<p>2012Cadet, </p>
<p>Just so you are not discouraged or overwhelmed with our advice(!) there are other students who also start/started on this path early, just as you are. My son decided in 8th grade this was what he wanted. There were times he had to decide just how badly he wanted to continue the process, usually when he hit an occasional snag or disappointment along the way. We were not from a military family, and service academies were all very new to us. </p>
<p>A very positive thing about your early interest is that you have time to make adjustments when you do hit snags in your high school path. You can take the standardized tests multiple times starting as young as you are and have plenty of time for re-takes. You also have time to really plan your high school curriculum and activities so that you maximize your opportunities and interests. Also signing up for the USMA mailings will probably put you ahead on the timeline of a DoDMERB exam in the summer after your jr. yr. before the rush on all the other paperwork begins. The DoDMERB process can be slow and tedious and is often the hold-up on admissions for kids who need waivers, so getting the exams done early (the instructions for this will be sent to you if you are a competitive candidate) is a wonderful advantage. </p>
<p>Others have posted wonderful advice about course selection, activities, etc., and we are all here to support your desires and decisions. We just don’t want to see you jump the gun on worrying about the admissions <em>details</em> now, as that will all fall into place in due time in three years or so. (I promise!)</p>
<p>I really encourage you to attend the informational meetings held by your local USMA liaison officer (cards are mailed out by USMA once you sign up on their mailing list). We went to 3 of them, son’s sophomore and junior years. Many of our questions about preparational coursework, grades, activities, test scores, medical concerns, etc. were addressed in the presentation, but there was also some one-on-one time to ask individual questions to help son prepare for admissions. These were usually held over USMA breaks, so a cadet was on hand to answer the prospective cadets questions (out of earshot of parents, even!). </p>
<p>Keep sight of your goal, but have fun along the path… the next four years will go more quickly than you think!</p>