Do I Stand a Chance at Getting in???

thunderbird12

5-Year Member
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
87
Hi,
its about that time to start asking this question... i am going to session c of summer seminar and am anxiously awaiting a candidate kit to be sent to me.
If anyone out there could tell me what my chances are based on what im writing here, that would be great...
~3.5-3.6 unweighted gpa, 4.1 weighted, top 25% of class (school does not rank)
~all honors courses, 3 APs in junior, 3 more in Senior year scheduled
~2 yrs. cross country, 3 yrs varsity swimming, 1 yr ultimate frisbee
~athletic letter in all 3 yrs of swimming, team captain for senior year
~debate club, junior class board of directors
~volunteering over summer at meal shelter
~9 yrs club swimming (YMCA Team)
~4 Yr Civil Air Patrol member, Billy Mitchell award earned in 2009, current rank: c/ 1st Lt
~current SAT: 1250/1600, (RETAKEN IN JUNE, AWAITING SCORES)
~current ACT: 34 english, 33 math, 27 science, 25 reading (RETAKING JUNE TEST AS WELL)

I'm also applying to West Point and Navy, as well as all 3 ROTC programs... keeping the options open.
any areas suggested to work on? any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Sounds like you are on track from the minimal I know. One big suggestion is to get your application in to your Congressman and 2 Senators. You will need a nomination and many of the Congressional members have early deadlines for application. Go to each of their websites and look for information on applying for a nomination. Best Wishes and enjoy the ride!
 
Your academics and EC's look fine. If you were selected for USAFASS then your probably competitive, just keep working hard.
 
Your academics and EC's look comparable to what mine were, and I was accepted in a fairly competitive area. Advice: get started on your application as soon as it's open about a month from now. Hopefully, your teachers will be available to complete the teacher evaluations. Try to complete everything by the first time the admissions board convenes; it will help immensely.

You will take the CFA at SS, but remember that you can always take it again. Unless you max a few things, I would recommend retaking it in late August or early September just to make your application as strong as possible.

Also, even if you have the strongest application, without a nomination you aren't getting in. Make sure you apply for every nom you can. It makes it more difficult if you're applying to USNA and USMA, as sometimes your MOC will require that you list only one SA -- Dick Durbin only allows one, for example. In that case, you'll have to decide which one you want more, or put a different one for each MOC and take a gamble (which I wouldn't recommend...).

Anyhow, good luck, and have fun at SS!
 
you mentioned you were accepted in a competitive area... are you at the academy right now, and where did come from when you were applying?
I live in Massachusetts, and yes i am applying to my MOC, 2 senators and i a already applied to the vice president's office.
For nominations, my cousin works in a state senators office so he was able to set me up to know people in the MOC's office and i have the applications filled out right now. Im just waiting to get my junior year transcripts, and some letters of recommendation, and also my final test scores, which i took just now. Once i have those, i could mail in all the applications.... I'm looking at having them in by the end of July.
Did you happen to remember when exactly the candidate kits were sent out for AFA, i've been hearing they send them out after all sessions of summer seminar are done....
Thanks,
Abe
 
You are pretty heavy into swimming. Have you contacted the coach to take a look at your times/ability. If you are a recruited IC it can help.
 
Where from Mass are you? I am too!
if we both get lucky enough you might see me at AFA one day!
 
looks pretty good, just dont slack in your APs this year and try to bump those test scores up a bit as well. the ACT is very do-able if you try it again

good luck!
 
you mentioned you were accepted in a competitive area... are you at the academy right now, and where did come from when you were applying?

Nope, I'm not at the Academy now; my family just PCS'd to CO. But I graduated from a school outside of Scott AFB in IL. I know of around ten students at my school who applied (graduating class of ~630). Only two got in, myself included (and one got accepted to the prep school as well). One of those who was turned down had four years varsity LAX with two years captain, honors classes, CAP, Boy's State, and a 29 ACT.

