ACADEMY ADMISSIONS: SMALLER STATES

When it comes to Academy admissions, not all states are created equal. The Title 10 law says you must have a nomination. For 90% of applicants, that will come from their Congressman or Senator.

Here’s the reality, there are 2 Senators per state, no matter how small the state is. Each Senator has 10 nominations per Academy per year. Advantage goes to the smaller state. You’d much rather roll the dice in North Dakota than California, wouldn’t you?

We call this an Academy “hack” because if you know the advantages or disadvantages ahead of time, you can out prepare the competition. It’s to your advantage to have knowledge of the reality of your competitive situation. If you live in California, you should not expect a Senatorial nomination – they cover 39 million people, and the odds are not good. So you must over prepare for the local Congressman’s nomination application. Get an earlier start. Win every edge you can. On the other hand, if you are in Wyoming, the odds of getting a nomination are much better. You still must prepare, but know that you have three legit chances.

Academy admissions is a different game from the college app. This ain’t normal college. Don’t go alone – find a mentor to help you.