West Point was the nation's first engineering school. It is only fitting that this book employs an engineer's mindset to guide you on how to gain a coveted admission. The Whole Candidate Score, or WCS, is the single most important factor in determining who is admitted. The author breaks down the WCS in detail. The higher the WCS, the greater the chance of admission. The book also explores the Academy nomination process and other important areas for consideration. Written by a graduate and former instructor at West Point, this is a unique, in depth look at the admissions process that is packed with information you will find in no other book.

The five United States military service academies are some of the most elite schools in the nation, taking the finest high school students and turning them into commissioned officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. Over 60,000 students a year begin the arduous process of applying, and about 4,000 get in. At West Point alone, over 15,000 candidates start the applications process. Less than a third of them finish it. Some figure out that they aren’t going to be competitive, some get derailed with specific problems, and some get lost and drop out even though they might have gotten in. From applications to Congressional nominations, from athletics to medical qualifications, the process is unlike any other for getting into college. This book leads students and their families through the process step by step, offering the tools needed for the very best chance of success. Covering special issues and concerns like LGBTQ, women and minorities, criminal records, and more, the author also discusses whether attending a service academy is RIGHT for the prospective student, and what he or she can expect upon acceptance, admission, and attendance. Using his personal experience in helping his son through the applications process, Michael Singer Dobson provides all candidates with the ins and outs of the competition for a spot at one of these prestigious schools.

A How to Guide for high school students who want to get an appointment and attend the United States Military Academy.

The United States Military Academy at West Point is one of America’s oldest and most revered institutions. Founded in 1802, its first and only mission is to prepare young men—and, since 1976, young women—to be leaders of character for service as commissioned officers in the United States Army. West Point’s success in accomplishing that mission has secured its reputation as the foremost leadership-development institution in the world. An Academy promotional poster says it this way: “At West Point, much of the history we teach was made by people we taught.” Carved from Granite is the story of how West Point goes about producing military leaders of character. An opening chapter on the Academy’s nineteenth-century history provides context for the topic of each subsequent chapter. As scholar and Academy graduate Lance Betros shows, West Point’s early history is interesting and colorful, but its history since then is far more relevant to the issues—and problems—that face the Academy today. Drawing from oral histories, archival sources, and his own experiences as a cadet and, later, a faculty member, Betros describes and assesses how well West Point has accomplished its mission. And, while West Point is an impressive institution in many ways, Betros does not hesitate to expose problems and challenge long-held assumptions. In a concluding chapter that is both subjective and interpretive, the author offers his prescriptions for improving the institution, focusing particularly on the areas of governance, admissions, and intercollegiate athletics. Photographs, tables, charts, and other graphics aid the clarity of the discussion and lend visual and historical interest. Carved from Granite: West Point since 1902 is the most authoritative history of the modern United States Military Academy written to date. There will be lively debate over some of the observations made in this book, but if they are followed, the author asserts that the Academy will emerge stronger and better able to accomplish its vital mission in the new century and beyond.

Goodpaster.-- "Journal of Higher Education"

The Class of 1965 entered the Military Academy in July 1961. As cadets, they received a traditional West Point education but also studied new fields such as computers and nuclear physics. Upon graduation, members of the class received numerous national scholarships, including one Rhodes scholarship. During the Vietnam War members of the class received no less than one Medal of Honor, four Distinguished Service Crosses, one Air Force Cross, 94 Silver Stars, 5 Soldiers Medals, 175 Bronze Stars with V device for valor, and 129 Purple Hearts. In later years, members of the class served with distinction in Grenada, Panama, Iraq, and elsewhere. They became leaders in transforming the army after the Cold War into a much leaner, more agile, technologically advanced force. Those who left the service, whether after four years in uniform or more, contributed to the nation in a similarly impressive manner. As civilians they excelled in numerous fields and exhibited as much patriotism and Strength and Drive as those still in uniform. Whether in uniform or not, members of the class of 1965 served their communities and nation and never lost sight of the meaning of West Points motto: Duty, Honor, Country.