A.  West Point educates trains and inspires the future leaders of our Army and Nation.  Americans of great character live, study and work here together anticipating a lifetime of service to the country committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and develop themselves with that goal in mind at all times. (2009)

A.  When the American people look to see what is right and honorable in their country, they look toward this institution. Here, they expect to find not just a normal group of college students, but instead, a mature and selfless group of young men and women who will lead their sons and daughters into combat to possibly die in the name of this great country. We are held to a higher standard. We are accountable to the whole country. (2010)

A. West Point stands as a utopian example to the rest of the nation. It's a constant example of what it means to be American: diverse population from across the country, blending together to achieve greatness.  (2010)

A. West Point is essential to the nation because it provides the training and development of future Army officers who will be defending our country during a time of war.  (2010)

A. West Point is important to the nation because it produces leaders who go on to set an example of service and sacrifice throughout their careers in the Army, private life's, commitment to community, and civic duties to government.  (2010)

A.  Service. No other institution sets you up to be successful upon graduation. West Point says come here and develop yourself for 4 years with some of the most talented young men and women in the country. Then when you graduate you get a rewarding career of leading America’s sons and daughters in the US Army in the service of the Nation that has provided you with so much. (2009)

A.  I was compelled to serve my country in some capacity, and I knew I wanted to pursue higher education. The choice was really very simple. What better way to accomplish both things? The academics here are unmatched. This experience is completely unique. After West Point I will be given a huge amount of responsibility—but that’s what my country has asked of me. (2010)

A.  I came to West Point for the commission rather than for the degree. I spent 2 years enlisted as a paratrooper, deployed once to Afghanistan, became a junior NCO; throughout those two years I decided a) I wanted to go back to school and continue my education, and b) I wanted to get a Commission and become an Officer, both for the leadership it entails and the increased paycheck. I didn't have any college credit hours, so OCS wasn't a possibility for me. West Point became my challenge school, my ambitious goal; I expected to do an ROTC program at a public university whose acceptance standards would be at the same level as my not-so-great high school grades. Thankfully, my Army experience and the maturity I gained over the two years proved to be more important to the USMA Admission Board than my high school grades.  (2010)

A. There are plenty of commissioning sources if you want to become an Army Officer. However, soldiers rarely ask "where did you get your commission from" - more often, it's "Did you go to West Point, sir?" ROTC programs at other colleges and universities are still a great place to learn and to hone your military and leadership skills, but don't have the same resources or tried and refined experience as the Academy. (2010)

A.  I wanted to come to West Point to follow my father's military career. Although he is not a USMA graduate, I still feel that I should serve my country when they need me the most. (2010)

A.  I decided to come to West Point to fulfill a sense of obligation to protect and give back to a country that has provided many opportunities to me.  (2010)

A.  I decided to come to West Point after my second visit to the campus. I thought it was beautiful, and I loved having the chance to meet cadets and instructors. Everyone seemed to positive and motivated, and that was an environment I wanted to become a part of. (2011)

A.  I figured that after this Country offered my parents and me a plethora of opportunities, it was just to give thanks by serving in the Army. Plus, as a first-generation American, I can start my American heritage with a bang. (2011)

A.  I always wanted to join the service in some fashion, and West Point provided the perfect opportunity to serve, get a great education, and push myself to grow as a person.  (2011)

A.  West Point creates an environment that constantly tests you. From academics to peer leadership to the physical rigors of the military lifestyle every single day can challenge you and help you define your own character. The stressors are not all negative in fact most create bonding experiences allows you to form very close friendships with your peers. (2009)

A.  Going to West Point is like a big investment.  You do it to prepare yourself for future leadership, not for instant gratification.  It's an investment that may take a larger initial sacrifice than a typical college, but your return in the long run may be much better.  (2009)

A.  West Point incorporates 3 pillars of development, to include Academic, Physical, and Military development, which are all essential to becoming a good leader.  (2010)

A.  West Point is different than other colleges and universities because of the amount of dedication that Cadets and instructors have to educating and training Cadets to prepare for the responsibilities of officership, rather than preparing for some sort of career in the private sector.  (2010)

A.  West Point provides a deep understanding of discipline and order. It provides multiple challenges, sometimes in a course of a day you can feel drained. Speaking to my friends back in Texas I realize I do so much more that can prepare me for the future. Each night I go to sleep knowing that I have conquered another challenging day.  (2011)

A.  West point focuses on developing a person not only academically, but also physically and militarily.  Most people only challenge themselves in one area, but West Point allows cadets to challenge themselves in all facets.  Also, because of the lack of distractions, West Point is in the middle of nowhere, you can focus on exactly what your job is.  (2011)

