United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy, or USMA, is a four-year federal college, located on the bank of the Hudson River near West Point, New York. The school admits approximately one-thousand three-hundred cadets each year, most of whom upon graduation become second-lieutenants in the United States military, or, for foreign students, the equivalent rank in their respective nation’s armies. The land was first used as an army-post in 1778 by the Continental Army, gaining notoriety after Benedict Arnold’s attempt to sell the location to British forces. Cadets began training there in 1794, and in 1817, Colonel Sylvanus Thayer established a curriculum and many other traditions still held by the academy, today, leading him to be known as “Father of the Military Academy.” Notable alumni of USMA include President Ulysses S and Grant, President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The application process for the USMA is quite selective in terms of admissions. Prospective students must obtain a nomination, usually from a political figure, and they must go through a series of tests, focusing on academics and fitness. Only 12.75% of applicants in 2011 were admitted. The curriculum focus on military training, and higher academics, and graduates will earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. The academy has had a great influence on other American universities, which have adopted certain traditions and aspects of its curriculum.