ChristalLee said:
My DS is getting offers daily... every day by mail or email - we have an offer for "late admission application" or "free application" (probably something to do with the type 1 AFROTC scholarship). Today was a hand written letter from Texas Tech admissions office...
This happened to our DS back in 08. He got letters from some very strong colleges (UNCCH, NYU-Sterns, etc) that stated, you are in, just sign this paper, and good to go. No $$$ required, no SAT, no transcripts.
They rolled in right about this time too. We were informed the reason these schools were approaching him was due to the fact that when he was awarded the AFROTC scholarship, every AFROTC unit receives every name on that list, with type and major. Some college admission depts "talk" to ROTC units regarding admissions. An AFROTC scholarship is guaranteed money, and that may mean them not spending their own endowment money to offer merit.
College is a business with credit/debit columns.
I also have to agree that it sounds far fetch to me that they are not meeting goals for the AFA as a whole. It is not as if the application pool decreased at all. It is also not as if they lowered the academic/EC/CFA. In my 4 yrs here, I can tell you that I have no recollection of AD letters being sent to candidates. The AD letters are going to CFA issue candidates, not academic candidates.
I remember back in 08 being at the USNA vs AFA game, and flipping out in fear watching the cheerleaders, thinking 1 bad fall and it could be it. A cadet was with us, now a grad, and he told me that 1 of them was a recruit for cheerleading, but she had yet to pass the PFT.
The point is, in the past when they had slots, the CFA was not necessarily a make or break. They use to offer candidates the chance for a re-do, LY there was a candidate with a Prin. that took it 3 times. I have yet to see anywhere here offered that option. If they weren't meeting goals, they would re-open the CFA portal for candidates like Profsparrow's DS. LOVE the AF, bleed Blue, but we need to be honest USNA has always had a lower selection rate overall than AFA due to pool size, academically their stats are equivalent. His DS got an appointment to USNA, but an AD from AFA, all because of the CFA. Had they opened it for him, he may be an appointee today.
So, sorry, I can't get with this idea.
Additionally, no offense to athletes at the AFA, but the AFA does not exist to make athletes, they exist to create officers. I highly doubt that AFA alumni, cadets, or parents of cadets will stop supporting their team. I do understand current collegiate sports, and a lot has to do with the gobs of money networks pay the school to televise the game.