United States Military Academy Preparatory School Information
The United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS), sometimes referred to as West Point Prep, is a preparatory school for the United States Military Academy (USMA) currently located at on the West Point Base since 2011. Formally established in 1946, its official mission is "to provide academic, military and physical instruction in a moral-ethical military environment to prepare and motivate candidates for success at the United States Military Academy."[1] Admission to USMAPS is seen as alternate route to get acceptance to attend West Point and ensure that Cadets are better qualified for the academic, and military training there. Indeed, post Prep students at West Point comprise "11% of the Corps of Cadets, yet they have held 25% of the senior leadership positions of the [West Point] Corps." [2]
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History
In 1916, the rules for admission to the US Service Academies changed to include a formal admission process to ensure the appointees' success and excellence. Between the two World Wars, the US was divided into Corps Areas, and each of these maintained its own West Point Preparatory School, all being supervised by the USMA staff.
Admissions
As with the other United States military academies' prep schools, there is no separate application for USMAPS, only the West Point application. Admission officers will offer USMAPS to potential West Point cadets who have received their Congressional appointments yet may lack the grades or skills necessary for West Point. During the middle of the Prep school year, Cadet Candidates must submit new applications to West Point, including the Congressional nomination. By June, Cadet Candidates will receive word of their application status and West Point acceptance. Most of those who attend the Prep School will go on to West Point contingent on their application, academics and grades, physical training, and military instruction. Some Candidates may transfer to other service academies, or be sent back to United States Army as a regular enlisted soldier. [3]
(For more information on the admissions process, see West Point's Appointment Process.)
Cadet Candidates and USMAPS Instruction
Students at USMAPS are known as Cadet Candidates (often abbreviated to "CCs"); board and tuition are free and they are paid a small stipend as they are active members of the U.S.Army. The course extends over a ten-month scholastic year and aims at training the "CCs” to cope with the academic and military rigors of an army education before attending West Point the following academic year.
Cadet Candidates arrive at the Prep school in mid-July for Cadet Candidate Basic Training or CCBT, a three week program to put them in shape and provide the foundation for West Point and military instruction.
Academics
Immediately following CCBT, academic classes start in August and end in mid-May. USMAPS provides instruction in English,General Mathematics, Student Development Course, Military Science, physical and military training among other courses.
Athletics
USMAPS has an extensive athletic program including football, women's volleyball, fencing, boxing, cross-country, track, men and women's basketball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and wrestling.[4] Known as the Black Knights, with black and gold colors, USMAPS primarily participates with the other United States military academy prep schools, especially their rival the Naval Academy Preparatory School. Potential athletes are the most notable group of those sent to USMAPS to upgrade their scholastic abilities.
Types of Cadet Candidates
There are two main types of Cadet Candidates represented at the Prep School: Prior Service (PSs) and Invitational Reservists (IRs).
Prior Service
Prior Service CCs fall within the age range of seventeen to twenty-two, who have already served several years in the Army as enlisted soldiers. Usually, a commanding officer will see potential in the soldier and recommend the said soldier for OCS (Officer Candidate School), but if the soldier displays exceptional leadership potential, then the USMA will be notified. Prior Service can go direct admit (straight into West Point) but many choose to take an extra year to review high school academic skills. Only math and English are taught at the Prep School. CCs are given a chance to take a voluntary science refresher course during their summer leave prior to entering West Point.
Invitational Reservists
Invitational Reservists, or IRs, are Recruited Athletes and are high school athletes who either need to improve their academic grades or require rehabilitation for a sport injury. They are also non-Athletes straight from high school or junior college who, for many reasons, applied to West Point but were not accepted. The Athletes compete against other local colleges, high schools, local leagues, and against the USMA Junior Varsity teams. This also gives the USMA coaches a chance to size up and observe the next year's potentials. Non-recruits may join teams as "walk-ons," and are encouraged so as to keep fit and in shape for West Point. Usually it is a slight deficiency in grades, physical fitness, or extracurricular activities. While not at the top of the list for direct admit, these are the applicants who the Admissions Department has deemed "potential" and so are granted a year at the Prep School to improve the needed areas for admission into West Point of the next year.
Slang and Sayings of USMAPS
Just like West Point, the Prep School has its own jargon and idioms used by the CCs. But a word of caution: It will be well for the new cadet if he has seen these words and perhaps memorized some of them... He should never use such terms until he has heard them authoritatively employed, for he may well... reveal him[self] to all as a student of the glossary.'- E.D.J. Waugh, author of West Point, 1944.
• "Because twelve grades just weren't enough.": used to describe how the Prep School is often seen as the "13th grade."
• "And you didn't get in direct?": often used as a sarcastic reply when one CC believes another CC is acting silly or ridiculous, meaning they can't understand why the Admissions Department didn't want them to come directly to the Academy.
• The GAP: stands for the Go Army Pad, a long block of cement in the front of the School where formations are conducted.
• The Quad: a space in between the first two buildings, a main CC hangout.
• The Smoke Shack: located in the Quad, this is a small enclosure where CCs can smoke.
• The Grassy Knoll: located between the second and third buildings, this is a large area of grass usually used by CHARLIE Co. to conduct company formations.
• The Frat House: nickname given to the top two floors of the Athletic Building, which are usually male-dominated barracks.
• The Jungle: name given to the top floor of the middle building, known for the many sounds that CCs often produce at night.
• The Barnyard: name for the second floor of the middle building, due to the smell.
• The Q: officially the CQ desk, it stands for Charge of Quarters, where CCs are to field phone calls and make announcements for twelve or twenty-four hour shifts, depending on whether it is a duty or non-duty day.
• The Lone-Wolf Desk: name given to the CQ desk located in the Athletics building, where only one person sits. The Main Q is a two-seater.
• The Underground: the name for the basement that serves as the supply room where CCs get fresh linen once a week.
• The Cave: the basement underneath the School auditorium, where judo and boxing and other fighting sports hold their practices.
Location change
Fort Monmouth was not USMAPS' first location, since it was founded in June 1946 at Stewart Army Air Field, Newburgh, New York (a few miles from West Point), and moved to Fort Belvoir, Virginia in 1957, only moving to Fort Monmouth in 1975. Now in turn, due to the Base Realignment and Closure, 2005, Fort Monmouth is currently in the process of being shut down. USMAPS will continue, however, to operate at the Fort Monmouth campus until 2011, when the school will move to West Point, NY.
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.usma.edu/USMAPS/pages/history/history_home.htm
- ^ [2]
- ^ http://www.west-point.org/academy/malo-wa/inspirations/sourcebookusmaps.html
External links
- The USMAPS official website
- USMAPS Parent Listserver A website for parents of CCs.
- West-Point.org Website with various information pertaining to USMAPS.
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Coordinates: 40°18′38″N 74°03′41″W / 40.310626°N 74.061362°W
Categories: Military academies of the United States | United States Military Academy | Military education and training in the United States | Education in Monmouth County, New Jersey | Buildings and structures in Monmouth County, New Jersey | High schools in Monmouth County, New Jersey
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