Checklist: Physical Qualifications for USNA Acceptance

Push-ups are just the start

Start by reading this post for a general overview of the critical USNA pre-acceptance requirements.

Done? OK. Let’s talk about physical qualifications. True, it’s not the first on the list, but it’s the one you can start right now, during summer.

In short, you have to be physically fit to be accepted into the Naval Academy. That doesn’t mean you have to captain a varsity sport or spend hours a day working out. It does indicate a mindset. You participate in a sport, even if it’s not football or basketball or lacrosse. Maybe you take part in a martial art or love running. You consider physical fitness a significant factor in success. The last one–physical fitness=success–is important because the Navy agrees. Even after you’re accepted, even after you graduate, you still have to pass physical fitness standards to remain in the Navy.

• Read this post on the candidate fitness assessment, a requirement for all USNA candidates. You have until Senior Year–your official application–to accomplish them, though the summer before senior year, if you choose the Summer Seminar for interested applicants, you’ll have the opportunity to test out of this requirement. The point is, keep these six standards in your view screen. If you aren’t preparing for them, you’re hurting your chances of acceptance.
• Read this post about the suggested workout for Plebe Summer. If you don’t participate in sports, it’s a good idea to focus on this type of workout to prepare. It’s difficult to add enough muscle to a body not used to it at the last minute. Make this type of physical challenge part of your weekly activities.
• Read this post and you’ll see that 91% of successful candidates compete in Varsity athletics and 85% of them letter in it. It doesn’t say cross country or football–just pick a varsity sport that works for you. The USNA likes the mindset that portrays.

Does this already sound complicated? You might want to start a timeline of what to do when as you travel this four-year path. Better yet, buy Building a Midshipman. It has one with over a hundred items already created for you.

Check back tomorrow-ish for scholastic requirements.