I chose to attend West Point. 19 days.


I live in Massachusetts, and yes i am applying to my MOC, 2 senators and i a already applied to the vice president's office.
For nominations, my cousin works in a state senators office so he was able to set me up to know people in the MOC's office and i have the applications filled out right now. I'm just waiting to get my junior year transcripts, and some letters of recommendation, and also my final test scores, which i took just now. Once i have those, i could mail in all the applications.... I'm looking at having them in by the end of July.
Did you happen to remember when exactly the candidate kits were sent out for AFA, i've been hearing they send them out after all sessions of summer seminar are done....
Thanks,
Abe

If I remember correctly from last year, they were out mid-July, the earliest of any of the SA's, I believe (but I didn't apply to USMMA or USCGA, so I could be wrong).

Anyway, that looks good! You can use those teacher rec's for your MOCs. Also, some MOCs will require that you have the testing agency send them your scores directly, so you may want to look into that to find their routing number, or whatever they call it. (And for the record, MOC - member of congress - applies to both your representative AND your two senators :] ).

On your application, you will have an English, Math, and Science teacher fill out a teacher evaluation. Once it opens, all you do is input the desired teacher's email address, and they will receive a prompt to complete it, without any further input from you. Then, you can also opt to send in additional recommendations for consideration. I did not do so, but it would be a good opportunity to further hilight your CAP or volunteer or even swim team experience, whatever you feel is most important.

Anyhow, if you're applying to USAFA, USMA, and USNA, have you decided which is your first choice, and how exactly you're going to apply for nominations for all three? I personally was lucky in that aspect, as I was eligible for the presidential nomination, so I didn't have to worry about choosing. You may want to hold off a bit on the nom apps just to make sure you've chosen your #1.
 
looks pretty good, just dont slack in your APs this year and try to bump those test scores up a bit as well. the ACT is very do-able if you try it again

good luck!
since you went through the admissions process most recently, have they made any changes, or upped any standards that i should be aware of?
And a question about the CFA, ive taken a practice and my basketball throw is a little on the below average side, but i did max out the situps and almost maxed the pushups. Is there a way that some events can "make up for others?"
Thanks
 
armybratkl,
i actually went to the Summer Leaders Seminar at West Point last week... i really liked the place, but im still kind of on the fence. I want to compare the Air Force seminar with SLS, and then go from there.. but as of now, Air Force is number one, and West Point is number two. Any other questions, shoot them my way.
Thanks for all the help so far.
 
And a question about the CFA, ive taken a practice and my basketball throw is a little on the below average side, but i did max out the situps and almost maxed the pushups. Is there a way that some events can "make up for others?"
Thanks

Absolutely. As long as you don't fail any one of the events, maxing a few can make up for lower scores in the other events. I wouldn't worry too much about your BB throw -- it's probably the least important of all six events.

But you've still got about two months you can use to raise your other scores as well, if you choose to not use the CFA results from SLS or when you take it at SS. I'd try to max pull-ups as well if you can, and definitely lower your mile and your shuttle times.
 
When I went to SS, we weren't allowed to use the practice CFA scores on the actual application. As far as I know, only NASS allows that.
 
zooming, you are correct. The CFA done at Summer Seminar is NOT allowed to be used as the official CFA for the air force academy. You have to take it officially back home.
 
since you went through the admissions process most recently, have they made any changes, or upped any standards that i should be aware of?
And a question about the CFA, ive taken a practice and my basketball throw is a little on the below average side, but i did max out the situps and almost maxed the pushups. Is there a way that some events can "make up for others?"
Thanks

yeah for the CFA the only event i truly maxed was the mile...if you can get good at a few, they'll make up for it. my basketball throw on the actual test was worse than my practice throws, dont worry

as far as changes go, my ALO told me this year that the standards are getting higher as more people apply to the academies, so just keep doing your best as generic as that sounds. also, positions of leadership are key:thumb:
 
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