By an Act of Congress passed in 1903, two appointments as Midshipmen (as the students
have been called since 1902; "naval cadets" and "cadet Midshipmen" were term used at
various times in the latter half of the 19th century) were allowed for each senator, representative, and delegate in Congress,
two for the District of Columbia, and five each year at
large. Currently each member of Congress and the Vice President can have five appointees attending the Naval Academy at any time.
When any appointee graduates or otherwise leaves the academy, a vacancy is created. Candidates are nominated by their senator,
representative, or delegate in Congress, and those appointed at large are nominated by the Vice President. The process is not
political and applicants do not have to know their Congressman to be nominated. Congressman generally nominate ten people per
vacancy. They can nominate people in a competitive manner, or they can have a principal nomination. In a competitive nomination,
all ten applicants are reviewed by the academy, to see who is the most qualified. If the congressman appoints a principal
nominee, then as long as that candidate is physically, medically, and academically found qualified by the academy, he will be
admitted, even if there are more qualified applicants.Additional sources of appointment are open to sons and daughters of career military personnel (100 per year); 170 appointments
per year are for active duty Navy and Marine Corps enlisted personnel; 20 appointments per year are provided for Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Midshipmen; and
65 appointments are available to sons and daughters of military members who were killed in action, or were rendered 100% disabled
due to injuries received in action, or are currently prisoners of war or missing in action. Typically five to ten candidates are
nominated for each appointment, which are normally awarded competetively; candidates who do not receive the appointment they are
competing for may still be admitted to the Academy as a qualified alternate. If a candidate is considered qualified but not
picked up, they may receive an indirect admission to either a Naval Academy Foundation prep school or the Naval Academy Preparatory School in
Newport; the following year, these candidates receive direct appointment to the Academy.Additionally, sons or daughters of Medal of Honor winners do not
need an appointment but only need to qualify for admission. To be admitted, candidates must be an American citizen between
seventeen and twenty-three years of age upon entrance, unmarried with no children, and of good moral character. The current
process includes a university application, personality testing, standardized testing, and personal references.