Photo Provided by Milan Smith ’24

During the winter, Milan visited the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.

For the past 2 years, senior Milan Smith has set her sights on a unique destination: the United States Naval Academy (USNA) or the United States Military Academy (USMA). This rigorous application process is far different from the typical college admissions journey seen at Rosary. Being one of the few students in school history to pursue not only academics, but athletics at a service academy, she wanted to share some advice for other prospective students considering this pathway. 

Q: What got you interested in going into the military, and what do you like about it?

I was first interested in hearing about military academies through my friend Isaac Carvalho because his sister attended USNA. After hearing about her experiences through him, I started to research USNA on my own and discovered the other academies as well. My sophomore year, three USNA midshipmen came to Rosary and spoke with us about their experiences at the academy. Ever since that day, it became a dream of mine to attend an academy.

What I like is the discipline the cadets and midshipmen have. The maturity levels they show are that of adults even though they are 18, 19, or 20 years old. I like the benefits of the military and what it can do for you past your time in the military. I will have military benefits for life along with lessons that I will learn from the military. Overall, I think that going to an academy and becoming an officer in the military is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I will benefit from this year past my time at an academy and after my service. 

Q: What job do you see yourself pursuing in the future, and how would the service academies prepare you?

I want to be in some sort of Aviation branch in the military. The service academies will prepare me for the summer training I will do every summer for the next 4 years. These trainings allow cadets and midshipmen to live the life of all the different job opportunities so when they become seniors, they know what area they want to serve in. Past the service, I would love to serve in some area of the government like a congresswoman. I think that would be really cool, especially because I plan on majoring in political science. Overall, I think the academies will prepare me for any job I end up choosing because of the academic and physical rigor over the course of 4 years. 

Q: What classes should prospective students take?

I would say the main classes they look for are physics, calculus, English, history, at least three years of a language, and good electives. Also, just overall classes that can stand out on an application and make you look more competitive. It is recommended to take accelerated classes but if you do not feel you would excel in AP or Honors courses, you can make up for it with great grades in regular classes. 

Q: What was the interview process like? Was it scary? How did Rosary prepare you?

For my Navy application I had two interviews and for the Army I had one. My first one was with a USNA alum who is also a retired Naval Officer. My second one was an interview with Congresswoman Michelle Steel’s interview committee, which was a committee full of USMA and USNA alumni. I felt nervous going into both interviews, but as the interview went on I felt strong and confident in my answers.

Rosary has prepared me for the required interviews to get into the Royal Ambassador program and many other groups on campus that made my interview feel natural and familiar. A huge thing that helped my interview was preparing my answers days before and having my mom interview me so I felt confident projecting the answers I had. My best advice for these interviews is to show up early, show up in proper dress, and most importantly have confidence in yourself! 

Q: What advice can you give to prospective students who want to go to USNA or USMA?

My advice is to get an early start on research in the academies. The more you know about the academies the better spot you are in. Trying to connect with alums is also a great thing because alumni always have great insight, advice, and connections. A great opportunity provided by the academies are their summer programs: for USNA it is a summer seminar, and for USMA it is a summer leadership experience. Both of these programs require an application process similar to the application process to the academies but just a lesser version.

Attending Summer Seminar in 2023 solidified my dream to attend the academy. I would say it was a great experience because of the advice I was given from midshipman, the kids I met from all around the U.S., and a first hand feel of life at the Academy. Most importantly, when the time rolls around and applications open, do not hesitate. Do as much as you can and ask for letters of recommendation early. Starting an application as rigorous as the Academies early will save you so much stress in the long run. There is so much that goes into each application so getting a head start by letting teachers know that you are applying to a military school will help you as well. 

Her decision to pursue a dual path of academics and Division 1 Track and Field at Navy or Army is a testament to her dedication and commitment to serve her country. What sets her journey apart is not just her ambition, but also the distinctiveness of her path. We are so proud of Milan and the hard work she has put in to get here, and she will be announcing her commitment to either school in the next two weeks!