USAFA with Associates?

madi1131

5-Year Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
17
Long story short, I went to a "collegiate high school". So I finished my last 2 high school years and got my Associates Degree simultaneously. Now I know that it is possible to get accepted to USAFA, since it has been previously done. My question is...how? Since the USAFA is a 4-year school? Would some of the Associates credits still apply or would they not even accept my Associates? Does anyone have previous experience with this? :confused:
 
Long story short, I went to a "collegiate high school". So I finished my last 2 high school years and got my Associates Degree simultaneously. Now I know that it is possible to get accepted to USAFA, since it has been previously done. My question is...how? Since the USAFA is a 4-year school? Would some of the Associates credits still apply or would they not even accept my Associates? Does anyone have previous experience with this? :confused:

You would apply in the same manner as anyone else out of high school.

I doubt you would be able to apply many of your credits to USAFA, if any at all. You would probably have a good chance of validating through tests (such as calculus) and perhaps you could get credit in some departments (like English).

Best bet is to follow the USAFA admissions process like anyone else and they can provide you all the info you need to apply.
 
Bottom line, you'll still take all the placement tests that the AFA gives during BCT if you are appointed. With the classes you probably have taken, if you do well on the tests, you may be able to validate and skip a lower level class and move directly to the higher level class (i.e. calculus, chemistry) in the sequence. No guarantees. But you will still have to take classes all 4 years--you may just have more time to take electives/classes for a minor/double major/etc. So just go ahead and apply as normal--go through the process and see what happens.
 
Long story short, I went to a "collegiate high school". So I finished my last 2 high school years and got my Associates Degree simultaneously. Now I know that it is possible to get accepted to USAFA, since it has been previously done. My question is...how? Since the USAFA is a 4-year school? Would some of the Associates credits still apply or would they not even accept my Associates? Does anyone have previous experience with this? :confused:
By no means an expert. Flieger or Chriscorp will respond when they get time and they know a whole lot more. However, before my daughter got accepted to Prep school for the coming year she was going to go to a University and we were given a heads up that those credits wouldn't count for the USAFA. Everybody is a freshman and has to do 4 yrs of the USAFA. However, I was told by someone who graduated from the USAFA many moons ago that ultimately it will help in your AF career. But as far as I know other than the knowledge you have gained from the classes you took already they will not count towards your USAFA degree.
 
By no means an expert. Flieger or Chriscorp will respond when they get time and they know a whole lot more. However, before my daughter got accepted to Prep school for the coming year she was going to go to a University and we were given a heads up that those credits wouldn't count for the USAFA. Everybody is a freshman and has to do 4 yrs of the USAFA. However, I was told by someone who graduated from the USAFA many moons ago that ultimately it will help in your AF career. But as far as I know other than the knowledge you have gained from the classes you took already they will not count towards your USAFA degree.

Not to be particularly rude, but I just answered as someone who (while not getting an associates) used a combination of credits and AP work to validate courses. The rules on most have not changed since my time. Some departments will award credit, others will require placement testing. USAFA is the same in any other way for anyone entering.

Again, for the OP, obtain the application package and process like you normally would according to the rules on it. If you need an ALO contact, there is google and Flieger could probably hook you up if you need it.
 
Hornetguy is dead on.

While having an associates degree is a benefit for YOU personally, it's an "iffy" issue at USAFA. The reason being: all cadets will start as fourth class. They will have to do all four years.

NOW...that's not to say the benefits you've received from achieving your associates are lost. They're NOT. BUT...you may not be able to "claim" the credits. USAFA will have to look at your college transcript, evaluate the courses and see if they "equate" to roughly the same that are taught at USAFA.

If they are, then department by department they will decide: do we accept these credits or not? That's up to the department head, with the consent of the dean. I truthfully have not heard of many classes "transferring over." The counselors at USAFA would be an excellent source of information on this.

BUT...I have heard of MANY former college students testing during BCT and hammering the "validation" tests and being given validation credit and then moving into higher level classes earlier. I did this way back in 1979! Sadly it actually was to my chagrin as it put me in a math class I was NOT ready for! :eek:

However....the bigger point here is this, IMHO: you have completed college coursework for 2 years. That will tell the USAFA Admissions folks a TON about your "potential to successfully negotiate college work." That's what the BIG question/challenge for admissions is; hence the huge focus upon SAT and ACT scores. I'm not going to say that having an AA degree will allow you to have lower scores but that degree, combined with your ALO's writeup, should tell the selection board a TON about your potential to succeed at USAFA!

I think this is a benefit, regardless of how its viewed "officially" by anyone. You KNOW you can perform at the college level.

And regarding an ALO...if I know your HS, I can put you in touch with the ALO assigned.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Both my sons entered
USAFA with 45+ credits from our local U. It helped them in that they were able to validate some course work, and certainly never hurt them. It just wasn't that big a deal.

You can PM me with specific questions if you'd like.
 
