Old fogey here, and that was not my thought!
My thought process is this:
1. Putting the cart before the horse.
There are so many things that will happen in the next 4 yrs., that will impact you this IMPO should not even be placed on the table.
2. What if they said NO?
Would you decline the appointment?
If you say: "I'd think 2x before accepting it". You have your answer if the AF is your match.
If you say: "Heck NO". Than why does it matter?
3. Burn out
Academically, every SA is an IVY education on steroids because you are not just a student, you are also training to be an officer.
4 yrs in college, at any college is not HS. You will be 22 on a good day when you commission, and the thought of hitting the books like Hornet, Eagle or Raimius for another 1-3 yrs is daunting. For some they will have follow ons to UPT.
Do NOT fool yourself, UPT, FTU and Mission Qual combined are about 2-3 more yrs of academics. That means, if you do AFIT, and go rated, on the very best day you will be @26 yo before you stop studying.
Think about it...you are 18, we are talking 8 more yrs.
Yes, Hornet is correct there will be more education, it is called PME. This is done at different ranks, and the schools vary in length. ACSC is 1 yr. It is the O4 school. Go to WIC, and you have more academics. Go to TPS and you have academics.
4. Time owed.
Any grad school will require you to owe back more time. It runs concurrent with your AFA commitment.
That being stated, I always illustrate this scenario.
Grad 16 --- not rated.
2016/17 go to AFIT. You will be close to walking out 4 yrs.
May 2017 they send you to Ramstein for a 3 yr tour.
Assume that means the stars have aligned and you can walk May 2020.
~ Problem, how do you interview for a job state side when you are in Germany?
~ Accepting the state side assignment means you owe 3 more yrs. 2023 is escape date.
~ 2023 you are 29, married and a mtg. Our economy is like it is today regarding unemployment do you risk it?
~ You take 1 more assignment and ride it out for job purposes. This incurs a 3 or 4 yr commitment. Now you have a spouse, a mtg, and a child.
~~~ OBTW, you also accepted O4 which is another 3 yrs owed. I now have you at 2029.
~ Send you back overseas, in 2027 to 2030, i.e. Elmendorf or Hickham. Again you are back at how do you interview for a job in TX, and another in FL if you live in AK? So, now you accept the stateside and place it off for 1 more tour.
~ 2033 you can leave, but now you have 17 yrs in, and OMG are you willing to give up 50% retirement pay for the rest of your life? You now have 2 kids, a mtg, a car pmt, etc. Most will say 1 more tour.
~ 2026 is when you can walk!
I just took your arse out 20 yrs without a blink of an eye.
Honestly, it is great to be informed, but you have at least 3 yrs. before you must decide. Live for today, don't wish your life away!