Bad CFA vs. Outstanding Grades

Just curious, If i'm not mistaken you have been through application last year and are currently at the prep school.
Was there any part of the CFA you wished you had more time training for?
In your experience and opinion, was it your CFA or other factors that got you there instead of the academy? Would you mind sharing if those factors are what you're focusing on improving or was it just a very competitive year with less slots available and they made you wait for the next class?
-Thanks

That is correct. I wish I had more time to train in all areas. My CFA was very weak on my academy application. If I can recall my scores from last year they were:

BBall throw: 69ft
Shuttle run: 8.6s
Pullups: 3
Pushups: 45
Situps: 92
Run: 6:45

With that being said (These scores being at Kansas level altitude), I failed the physical fitness test up here. I got somewhere around 180/500 points on the test they give at the prep school, and I was put in a reconditioning program (not a fun program to be in by the way) to improve my physical fitnes. It helped so much though and in a little over two months my score has increased to 289/500.

To answer your question, I think my CFA and average grades (3.62 GPA & 27 ACT) played the biggest part in lowering my academy application score, but there's really no way for me to know. I'm extremely thankful that I was sent here to the prep school first though, because of how much I've improved physically and in my foundation in academics. (And believe me, I'm still working hard on both!)
 
Outstanding! It gives us a clearer picture of how tough it is to get to where you are. Thanks for sharing and helping out others with your detailed input.
 
EastTXEagleScoutDad, The stats that you post are excellent with regards to academics. Does your son play a sport to mitigate his poor CFA scores? I think not playing in a sport may be a bigger problem to your son than merely his CFA scores. USAFA is not MIT or Caltech. It is a service academy and thus the whole package is required- Medical, Physical, Academic + well rounded.
 
CFA Rumors

While I have heard various things about the importance of CFA in class of 2016 and 2017 selection, there is a more important issue.

The PT and general physical workload at the academy would be MISERABLE for a basic or a cadet who would struggle so much at the physical aspects.

On the other hand, the physical is easier to fix than trying to bring someone up to the "off the charts" scores your son has posted. Time to work out like a banshee and keep it up until June, when others will "help" with that!
 
DS is currently at USNA. He applied at both USAFA and USNA last year. It was a "toss up" for him as to which SA he would go to if accepted at both...The decision was made for him...and the decider was the CFA. None of his scores were "bad." His mile was a little lower (about 30 sec.) than the "average" posted for average CFA scores. The other item that was lower was the pull-ups, his max was 8. After submitting his CFA, USNA sent an LOA, we soon afterwards received the TWE from USAFA. IMHO, I'm guessing, as some others have said, that USAFA looks pretty carefully at CFA scores from we "lowlanders" (we're from Texas too). My advice would be to get a trainer, or do whatever it is that is needed to score as high as possible on the CFA. My DS also had pretty high academic scores, hence the LOA from the Naval Academy. BTW, USNA isn't a bad plan B for him, BUT those CFA scores will still have to improve.
 
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