Prospective cadets will be ranked according to academic achievement and the whole-man rating concept. Decisions for admission will be made on all applications beginning in February. Selected applicants will be sent appointments that are tentative pending establishment of a reservation. A reservation requires submission of satisfactory medical and dental reports, a signed acceptance of the appointment, and payment of a $250 advance deposit. The advance deposit is deducted from the total charges for the first year of enrollment. It is refundable if requested in writing before June 30, or if the applicant is found physically disqualified.

SMI reserves the right to cancel an appointment or reservation if the recipient is found to be physically unfit for military training or if a subsequent academic or conduct record is found unsatisfactory. All factors being equal for a given ranking of individuals, the preference for admission will be given to the applicant from a southern state and the competitors will be moved to the next lower ranking level for further consideration.