Hornetguy is dead on.

While having an associates degree is a benefit for YOU personally, it's an "iffy" issue at USAFA. The reason being: all cadets will start as fourth class. They will have to do all four years.

NOW...that's not to say the benefits you've received from achieving your associates are lost. They're NOT. BUT...you may not be able to "claim" the credits. USAFA will have to look at your college transcript, evaluate the courses and see if they "equate" to roughly the same that are taught at USAFA.

If they are, then department by department they will decide: do we accept these credits or not? That's up to the department head, with the consent of the dean. I truthfully have not heard of many classes "transferring over." The counselors at USAFA would be an excellent source of information on this.

BUT...I have heard of MANY former college students testing during BCT and hammering the "validation" tests and being given validation credit and then moving into higher level classes earlier. I did this way back in 1979! Sadly it actually was to my chagrin as it put me in a math class I was NOT ready for! :eek:

However....the bigger point here is this, IMHO: you have completed college coursework for 2 years. That will tell the USAFA Admissions folks a TON about your "potential to successfully negotiate college work." That's what the BIG question/challenge for admissions is; hence the huge focus upon SAT and ACT scores. I'm not going to say that having an AA degree will allow you to have lower scores but that degree, combined with your ALO's writeup, should tell the selection board a TON about your potential to succeed at USAFA!

I think this is a benefit, regardless of how its viewed "officially" by anyone. You KNOW you can perform at the college level.

And regarding an ALO...if I know your HS, I can put you in touch with the ALO assigned.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

About the ALO, I know who it is and I have his email. I just do not know what to do with it! Is it too early to contact him? If not, what am I even contacting him about? :confused:
 
As already mentioned, Hornet is dead on with his post. He definitely knows what he's talking about. My only comment to add, are for those who also take AP classes or more so received an IB diploma. (Remember, I tend to comment not only to the original poster, but also others reading who may have Similar questions).

Many colleges and universities give college credit for these classes and the IB degree. Many waiver a student's entire freshman year of college. Not so for the academy. As Hornet, Flieger, fencingmama, and Yahoo mentioned; such classes; whether it's an AAS degree or an IB diploma or certain AP classes; can (On a case by case basis - depending on the department); give you the opportunity to possibly validate certain lower level or pre-requisite classes. But all that means is that you'll still have 4 years of classes. Just maybe not certain lower level ones. But as mentioned, it's a case by case situation.

And for what it's worth, it is not uncommon, with or without validated classes, to have over 140 credit hours after 4 years at the academy. My son will have more than 150 credit hours when he graduates this coming year. I know that Hornet had close to the same because they took many of the same classes. So with or without validating, prepare yourselves for one hell of a ride. With a TA (Teacher's Assistant), and independent study, a class to prep for grad school apps, PE, and other normal classes, I believe my son will have 9 classes this first semester. FWIW: He did validate some his 1st semester.

On a side note, there have actually been individuals who came to the academy who ALREADY HAD A B.S. degree. They STILL had to take all 4 years of classes, to receive another B.S. degree.
 
And for what it's worth, it is not uncommon, with or without validated classes, to have over 140 credit hours after 4 years at the academy. My son will have more than 150 credit hours when he graduates this coming year. I know that Hornet had close to the same because they took many of the same classes. So with or without validating, prepare yourselves for one hell of a ride.

Not sure what credits ya'll are counting...sounds pretty relaxed! :shake:

My transcript shows 185.5 credit hours for the four years.
(And NO, that's not because of a lot of failures and repeats...well, there was ONE math class :redface:....)

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I graduated with something closer to 170 credits. I'd have to dig up my transcript somewhere to know for sure, but I believe that's about right.

140 would be a very low norm for the Academy lol. Considering the average over 4 years is 6-7 classes a semester plus PE, the typical cadet will have around 155-160.
 
Then that sounds about right. I was being a little kind to those who think of the traditional 120 4-5 year university. Plus, I didn't want to sound boastful. I know my son said his will be well over 150 credits. (That was talking after last christmas semester). I don't know what counts as credits, and what doesn't. I.e. Are only academic classes considered credit? Military studies? I don't know. I know for enlisted; basic training received college credit; and so did their technical schools. So it sounds like he's in the average/high average.

Point was to those who are finding comparison to civilian colleges, this is not the place to expect 120-125 credits, done in 5 years.
 
Each of my sons had huge loads this past year, one took (I think) 26 credits and one had five technical courses with labs, all in the same semester (Physics majors - not for the faint of heart). I still laugh at my d's civ college which considers 12 credits to be full time.
 
On a side note, there have actually been individuals who came to the academy who ALREADY HAD A B.S. degree. They STILL had to take all 4 years of classes, to receive another B.S. degree.

I have talked with a currrent C3C who entered USAFA last year with a BS in Finance from a top 10 business school. Four years, full schedule, just like everyone else and just like CC said.
 
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