Candidate Fitness Exam

Even if you passed the CFA by beating all the national averages can you retake to improve your statistics?

WestPoint2017 said:

Even if you passed the CFA by beating all the national averages can you retake to improve your statistics?

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If you passed, and if your examiner has already submitted the results, the generally do not allow you to test again. But, you can always ask!

Jwmiller6 said:

If you passed, and if your examiner has already submitted the results, the generally do not allow you to test again. But, you can always ask!

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All depends on your Regional Commander, who will approve or disapprove the retest. Some says yes. Some says no, because CFA is only 10% of your WCS score. Any improvement in your CFA will only marginally improve your WCS score.

However if you are in a real competitive category, a few points could make a difference.

MemberLG said:

However if you are in a real competitive category, a few points could make a difference.

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Remember that initially you are competing within your district in many cases. One point can make the difference on an unranked slate!

Everything we have heard from USMA is to fight for every point!

That said, a CFA with a nominal increase probably won't make a difference.

Complete one with a significant improvement and I'd at least submit it to USMA and ask for it to be included.

That would assume you could fax it in like the old process. The new process may make it harder, but I'd at least have the dialog.

I'd be very surprised if a completed CFA that showed significant improvement was rejected out of hand. But it may vary by RC, and candidate.

One other aspect- fighting to improve your scores and chances is never a bad thing. We've directly seen the impact of that in a positive way.

Likewise, rocking the CFA on a candidate that was not an athletic star otherwise can remove concerns about physical capability. Not sure how that specifically plays into the objective/subjective scoring and board recommendations.

Based on what we have learned as cadet parents, various parent club briefings, and FFR training & interactions, treating the CFA as pass/fail like some advise is not to the candidates advantage.

One last thing.... if you are serious about USMA it's worth continuing to train on CFA type activities anyway, as it will benefit you in CBT and later. OK, minus the BB throw! An aspirational goal should be to be able to max the pushup & situp parts of the CFA. And be above average in the long distance runs. Doing so will make you somewhat immune to the CBT smokage, and will prepare you for APFT that you'll take for the rest of your USMA career.

Things like pullups come into play in confidence courses, MIAD tryouts, mil movement. Not directly, but if you can't do well on pullups (at least above CFA average) you will have difficulty in these later events.

So the best time to prepare is now. And if it helps you improve a CFA score, then ask to submit it!

Some of this is confidence / attitude. Some candidates train/prepare to try to get an appointment. Other train/prepare to be competitive post appointment while at USMA. And that difference is noticeable to FFR & RC's.

And what if my FFR does not return my emails??

Thanks, by the way! But what if be doesn't respond to my emails in regards to discussing my account?

hawk said:

. . . Based on what we have learned as cadet parents, various parent club briefings, and FFR training & interactions, treating the CFA as pass/fail like some advise is not to the candidates advantage.

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Agree only if the applicant has done everything else.

The priority should be academic, leadership, than CFA. Too many times I see candidates focused on leadership and CFA to make up for academic.

Leadership WCS grade is supposed to break down into extracircular activities, sports, and SOE. So if an applicant is an Eagle Scout, Officer, or team captain, he or she probably maxed that portion. So extra effort to do more leadership won't improve the WCS score.

If you are going spend 40 hours to improve your CFA exam, the effort might be better spent improving your grade/retake SAT/ACT.

WestPoint2017 said:

And what if my FFR does not return my emails??

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Contact your Regional Commander. FFRs are usually volunteers with full time job, so the reality is their personal lives take priority over their admissions activities.

MemberLG said:

Agree only if the applicant has done everything else.

The priority should be academic, leadership, than CFA. Too many times I see candidates focused on leadership and CFA to make up for academic.
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Agreed 100%, physical should not take 2nd seat to improving the other areas.

But if academic is strong, and physical weak I would not give up. At least have the discussion.

All of this is influenced by which "bucket" you may fall in: Leader, Athlete, Scholar, etc and accordingly which areas you may have maxed in the WCS. It's not something most candidates have insight into, but could be worth discussing if you meet with your RC.