The United States coast guard academy is a prestigious academy given training for selection in the United States coast guard. It was founded in the 18th century, the academy is located in New London, Connecticut. Compared to all the five U.S service academies it is the smallest of them all, it provides education to the upcoming coast guard officers of the U.S. The motto of the academy is “The sea yields to knowledge”. The current Superintendent of the academy is RADM William G. Kelly and the Dean of the academy is CAPT Kurt J. Colella USCG, retired. The academy has around 1,056 cadets with around 130 staff members. Let us know United States Coast guard academy admission requirements and GPA?
Students are called cadets in the academy as they are Upcoming officers-in-training, when they graduate from the academy, they receive a Bachelor of Science Degree and are now commissioned in the coast guard. The Coast Guard Academy does not accept congressional nominations.
United States Coast Guard Academy admission requirements and GPA
Getting admitted to the Coast Guard academy is no walk in the park. One should have good accomplishments in math and science, should have leadership qualities, be physically fit, and athletic should be self-motivated, should be patriotic and ready to die for the nation. The general criteria for getting admitted to the academy are:
- Should be a U.S. citizen married
- No financial debt
- One should be 17 years of age
- Graduate in high school
Submission of essay is mandatory while filling out the form. Some other documents which you will need to submit as you finish filling up the online application are
- High school transcript
- Letter of recommendation given by your math teacher
- Letter of recommendation given by your English teacher
- Letter of recommendation given by your counselor
- Physical fitness examination
The GPA required for admission to the academy is 3.81, you need to be nearly at the top of your class. Suppose if your GPA is below average then you will need to have a higher SAT score of more than 1340.
The acceptance rate of the academy is 14.2%, if you count that in numbers then it is 15 students out of 100. You will be called out for an interview if the academy is impressed by your documents, the interview process is to see your personality and to see whether it meets the academy enrollment goal.
Every year around 2,000 students apply for the academy, but only a few of them are selected. The average number of students selected is approximately around 300, those selected will have to report to the academy around June or July for the “Swab Summer”, which is a basic military training program which is designed to prepare the fresh cadets for their fourth class year. After completion of four years in the academy, about only 200 cadets are selected to be officers in the coast guard of which 35% are female cadets.
Life as a cadet at the Coast Guard Academy?
There is a huge difference between Coast Guard Academy and a civilian college. As a cadet your life in the academy will be military-like, you will have to engage yourself in a way to train your mind, body, and character. You will receive a proper education, and learn how to be highly structured and driven by commitments to honor. The academy is in New London, Connecticut. The academy is surrounded by music, art, design, quirky shops, and restaurants.
Each cadet’s story will be unique, in the academy, the cadets will have to study mathematics, science, natural science, engineering, and arts, there is no easy way out. Sports are mandatory in the academy, and physical fitness is taken into priority as in the military. If you compare military life and academy life, it is very similar. The academy takes importance in seniority and follows the military chain of command.
In the academy, it is made compulsory for all the cadets to participate in intercollege sports every year. In the academy, the students complete all the core subjects, which consist of 26 courses. Academy life as a cadet is adventurous as you get to participate in professional training like navigation, seamanship, aviation, and many more. They also get to sail around various ports around the world.
Best Military Service Academies in America
- US Military Academy- West point, New York.
- US Air Force Academy- Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- US Naval Academy- Annapolis, Maryland.
- US Coast Guard Academy- New London, Connecticut.
- US Merchant Marine Academy- kings point, New York.
Conclusion
Coast guard academy is not your everyday college. In the four years in the academy, you will get more than an education, you will transform yourself physically, intellectually, and ethically. What is more honorable than serving your own nation, as a Coast guard you can go on strategic missions saving lives, assist people in distress, protect properties from disasters, can stop the illegal trafficking of drugs and people in the sea. Life as a coast guard can be rewarding, as you get to experience many things. If you are planning to join the Coast Guard then you better prepare yourself from now.
Frequently asked questions
Is the training at the Coast guard academy hard?
Yes, as in all military schools and academies, you will have to undergo a lot of training. One should be physically and mentally fit. You will be harshly trained with trained professionals to successfully finish any missions without any casualties and with ease. It is not like normal civilian colleges, it is more than just education, you will be thought many things for which you should be mentally prepared for it.
What is the difference between a Coast Guard and the Navy?
The main difference between the Coast guard and the Navy is that the Coast guard operates only within the U.S and its waterways. Whereas the Navy travels all around the world and they are more focused on maintaining a war-ready fleet, and ensuring peace in the sea. Navy is more though than Coast Guard.
