Son's CFA last thing to do - need advice

Karek

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5-Year Member
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Normally I would never post for my son but here it goes........

The last item remaining for his application to USAFA is his CFA. I have read many threads on this and other sites but am a bit concerned and confused on advice to offer him.

First you guys are awesome and we appreciate all your advice! We have learned so much when it comes to muddling through this process.

Is the CFA pass or Fail? Or can you fail one item i.e. pullups and fail the whole test. My son hits average or slightly above on all categories except pull ups. The pull ups are his burden. :confused:What if he could only seriously do 1-2. Will he then fail or will it just impact his overall score?

He was prompted early in the application period and is really focused on having it all done (CFA) in next two weeks.

Advice please. I have seen some conflicting information and I am trying to guide him for this last piece.

Thank you all so much! Again you are all so helpful and we could not make it through without each one of you!
 
I'm sure that he needs to get the minimum amount of pullups. The academy website has it displayed somewhere. Anyways out of speculation, I would say that if he was under the minimum on a certain part of the exam he would fail. But then I know that the exam is the overall performance of the candidate so I'm not totally sure about that. I think someone else on this forum can provide perspective on it. Anyways if you look just above this thread theirs a thread that focuses on the pullups for the CFA. Some good advices up there, so you should look into it. Good luck to your son.
 
I have contacted my admissions councilor and he told me some of the min's for the CFA. The min for the BB through is 50ft, min for pull ups is 7 (I think that is right, it might be less though), I don't remember the min for the shuttle run, but most people can get 10 sec or less, min for sit-ups is 58, the min for push-ups is 35, and the mile is kind of hard to fail unless you walk or something. If you do not meet any one of these min's you will fail, but the actual test is scored on a 500 point scale by how well you do on each event (no I do not know how they score it, only the academy does). Hope this helps. Good Luck to your son, buy him a pull-up bar and put it in the doorway to his room.

Later,

Brian
 
Thank you for your feedback, information and support.

Is there anyone who can confirm BSAEagle's minimums on pull ups? :unhappy:

There have been and are great techniques and advice which my son and I have been watching and he has been trying to utilize.

It is the timing though that concerns us but he may delay to make sure he has his pull ups if the min's will fail you.

THANK YOU!:smile:
 
In the Instruction for Candidates Booklet, Found on the Application it talks about pft scores and their minimums. The Pull up one is 7, sit ups are 58... but this is for the pft, I'm not sure if it also applies to the CFA
 
There are certain exercises that are given leniency for the CFA.

Pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and the run are the most important as those are on the PFT/AFT at USAFA.

If you're at the minimum or slightly below on the BB throw or the SR, don't worry; unless you're grossly defecient.

Also, I believe the BB throw minimum is around 65'. I threw 57' but my ALO said not to worry. As long as you are proficient in the "big 4" you'll be fine.
Average for the SR is 8.8 sec. Average push-ups are 55, average pull-ups are 7 and average sit-ups are somewhere around 80.
 
At SLS (West Point), we got print outs of our CFA scores and it showed asterisks around "risk" (failing) areas. So my squad compared the lowest passing scores and highest failing scores and came up with some different mins. These are not exact, but pretty close.

Pullup: 4
Pushup: 40
Sit-up ??
BB throw: somewhere between 47-53' ( I got 47 and got an asterisk, squadmate got 53 and didn't...)
mile 8:10ish
Shuttle: 10 ish
I have two friends who both had 4 pullups and passed from USMA and USNA. Not sure about USAFA. And yes, missing the minimum on any one event will fail the entire test. Beyond that, the points will help towards the whole candidate score only 10%. If there's ANY other part that can be worked on and improved (ACT/SAT) make those priorities first unless minimums aren't met.

Just know that shooting for minimums now means that the next 12 years will be very very very difficult.
 
