Helping High School Students Navigate the Service Academy Admissions Journey with Travis Wittick, USAFA ‘07
Jan 5, 2026
"We don’t work for the academies, we work for the families, And success is about giving them options they didn’t know were on the table.” – Travis Wittick, USAFA ‘07
Travis Wittick is the founder of Academy Endeavors, a coaching company that helps high school students navigate the competitive and complex admissions process for U.S. Service Academies and ROTC scholarships. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and former Air Force hospital administrator, Travis first discovered his passion for mentorship as an Academy Liaison Officer helping students prepare their applications while still on active duty.
After transitioning to the civilian sector and earning his MBA from Duke, Travis launched Academy Endeavors in 2020 leaving his corporate job and betting on his vision full-time. Since then, the company has grown steadily, with an 85% success rate and 40–50% year-over-year growth. Travis and his growing team of Academy graduate coaches now support families across the country with application strategy, essay development, interview prep, and ongoing guidance from freshman year to appointment day.
In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Travis about:
The Mission Behind Academy Endeavors: Helping families gain clarity, confidence, and strategic support throughout the service academy admissions journey.
From Side Hustle to Full-Time Impact: How Travis made the leap from corporate America to founder and gained traction during COVID.
A Coach’s Perspective: Why application success starts with storytelling, mentorship, and early preparation.
Growing a Values-Driven Team: His vision for hiring Academy grads as assistant coaches and culture carriers.
Academy vs. ROTC Options: Helping students and families make informed decisions that lead to service and scholarship opportunities even outside the academy path.
Timestamps:
00:36 Travis’s Background and Academy Experience
08:06 Launching Academy Endeavors
11:17 Early Success and COVID-19 Impact
13:46 Ideal Start Time for Academy Preparation
23:45 Indirect Benefits for College Applications
34:25 Hiring and Team ExpansionConnect with Travis:
If you found value in today’s episode, don’t keep it to yourself—share it with a colleague or friend who could benefit. And if you’re a Service Academy graduate ready to elevate your business, we’d love for you to join our community and get started today.
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A special thank you to Travis for joining me this week. Until next time!
-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01