Academy Life

For those of you attending or admitted to USAFA, what about the academy appeals to you? Why not just do ROTC?

in the end its worth it So many opportunities while at the Academy as well as some benefits afterwards.

I love squares and symmetry.

I can't and won't speak for my own son, but the question came up when he was applying. He is very dedicated to what he does. He like to do things 100%. He loved the idea of 100% military school. (Air Force Academy). He had no problem with 100% civilian school and then going OTS. He didn't want to do part time military / part time regular college. He was like that in high school with the way he did his classes. He preferred the IB program which was a 100% all classes advanced program instead of Normal classes with AP classes thrown in. Same with sports. I was the same way. I wanted full time air force. I never would have done well in the guard or reserves. Nothing against them, just not my style. For many, the academy is a 100% full time military student. Many people like that. Some others like the combination of being part time military student and part time civilian student such as ROTC. Neither is better, just different; and that's where each person's preferences comes into play. mike....

Challenge, focus, opportunities, and the best shot at becomming a pilot.

It "clicked" at Summer Seminar. I didn't know if I could make it, but I knew down to the very core that I HAD to try.

One thing to consider, at some of the more expensive civilian schools, ROTC grads can have considerable debt, despite the full tuition and stipend. My sons were considering one school which took away the rest of their FinAid when they found out they'd be getting the ROTC scholarship for tuition. It would have meant $12K+ debt per year for each kid. That's almost $50,000 in debt they'll not have when they graduate USAFA.

Also, they wanted the full experience, like Christ Corps said. They didn't want to just show up for an hour a week and a few weeks in the summer.

you dont get this experince anywhere else.

basic; four degree year; the feeling of going home for the first time at thanksgiving; knowing you've exhibited a huge amount of self discipline for a year; sense of accomplishment and belonging after recognition; the awesome stories of being in the woods for CST; jumping out of airplanes; flying gliders; flying airplanes; the war stories every day from people who've "been there, done that;" fighter incentive rides; going overseas for FREE and even making money while you're there; opportunity to spend a semester at another american or foreign service academy; quality education; time management that comes from being pulled a thousand different ways; huge bond/friendship/brotherhood that forms with everyone you know; getting a highly, HIGHLY discounted SCUBA license on the beaches of guam; discounted skydiving AFF license or private pilot's license; the fact that you dont have to "play" military but are immersed in it every day; the dinings-in and camaraderie; chances to hear the president, vice president, CSAF, SECDEF, and national heroes (medal of honor winners & tons others) give their insight to life and the military...

i've done almost everything that i said above, and i'm not even halfway through with this place yet i'm sure that others can add. bottom line: the opportunities FAR exceed the cost for me. have a good attitude about the place, remember that you're in a military academy and have to do military things, and you'll enjoy this place a whole lot. and i do.

Speaking as a USMA appointee here, but for me it had a lot to do with knowing I would be challenged all the time at the Academy, and I am someone who appreciates everything a lot more when the journey to it makes me really work.

I know my son wanted the challenge. He has always looked for the most challenging experience and felt the full time military school was for him. He also saw that the academic classes are top notch and he benefits from the rigid scheduling. Everyone is different so you just have to think about how it works for you.

My son wanted to be challenged as well and to go to one of the best aeronautical engineering schools in the U.S.

USAFA was his #1 choice

besides, the opportunities are countless. He will be exchanging at West Point in the fall....more opportunities on the horizon....

beck013 said:

He will be exchanging at West Point in the fall....more opportunities on the horizon....

Click to expand...

Little off-topic, but is an exchange program a really popular thing to do? Is it competitely given to those with higher standing or can anyone do it? Also, does it boost your class standing in any way?

I guess I was just wondering why someone would want to exchange for a year to another service academy.

I'm not a cadet/midshipman at any of the academies so I'm just relaying information I've read on these forums...

Exchange programs are popular and therefore competitive. There's an application process so usually the people with high standings in their class are the ones that get accepted. USAFA is rumored to be the hardest academically of any of the academies, so some cadets get a boost to their class standing when they go on exchange and get a higher GPA than what they were getting at AFA. The exchange program offers a change in setting and a taste of what life would have been like at a different academy (some people applied/were accepted to multiple academies).