The Nomination Process:
To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, an applicant must meet the eligibility requirements established by law and be nominated by an authorized person, including a member of the United States Senate or House of Representatives. As U.S. Representative for northeast Georgia, Congressman Doug Collins nominates only applicants who are legally domiciled within the boundaries of Georgia's Ninth Congressional District. Applicants may also apply through either of Georgia's U.S. Senators or through the Vice President of the United States.
Who Is Eligible:
An applicant for a nomination to a service academy must meet the following eligibility requirements by July 1 of the year of admission.
- He or she must be a resident of Georgia's Ninth Congressional District.
- He or she must be between the ages of 17 and 23.
- He or she must be a United States citizen.
- He or she must be unmarried and lack any legal obligation to support children or other dependents.
- He or she must meet all medical, physical, and academic criteria require by the U.S. service academies.
Applying for a Nomination:
Students interested in a nomination should contact Congressman Collins’s Gainesville Office in the spring of their junior year in high school. Also, please note that it is imperative that students begin the application process through the academies on their own.
Representative Doug Collins
Attn: Academy Nominations
210 Washington St. NW, Suite 202
Gainesville, GA 30501
(770) 297 3388
Applicants may wish to verify delivery of their academy application packages through their selected mail carriers via tracking number. Please retain this important piece of information as no applications that are delivered after the deadline will be considered.
The finest students in the country apply for these competitive opportunities, which mean that the application process is rigorous. Students will receive notice regarding their interview status in early November. The Military Academy Selection Board will hold interviews later in November, and decisions will be announced by the end of the year. Service academies extend offers of appointment through May of the application year.
When should applicants apply for a nomination?
The application period opens on April 15th of each year for candidates who are high school juniors and will be seniors the following year.
What is the deadline for submitting a nomination file?
Complete nomination packages must be received by the Gainesville Office by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Friday, October 26, 2018. No packages received after this deadline will be considered for the current nomination period.
What must be included in the nomination package?
A complete nomination package must include the following:
- A current color photograph (head and shoulders) of the applicant in Business attire (5 x 7 inches)
- Completed application form
- High school/College transcript
- ACT and/or SAT results
- Results of your Candidate Fitness Assessment (From your Student Portal)
- Resume of honors, extracurricular involvement, and community activities
- Family Biography
- Three letters of recommendation from persons other than family members
- An essay (500 words or fewer) explaining why the applicant wishes to attend a service academy
What happens after an applicant has completed the nomination file?
The academy board will review nomination files and select applicants for interviews. Applicants who submit completed nomination files will be scheduled for individual interviews in late October or early November.
What criteria are used to select candidates?
Nominations are based on holistic evaluations. Factors such as academic achievement, extracurricular activities, leadership skills, physical aptitude, character, and motivation are taken into consideration.
Are the requirements the same for all of the service academies?
No, although many of the qualifications are similar, each academy operates under its own admissions guidelines. To view each academy's particular admissions qualifications, applicants may visit the academy websites listed below. Applicants to the United States Coast Guard Academy do not need to seek nominations, as that academy accepts candidates based on its own testing criteria.
Whom should applicants ask to write letters of recommendation?
Some of the individuals applicants typically seek recommendations from include:
• Teachers/counselors
• Local civic leaders
• Employers
• Coaches
• Clergy
• Scout leaders
Congressman Collins's office does not require a specific recommendation form. A letter of recommendation is sufficient.
Will applicants who receive nominations automatically be selected by service academies?
No, each academy will make the final decisions regarding which nominees to admit and make those offers directly to the applicants.
Can applicants choose to apply to more than one academy or are they limited to a single nomination?
Applicants may be nominated to multiple academies and may win multiple academy appointments.
When will applicants know if they have been offered academy appointments?
Academies will begin to notify candidates of their admission status in February. All offers of appointment are generally sent out by May.
Academy Information
There are five service academies: The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), the United States Naval Academy (USNA), the United States Military Academy (USMA), the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), and the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA). Nominations are required for all academies except for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Appointments are made on the basis of an annual, nationwide competition.
For the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Military Academy, each eligible candidate may apply through his or her U.S. Representative, either of the two U.S. Senators from his or her home state, or the Vice President. The other nomination categories, such as Presidential, ROTC, Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard, are service-affiliated. With regard to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the locality boundary for nomination by a U.S. Representative is the state in which the congressional district lies as opposed to their congressional district alone. Each U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator may nominate up to ten candidates per year.
Each U.S. Representative may have a maximum of five persons at each service academy (at any given time) charged to his or her quota. There are three methods of nominating, and this office uses the competitive method. For each vacancy, ten nominations may be made on a strictly competitive basis. The competitive method provides that the nominees are equally qualified for their final appointment, as determined by the admissions authorities. The admissions departments take into consideration a nominee’s academic record, extracurricular activities, physical aptitude, ACT and/or SAT scores, leadership skills, and medical qualifications. These same facets of an applicant’s record are also considered during the nomination selection process. No person will be offered admission if he or she does not meet the physical standards of the academy unless awarded a medical waiver.
As competition for nomination and appointment is very keen, it is wise for all interested persons to apply through all sources for which they are eligible. An individual may be nominated by more than one nominating authority and to more than one academy.
Please visit the academies’ websites for further information on eligibility requirements. An applicant may apply online to each academy in which he or she is interested. If the applicant meets the criteria, the academies will send that individual a candidate package. Applicants should return all requested materials to the relevant academies as soon as possible. If an academy considers an applicant to be an “official candidate,” he or she will be scheduled for a medical examination by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board. Additionally, the applicant must complete the candidate fitness test and include a copy of his or her results in the application.
United States Military Academy
Admissions Office
606 Thayer Road
West Point, NY 10996-1797
(845) 938 4041
United States Naval Academy
USNA Admissions Office
117 Decatur Road
Annapolis , MD 21402-5019
(410) 293 4361
United States Air Force Academy
Admissions Office
HQ USAFA/RR
2304 Cadet Drive, Suite 2400
USAF Academy, CO 80840
(719) 333 2520
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Admissions Office
300 Steamboat Road
Kings Point , NY 11024-1699
(516) 773 5391
United States Coast Guard Academy
Admissions Office
31 Mohegan Avenue
New London , CT 06320-4195
(203) 444-8444
Service Academy Nomination Form