Summary

Changes admissions at the U.S. service academies to a single, uniformly calculated "candidate composite score" that emphasizes academics and standardized tests, limits subjective adjustments, and bans consideration of race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, or religion. Each academy must rank candidates and alternates by that score and adopt numeric caps as "up to" amounts applied in score order. Requires each academy to appoint 300 alternates each year from nominated but non-selected candidates in rank order, and mandates detailed annual reporting to congressional defense committees on scores, waivers, waiver recipients' status and conduct, additional-appointee selections, and non-selected high-scoring candidates. Applies to the Military, Naval, and Air Force Academies and makes conforming edits to the referenced statutes.

Key Points

• Standardizes admissions across the three service academies using a uniform candidate composite score.
• Requires academic component to be at least 60% of the composite, with standardized tests at least 45%.
• Limits subjective parts of the score to 10% and caps any subjective adjustment at 10% of the pre-adjustment score.
• Prohibits consideration of race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in admissions decisions.
• Each academy must name 300 alternates yearly from nominated but non-selected candidates, ranked by composite score.
• Appointment category caps are changed to "up to" amounts and must be filled in composite-score order.
• Mandates detailed annual October 1 reports to congressional defense committees on scores, waivers, waiver recipients' status, additional appointees, and non-selected high scorers.
• Applies to the Army, Navy, and Air Force service academies and makes conforming statutory edits.

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