What are the requirements to get into West Point?

Hi there –

I was formerly in the US Army as a commissioned officer. My source of commissioning was ROTC (“Reserve Officer Training Corps”).

Relative to your question – “I was wondering if you actually have to join the military to attend or if you can go, get the experience, and get out”
The return-on-investment that the nation expects from you, if you’re accepted at and attend one of the service academies (e.g., West Point) is that you’ll provide a minimum of six years of military service as a commissioned officer. The financial cost associated with a service academy education, paid for you by the nation (if you’re accepted) is very significant; you need to understand that if you expect to receive one of the finest educations in the world from one of the service academies, you'll be expected to join the military and serve the nation in order to pay back that investment.

The Admissions website ( http://admissions.usma.edu/ ) offers guidance on applying for nominations and a lot more.

Here’s some other information that prove useful, as well:

Reference: https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice-president-biden/academy-nominations/steps
Steps for the United States Service Academies Application Process
Mission Statement
The mission of the U.S. service academies is to provide instruction and experience to all cadets so that they graduate with the knowledge and character essential to leadership and the motivation to become career officers in the U.S. military.
Eligibility
To be eligible to enter an Academy, you must be:
• A citizen of the United States
• Of good moral character
• Unmarried with no dependents
• At least 17, but less than 23 years of age by July 1 of the year you would enter.
Selections
It takes a well-rounded program of leadership, academic, and athletic preparation to be one of the few who can meet the Service Academies high admission standards and the fierce competitions for appointment. Carefully consider the characteristics of dedication, desire to serve others, ability to accept discipline, sense of duty, and morality, and the enjoyment of challenge in deciding if you want to pursue an Academy education.
Academic Preparation
It is recommended that young persons who aspire to go to one of the service academies take a college preparatory curriculum in high school that stresses English and Math. Also, they should plan on taking the ACT and SAT test as early as possible and more than once.
Physical Preparation
During the admissions process prospective cadets will be given the Candidate Fitness Assessment. All three academies have the same physical fitness events: the basketball throw; pull-ups (men & women) or flexed-arm hang (women); shuttle run; modified sit-ups; push-ups; and the one-mile run. The purpose of these tests is to evaluate a candidate’s upper body strength and endurance. Please check with each academy on their specific requirements for the Candidate Fitness Assessment.
General Information
The minimum SAT scores for the academies are 500 verbal and 500 math. The average SAT scores at the academies are 540-620 verbal and 630-710 math. The minimum ACT scores for the academies are 21 English, 19 Social Studies, 24 Mathematics, and 24 Natural Science. The average ACT scores are 23-27 English; 24-29 Social Studies; 27-32 Mathematics; 28-32 Natural Science (minimum and average scores are slightly higher for the Naval Academy). Virtually all cadets are from the top 25% of their high school class.

Reference: https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice-president-biden/academy-nominations/procedures
Procedures for the Service Academy Process
1. Open Applicant File
Request Pre-Candidate Questionnaire from the Admissions Office of the applicable Academy.
• United States Military Academy – apply online at http://admissions.usma.edu
• United States Air Force Academy - (800) 443-9266, apply online at http://www.academyadmissions.com
• United States Naval Academy - (410) 293-4361, apply online at http://www.usna.edu/Admissions
2. Request Nominations
Write to Congressional Representatives, (i.e. Congressmen/women, Senators) for a nomination.
3. Complete Testing
Take ACT or SAT tests, schedule Physical Aptitude Exam & Medical Exam.
4. Complete File
Complete all forms and return to academy or academies by their deadline.
5. Visit Service Academies
Call Admissions Office to set up a tour of academies

Here is a general Bing search string on the "military academy application process":
http://www.bing.com/search?q=military+academy+application+process&qs=n&form=QBLH&pq=military+academy+application+process&sc=2-36&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=54F09AA374B14E20A5237BBC8DBA5610&ajf=100

I hope this is helpful to you.