation should include the following:
- mathematics-four years of mathematics courses, including a strong foundation in geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. Courses in pre-calculus and calculus are also very valuable and are highly encouraged.
- science-one year each of chemistry and physics, with lab if possible.
- English-four years of course work with special attention to the study and practice of effective writing. Surveys of English and American literature are especially helpful as background for future study of literature.
- foreign language-at least two years.
- history-one full year of U.S. history and, where possible, a full year of European or world history.
- introductory computer and typing courses are recommended because all midshipmen are required to use personal computers in most courses.
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What Grade Point Average do I need to get an appointment?
There is no specific GPA minimum. However, you should strive to
be at least in the top 20 percent of your high school class.
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Do you take the strength of my high school into consideration? If so, how?
Yes. We look at how many graduates of your high school go on to
four-year and two-year colleges and universities.
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Do you accept transfer students?
Yes and no. We do accept students from other colleges as long
as they meet our age requirements, but they still have to attend
the Academy for four years.
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I'm home-schooled. Can I still get an appointment?
Yes. Home-schooled students make up an increasing number of applicants
for admission to the Naval Academy each year. Each applicant is
reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but we generally look for the
same academic prerequisites as traditional high school applicants.
Additionally, you should let us know if your schooling is recognized
by the local school board or the State Board of Education. In
addition to qualifying academically for admission, home-schooled
applicants should also demonstrate participation in local extracurricular
activities, both athletic and non-athletic.
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What is NAPS?
NAPS is the Naval Academy Preparatory School. NAPS offers a 10-month
college preparatory course to regular and reserve Navy and Marine
Corps enlisted men and women who are seeking Naval Academy appointments.
This program is designed to strengthen the academic background
of incoming candidates. Navy and Marine Corps personnel who apply
but are not appointed to the Naval Academy are automatically considered
for admission to NAPS. The Academy also identifies a number of
promising and highly motivated civilian candidates who are not
successful on their first attempt at admission and offers them
the opportunity to enlist in the Naval Reserve for the express
purpose of attending NAPS to prepare for admission to the Naval
Academy. A separate application for NAPS is not necessary. NAPS website can be found here.
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What is the Foundation?
The U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, Inc., also assists promising
candidates who are not appointed in their first try for admission.
This nonprofit organization awards a limited number of sponsorships
for post-high school preparatory studies to enhance those candidates'
qualifications for admission. The Naval Academy's admissions board
automatically recommends candidates to the Foundation for sponsorship
consideration. No special request is required.
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I am not a U.S. citizen and am interested in applying to the Naval Academy. What do I do?
If you are not an American citizen, completion of the Preliminary
Application is not necessary. Information concerning application
procedures for foreign nationals may be requested from the Naval
Attache at the U.S. Embassy. If you are in the process of applying
for citizenship, you can apply for admission but you must be a
U.S. citizen by Induction Day.
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Can I get corrective eye surgery prior to entering the Naval Academy? Will this enable me to fly?
All forms of surgical, laser, and mechanical procedures performed
to improve vision are disqualifying for admission. Extremely few
waivers have been granted for students who have received this
type of medical treatment. In general, it is prudent to delay
all refractive surgery procedures until after the progression
of nearsightedness associated with growth in eye size has ceased
(beyond age 21 for many people). However, the Naval Academy is
currently allowing some midshipmen to receive PRK in order to
be considered for a waiver to enter Special Warfare (SEALs) and
Naval Aviation.>
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Should I take the Writing portion of the ACT?
ACT will add a 30-minute Writing Test as an optional component
to the ACT Assessment beginning in February 2005 for students
testing within the United States who are applying to college for
the fall of 2006 or later. USNA Admissions recommends that
all students taking the ACT also take the Writing Test and submit
scores.
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Will pre-Writing Test SATs and ACTs be used by the Naval Academy?
SAT results from tests prior to March 2005 and ACT results from
tests prior to February 2005 will be used by the Naval Academy,
and no conversion of scores is necessary due to compatibility of
old and new scoring systems.
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