A high school senior, a Vietnamese-American from Georgia, has achieved a rare distinction by being accepted into Princeton University and all three United States military academies.
Princeton, ranked as the number one 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 that accepted Alexandra Minh An Greenfield through early admissions. The other institutions include Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia.
However, she derives 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 rigorous admissions processes.
It was an extremely emotional experience, especially when I got accepted into the military academies,” Alex said. “All my diligent efforts have been recognized.
Alex grew up in the state of Georgia and has been academically exceptional compared to her peers since she was in middle school, accelerating her academic progress at a pace that was two grades ahead. By eighth grade, she had previously achieved a score of 1470 out of 1600 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, allowing her to enroll in courses from both high school and college simultaneously. Currently, she is pursuing her education at a local college, and she has decided to apply to colleges and universities located outside her home state in order to further challenge herself academically.
Growing up near a military base sparked Alex’s fascination with the army at a young age. In the ninth grade, she took part in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), a U.S. Armed Forces-sponsored program that develops leadership, patriotism, and responsibility among young people. With her teachers’ encouragement, she researched military academies starting in her sophomore year.
The admissions process for military academies is highly demanding, requiring applicants to meet stringent physical standards, including maintaining a healthy body mass index, completing pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups, as well as running a mile in under eight minutes within a certain timeframe. At the outset, Alex failed to meet any of these requirements. She thereby started waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day for exercise sessions, in addition to her existing figure skating training, in order to improve her physical fitness.
Alex’s mother, Trang Tran, pointed out that these physical challenges not only improved Alex’s health but also helped her develop the ability to manage her time effectively and maintain discipline. “There were days when she was extremely fatigued but still rose early to engage in physical activity. She organized her daily routine to make time for studying, skating, and getting plenty of rest,” Trang explained.
Individuals applying to 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 gained her nominations through a thorough application process, which entailed writing essays and participating in interviews.
In one essay, she was asked, “Who are you?” Alex discussed her dedication to figure skating in the face of numerous challenges, aiming to prove her resolve, self-control, and ability to bounce back. She also wrote about her appreciation for the chances she has had in the U.S., her family’s heritage as immigrants, and her wish to serve her country, motivated by her experience of singing the national anthem at a special forces competition.
Alex had to prepare a comprehensive application package consisting of a CV, letters of recommendation, academic transcripts, and a personal statement, as well as participate in interviews to assess her leadership abilities and problem-solving prowess.
She received her first acceptance letter from West Point in late August. “When they called to congratulate me, I cried tears of joy. It was a validation of all my hard work,” Alex explained.
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 loss of her calculus teacher, explored the concept of overcoming personal boundaries.
Accepted to seven non-military schools, including Princeton, Alex received personalized letters from three schools and an annual scholarship of US$37,000 from another school. She also has the opportunity to continue skating and playing the violin in school orchestras.
Despite her many academic achievements, Alex feels a special sense of excitement for her acceptance into the military academy. “It’s great to have been accepted into so many schools early, including the top-ranked university in the US, but the military academies are what really thrill me,” she said.
Alex has until May 2025 to make a final decision about where she will ultimately be enrolled.
