CFA-be brutally honest

I want to go to the Naval Academy more than anything, and I know I maxed out my leadership and academic qualifications (I went to Girls Nation, President of Thespians, many clubs, I'm a National Merit Finalist, etc.) But I have only played summer league softball and I'm not in shape, I've mostly done theatre in high school. I am in a weightlifting class and I'm getting a ton better, but here are my CFA scores, please be brutally honest with how much I need to improve.
Basketball throw: 51 feet, 9 inches
Flexed arm hang: 20 seconds
Push ups: 32
Sit ups: 72
Shuttle run: 10.2 seconds
Mile: 10 minutes, 30 seconds

I had to run the mile in a small gym (20 laps) where our varsity basketball team was practicing, and it was about 90 degrees. So, I'm going to take it again and I think my mile will be much better. I think 9 minutes is realistic.

How bad is that? I should probably be able to do a pull up next time I take it as well.

I had less pushups than you and I'm a guy. You're fine, especially if your BGO tells you you're qualified. All the running could probably be better, yeah, but if you qualify, nice. And if you retake and get everything better? Even nicer!

honestly...get your run faster than a 10:30 minute mile, even better if quicker than 9:00.

If you think you can do better, definitely take it again.


If you do get into USNA, you'll need to (1) be able to survive plebe summer and (2) pass the Navy physical readiness test during the academic year. For the PRT you'll need to be able to run a mile and a half in at least 12:30 (note that USNA has higher PRT standards than the Navy for all events). You should definitely improve the run time.

And everything else, really.

While doing well on each event is important, USNA focuses on three events: pushups, crunches and mile.

Pushups and crunches are adequate. The mile . . . not great. Being brutally honest, a woman your age who is in reasonable shape should be able to run a sub-9:00 mile. USNA wants people in good or great shape.

Also, 20 secs on the arm hang . . . needs work.

Since you're not involved in sports, the CFA is all USNA has to go by in terms of your fitness and it will count a lot more.

You have another month to resubmit. These days, passing may not be good enough. (Yes, CFA is P/F but when USNA is deciding b/t two candidates, a barely passing CFA could tip the balance, in the wrong way). If you can improve in some or all of the events, I'd definitely retake it.

And, as someone noted above, if you can't run at LEAST an 8:30 mile at the start of PS, you are going to struggle BIG TIME during PS and your entire 4 yrs. Running a 7:30 or better is where you really need to be. And, in terms of other events: 80 sit-ups, 40 pushups, 45 second hang. That's my gut feel. Note that these aren't max scores in anything but would at least be "good" scores.

A single pull-up counts more than the longest flexed-arm hang.

Make it a goal to do at least 1.

Honestly, your CFA is pretty rough. If that was truly your max effort, you have a significant amount of work to do.

Most regimental runs over plebe summer are probably run at a 9:00 to 8:00 minute pace, depending on the workout and the time in the summer (gets faster as time moves on). If your max effort is 9:00, you will be hurting. Not to mention that a passing PRT pace is around an 8:00/mile.
Physical fitness is also one of the fastest ways to gain/lose credibility, especially as a female, so keep that in mind as well. Running is one of the easiest ways to see who prepared for plebe summer: your classmates (and detailers) will notice. I think one of our six plebe females this past summer ran over 12:00 (she had been injured), and four of them ran a sub 10:30 PRT after plebe summer.

Your push up and sit up scores are barely above the mins to pass the PRT (20 and 65, respectively). You should be able to comfortably do 50 PU and 85+ SU, preferably to max situps (101).

Thanks for all the feedback. I know I'm fighting an uphill battle with physical fitness and I know there's a really good chance I won't get in because of it. I am in a weightlifting class now and running at every chance I get, so I am steadily improving in all areas. If I just ran a mile (without doing all the rest of the CFA before it) I'd be at about 8 or 8:30 minutes. If I even was able to run on a track for the CFA I'd definitely be below 10:30, probably around 9:45

hopeful2016 said:

Thanks for all the feedback. I know I'm fighting an uphill battle with physical fitness and I know there's a really good chance I won't get in because of it. I am in a weightlifting class now and running at every chance I get, so I am steadily improving in all areas. If I just ran a mile (without doing all the rest of the CFA before it) I'd be at about 8 or 8:30 minutes. If I even was able to run on a track for the CFA I'd definitely be below 10:30, probably around 9:45

Click to expand...

Although I am a recreational weightlifter myself, weight lifting vs calisthenics are definitely not equal. Do practice push-ups by doing push-up- same deal with sit-ups.
Run at least 4 times a week doing this. don't just run more, run smarter.

Here is a plan modified off what my distance coach has me doing (mine is very challenging even for the guys running near 5 minute flat miles, I just try to keep up).

speed days- 4 sets of 400m/ one fourth mile at 2:00 minute pace (that put's you at 8 minute flat mile time). rest in between sets by jogging as slowly as you for quarter mile

distance days- for you, start off running 3 miles slowly (32 minutes or slower)

Monday- speed, Tuesday-distance, Wednesday- speed, Thursday- distance
Friday-Sunday- break from running

push-ups and sit-ups- do like 2-3 sets to failure everyday. do try to get that one pull-up.

USNA cares most about the run, push-ups, and sit-ups. However, I would assume the pull-up comes in as the fourth factor. The b-ball throw doesn't seem to be as important as the rest.

you mile time could be a little better. so could your push ups. just do like 15-40 slow pushs up a night and you can improve that a little better. Remember to really push it out! if it hurts keep going untill it hurts more. especially for the mile try to push it out. for example for your last 2-3 laps at your school gym try to make them your quickest.

To improve quickly on PU and SU:

Do ladders of them after a workout or if you're just hanging around your house watching TV.

It's a little self-explanatory, but alternate sets of push ups and sit ups (and maybe other exercises). So, for example, you'd do 3/6/9/12/15 push ups intermingled with 5/10/20/25/30 sit ups, and then back down the ladder. Scale to your ability and once it starts getting easier, up the numbers.

You shouldn't be shooting for "pass the CFA," though that's obviously priority number one. You should be shooting for "Plebe Summer is easy."

Hurricane12 said:

You shouldn't be shooting for "pass the CFA," though that's obviously priority number one. You should be shooting for "Plebe Summer is easy."

Click to expand...

I was able to max everything but the basketball toss, and I got the average time on the mile. You seriously need to push to be above these averages because it will make you stand out in another positive way when they are looking at your package. And, as stated above, one pull up looks infinitely better than doing a flexed arm hang for forever. Besides that, it will make at least the physical part of basic easier.