* Accelerated Academic Programs: Curricula were shortened to allow cadets and midshipmen to graduate and deploy more quickly. This often meant eliminating elective courses and focusing intensely on essential military training and academic requirements. Texas A&M, for example, saw its academic calendar significantly altered during World War II.
* Curriculum Changes: The focus of instruction shifted to directly support military needs. Courses relevant to specific wartime technologies and strategies were prioritized, while others were dropped or condensed. This might mean increased emphasis on engineering, communications, or specific weapons systems depending on the war's demands.
* Increased Enrollment and Relaxed Admission Standards: To meet the surging demand for officers and trained personnel, admission standards were sometimes relaxed, and enrollment numbers increased dramatically. This often meant accepting students who wouldn't have met the usual academic or physical requirements in peacetime.
* Deployment of Cadets and Students: In some cases, cadets and students were deployed before graduation, often with limited or incomplete training. This was particularly true in World Wars I and II. They might be sent into combat roles or assigned to support units.
* Faculty and Staff Deployment: Professors and other staff members were often called to active duty, leaving a gap in instruction and administration that the remaining faculty had to fill.
* Use of Facilities: Military schools often provided their facilities for training, housing, and other war-related activities beyond their own students' needs. This could include using campus buildings as hospitals, barracks, or training grounds for other branches of the military.
* Research and Development: Institutions engaged in research and development that directly contributed to the war effort. This could involve projects related to weapons systems, communications technology, or other critical areas.
It's important to note that the specific concessions varied significantly across institutions and wars. The impact on the academic experience was considerable, often leading to a less rigorous academic environment compared to peacetime. The experience of those attending service academies and military schools during wartime was fundamentally shaped by these concessions and their immediate involvement in the war effort.