Vista,
I think you missed my post this a.m. where I made clarifications. The clarification was this OP has 3 Varsity letters under his belt currently. That means they earned them last year, and realistically if he is playing 3 sports at Varsity level as a junior he is working out every day during the school year and perhaps even longer.
~ DS in FB started camp two weeks after school ended. Actual training 3 a days started in July. It was 5 days a week. Xcountry was out there running at least 2-3 weeks before school started, same with soccer and field hockey.
We don't know their sports, but still the point is they are athletic and chances are they are going to be closer to the max level than the kid that is in ONE varsity sport.
I would think we can all be honest about how we read some of these kids PFT scores and think that the test was not administered at the ROTC level regarding form. That is the problem with the PFT.
I have thought about it and the only sport offered at my kids hs that doesn't translate into being more athletic physically is Golf. No flaming. I am not meaning to insult, just saying the physical training is different.
Vista, also the way I see the PFT regarding a sport like crew is they would be able to succeed in at least the push up portion due to the upper body strength required for the sport. Same as cheerleading, swimming, and gymnastics. It is an edge for them because that square is filled for that portion of the PFT, and now they can concentrate on their weaker areas....hence the edge.
Running is going to be the only area IMPO that takes weeks to get a better score, but again the OP plays 3 sports, which means they are right now practicing their sport after school for several hours 5 days a week.
That being said, if you follow my logic two questions need to be asked.
1. When and how much more training can you get in to get to the max?
~~ Saturday and Sunday would be my answer, because by the time you come home from your fall sport it is 6-7 at night. If you are truly a competitive candidate you will be in honors and APs, so you have hw to complete.
~~~ Additionally most kids apply to at least 5 colleges and not all of them will be on common apps. There are essays to write,applications to fill out.
~~~~ There will also be Saturdays that they will spend 4 hours taking the SAT/ACT or both.
If they have a PT job, more time away from working on the PFT.
2. Only specific people can administer the test.
~ The OP again has 3 Varsity letters, if he is in a fall sport he is going to need to whittle pout time to coordinate with an administrator time that is good for both.
~~ Maybe their 3 letters center around spring track. I.E. sprint, relay and long jump. Yet, again that means right now they should be able to max the run and sit ups/ push ups will be the issue.
~~~ Yet again schedule confliction can be an issue because our xcountry coach in our hs. is also spring track coach and they will be busy coaching.
The fact is many ROTC candidates do not apply for an SA appointment. However, many SA candidates apply for the ROTC scholarship as their plan B. If we were discussing the CFA I would without a doubt say wait until you max because the cut off for completing the file is end of Feb. It is not rolling. Plus, most MOCs will not submit their slate until mid October at the earliest, but can submit the slate all the way up to Jan.31st. Nobody can be charged to an MOC until every candidate on the slate has their WCS. In essence, it works for them to wait, but that is the SA system, not ROTC.
In the end it is jmpo and with $2.06 you can get a Starbucks coffee. The fact is from a WCS perspective it is teeny tiny point wise. It can get you over the hump to max the PFT, but if you are top 10% rank, 1410 SAT 31 ACT, all APs with a wcgpa of 4.12 out of 4.5, 3 sports, NHS, etc than don't worry about maxxing the PFT. Move on and start getting your medical records in order for the time of if and when they request the DoDMERB exam. If your SAT is 1020, you only have honors, your rank is top 30%, your wcgpa is 3.67 out of 4.5 than yeah wait until you max the PFT
Someone like clarkson can define that teeny tiny portion on the WCS. My memory is it is no more than 20% at best of 20% of the score. Or 4%. Prior Academic Record (PAR) is worth 60%. That is where the SAT/ACT, cgpa, etc is placed into the equation.