West Point Facts

West Point is located approximately 50 miles north of New York City in the Hudson Valley. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington considered West Point one of the most important positions on the continent. The high ground above a narrow "S" curve in the Hudson River enabled the Continental Army to control river traffic. The British could have split the colonies in two if they had gained control of this land.

Following the Revolutionary War, the new nation recognized the need to have Americans, with a strong sense of democratic values, trained in the technical arts of war and in engineering. Toward that end, the United States Military Academy (USMA) was founded.

Motto: “Duty, Honor, Country”
Founded: March 16, 1802
Faculty and staff: 600
Student body: 4,400
Land size: 15,974 acres

West Point’s Mission
"To 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."

Admission
To be considered for admission to West Point, a candidate must be at least 17 but not yet 23 years old on July 1 of the year of admission, be unmarried, and have no legal obligation to support children. National Guard candidates must be qualified academically, medically and physically, and must receive the endorsement of their company commander.

Corps of Cadets
The 4,400 members of the Corps of Cadets represent every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries. About 1,200 new cadets enter the academy on Reception Day each year, around July 1.

Classes
In addition to a core curriculum balanced between the arts and sciences, a required three-course engineering sequence, and an additional course in information technology, cadets select from more than 40 majors. Classes are small—usually fewer than 18—and the faculty-to-student ratio is 1:8.

The Cadet Honor Code
"A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do." Cadets prepare for officership by living under the USMA Honor Code. This code forges a commitment to moral and ethical excellence, and an insight into the high standards and character under which military professionals are expected to operate. The Honor Code demands and expects all members of the Corps of Cadets to conduct themselves with absolute integrity, both in word and in deed.

Famous Alumni

  • Jefferson Davis – Class of 1828
  • Robert E. Lee – Class of 1829
  • George G. Meade – Class of 1835
  • William Tecumseh Sherman – Class of 1840
  • President Ulysses S. Grant – Class of 1843
  • Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson – Class of 1846
  • George B. McClellan - Class of 1846
  • George E. Pickett – Class of 1846
  • Ambrose P. Hill – Class of 1847
  • James E. B. Stuart - Class of 1854
  • Colonel George A. Custer – Class of 1861
  • Henry O. Flipper - Class of 1877
  • George Washington Goethals – Class of 1880
  • General John J. Pershing – Class of 1886
  • General Douglas MacArthur – Class of 1903
  • General George S. Patton, Jr. – Class of 1909
  • General Omar N. Bradley – Class of 1915
  • President Dwight D. Eisenhower – Class of 1915
  • Frank D. Merrill – Class of 1929
  • William O. Darby – Class of 1933
  • General Creighton W. Abrams – Class of 1936
  • Alexander M. Haig – Class of 1947
  • Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin – Class of 1951
  • General H. Norman Schwarzkopf – Class of 1956

(Courtesy of West Point)

To apply, and to learn more details about the Soldier Admissions Program and the United States Military Academy Preparatory School, visit the West Point website.