Naval Academy Preparatory School - Definition and Overview

The Naval Academy Preparatory School, or NAPS is the preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy and United States Coast Guard Academy, providing for strengthening of academic potential of candidates to each of these institutions. Located at NETC, Newport, Rhode Island, this is the fourth oldest school in the Navy; only the Academy, the Naval War College, and Naval Postgraduate School are older. The students are called by their rank midshipman candidates or cadet candidates, depending on whether they are bound for the Naval or Coast Guard Academies. However, all are informally known as NAPSters.

History

In 1918, the Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels signed in a provision to have up to 100 sailors from the fleet to be eligible for entry to the Academy. Due to the difficult nature of the Naval Academy's entrance examination, then Undersecretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt also allowed for a school to founded to prepare Sailors and Marines for entry. In the 1970s, civilian applicants began to be considered for entry, and in 1979 the Coast Guard began sending cadet candidates to NAPS.

Course of Instruction

All midshipman and cadet candidates complete a standard course of study—calculus, physics, chemistry, and English—to make them competitive at their respective academies. Varsity athletics are also offered. During the first three weeks upon reporting, midshipmen from each of the academies run the indoctrination period to shift the candidates to a military and officer mentality.

External links

• Naval Academy Preparatory School's official website (http://www.naps.edu/)
• NAPS Parent Page (http://www.usna.com/naps/)
• United States Naval Academy's official website (http://www.usna.edu/)
• United States Coast Guard Academy's official website (http://www.uscga.edu/)