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Why this year matters
This is the year to build the grades, fitness and leadership the academies look for. The checklist below lists what the official pages say.
Checklist for sophomore year
Courses and grades
The academies' recommended courses overlap a lot. Plan your 11th- and 12th-grade schedules now so you don't come up short.
Sports and fitness
- Compete in team sports and individual endurance sports, run regularly ("two-mile runs are recommended"), and do push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups3.
Key deadlines
The official pages we track list no dated USCGA deadlines for sophomore year. Dated steps start in junior year. See junior year or the full deadline list.
Dates change. Always confirm on the official USCGA admissions site and your congressional offices’ pages.
USCGA-specific notes
- We found no published high school course list for the Coast Guard Academy. USCGA says strong candidates show "proven academic accomplishment, particularly in math and the sciences"6.
- Coast Guard hopefuls: also practice USCGA's test: one-minute push-ups, a forearm plank, and a 1.5-mile run7.
Eligibility basics5
- Age: 17–22 on the last Monday in June
- Other basics: U.S. citizen; unmarried; no dependents or financial debt
Sources
- USNA Advice (usna.edu)
- USAFA Requirements (usafa.edu)
- West Point: Middle & High School (westpoint.edu)
- West Point Steps (westpoint.edu)
- USCGA Requirements (uscga.edu)
- USCGA Apply (uscga.edu)
- USCGA PFT Guide 2026 (uscga.edu)