If for some reason the principal nominee does not qualify for appointment, the alternates compete for the congressional vacancy. Each Member of Congress may have five students in each service academy as congressional nominees at any one time. When one of these five students graduates or is separated from the academy for any other reason, a vacancy is created, for which the congressional office can nominate a principal and nine competing alternate nominees. In some years, there are multiple vacancies, which greatly expands the pool of potential nominees. Each candidate must qualify for appointment by the academies AND must qualify for nomination by the congressional office.
Standards vary from academy to academy, however.
The applicant must have a minimum SAT score of 500 in math and a minimum SAT score of 450 in English. The service academies are renowned academic institutions, and potential nominees must be well-prepared in order to receive an academy nomination. High school students should undertake a rigorous college preparatory curriculum to be a successful candidate. Students interested in a service academy nomination should speak to their counselors during their freshman and sophomore years to enroll in college preparatory courses. It is also advisable for students to begin preparing early for the SAT test since test scores play a critical role in the appointment process.