Vietnamese-American teen accepted to Princeton and all 3 US military academies

Princeton, ranked as the No. 1 university by both the 2025 U.S. News & World Report and the 2025 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings, is just one of the 10 universities to which Alexandra Minh An Greenfield was accepted during early admissions. The others include Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia.

Alexandra Minh An Greenfield. Photo courtesy of Alexandra

However, she finds greater pride in her acceptance to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy due to their more demanding selection processes.

"It was really emotional, especially getting into the military academies," Alex said. "All my hard work has been recognized."

Alex grew up in Georgia and has been academically ahead of her peers since middle school, advancing at a pace two grades higher. By eighth grade, she had already scored 1470 out of 1600 on the SAT, qualifying her for dual enrollment in high school and college. Currently enrolled in a local college, she decided to apply to out-of-state schools to challenge herself further.

Living near a military base inspired Alex's interest in the army from an early age. In ninth grade, she joined the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), a program sponsored by the U.S. Armed Forces that fosters leadership, patriotism, and responsibility among youth. Encouraged by her teachers, she began exploring military academies in her sophomore year.

The application process for the military academies is rigorous, involving physical fitness standards such as maintaining a healthy BMI, performing pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and running a mile in under eight minutes. Initially, Alex did not meet any of these requirements. She then began rising at 5:30 a.m. daily for gym workouts, in addition to her regular figure skating practices, to enhance her physical fitness.

Alex's mother, Trang Tran, noted that these physical challenges not only bolstered Alex's health but also taught her time management and discipline. "There were days when she was exhausted but still got up early to work out. She organized her schedule to ensure time for studying, skating, and sufficient rest," Trang said.

Alexandra Minh An Greenfield (R) and her mother Trang Tran. Photo courtesy of Alexandra

Candidates for military academies must also secure a nomination from a state senator or representative. In Georgia, each senator can nominate up to 15 students per academy. Alex secured her nominations through a diligent application process that included essays and interviews.

In one essay, she was asked, "Who are you?" Alex discussed her commitment to figure skating despite numerous challenges, aiming to demonstrate her determination, discipline, and resilience. She also wrote about her gratitude for the opportunities in the U.S., her family's immigrant background, and her desire to serve her country, inspired by singing the national anthem at a special forces competition.

Alex had to prepare extensive application materials, including resumés, recommendations, academic records, and personal essays, as well as participate in interviews to evaluate her leadership and problem-solving skills.

Her first acceptance from a military academy came directly from West Point in late August. "When they called to congratulate me, I cried tears of happiness. It validated all my efforts," Alex said.

For non-military schools, Alex applied through the Common App, submitting an SAT score of 1570, and ranking first among nearly 350 seniors. Her main college essay, inspired by the sudden passing of her calculus teacher, explored breaking through personal limits.

Accepted to seven non-military schools, including Princeton, Alex received personalized letters from three schools and a US$37,000 annual scholarship from another. She also has opportunities to continue skating and playing the violin in school orchestras.

Despite her broad academic success, Alex feels a special thrill for her military academy acceptance. "It’s cool to get into so many schools early, including the No. 1 university in the U.S., but the military academies excite me more," she said.

Alex has until May 2025 to decide where she will ultimately enroll.