Throughout its more than 200 year history, the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York has produced United States presidents, NASA astronauts, notable generals, business leaders and many medal of honor recipients. So it is no wonder that cadets say the academy’s “leadership training is second to none.” Cadets praise the school for “helping the students succeed not only in the classroom, but also outside in our daily lives as people and as leaders” by pairing “academic vigor” with “[experiences] which enrich your character and ultimately make you a better person.” The academy extends its holistic education “with countless academic enrichment activities,” like “trips all over the world during spring break with the history department,” “scuba diving with NASA” or parachuting lessons. The United States Military Academy also “sends cadets all over the world for study abroad” and gives students practical experience to apply what they learn in the classroom through programs like Advanced Individual Academic Development where students say they can work at “government research facilities during the summer doing relevant and cutting edge research.” Professors are universally admired as “amazing,” “very accessible and devoted” to their students. Students say this contributes an environment where “everyone goes to all classes and cares about academics.” “Academics are hard,” but because professors “[teach] only a few sections,” “aren’t sidetracked by research while they are teaching” and are willing to “bend over backwards to accommodate” the busy schedules of West Point cadets, any student can “succeed if you’re willing to ask” for help.
The academy’s unique application process requires students be nominated by their congressional representative, so cadets assure us that they “never cease to be impressed with [their] peers,” who are some “of the smartest sons and daughters of America.” Cadets provide a litany of praise for their peers: “People are courteous, respectful, honest, honorable, and simply amazing at West Point USMA.” Cadets say that their “shared hardships foster an environment of camaraderie unparalleled anywhere else in the world.” Many stress the importance of teamwork, cooperation, and leadership, explaining that “by the time you become a senior, you may be responsible for 120 other people.” Cadets say the student body is geographically diverse with “students from every state in the US.” represented as well as “some students from other countries like, Nigeria, Qatar, and France.”
To put it mildly, “life is extremely busy” at West Point. “Time management is one the biggest things that you [will] learn” one cadet advises. Most days start with “formation in the morning before 7:30 a.m. classes” and cadets “are either working, in class, or exercising for most of the day. After classes are over at 4:00 P.m.,” time is divided between activities and studies. “Every cadet is required to play a sport,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is an athlete. While most admit that they “live a regimented lifestyle,” cadets still nonetheless find ways to relax and socialize: “upper class [cadets] often go to one of the bars on post and drink till TAPS, when everyone must be in their rooms. We play video games, go to clubs, play instruments, and go to NYC on the weekends for fun.” The academic schedules of first and second year students are pre-selected “but junior and senior classes are chosen on your own depending on your major.” Students praise the system because “you don’t have to worry about a class filling up,” and cadets “can study ANY major they want because we are all guaranteed a great job after graduation.” And like any old institution there are “a lot of silly traditions that we hold on to long after we’re gone.”