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United States Coast Guard Academy

  • Statistics

    Location:
    New London, CT
    Setting:
    Urban
    Public/Private:
    Public
    Undergraduates:
    1,045
    Selectivity:
    Most Selective
    Acceptance Rate:
    16 %
    See All Statistics

  • Summary

    The smallest of the federal service academies, the Coast Guard Academy offers a free, top-notch, science-heavy education in exchange for five years of future service.

    Applicants to the Coast Guard Academy know what to expect: a no-frills residential situation, a skewed gender ratio, a lot of structure both in the classroom and out, and a military-style focus on fitness and discipline. Judging by the intense competition to get in, most cadets find it a good deal. Once on campus, slacking is not an option (neither is

    drinking, or venturing off campus except on weekends), but students tend to rise to the challenge their atypical college experience presents; they know that the school doesn't hesitate to kick out rule-breakers. Luckily, though most students are driven individuals, the competition between them is not cutthroat; loyalty and cooperation are highly valued.

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  • Additional Info

    The USCGA originated as the Revenue Cutter School of Instruction in 1876 with nine cadets and a schooner as its campus. In 1890 it moved to dry land in Curtis Bay, Maryland. Then, in 1910, it ventured north to Connecticut, where it merged with the Life Saving Service, and in 1932, it found its home in New London.

    The New London campus sits on 120 acres on the shore of the Thames River, and the school's ships extend its reach out to sea.

    New London is a small, affluent city of about 25,000 people on the coast of Connecticut. It's within driving distance of -- and connected by train to -- New York and Boston. Connecticut College is also located within the city and helps to liven up the social life.

    What are the traditions on campus? Write a review and let us know!

    Bruce E. Melnick '72, first Coast Guard astronaut Daniel C. Burbank '85, second Coast Guard astronaut Thad Allen '71, Commandant of the Coast Guard

    The Coast Guard Academy's 23 teams compete in the NCAA Division III, except for its Rifle and Pistol team, which is Division I. Cadets take athletics seriously: each of them is required to spend two hours a day on sports or related activities.

    The Coast Guard Academy is entirely free to attend.

    Students, called "cadets," must wear uniforms.

    100% of students live in coed dorms in doubles.