Does a congressional appointment override that?
I’ve not known of anyone admitted to a military academy other than through congressional appointment (not that many), or maybe the appointment has to be made formally by a congressman or even the President?
A book called “Letters From The Presidents,” Franklin Roosevelt wrote to the future president in 1950-something if he would consider appointing a certain young man to West Point. I don’t recall the details of the case - but I am thinking it was a soldier killed in World War II who left behind a young son.
I’ll agree it would be unwise for a young man or young woman to accept appointment to any of the military academies if he or she didn’t pass the interviews.
I was just talking about this a month or so ago with my brother who went to Annapolis. It sounded quite elaborate. Several days worth of filling out forms and interviews before the appointment could go through. For a while he was on the committee here in our part of the world to interview candidates. Sounds complicated.