Olivia Santo: From WECHS to West Point

 

 

The college application process can be intimidating for many students. From choosing colleges, deciding on going in-state or out of state, completing the FAFSA, and nervously awaiting testing scores, it can feel like a minefield of questions and challenges. For Wilmington Early College  High School Senior Olivia Santo, that process was even more daunting. Her last year was filled with rigorous interviews and meetings, which paid off when she was accepted into the United States Military Academy West Point, receiving $300,000 in scholarships and a monthly salary throughout her attendance.

 

Olivia’s decision to apply to West Point is motivated by family. She has a long family history of veterans and even has a cousin who was accepted into West Point.  As she continued researching her post-secondary options, West Point continued to pop up as a top contender. With an acceptance rate of only 12%, she knew that getting accepted would not be easy. Despite her early reservations, she began the long application process a full year prior to her high school graduation. 

 

 “You start with the summer leadership experience application, which is going to be the preliminary candidate questionnaire,“ says Santo. “Then, throughout that year, you collect everything that you need: your fitness testing, your ACT and SAT, your recommendations, and your nomination from Congressional officials. Then you have the interviews. There are so many interviews.”

 

Santo is an active participant in her school and community. She credits guidelines and advice from advisors and school counselors for allowing her to gain the discipline, independence, and tenacity that made her prime West Point candidate.  

 

Though achieving acceptance to the prestigious institution would be a great accomplishment for anyone, for Olivia, her acceptance is only the beginning. Santo hopes to choose the medical education path at West Point. After graduation, she plans to enter medical school, filling in-service requirements along the way. Her goal is to become a medical doctor to support the troops. 

 

For others thinking about applying to West Point, Santo has this advice. “The application process is so long, and there are going to be points where it’s going to seem like no one’s getting back to you,” she says.  “You really need to advocate for yourself and persist through the challenges. The process helps to develop the mentality that you’re going to need to get through the next four years.”