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