Academy Dreams
The pier and training vessel at the Merchant Marine Academy

USMMA · High school roadmap

Sophomore year: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy10th grade · Build the foundation

Your 10th grade checklist for USMMA, built from the official pages we track.

The pier at Kings Point, November 2015. Photo: Spc. Stephanie Ramirez via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (U.S. government work).

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.

  • Honors, AP, IB, and dual-enrollment courses are valued23.

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-ups4.

Leadership and service

  • Examples the academies list include team captain, student government, Eagle Scout/Gold Award, Boys/Girls State, club leadership, community service, and JROTC54.

Key deadlines

The official pages we track list no dated USMMA 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 USMMA admissions site and your congressional offices’ pages.

USMMA-specific notes

USMMA minimum:

  • English: 3 units1
  • Math: 3 units1
  • Science: 1 unit physics or chemistry with lab1
  • Foreign language: not specified
  • History / social studies: not specified
  • Computer science: not specified
  • USMMA says applicants should "ideally" rank in the top 20% of their class1.

Eligibility basics1; 6

  • Age: 17 to not yet 25 by July 1
  • Other basics: U.S. citizen; meets Navy Reserve commissioning requirements. The CRS lists the unmarried/no-dependents rule for all academies

Sources

  1. USMMA (usmma.edu)
  2. USNA Advice (usna.edu)
  3. USAFA Requirements (usafa.edu)
  4. West Point: Middle & High School (westpoint.edu)
  5. West Point Steps (westpoint.edu)
  6. CRS IF13219 (congress.gov)

Keep every USMMA date on your calendar.

Coming soon: reminder emails before applications open, nomination deadlines close and summer program windows shut.

Reminders coming soonAll deadlines