How to Get Into West Point: Acceptance Rate & Strategies
October 30, 2025
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington identified a plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 40 miles north of New York City, as the single most important strategic position in all of nascent America. Despite the best treasonous efforts of Benedict Arnold to hand over the newly-fortified lands to the British, the Continental Army never lost control of West Point and it has remained the longest continuously occupied military post in the United States. In 1802, President Jefferson turned West Point into the United States Military Academy (USMA) where, for hundreds of subsequent years, it has churned out a steady flow of American military leaders and the West Point acceptance rate remains on par with the most selective colleges in the country.
The United States Military Academy continues to successfully complete its mission 鈥渢o educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.鈥�
High school students seeking admittance into the USMA will face a different type of admissions maze than encountered by applicants to other uber-selective universities. To help guide you through the labyrinth, we will cover:
- West Point鈥檚 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
- SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted West Point applicants
- Admissions trends
- West Point鈥檚 unique nomination/application elements
- A look at the demographics of current West Point undergraduates
- The percentage of accepted students that attend West Point (yield rate)
- Tips for applying to West Point
- West Point Essay Tips
- How to assess whether applying to West Point is worth the immense effort
United States Military Academy – Admissions Calculator
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Where is West Point?
West Point is situated on the west bank of the Hudson River in Orange County, New York. The campus is a 16,000-acre property in the town of Highlands, which has a population of around 12,000. It is roughly 40 miles north of New York City.
West Point Acceptance Rate 鈥� Class of 2027
West Point is notoriously cage about admissions data. So, while we know that the Class of 2029 consists of 1,244 students, we don’t know how many applicants began the process. The most complete data is from the Class of 2027, when 11,430 application files were started. Of those applicants, only 3,425 ended up receiving nominations. Subsequently, of those nominated applicants, only 1,788 were 鈥渜ualified.鈥� Of those qualified (accepted) applicants, 1,255 enrolled. (Because of the unique nomination and qualification process, the West Point acceptance rate should be taken with a grain of salt.)
Historical West Point acceptance rates are as follows:
| Applicants | Admits | Acceptance Rate | |
| Class of 2026 | 8,353 | 1,356 | 16% |
| Class of 2025 | 13,955 | 1,488 | 10.6% |
| Class of 2024 | 10747 | 1,443 | 13% |
What GPA do you need to get into West Point?
For the Class of 2026 (most recent GPA statistics available), over two-thirds (70%) had a weighted GPA of 4.0 or better, and less than 10% earned less than a 3.5. The average high school GPA was 4.0.
What class rank do you need to get accepted to West Point?
Turning to class rank, in the Class of 2027, 24% finished in the top 5% of their high school class, 40% in the top decile, and 63% in the top 20%.
What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for West Point?
There is an image of perfection projected by the USMA that might scare non-1600 SAT scorers into not even bothering to apply. Yet, an examination of the 2023-24 freshman class reveals a far less intimidating picture. The median SAT score for this cohort was 1311 and the median ACT composite was 29.
Admissions Trends & Notes
- 246 women are included in the Class of 2027 (20%).
- 9% of accepted Class of 2027 students had a parent who also attended USMA.
- 39% of the incoming class hailed from a minority background.
- 12% identified as first-generation college students.
West Point鈥檚 Unique Nomination/Application Requirements
Those seeking admission to Stanford鈥檚 Computer Science program do not need to seek the formal endorsement of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, or Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. That would just be strange, right? Well, when applying to West Point you actually are required to obtain a Congressional nomination from one of the following sources:
- A member of the U.S. Senate
- A member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- The Vice President of the United States
- The Governor or Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
- The Secretary of the Army
While getting more than one Congressional nomination will not benefit you, it behooves applicants to apply to both of their Senators as well as their local House of Representatives member as doing so will increase the overall odds of obtaining a singular nomination. Each MOC possesses five nomination slots per year across all five service academies. Each senator has the same.
Service-Connected Nomination
If your mother or father has been an active duty member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or the Coast Guard for eight or more years, you are eligible for a Presidential nomination. Sons and daughters of a retired/disabled/deceased armed forces veteran are afforded the same opportunity; however, Presidential nominations are capped at 100 per year, so it is recommended that these applications also submit requests to their MOCs.
Children of Medal of Honor winners are granted the same courtesy but there is no annual cap placed on them. However, individuals enrolled in ROTC can have their Senior Instructor nominate them instead of a MOC.
How many West Point students receive Congressional vs. Service-Connected nominations?
Of West Point鈥檚 roughly 4,400 undergraduate students, the greatest percentage were nominated by the 435 members of the House of Representatives (who each typically nominate one candidate to each academy annually), Senate-nominated applicants represent the second largest contingent, followed by service-connected nominations.
