By Acts of Congress approved June 6, 1900, March 2, 1901, June 28, 1902 (this act alone appropriated $5,500,000.00 for the improvement of a then fine plant), March 3, 1903, and May 28, 1908, the corps of cadets was made to consist of one cadet (recommended by the member) from each congressional district, two (one recommended by each senator) from each State at large, one (recommended by the delegate) from each Territory, one (recommended by the Commissioners) from the District of Columbia, one (recommended by the Resident Commissioner) from Porto Rico, and forty (appointed by the President) from the United States at large and, with the exception of the forty from the United States at large, to be actual residents of the Congressional District, State, Territory, District of Columbia or Porto Rico, respectively, from which appointed.
Four Filipinos, one for each class, are authorized to receive instruction as cadets, to be eligible on graduation only to commissions in the Philippine Scouts.
Under these Acts when in June a cadet finishes three years of his course at the academy, or sooner if his name is dropped from its rolls before then, a principal and two alternates may be appointed and the successful one admitted to the academy (formerly in the following June or September and now) on the next March 1st. But from July 1, 1910, to July 1, 1916, under the Act of April 19, 1910, when in June a cadet finishes two years of his course at the academy, or sooner if his name is dropped from its rolls before then, a principal and two alternates may be appointed and the successful one admitted to the academy on the next March 1st.
According to the twelfth census, the maximum number of cadets was fixed at 533.[64]
It is suggested to all candidates (principals and alternates[65]) that before leaving their homes for the place designated (either West Point or their nearest military post) for their official examination, they should cause themselves to be thoroughly examined by a competent physician, and by a teacher or instructor in good standing. By such an examination any serious disqualification or deficiency in mental preparation would be revealed, and the candidate probably spared the expense and trouble of a useless journey and the mortification of rejection.