Totan2010

Thank you so much for the insight. This helps a great deal. This is the last thing he needs to do and he is ready to patiently wait.....:thumb:

Thank you
 
Karek, a side note. You need to remind your son (and a reminder to everyone else on here hoping to join the Class of 2014), just because he has completed his CFA doesn't mean his physical training should stop. The first hurdle at the Academy is BCT, a physically grueling and draining experience which happens to be conducted at an elevation higher than most folks are used to (6000' +, It's not called the mile high state for nothing!). Being in peak physical condition will be key, as the lack of oxygen is brutal. And to get in that peak physical condition requires dedication and effort.

If he isn't on a PT program, he needs to get on one, now! Each year the kids selected for appointments ask the same question: "what do we do now to get us ready?" And the answer is always the same, "Get off your computer and go running! Then run some more!" :thumb:
 
Excellent advice Bullet!

Unfortunately my son is very active (varsity cross country and tennis) and is very accustomed to the high altitude.

It is that darn upper body strength. He is all height and excellent leg strength.

Yes he knows he needs to kick it up more than a few notches to be prepared. He is trying to take one step at a time. CFA is next then focus for BCT.

Thank you all!
 
For summer seminar, we did a lot more calisthenics than we did running.
The only real running we did was the CFA mile, the 'indian' run, and the mile for Element Challenge.

Does BCT focus more on running or calisthenics? I read somewhere that the average mileage for BCT was around 20 miles/week.

Karek, tell your son not to worry too much. He still has time to get upper body strength. As a CC runner, I know that upper body strength can be a bummer. But make sure he levels out his athletics during the off-season. I'm guessing tennis is a spring sport where you live? His agility/shoulder strength should be decent before BCT, but make sure he does some kind of upper body activities.

I went from 75 push-ups, 18 pull-ups, and 95 sit-ups to 30, 5, and 50 respectively after cross season. Not good. But the important thing to do is get back on the horse and ride a different way.
 
He was prompted early in the application period and is really focused on having it all done (CFA) in next two weeks.

Advice please. I have seen some conflicting information and I am trying to guide him for this last piece.

I would not worry so much about getting the CFA done so soon. I remember the feeling of wanting to be done and submitted early, but as others have written the boards do not start meeting for another month and most appointments will not go out for many more months. Have him practice the pull-ups. Around February of my Junior year I could only do 1-2 pullups. By the summer I could do about 10. It is key that you do well. For me pushups were my big holdup. I submitted in December with a low pushup score, and was asked to retake the test in January. I gave it a month of good work and then re-took the test.

Does BCT focus more on running or calisthenics? I read somewhere that the average mileage for BCT was around 20 miles/week.

Basic PT switches every other day between running on the Tzone and PT in the quad. Sometimes you may run 3 times per week, sometimes less. The running is ability based and really what you make of it.
 
Buffalo; not sure if you mentioned this before, or if it was someone else; but I'd like to know who the people are that have been writing that the boards don't start meeting for another month. That is simply not true. The boards start meeting in September. LOA/Early Appointments start going out in October. It's sort of hard to explain people getting LOA's in October and Appointments the end of October/1st of November; if the board hasn't met to review their packages.
 
Hey you guys. I'm currently a freshman here at USAFA and if any kids want to ask questions about Basic Training or the application process don't hesitate to e-mail me.
 
Hahah oh yeah plenty of fun! I miss basic training already. The rush you get from waking up at 4:00 every morning, taking ten second showers, and evading the swine flu is so exhilarating. Haha, freshman year is definitely a year that you'll remember for the rest of your life. It just makes earning your prop and wings that much more rewarding.
 
Hahah oh yeah plenty of fun! I miss basic training already. The rush you get from waking up at 4:00 every morning, taking ten second showers, and evading the swine flu is so exhilarating. Haha, freshman year is definitely a year that you'll remember for the rest of your life. It just makes earning your prop and wings that much more rewarding.

what squad u in?
 
passing

Is 7:34 passing for a guy in the mile? My son did the test after swim practice and did ok on the other scores except maybe the bball 60'
 
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