'Driven' Teen Leader Headed to West Point

Wyckoff resident Jae Yu will draw on his stellar high school career this fall in preparation for an entirely new role: cadet in training.

Yu will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point after making his mark at Bergen County Academy's Science and Technology program, where he has been nothing short of a role model and leader for all of his classmates.

Serving as president of the Class of 2010 and captain of the BCA's lacrosse and soccer teams, Yu has demonstrated leadership in both the classroom and on the field.

Going to West Point has been a dream of Yu's before many students even decide which high school they'd like to attend. "I've wanted to go to (West Point) since I was in middle school," Yu said.

During the summer of Yu's sophomore year in high school, he toured his parents' home country of Korea. "It really got me in touch with my roots. We saw the entire country." Yu and his sister Bona (a student at the University of Rochester), are the first generation in their family to attend American colleges.

The subsequent summer, Yu attended West Point's week-long summer leadership seminar. "It really showed what the school could offer. I knew (West Point) had so many opportunities," he said.

Yu explained the grueling application process to attend such a prestigious military academy.

"The interview was tougher than the application. I had to give (admissions) a good case and perspective of what I did outside of school. I then had to answer short questions about my life, SAT scores and extracurricular involvement," said Yu, who emphasized this was all before an in-person interview.

Yu described the interview as "nerve-wracking" because the panelists were six ex-servicemen. Intimidation was clearly not a steep enough obstacle to hinder this standout student.

In addition, congressional nomination is a prerequisite before academy acceptance. According to West Point's online FAQ's:

"You should apply for a nomination at the same time you open a candidate file at West Point, preferably during the spring of your junior year. Write a letter to your congressional representative and request a nomination. Members of Congress determine their own application deadlines, so apply early. A candidate cannot be offered admission without a nomination."

All of this paperwork did not faze Yu, nor did he succumb to the ill-fated "senioritis."

According to the BCA Class of 2010 adviser, Gene Walsh, "At any event we ran, Jae was often more concerned that the event was running smoothly than with his own good time. In addition, his peers respect him and understand that he should be running the show, with few if any objections."

Yu is adept at time management, which helps him academically and socially. "Outside of school, I still like to play soccer and lacrosse for fun. I love music and hanging out with my friends. I even help Habitat for Humanity," Yu said.

Walsh is effusive in his praise of Yu: "He is personable, respectful, polite and driven… I never saw him show stress, and this characteristic eased everyone around him.

"I just did my best to guide Jae to grow as a leader and as a person by advice and by example… in many respects, Jae helped me through three years of advising more than I helped him through three years of presidency," Walsh said.

Many teenaged college applicants look for support from their parents when deciding on the "perfect" university. "My dad has always been supportive of my decision to attend West Point. My dad is more excited, and my mom is more nervous. They both support me 100 percent," Yu said.