What does a typical academic year at the Naval Academy look like?

I'm researching the Naval Academy and would love to know how the academic year is structured. When do they start and end terms, and how do they handle breaks and exams?

The U.S. Naval Academy's academic year typically begins in late August and runs to mid-May. As many other institutions, the year is divided into two semesters, Fall and Spring – each lasting about 15 weeks.

The Fall semester starts usually in the last week of August, with a week constituting the Plebe Orientation. This is a week of training specifically for the incoming class before the full student body arrives. Then, regular classes commence and continue until the end of November or early December, with a break for Thanksgiving. Following Thanksgiving break, students return for a week or two of classes, then final exams take place, typically wrapping up by mid-December.

After fall semester finals, there is a winter break which lasts until just after the New Year. Spring semester classes begin in early January. A couple of months into the Spring semester, typically around March, there is a one week-long Spring break. The rest of the Spring semester proceeds until late April or early May, at which point final exams are administered.

The academic year is then capped off with Commissioning Week, often in late May, celebrating the graduates who are about to commission as officers in the Navy or Marine Corps. This week is full with various activities, like the Blue Angels air show and the graduation ceremony itself, culminating with the graduates throwing their hats in the air.

In addition to the standard breaks, the Naval Academy also observes all Federal Holidays, giving students additional short breaks throughout the year. Students also get a few days off in the Fall and Spring for their Service Assignment and Billet Night – two special nights when seniors find out what they will be doing in the Navy or Marine Corps after graduation.

Bear in mind that the Naval Academy is a service academy meaning that the academic coursework is just one part of the experience. Midshipmen also have to fulfill physical education requirements, participate in professional military training, and engage in extracurricular activities.