All males between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to register with the Selective Service System according to the Military Selective Service Act. This includes men who are U.S. citizens or aliens.
There may be emergencies when the U.S. military needs extra manpower supplied to its armed forces. The Service System enables the military to conduct a draft in such times of crisis. By requiring all males 18 to 25 to register, each man hypothetically has an equal chance of being drafted.
Men are randomly selected by lottery number and year of birth. After being called in, the men are subjected to various tests to determine if they are mentally, physically, and morally fit to join the military service.
The draft is different from how it was before 1971, when Congress made significant changes. There are now fewer ways for men to excuse themselves from service. Another major change is that prior to 1971, men had an equal chance of being drafted regardless of where they fell in the 18 to 25 age bracket. Now, according to draft law, each man only spends one year ranking first priority for the draft. Each subsequent year following, he will fall into a lower priority rank, which decreases his chances of being drafted.
If you are drafted while in college, you are entitled to finish the current semester. If you are a college senior, you are allowed to finish the academic year before being inducted into the military.
If you are not yet registered with the Selective Service System, your financial aid application may not be approved until receiving a Status Information Letter. The exception would be if you enter the U.S. on an F-1 student visa and maintain that status until your 26th birthday.