I had a recent chance to visit the US Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) in New London, CT. My father served in the US Air Force, and my spouse is a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary; it was an honor to be provided this special opportunity to see the unique campus in person and hear directly from admission representatives at the information session and tour.
The day started with Tim Kessel, associate director of volunteer programs, and Katy Robbins, associate director for diversity. Matt McAllister, a 2017 graduate of USCGA, coaches the wrestling team and served as our tour guide. I am grateful for their generosity in providing such a warm welcome!
50 percent of the Coast Guard’s service members are from out of the academy. There are six branches of the US armed services, and the US Coast Guard is the smallest of them all. There are 42,000 Coast Guard members; 90 percent are stationed in the USA. This branch is smaller than the New York Police Department. The US Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security. The other branches are part of the Department of Defense. Most nations do not have the resources of the USA; the Coast Guard in the USA is equivalent to the navies of most countries.
There is no Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) option for the Coast Guard; ROTC prepares college students with opportunities to serve in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force. The Coast Guard does offer the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI), which provides scholarships for juniors and seniors in college who wish to be part of the Coast Guard and are attending a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) which has at least a quarter of students from under-represented populations.
Arctic operations are getting big as part of the Coast Guard, and they have the only active ice breakers in military. They put buoys in the water and are on scene for natural disasters, such as the bridge collapse in Maryland and the BP oil spill. No task is banned for women in the Coast Guard.
There are 1000 cadets in the US Coast Guard Academy; all 50 states and 20 countries are represented. 40 percent of the USCGA cadets are women, 38 percent are students of color, and 80 percent are high school varsity athletes. 66 percent earn an engineering, math, or science degree. Once graduating, five years of service are required.
No Congressional nomination is required to apply to the USCGA. Applicants must be US citizen of sound moral character, unmarried with no dependents or debt; 17-22 years by the last Monday in June of the year you enter college with a high school diploma or GED required. Factors in admission include academics and identifying with their mission.
There is no AP or IB requirement, but many do submit. Sending standardized test scores such as the SAT or ACT are optional. The application includes basic information and two personal statements, three letters of recommendation, as well as an admissions interview when requested by the USCGA. There are some optional parts such as an essay, but it is recommended to submit this. A physical fitness exam is required including push-ups, sit-ups, and running. A medical qualification is also required once admitted.
July 15 is when the online application opens, and October 15 is the early action deadline (those decisions are released by December 23); regular admissions is due January 15 with those decisions out by April 1. 2000 applications are reviewed; 400 eventually get offers, with an entering class of 275-295. Those who enroll have free tuition, room and board paid by the US government. Cadets are also paid a stipend each month while at the academy. Students get full medical and dental benefits through TRICARE, and there is an onsite clinic.
The curriculum is centered on a liberal arts core. The nine majors offered are: civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, cyber systems, mechanical engineering, naval architecture and marine engineering, operations research and data analytics, marine and environmental sciences, management, and government. There is 100 percent job placement considering cadets are required to serve after graduation. BS degrees are the only option offered. Chemistry, calculus and physics are required in college to graduate.
The admissions team do see a decent number of home-schooled students as applicants. If so, they need to see the student in a team dynamic in some way, and they recommend standardized testing for these applicants.
Occasionally applicants are asked to attend preparatory school for a year, which is not on campus. For certain students, they offer the Coast Guard Academy Scholars Program in hopes of giving them a chance to get ready and potentially be offered admissions in a year. Most of the time, it has to do with math or academics. There are five preparatory schools for the Coast Guard; they have partners in AL, GA, RI, MA, and CT. Campuses include Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, RI; there are also campuses at University of Massachusetts in Boston, Georgia Military College, Marion Military Institute (AL), and University of Connecticut Avery Point. Students receive a stipend while attending, and expenses are covered.
There is an 80 percent retention rate in four years of school. Once the five years of post-graduation service requirement is completed in the US Coast Guard, 80 percent of graduates will stay longer. There is high quality of life and belief in missions among the members.
A particular question came up during the session – what happens if you drop out? During the first two years, there is no responsibility to pay back; however, there is a recuperation of government fees after the recommitment ceremony happens halfway through school. Sometimes the academy has students who need to leave because of issues such as medical discharge, or they are asked to leave because of discipline or academic performance. So two years after arriving, there would be a commitment to the service requirement by then or paying back of fees.
85 percent of graduates do pursue further graduate study down the road. There are no graduate degrees offered at the academy; they have partnerships with other schools. You need to be accepted at particular schools for graduate school like Michigan or Yale.
They offer the Academy Introduction Mission (AIM) summer program for students entering their senior year of high school to explore the possibility of being a student at the USCGA; they have several on-campus one-week programs as well as a virtual one offered. To apply for this summer program, the application opens in February and closes in April. Scholarships are offered, but participants are responsible for tuition, travel and spending money.
The incoming class has boot camp known as Swab Summer which is seven to eight weeks long and marks the beginning of freshman year; there are a handful of students who are unable to complete it successfully. Classes start at the end of August. Sailing is a Division I sport, while other teams are Division III. 1/3 of faculty is military; 2/3 of the faculty are full time.
Time management is key as well as a strong foundation in math and science, but for the right student this can be a life-changing opportunity to have college fully paid for with guaranteed employment after graduation!
