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Is the Academy Liaison Officer your best friend?

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Each of the five federal service academies has a liaison officer, Blue & Gold Officer, Information Representative, Field Force, Liaison Officer, etc…  If you’re applying to one of the service academies, you probably will interact at some time with one of these academy representatives.

So, what does a Liaison Officer do:

  • They promote the academy.
  • Interact with High Schools
  • Attend college fairs/career nights.
  • Provide information to guidance counselors.
  • Provide information to athletic coaches.
  • They support local congressional offices and US Senators
  • Sit on Academy Selection Boards
  • Attend Service Academy Day presentations.
  • Interface with District Constituent Services
  • They provide information to interested students and their parents.
  • They are the eyes and the ears for their academy’s admissions office.
  • They help interested students through the process, and in some cases champion top candidates.

Not every academy Liaison Officer does all these things, but I can assure you the good ones do many of them, plus more.

So, is the Liaison Officer your best friend?

Yes, they are!  These individuals have deep institutional knowledge and update to date knowledge of exactly what their respective admissions offices are looking for and what the latest standards are.  They know what the competitive landscape is in your area and what you need to score on the SAT/ACT to be competitive.  Some may also have direct contact with the academy’s athletic staff which is priceless for athletes.

While you most likely will only go through the admissions process once in your life the Liaison Officers have been doing this for many years.  They know the timeline, the hurdles, and what has to be completed.  They are indispensable because of their depth of knowledge.

I strongly encourage anyone who is applying to a service academy to reach out and introduce themselves to the Liaison Officer that covers their area.  You can find out who your Liaison Officer is from your target academy’s website or by contacting the admissions office directly.  Take advantage of their knowledge and willingness to help.

https://www.westpoint.edu/admissions

https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/

USAFA http://www.academyadmissions.com

US Merchant Marine Academy https://www.usmma.edu/admissions

Admissions