Surge in Applications at Military Academies

The U.S. military academies reported a surge in applications this year, The New York Times reported. Many colleges that are relatively inexpensive or that offer generous financial aid reported application increases this year, and the military academies are free. But they also have military service requirements after graduation that represent a more lasting and serious commitment than most students must make when selecting a college. Still, the Naval Academy reported an application increase of 40 percent, while applications were up just under 10 percent at the Military Academy and the Air Force Academy.