A.  Everything! You realize how different it is after your first holiday at home, when you talk to your friends. They complain about 8:30 classes, but at West Point, no one sleeps later than 6:30 and we have our first mandatory event (breakfast formation) before 7. As a plebe, most of your friends can't believe the sort of stuff you have to put up with, like cupping your hands, greeting, and maintaining strictly professional relationships with upperclassmen. Then there's the fact that we take more credits a semester than the majority of people at normal colleges--so, on top of all the additional responsibilities we take on, we also have to balance more classes. But, in the end, I think it's safe to say West Point puts out a better product. (2011)

A.  Learning is never complete, you can always do more to better yourself and sometimes it takes failure to identify where you need to improve.  (2009)

A.  This year I learned that I should stop worrying about what people thought of me and focus on completing the tasks that were placed in front of me.  (2010)

A.  I learned that when more is asked of me, I can successfully meet challenges. The Army will never stop asking more and more from me. I am confident that I will not disappoint the Army. Both they and I cannot afford anything less.  (2010)

A.   I have learned that I need to be able to interact with and depend on others to accomplish anything.  (2010)

A.  West Point has been the most humbling and the most empowering experience of my life. I've learned hard work at a whole new level. (2011)

A. The only way to grow as a person is to push yourself.  A person must be internally motivated in order for any external motivation to have an effect.  Those who are intrinsically internally motivated will rise to the top of whatever they do.  (2011)

A.  Balancing the academic course load with the military training and physical requirements, all while still leaving some time to spend with friends and participate in fun activities.  (2009)

A.   Leading my peers has proved to be the most difficult challenge. Even if the task was menial—such as organizing laundry pickup and delivery—peers hold each other to a higher standard. People do not like it when one of their peers wastes their time. Motivating a peer to do something your way as opposed to their way, especially when your authority is more or less arbitrary, has been my hardest leadership experience. (2010)

A.  The most challenging experience at West Point is having the full knowledge the length of the commitment to the military and what that entails. (2010)

A.  Beast Barracks.  (2010)

A.  The live fire station definitely seemed hard for me. I hadn’t been accustomed to holding a gun, therefore shooting all over the place seemed a bit challenging at first. However, throughout the six weeks I learned how to cope with the feeling and get used to guns.  (2011)

A.  Prioritizing what is important is the greatest challenge at West Point, as well as remaining calm, even when overwhelmed with work.  They always seem to give too much to do, but most of the time you find a way to get it done.  (2011)

A.  I would say getting through every day is challenging. Some days are harder than others, but you just have to remember why you came to the academy and everything will work out. (2011)

A.  The opportunities it provides. Most college students spend their summers working at home. Every summer cadets have the opportunity to test themselves by undertaking exciting endeavors that some people may never have the opportunity to do. The leadership experiences during the academic year and during summer training (Beast/Buckner and details) place cadets in positions of authority and responsibility, leading other cadets of every class. Cadets get priority for Army schools like the Basic Airborne Course and the Sabalauski Air Assault School. Every experience is a test and an opportunity to learn. Relevant lessons from the military program prepare cadets not only for service in the GWOT but also in every other aspect of life.  (2009)

A.  I would say that having a leadership position during the academic year has been the most rewarding for me, I love being a team leader and watching my plebe develop and improve, as well as help him with everything I can.  (2010)

A.  The wide variety of training and wealth of resources sets West Point apart from other ROTC programs. Summer training involves much planning and coordination and is unmatched by any single institution. This is important to me because I know I am getting the most out of my officer candidate experience. (2010)

A.  The best part of the military program is the different leadership roles Cadets can assume during the academic year. Dealing with one's own issues as well as others' is a very challenging experience.  (2010)

A. The summer training is the most critical part of the Military Program.  The military training is what we will use once we become Army officers, so in my opinion it is the most important training.  (2011)

A.  I feel that it’s a fantastic idea to have cadets run and facilitate certain events. That way both of us, leaders and subordinates, learn a bit from each other through our shared experiences. (2011)

A.  The intramural sports. They foster teamwork, competition and the values of good sportsmanship.  (2009)

A.  The best part of the physical program is that there IS a physical program.  Again, this sets USMA apart from a traditional college.  We learn to appreciate the value of fitness by sampling a little bit of everything.  We learn what we're good at and what we want to get better at.  We learn what we enjoy and will want to continue for the rest of our lives.  This is unique in an age where the physical fitness trend seems on the decline.  (2009)

