Contact ALO? (Steve help!)

Triple111

Triple111

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Aug 16, 2009
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Hey guys! I've been reading a lot around this forum, and its good stuff!
I'm going to be a sophomore in highschool this year, and I've always wanted to be a pilot (wanted to go to AFA since 7th grade). I've read TONS about the academy (AFA Cadet Handbook, whole AFA website & bunch of forums).

I was wondering, should I contact my ALO now to tell him i'm interested, for info, etc? Or should I just wait until applying? I think my ALO is Anthony Greski, (put my area code (08053) in the academyadmissions.com ALO Lookup). Thanks a lot!

-T3
 
Hi,

Welcome to the forums. You are right, Steve will be more than happy to answer that question. I have a feeling that I know what he is going to say though. ALO's are very busy with their current applicants for 2014. They have very little if any time for kids that are still 2 years away. It's not that they don't care, they really do, but they take it one year at a time. I would at least wait until late your junior year (spring or summer). Hope that helps. Good Luck and once again, welcome to the SAF's.

Later,

Brian Andre
 
Personally....... I would hold off contacting the ALO. You've got a year and a half before you can even apply for summer seminar. Right now, the most important thing for you to do, is to excel in school. Take the hardest classes; e.g. AP or the IB program; get involved in high school athletics; get involved in clubs, volunteering, leadership positions, etc...; and get/stay physically fit. You're in a great position, because you have time to prepare, take the right classes, and do well in them. But as a Sophomore in high school, you also have the one characteristic that all teenagers have. The ability and desire to change your mind at least 3,253,643 more times. And you will. Maybe not about the military in general, just in what you want to do with your life. Today, tomorrow, next year, etc... And there is no "RIGHT" sport, or "RIGHT" club, or "RIGHT" anything. So there's no need to ask "WHICH" whatever to do/take. Learn as much as you can, and excel in all that you do. Whether you're into band, chorus, football, tennis, boy scouts, CAP, or stamp collecting. Do your best, have fun, become a leader, and prepare. Best of luck to you. Mike.....
 
I would probably contact him about the end of your sophmore to the beginning of your junior year. They are busy and won't be able to help you a whole lot till you get to that time. They will just tell you stuff that you would already know. Sounds like you are on the right track and best of luck to you!
 
I thought I should wait too =P. (Still will wait to see what Steve says).

As for myself, I didn't do that hot freshman year (3.3 final GPA), but I didn't try that hard. I worked a lot with my counselor that year, because she's very interested that I want to go to the AFA, and I can get to a 3.8+ this year pretty easily. I took 4 honors classes last year, and I'm taking almost a full schedule of them this year. I'm going to join NHS and CAP (already talked to my local unit), and I'm going to do a bunch of community service clubs.

I'm pretty fit because I play a lot of sports in a rec league, with friends, etc, but I know I need to work to get up to cadet standards.

One thing I still have a question about it sports in High School. Sports are probably my biggest weak point. Even though I love playing sports and i'm decent at them, its tough to make a sports team in my school. I tried out for freshman basketball after a good 2 months of preparing for it and didn't make it. We have cross country and track in my school, (i was going to do summer-fall XC but I ended up not following through :unhappy:).

Are intermural sports looked at like normal sports? Or am I going to have to go for a sport like track? (I'm good at distance running, but it gets kinda tiring after 6mi+).

Sorry bout the novel.

BTW: I'm visiting relatives in New Mexico and we just got back from visiting the Air Force Academy :cool:. The drive was 10 hours both ways, but waaay worth it!

 
If you can't do a sport in your High School I would say try to do a city sport. Like city basketball or whatever. Whatever sport you like. Do all your sports do cuts? Because I know a few at my school that do not.
 
You are looking good Triple. Do your absolute best this year in HS, boost your GPA and start preparing for the SAT/ACT. Hope you had a good visit at USAFA. I like to tell people that when it comes your time to apply, whether you get accepted or not, be able to say that you you could not have done anything else. "Do your best and let the loose end drag." I really hope that you are able to pull it off, and I wish you the best of luck (or whatever it takes to get in).

Later,

Brian Andre
 
You are good starting now! Because it will be easy to BOOST up your GPA! So you have a good upside to your GPA. Just try your hardest and DO NOT slack off on anything!
 
Hi!

You know...I should just hire some of these folks into my ALO unit; would make for a LOT less work for me! :biggrin:

But they're ALL correct!

As a sophomore, you'll not be generating too much interest (to the ALO) right now because of ALL the reasons Mike and other's gave you. HOWEVER...if you wanted to drop your school's ALO a note saying who you are, and that you'll be "back" in a year or so but wanted to say "hi" and oh, by they way, are there any "Academy Days" or like functions anytime in the fall that he/she can tell you about, you'd love to attend them...

I know I always answer notes, things like that. Why not? "Sow the seed early" for a good crop later! :thumb:

One other thing...while I love the academy website and its ability to help out...if you want to be certain of who the ALO is assigned to your HS, drop me a note; I'll put my e-mail at the end here, and give me your HS name, city/state, etc...and I'll look them up.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
flieger83@cox.net
 
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