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I know this is difficult to take in, but don't worry about how it looks to the admissions board. Just go to SS for the right reasons. Apply to USAFA for the right reasons. You are considered for EVERYTHING you are. Don't underestimate the relationship with your ALO; make sure (s)he knows who you...

DS updated his application 3 times to both USNA and USAFA when he applied (USAFA Class of 18). We didn't know how to do it online but he was pretty determined (once on an award and once on a significant increase in ACT scores taken in December). He actually made phone calls to the general...

I bought my DS a pair of the Nike's last year simply because they were clearing them out for $38 at Ross. He loves them because they are so light and comfortable. They are not waterproof, although he says he hasn't really needed that while at USAFA.

For variety, you might also consider using the acronym USAFA, which seems to be used widely on campus.

A few people have mentioned that all C4Cs have a sophomore coach. But I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned that every squadron also has two Peers (mentors) who are a first line of counseling for just about anything on a cadet's mind/heart. They are sworn to confidentiality just like professional...

There is a difference between meeting the minimum qualifications and being a 'competitive' applicant. USAFA explained this to us with a chart, saying who had the best shot, basically. The first form letter is simply to say she is in the applicant pool. I'm guessing the second one is a...

I might have missed this in some of the longer replies. My understanding is that a MOC who has an open slot at an SA will get a kid in there as long as he/she meets the minimum qualifications. So a significant issue in appointment is the state/district you live in and how many slots are...

My DS was flight chief last year at the end of BCT for maybe the first quarter of the year. Because of timing, it often meant it was his responsibility to make sure all of the freshmen knew about all of the beatings, meetings, etc when their emails weren't all up and running properly and they...

FWIW: DS did not participate in ANY high school sports. In the winter of his Junior year he started running in a community-based 5K circuit. Average times, but they were documented. He was appointed to both USNA and USAFA. You've heard time and again: the Academies are about the WHOLE student...

We drove up from ABQ last year (DS is 2018). Have a ball! (And join the NM Parents' Club if you haven't yet.) The cadets are free for the few hours following the parade, as long as they stay on base. They don't have to stay in squadron, but there were some "group" picnics - maybe organized by...

I know what we did last summer. But looking back now, I have a lot more ideas than I did back then. Of course it depends how much $ you have to spend. If you can swing it, give him $2015! For a couple hundred, most teens would love a new phone (he'll get it back after Basic on A-day). Or a nice...

FYI...visiting the cadet area of USAFA could be very difficult for someone in poor health. The altitude, for one thing. But there's also no good access to campus without a hearty walk - either up a hill, or across an awkward restricted parking area then down a big flight of stairs - even if you...

My DS is Class of 18 and we have visited several (5 or 6?) times, as have his grandparents. We always scheduled it for blue weekends, of course. We are only a 6 hour drive, so the risk of a last-minute change wasn't too daunting. He needed permission if he wanted to leave campus and stay with us...

Speaking only from our experiences last year, braces have to come off before in-processing. That said, WebGuy posted photos and a blog last year about how all the Basics went to the dentist and had an ortho consultation if needed during BCT. I know some people were offered braces. I don't know...

DS had three private scholarships. The two checks that were written to USAFA were rejected. They need to be made out to US treasury with your son's SSN in the memo. One organization was hesitant to do that and the check was sent back twice. You will receive a pdf packet titled something like...

The converse is true, too. DS was 4.0+ Valedictorian, 34 ACT, a HS internship at one of the nation's nuke labs, a private scholarship from another national lab, etc. and was turned down flat by UPenn, Cornell, and wait-listed by Trinity. Yet he was appointed to both USAFA and USNA. ???!?

In addition to whether or not you want to fly, consider whether you are a "Five and Dive" kind of graduate or are you planning on a career in the Air Force? My DS is a Mechanical Engineering major, with a "concentration" in robotics. LOTS of people have told him that engineers can't get rank...

Spaceman, I think it could be yes and no. My DS (USAFA Class of '18) missed the application window for SLS at USAFA because, like Pima's kid, he wasn't yet interested in an appointment to an Academy. But he did attend Navy's Summer Seminar. He learned a lot about Academy life and integrated that...

You might consider going to one of the Prep schools for a year if you're sure an Academy is right for you (Northwestern Preparatory School, New Mexico Military Institute, etc).

In our experience (my son is class of 2018), you want your letters to be from people who know you very well, from some position of respect/authority, but also carry some weight when it comes to really knowing what type of student will succeed as a cadet. In that regard, a high ranking officer...