The United States Naval Academy was established in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1845 as a school
for training U.S. Navy officers. Graduates receive Bachelor of Science degrees with a
major in one of 23 disciplines, plus commission as Ensign in the Navy or Second Lieutenant
in the Marine Corps. Like West Point, the Naval Academy's admissions
procedures do not resemble most college's. Applicants must be recommended by a Senator
or Representative or the Vice President, but each of these government officials is allowed
to nominate only two people each year. The application process also includes a college
application, personality testing, standardized testing, a physical exam, and a physical aptitude
test administered by a physical education teacher or coach.
Students at Annapolis are called midshipmen. Their academic program begins with a core
curriculum that includes courses in engineering, science, mathematics, humanities and social
science. The Academy also provides professional and leadership training. While the midshipmen
learn to take orders first, before long they acquire the responsibility for making decisions
that can affect hundreds of other midshipmen. The professional classroom studies are backed
by many hours of practical experience in leadership and naval operations. Summer months are spent
in training at U.S. bases and with units of the United States Navy and United States Marine
Corps. Moral and ethical development is fundamental
to all aspects of the Naval Academy. From Plebe Summer through graduation, the Officer
Development Program, a four-year integrated program, focuses on integrity, honor, and
mutual respect. Honor is emphasized through the Honor Concept of the Brigade of Midshipmen.
Athletics are a major part of the Annapolis program and the Academy offers a wide variety
of athletic choices – in addition to the required physical education curriculum. The
Academy participates in the NCAA's Division I-A as an independent in football and in the
NCAA Division I-level Patriot League in many other sports. The college fields 28 varsity
sports teams and 18 club sports teams. The most important sporting event at the academy
is the annual Army–Navy Game. The three major service academies (Navy, Air Force,
and Army) compete for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, which is awarded to the academy that
defeats the others in football that year. The Naval Academy first accepted women in
1976, and women now comprise about 22 percent of the midshipmen. A small number of international
students, usually from smaller allied or friendly countries, are admitted into each class. Recently
the Academy admitted 11 international students from 10 different countries.
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