A.  The best part of the physical program is the diversity. No one can be fully prepared for the array of athletic challenges swimming, boxing, gymnastics, the Indoor Obstacle Course Test, and the Army Physical Fitness Test have to offer.  (2010)

A.  Plebe year PE classes (survival swimming, boxing, and military movement—formerly known as gymnastics) were a lot of fun and were a good learning experience. They were important to me because they increased my physical confidence through activities I had never done before, such as swimming with full military gear or climbing a rope. (2010)

A.  The intramurals are the best part because they have a wide variety of sports to choose from and it is a good distraction from the academics.  (2011)

A.  The best part of the Physical Program is the Company athletics. I believe it’s an excellent way to interact with the rest of the company and build a great camaraderie. (2011)

A.  For leaders integrity is everything. No one will follow someone who makes promises they don’t deliver on. Soldiers will not follow an officer to battle if he doesn’t trust him/her completely. An officer must be trustworthy and unbiased, especially when lives are on the line. The Honor and Respect programs place the responsibility of maintaining and fostering these principles in the hands of the cadets.  (2009)

A.  The Honor and Respect Programs set West Point apart from any other institution because of the high standards maintained in the programs. While one would like to think they are unnecessary, they are essential to shaping behavior appropriately.  (2010)

A.  The Honor and Respect Programs are so essential because the Army is such a huge and diverse community, and officers are trusted to uphold the standards.  The Honor and Respect programs give us the strong foundation in character necessary to be a great leader. (2011)

A. The Honor program allows students to have complete trust in someone.  It helps create the close bonds that you forge between all of your friends and classmates.  (2011)

A.  It elevates the type of college life and it builds trust. It helps develop cadets into leaders of character. (2011)

A.  Military history.  I have always loved military history.  (2009)

A.  American Politics.  Everyday I get to apply currents events to my future profession of officership.  (2009)

A.  Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace concentration.  I want to be an astronaut.  I also study Russian to set myself up for this career after the Army.  (2009)

A.  West Point is a school that has been known for 100+ years for its excellent engineering programs.  The traditions of West Point fascinate me, and I wanted to be a part of this engineering tradition.  Coupled with my interest in chemistry, I decided to major in Chemical Engineering.  My course requirements will allow me to take courses in several different engineering departments.  This keeps my classes diverse and challenging.  (2009)

A.  I chose to major in Human Geography. The coursework is mainly cultural, which interests me, and is important when in a war zone like Iraq or Afghanistan, where knowing the people, the religion, the lifestyle is all quintessential to winning hearts, minds and trust. West Point has a HUGE number of international trips, called Advanced Individual Academic Developments. Within the Geography department, there are dozens of trips planned, including but not limited to Japan, Russia, Vietnam, the Balkans, India, Egypt, Tanzania, Brazil, Four Corners (USA) - all of these trips are designed on advanced study of physical geography and cultural immersion; no other school has opportunities like that. (2010)

A.  I am an Environmental Geography and Foreign Area Studies: Latin America double major. I chose Environmental Geography because I have always been fascinated with the Earth and locations around the globe. I chose Latin American Foreign Area Studies because it allowed me to continue to build my Spanish skills I had learned in high school as well as allow me to interpret Latin American culture using political and historical approaches. (2010)

A.  My major is Systems Engineering because it is a well respected program focused on decision making and involves both management and engineering skills.  (2010)

A.  I chose to major in German since I already had a strong background in that language. I love the Department of Foreign Languages; they are dedicated to seeing us succeed.  (2010)

A. The Protestant Choir.  I get to perform and witness outside of West Point and strengthen my own faith with fellow Christians.  (2009)

A. Combat Weapons Team. I get to learn the fundamentals of tactical shooting on many weapon platforms, then teach my fellow cadets outside of the club what I learn.  (2009)

A.  Skeet and Trap Shooting. It’s a great stress reliever and we take some awesome trips to go compete.  (2009)

A.  My favorite club at West Point is the Triathlon Team because it allows Cadets a chance to compete against themselves, their teammates, and other college teams and train themselves much more than physically.  (2010)

A.  The Combat Weapons Team is my favorite club because I am able to work with a wide variety of agencies and gain a broad training background.  (2011)

A.  I am on the Corps Squad Women's Basketball team, and that is my favorite activity here! (2011)

A.  I learned that although I was tired, hungry, and missing home, I was still able to push through and succeed.  (2011)

A.  I learned that overcoming challenges are rewarding. You can push yourself to a accomplish more. Plus, learned that I can keep a pretty positive attitude during stressful times. (2011)