I am always happy to learn of Fifth District students who desire to build their career upon an education at one of the Academies. Each U.S. Representative and Senator may have five cadets at each of the four service academies (Naval, Air Force, Military and Merchant Marine) at any one time. The number of vacancies is then determined by the number of cadets who either graduate or leave the academies each year.

As part of the process, you will need to contact the appropriate Academy or Academies in order for you to be entered into the pre-candidate program. If you have not already contacted the Academy, I would urge you to do so as soon as possible to prevent any delay in the nominating process. Below you will find complete information on the process of selection. When you have completed all the necessary forms, please mail them to my Independence Office at 211 West Maple Ave., Independence, MO 64050.

Thank you for contacting me and I look forward to receiving your information. I will give you every possible consideration for a nomination.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND BASIS FOR SELECTION

Nominees will be selected using the “EQUAL AND COMPETITVE” selection process, which involves the Congressman submitting a maximum of ten names per vacancy to each academy. The candidates are selected on the basis of merit, including evidence of character, motivation, scholarship, leadership, physical aptitude, and medical fitness. Once the candidates are selected for a congressional nomination they will be forwarded to the academy. The academy will select the candidate whose all around performance indicates the greatest likelihood of success.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to submit the required application information to the Congressman’s office and keep it updated. The deadline for submission will be October 27, 2009. Candidates whose files are incomplete when interviews are scheduled cannot be given consideration.

ELIGIBILITY
All applicants must be United States citizens and legal residents of Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District. The Applicant must be at least 17, but not yet 22 years of age by July 1st of the year of admission to the academy, and must be unmarried with no dependents.

QUALIFICATIONS
SCHOLASTIC: Rank in the top one-fifth of your high school class in a college preparatory curriculum; score acceptably on either the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). Average scores for a recent entering class: SAT Verbal -600 to 760, Math - 620 to 700, ACT English - 28, Math - 29.

LEADERSHIP: Applicants should have outstanding records of extracurricular activities in school, in the community, or in part-time jobs. Quality of involvement is stressed over the number of activities.

CHARACTER/MOTIVATION: Judged from letters of recommendation, candidate’s diligence in completing his or her file, and essay content.

MEDICAL/PHYSICAL: The ACADEMIES SCHEDULE MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL FITNESS EXAMINATIONS. You will be notified about when and where to report for these tests.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR CONGRESSIONAL NOMINATION

1. Download a .pdf application here or directly contact the Congressman’s office by phone at (816) 833-4545 and request an Academy application packet sent to your home.
2. Application – complete congressional application form for nomination.
3. Recommendations - Meet with your high school counselor to review the application process. Ask your counselor, principal, or teacher to submit a letter of recommendation to our office on your behalf. Ask your boss, family friend, volunteer advisor to also submit recommendations. Two letters of recommendation are required by Congressman Cleaver.
4. Transcripts – Ask your principal or counselor to mail an official copy of your high school transcript to Congressman Cleaver’s Independence office at 211 West Maple Ave, Independence, MO 64050. Please ensure the transcript includes your course listings and grades, current G.P.A. and class rank (if provided by your school), approximate size of your graduating class, and your SAT/ACT scores.
5. Essay – on a separate sheet of paper, write an essay explaining your reasons for choosing to attend a service academy.
6. Photographs – Attach one wallet size photos to the application form.
7. Standardized Tests – Arrange to take the SAT or ACT at an early date. You may register through your school counselor. Registration is usually 4-5 weeks before the test date, and results are available 4-5 weeks after taking the tests. Let the testing center know that you would like to have your test results forwarded to Congressman Cleaver’s office. You may also have your counselor forward your results if they are not on your transcript.
8. Follow Up – To complete the application process, Congressman Cleaver must receive the following: 1) Completed application, 2) two letters of recommendation, 3) high school transcript, 4) personal essay, 5) one wallet size photos and 6) SAT/ACT scores. Items may be forwarded as they are obtained rather than waiting to send everything at one time. Please try to get at least the application form in by the last week of September.

Send all application materials directly to Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s Independence office.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II
United States Academy Application
211 West Maple Ave
Independence, MO 64050

The deadline for completed application packets must be received by October 27, 2009. This deadline is strictly enforced to ensure fair and equitable consideration of all applicants and to schedule applicant interviews.

You may apply to more than one academy, and to ask for nominations from more than one source. You will be first considered for a nomination on the basis of your primary choice of academy as indicated on your application form.

YOU MUST APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE ACADEMY OR ACADEMIES OF YOUR CHOICE AND FULFILL ALL REQUIREMENTS.

SERVICE ACADEMY CONTACT INFORMAITON

A congressional nomination is not required for the United States Coast Guard Academy.

U.S. Coast Guard Academy
Admissions Office
31 Mohegan Avenue
New London , CT 06320 -8103
(860) 444-8444 / (800)833-8724
http://www.cga.edu/