There are many benefits to serving in the military, including lifetime compensation, free/reduced cost healthcare, store discounts, and free education. While most students who work with a military branch will enlist, some will serve through a military college, maritime academy, college ROTC, or Service Academy program.
Open the Military Visit Schedule to see when recruiters from each branch of the military visit Legacy. Students are welcome to meet with the recruiters when they visit and no appointment is necessary.
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is administered at Legacy each semester (around November and February). Reach out to your counselor for more details or to register for the exam. Pre-registration is required.
Federal service academies are the most competitive and challenging environment of all commissioning
sources. All enjoy top-tier academic rankings and provide extremely rigorous academic, military, and physical
opportunities to excel. Tuition is fully funded (includes books, board, medical & dental, and internships).
Graduates become commissioned as officers in their respective service branches with a minimum service obligation of typically five years. Students should start planning to apply early on in their high school career and connect with their local recruiter for help navigating the admissions process.
Admissions Criteria
Candidates compete against peers by congressional district and state
Colorado is one of the most competitive states to earn an appointment
Look for combination of academic excellence, leadership potential, and overall fitness
Academics
Average 93rd percentile in standardized testing
Depth & breadth of heavy college prep/AP/IB/CE background
Minimum of four years of the four cores + two years of foreign language
Leadership
Demonstrated, quality leadership experience
Quality, impactful positions over quantity
Quality extracurricular activities, community/volunteer involvement, or paid employment
Fitness
Athletics participation (school, club, or community)
Performance on Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA)
Rigorous physical and medical entrance requirements
Nomination from at least one authorized source
Congressional or service connected (not required by Coast Guard Academy)
Admissions windows typically open February of a junior’s spring semester
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a college specific program offered at over 1,400 colleges and universities across the US and is the primary, single largest source of officers for the military. Students must be a full-time student working on a bachelor's degree to participate and take courses that offer a mix of classroom and field work providing leadership, military skills, and career training.
Service commitments vary significantly. Scholarships and aid are competitively awarded on a national level (and locally at specific programs). ROTC allows for more academic flexibility than Service Academies.
