Identical twins Jack and Liam Palladino, who will graduate from Palisades High in June, have been accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point. The Palisades residents received nomination letters from House of Representative member Henry Waxman and Senator Diane Feinstein.
West Point, founded in 1802, is one of the most selective colleges in the United States. More than 15,000 students apply, and fewer than 1,200 are accepted. The mean SAT score in critical reading is 627 and math is 654. (SAT scores range from 200 to 800, with 500 the average for test-takers.)
“My sons were in the top 5 percent of SAT and ACT scores,” said father Jim Palladino, adding that his sons were also accepted to Columbia, William & Mary, George Washington and Hillsdale College. The family has lived in the Palisades since 1997.
Liam said, “The admissions process to get into West Point is larger and more intensive than any other college application I came across.”
“Not only does one have to have great grades and high scores on standardized tests, one must prove that he/she has leadership qualities,” Jack said. “Academics make up about 60 percent of a candidate’s application, leadership accounts for 30 percent, and physical requirements are 10 percent. In addition, one must have a nomination from a Congressman, Senator, or the Vice President of the United States.”
Applicants have one chance to pass a rigorous physical test that includes throwing a basketball as far as they can from a kneeling position, full-hang pull-ups, timed shuttle run, sit-ups and a mile run.
West Point students receive a free education plus a small salary, in exchange for a five-year service requirement after graduation.
“I’ve wanted to serve in the military my whole life,” Liam said. “I’ve always had a passion for academics and I’ve always wanted to lead, which makes the officer career the most appealing path for me. West Point seemed the perfect way to blend leadership experience, strong academics and military training.”
Jack added, “At West Point, I will receive one of the greatest academic educations our country has to offer and I will also be working towards my dream of service to this nation as an officer in the U.S. Army.”
The Palladinos attended Marquez and Revere. Not surprisingly, they cite U.S. history as their favorite subject, which was taught by Robert King at PaliHi. “History gives me a chance to learn from all the great people who lived before me,” said Jack, who volunteers at Station 69 on Sundays helping firefighters with chores such as sweeping the building and washing the trucks. “History also allows me to learn from the mistakes that have been made, so I do not repeat them.”
“I’ve always been intrigued by history, and more recently I’ve found a great interest in the field of economics, especially the role it has played in American history,” said Liam, who also volunteers at Station 69 with his brother.
This semester the twins are studying AP U.S. government, honors physics, honors English and composition, AP French and ceramics, while working independently on AP microeconomics.
The Palladinos are also co-founders and co-presidents of the Wounded Warrior Project chapter at PaliHi and participated in track for three years and cross-country for one.
“The best thing about Pali is its diversity,” Jack said. “There are so many different viewpoints at PaliHi and so many different cultures represented. At times, these differing viewpoints and opinions clash, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing because not everyone gets along in the real world outside of high school. Students at Pali learn how to work well with others early on in life and this helps them to better understand the people that they will run into later on.”
Liam agreed. “I’ve been fortunate enough to befriend students from all walks of life, and gain insight into differing perspectives, which has helped me develop a more open mind. I think it has been good training for the outside world, with its diversity and varying opinions.”
The twins’ father, Jim, is the CEO of Get Fresh, a botanical-based bath and body-care business, and their mother, Jacquelyn Overcash, is helping run her family’s business, Overcash Electric Company, in Mooresville, North Carolina. Their older brother, Dylan, is a junior at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