When to apply for a West Point nomination
While West Point doesn鈥檛 need your nomination paperwork until the 31st of January during your senior year, it is advisable to start the process of reaching out to your MOCs during 11th grade. The online Vice Presidential nomination application opens on March 1st and closes the following January 31st. All MOC nominating offices have their own deadlines. Some members of the HOR and the Senate have application deadlines in September of senior year. Alternatively, others have a later November deadline; most will allow you to submit your applications as early as the second-semester of your junior year.
Who Actually Gets into West Point?
Firstly, let’s look at the demographics of one recent USMA freshman class, beginning with the gender split:
- Men: 80%
- Women: 20%
The Class of 2027 held the following academic distinctions (out of 1,255 total members):
- Valedictorians: 76
- Salutatorians: 36
- National Merit Scholarship Recognition: 26
- National Honor Society: 741
In addition, Class of 2027 freshmen participated in the following extracurricular activities:
- Class President: 108
- School Publication Editor: 72
- Debate: 128
- Drama: 99
- Eagle Scouts: 129
- Varsity Athletics: 1,239
- Team Captain: 783
The United States Military Academy鈥檚 Yield Rate
In recent years, West Point鈥檚 yield rate has been around 80%. This figure is comparable with other high-yield institutions like Harvard and MIT. In short, very few people go through West Point鈥檚 harrowing and lengthy admissions process and ultimately enroll somewhere else.
Tips for Applying to West Point
If you plan on joining the nearly 12,000 USMA hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- The USMA values ten factors above all others. They are: rigor of your coursework, GPA, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, application essay, recommendations, interview, character/personal qualities, geographical residence, and applicant interest.
- Secondly, interviews are mandatory and a critical component of any application. Interviews last around 30-45 minutes. A Field Force Representative, Military Academy Liaison Officer, or ROTC Professor of Military Science conducts the interview.
- Candidates should come to their admission interview armed with knowledge of West Point as an institution and prepared to talk about why they want to be an Army officer. Other common topics covered include examples of your integrity/ethics and how you handle pressure in stressful situations.
- Moreover, elements like your handshake, eye contact, and posture will be evaluated. We strongly suggest holding a practice interview with a trusted adult prior to real deal.
- West Point does strongly consider 鈥�demonstrated interest鈥� so you will be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
- Begin the as early as mid-January of your junior year.
- We also recommend making contact with your for direct assistance with the admission process.
- The USMA gives you an opportunity to apply for the after your junior year of high school. The deadline for submitting an application to the SLE is March 15.
- Lastly, you will need to arrange for and pass a Candidate Fitness Assessment. Your gym teacher can administer the test. This involves push-ups, a one-mile run, modified sit-ups, a 40-yard shuttle run, pull-ups, and a basketball throw from a kneeling position.
Essays
Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the three essays required by United States Military Academy. In recent cycles, they have been as follows:
1) In the space below, explain why you want to attend the United States Military Academy and serve on active duty as an Army officer.听
2) What are the most important qualities in becoming a successful USMA cadet and a successful Army officer?
3) West Point and the Army are committed to the idea that respect for others and an understanding of diversity are important leadership traits. Why will you be successful in working with leaders, peers, and subordinates of a gender, color, ethnicity, and/or religion different from your own?
All three questions are extremely straightforward and not anything that a West Point candidate should have trouble answering. One of the best ways to prepare is to self-reflect on why you are making this career/life choice and what being a military officer means to you. It is best to speak with current and past military members, mentors, teachers, and your family as you develop these answers. The goal is not to be highly creative with your responses, but rather to leave an unmistakable impression that you are a mature and committed young man or woman, who understands the responsibility and sacrifice that lies ahead.
Those seeking more detailed advice can visit our blog: West Point Essay Prompts and Tips.
West Point Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts
In conclusion, there are good reasons for the long line jockeying for a position inside of West Point. The USMA boasts an outstanding 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio. There are 36 majors to choose from including nine with the word 鈥渆ngineering鈥� in the title. This works out well as West Point runs one of the premier undergraduate engineering programs in the country. The most popular majors include business, mechanical engineering, systems engineering, engineering (general), economics, history, and military science.
Fitting for a college full of disciplined cadets, you won鈥檛 find a school with a more uniform outcome for graduates鈥攆ortunately, the results for degree-earners are all equally positive. West Point grads assume the title of Second Lieutenant upon exiting West Point and earn an average starting salary of $74,000; the job placement rate is an unmatched 100%. Not bad for a school that doesn鈥檛 charge a dime for tuition or room and board.
Of course, it goes without saying that all teens applying to a school of the USMA鈥檚 caliber also need to also have a proper mix of 鈥渢arget鈥� and 鈥渟afety鈥� schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here.
Looking for additional resources? You might consider checking out the following:
- Should I Apply Test-Optional?
- What is Demonstrated Interest?
- Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
- College Fair Advice for High School Students
- How to Complete the Common App Activities List
- Common App Essay Prompts
- How to Quickly Format Your Common App Essay
- 25 Inspiring College Essay Topic Ideas
- Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
