It took me three years of interviews and fitness tests to get into West Point. It was totally worth it.

When I applied to colleges, I didn't have the usual lists of "reach" and "safety" schools. I had only one school in mind: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Getting into West Point—or the Naval Academy, the Coast Guard Academy or the Air Force Academy—is a bit like running an obstacle course. In addition to the usual progression of the SAT, essays and teacher recommendations, the process requires three steps. First is a thorough physical, with the results reviewed by a government review board. Next is a six-event physical-fitness test. Finally, candidates must be nominated by a member of Congress or the vice president. And for the students who are admitted, the commitment extends well beyond four years. Although I'm receiving my education free of charge, when I graduate I will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and remain on active military duty until at least 2014, with a three-year reserve commitment after that.

If you want to go to a service academy, start the process early. You want your congressional office to know you well before your senior year. Apply to as many nominating sources as you can—not only your representative, but also both of your senators. Each can nominate 10 candidates per year to each military academy; only one of the 10 is admitted. At your interviews, the most important thing is to be confident in your desire to be a military officer. In my interviews—usually with staffers, but the Congress members sometimes do attend—I was asked questions about world events, my high-school accomplishments and my desire to serve. Politics didn't seem to matter much.