When parents think their teen needs an emphasis on leadership, structure, discipline, self-sufficiency, and values that a military school provides, they sometime believe they will have to sacrifice rigorous college preparatory academics. That is no longer the case for the modern college preparatory-focused military school.
The stereotype of military schools as feeders for enlistment is outdated. In fact, the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCSUS) only allows college preparatory schools to be members, and all member schools educate to core values like leadership and service to others.
The top private military boarding schools in the United States send approximately 98% of their graduates to college and university, with only a very small percentage enlisting directly after high school. They offer high standard academics, advanced placement and honors courses, foreign languages, leadership education training courses, and arts programs that make their students prime candidates for the top higher education institutions around the world. The pedigree acquired while attending a military boarding school can serve a student well and set an application apart.
Many military boarding school graduates attend prestigious universities including: MIT, NYU, Cornell, Rutgers, Harvard, Penn, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Citadel, Norwich, VMI, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical, and the top service academies.
The school environment is designed to give young adults the opportunity to develop leadership skills and character. These are skills that can be used in business, law, medicine, technology, government, military, the arts and other career paths. Graduates often forge successful careers and cite their early training as instrumental in achieving their goals.
Military schools typically demand more of their students and hold them to a higher standard of conduct and accomplishment than many public and private schools – all good characteristics to be able to show in the college application process. Some are coed, while others are single gender in their focus.
Overall AMCSUS reports that “Cadets at military schools learn to be leaders of character who are able to assess dynamic situations, make informed and timely decisions and bring success in any environment.” These are qualities that will make admission to college or university easier and ensure greater success once enrolled. They also develop teens into active and engaged citizens, prepared to give back to their families, communities, and the country.
For those students whose goal is attendance at the highly selective service academies, military schools can give them a strong advantage. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point seek out candidates with leadership attributes and experience.
Military boarding school students can show in the application process that they have achieved formal roles as Officers in the Corps of Cadets on their list of accomplishments and Cadets from military boarding schools are especially prepared for success once enrolled. The military boarding structure, leadership training, and emphasis on strong academics is similar to what Cadets will experience at the service academies.
In short, the right military school will provide the high-standard college preparatory academics, character development, and leadership opportunities that help students succeed in the highly competitive college admission environment.
