The entry of the U. S. into World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, severely impacted Ricks, as it did colleges and universities across the country. Male students worried about the draft and many prospective students volunteered anyway. The Board approved a policy that allowed qualified seventeen-year-olds to enroll for classes. They could earn one or two quarters of college credits before they became eligible for the draft. Manwaring stepped up his recruitment efforts, highlighting the fact that Ricks offered officer training programs for the Army and the Navy. The war also impacted the faculty, three of whom were called to active duty. None of them went to combat units, but someone had to fill those vacancies in the classrooms.