<p>2012Cadet: When you are a junior, aroun Dec or Jan, the application for SLS (Summer Leadership Seminar) will be available. Apply the day it comes out as it fills up fast. The summer after your junior year, you will hopefully attend SLS. Then, you will fill out a preliminary application online. If USMA likes your stats, you will be asked to fill out a complete app…you will likely get instructions via mail w/ user name and password so you can log into the system. This year, WP used paper apps, but I believe it’s all going to be online in the future. The app will instruct you what to do, whom to ask for what info, what to send, etc. Also, once you start the process, you will receive info from DoDMeRB about scheduling your medical appt. w/ them. Do this in the summer, as it could be a long process.</p>
<p>Next, visit the websites for all your nomination sources (congressman, senator, VP, ROTC, whatever you qualify for). Those applications are often longer and more detailed than the USMA app. It takes a while to get all the info together for that and most have fall deadlines. Look at samples done by other students for how to submit it professionally. For example, my son put it all together w/ a letter of introduction in a report cover w/ tabs. Each tab contained the required info for that element, i.e. letters of recommendation). You’ll want to make photo copies of all of this, too. </p>
<p>After you have heard from your congressmen about whether or not they will interview you, you need to practice interview skills. See if you can get some business people, SA grads, scout people, etc…to convene and give you some practice. The actual interview is usually short, but my son’s practice night was nearly 3 hours. </p>
<p>Next, you wait…hopefully not too long…it depends on your MOC. Mine finished his slate early and the appointment was here the day after Thanksgiving. </p>
<p>Next, you start gathering a plethora of information that WP requests of you…shot records, blood type, vision prescription, clothing sizes, bank information, etc…then, you buy your boots and shoes, run every day, and finish strong in your senior year. You show up in June (30th this year), wait in a long line for an hour or so, then take 90 sec. to say good bye…then the real fun begins. </p>
<p>Good luck…sorry I slipped into “mom mode” earlier and gave a typical parental answer…old habits die hard. I still agree w/ my original advice, but am sending you the longer answer in hopes this is what you were searching for. Please know the USMA web site has all this information updated often in case you look for this post in 3.5 years and it’s no longer here.
–Mom</p>