Canidate for USAFA seeking advice

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Keith731

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Jul 16, 2015
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My name is Keith and I am applying for the Air Force Academy. I have already started the application back in March and I am currently a Candidate and got qualified for my medical. I was wondering if I should apply for the Air Force ROTC scholarship, because I think I am not very competitive compared to other people. What are my chances/ what are some things I should work on.
Here are some of my credentials:

-Football("B" and "JV")
-AJROTC/specialty teams
-Cadet Captain(Company Commander & Battalion Intelligence and Security Officer)
-Physical Fitness Team Captain
-Academic team member
-Armed Drill Team member
-Cannon Team member
Academics:
-Class rank 9 of 777
-GPA(uw): 3.97
-GPA(w):4.5
SAT/ACT scores:
ACT:24 (22 E, 26 M, 27 R, 22 S)
SAT:1660(510 Cr, 590 M, 560 W)
(I know these are really low, that's why I have been self studying this whole summer and scoring around the average scores for the academy, on the practice tests)

CFA:
73ft Basketball throw
10 pull ups
9.0 shuttle run
88 sit ups
61 push ups
6:50-7:00 one mile run
 
Your GPA and class rank are very good. As you have said, the ACT scores are something you need to work on. You absolutely should apply for ROTC scholarship, etc. Even if you had perfect 4.0 and 36 on ACT, you should still have solid plans B, C, D.
 
If this is what you really want, work like crazy to get those ACT/SATs up. That looks like the only weak spot in your stats to me. Take it every time it is offered and you might consider going to a prep seminar if it is within your means. Good luck. Please post if you have success. I am rooting for you.
 
Here is my advice:

Don't be a fool. Apply for the scholarship!
~ There are candidates that get an appointment in March. April they play a spring sport. End of May at the last game they break a bone. They will not be healed by I Day, but will be fine by Aug. for college on the ROTC scholarship. That scholarship is plan B for them.
~~ Several years back somebody got Mono in June. They couldn't go to IDay. Just saying it is not only injuries, but something like Mono that can be an issue.

I will not chance you at all, but I would say read the fine print for USAFA and AFROTC scholarship regarding ACT minimum.

I have been here way too long, and I have seen posters say I got it and my stats were lower. The problem with a response like that is, you don't need where the OP is from, nor the respondent. Your stats might be great for your congressional district, but not for somebody else.

USAFA and AFROTC operate differently for selection. The biggest difference is AFROTC is a national selection, and USAFA starts at a geo-centric area (congressional/Senator) than it goes national. The 2nd biggest is your major. USAFA doesn't care, but AFROTC does....80-85% of all scholarships go to tech aka STEM.

You have 0% of getting either if you don't apply.
 
Everyone else has given great advice about the importance of applying for the ROTC scholarship and getting your SAT/ACT scores up. One thing I'd like to add: it's not as big of a concern as your test scores, but you could also improve your CFA, especially pull-ups, push-ups, and the mile run. Your current scores will pass, IMO, but if you can max out two or three (or more) of the events, it will help the rest of your application as well. (Besides, high scores will also help with the PFT/AFT if you get here next year. :D)
 
My $0.038475 (inflation).

I have always, and still consider the academy as a top-10 school in the country. In many facets. As such, that is how you have to see it when applying. This is not in any way a discouragement. But if a person is applying to the academy and believes they qualify, then you should also be applying to similar civilian universities. I don't just mean the big 5 like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and Columbia. Although, they are definitely included. But Purdue, brown, w&m, Pepperdine, Michigan state, Georgetown, and a number of other state and private universities.

I only bring this up, because writing to all readers, I see so many people apply to the military academies and then only their local state university. Trust me, money doesn't have to be an issue. Even for the ivy leagues. I won't go into all the ways to pay for college. Point is, you have to think to yourself why you aren't applying to other high end schools. (If you're not that is)? If you don't think you could get accepted, then ask yourself why you think you can get accepted to the academy? It's not like the academy only takes average students. The average national act score floats between 22-25. Better schools average 26-29. Higher end schools average 30 and above. The Air Force academy average act is 30. Average gpa unweighted in 3.86. The majority of the appointees could just as easily be accepted to any high end school I listed above.

This is every applicants competition. What makes the academy easier for some, depends on where you live. Because federal law demands that an equal representation of appointees, for about have the class, be equally divided by each state and district proportionately, you could have an edge. On the other hand, the same thing happens in the civilian universities. They like diversity too. An Alabama student could have a much better chance at acceptance to Pepperdine with lower scores, because Pepperdine might not have a lot of students from Alabama and wants some.

Point is..... Apply for the academy. Apply for ROTC. But remember, even MIT has an ROTC program. So don't limit yourself to the academy or your local in state university. If you think you're good enough for the Air Force academy, then you're good enough to be applying to many high end schools. Especially with your ROTC application.
 
Not to burst your bubble, but your CR score is not competitive, and your ACT score is low.

Apply apply apply and then take those tests (both) as many times as you can afford, and then call grandma and grandpa to see if they can pay.

Remember, should you get the appointment (since I'm thinking you'll already h ave the nom with the JROTC), and should you actually GO to USAFA, you will be in class with kids who had perfect SATs, ACTs, from swanky high schools, who come in with Associate degrees - you really h ave to make a supreme effort to get those scores up.
 
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