Deciding between USAFA and other prestigious institutions

Agree with alot being said in this thread. USAFA: 2016! has great insight on the differences of why one came and why they stayed. This often will change as a Cadet or Mid moves through their years at SA. I was recruited heavily by the Ivies. I took one recruiting trip and knew an Ivy was not for me. I just didn't feel comfortable. When I went to USNA, I knew I had found the right place and felt at home. I think this is what your DD is probably feeling. Its hard to describe, but those who have been through the process know this feeling. It is often one when a candidate is trying to decide between to SAs... the service and SA just seem to be a better fit. No doubt any person will get a great education at an Ivy. At a SA the education is different. Its well rounded, you are challenged in not only academics, but physically, to follow, to lead, ethics, character development, honor codes, military development. Its a different education and experience than a regular college. I think the biggest difference between an Ivy ROTC program and a SA is the 24/7 environment, the constant contact with officers and senior enlisted to learn, train and mentor from. The exposure to guest speakers in classes, lectures, seminars from a military perspective cannot be matched by a ROTC at a regular university. The military training opportunities as mentioned cannot be matched. But with all this being said, the right place is the school that she knows is right for her. That is the school she will do best at.

The other thing to think about with USAF ROTC is there is no guarantee she will get active duty. You mentioned her not wanting to fly. Non-rated is getting harder and harder to get in the USAF. What if she isn't selected for SFT? Does she/you have the funds to pay for 2 more years at Yale? I realize their endowments are huge, but how does that come into play down the road for someone who is dis-enrolled in ROTC. At USAFA she is guaranteed Active Duty.

I have had probably 20 friends attend Ivies for their post grad education after they attended SAs. They have all done very well and ended up in amazing careers. So Yale is always an option for a Masters down the road.
 
mbleykhman said:
As a parent, if your DS or DD have to choose between USAFA and Yale AFROTC, what would you recommend?
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Hi Mybleykhman, not a huge deal but posting same question on two different forums is frowned on here. It's a very responsive community so just one post will generally get you all sorts of great info as it has above. Good luck to your family!
 
Sorry about it, I did not know and posted initially in the wrong forum. I did get very voluble responses and They will definitely help me with the process. This is not easy from the parent perspective and have responses from both parents and former and current Cadets are extremely helpful. Thank you very much everyone


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We have one at USAFA and a second that received an appointment to USAFA but opted for a Type 1 AFROTC at a prestigious non-academy school. She ultimately decided that the AF was not what she wanted to do and left the AFROTC. I agree with the thought that supporting their right to change their mind is important - and I suppose this is exactly why both USAFA and AFROTC allow a year or two before commitment. Making important career decisions at age 17 is tough - but they have options.
 
I did not end up applying to any Ivies. I would have been a competitive applicant if I had applied, though no one can guarantee acceptance in things like these.

At USAFA, school is nowhere near your only focus. You can make it your main focus if you want, but many people do not. If you are looking for a school where everyone is passionate about learning, education, etc., then this is not it. To be fair, I don't think the Ivies are it either. If you are looking for a school where a small but focused minority want a fantastic education, and where the faculty are more than willing to help those students get that, then USAFA is a great place to be. (It is also a great place to be if, like most people, you want a good education, no loans, and a good reputation in a job search or grad school applications down the line.)

You should come here if you are willing to make "being the best officer I can be" priority #1. If that is truly your goal, then USAFA offers great opportunities to practice your leadership. IT IS NOT PERFECT. There are serious issues with infighting, politics (both internal and just the politicization of the Academy in general), mistrust for leadership, pessimism (cadets call it cynicism, but by the dictionary the term as we use it is incorrect), and careerism. However, on the whole, those who are willing to confront the warts will do well here.

You're going to be balancing a lot of things: academics, military, physical, of course, but also personal life, religion (if any), what it means to lead well, career decisions, and sleep deprivation. Be ready. It's a great place to be if you're the type of person who is willing to take something imperfect and draw out its best qualities. Love USAFA, and it will love you back. Hate USAFA, and you will hate every day.
 
Thank you. One more month of uncertainty... I am ready for her to make final decision or if she made id at least share it with me. I obviously will support any decision she makes and will tell her that she will always have our support. This forum is a huge asset!


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Invisibility said:
At USAFA, school is nowhere near your only focus. You can make it your main focus if you want, but many people do not. If you are looking for a school where everyone is passionate about learning, education, etc., then this is not it. To be fair, I don't think the Ivies are it either. If you are looking for a school where a small but focused minority want a fantastic education, and where the faculty are more than willing to help those students get that, then USAFA is a great place to be. (It is also a great place to be if, like most people, you want a good education, no loans, and a good reputation in a job search or grad school applications down the line.)

You should come here if you are willing to make "being the best officer I can be" priority #1. If that is truly your goal, then USAFA offers great opportunities to practice your leadership. IT IS NOT PERFECT. There are serious issues with infighting, politics (both internal and just the politicization of the Academy in general), mistrust for leadership, pessimism (cadets call it cynicism, but by the dictionary the term as we use it is incorrect), and careerism. However, on the whole, those who are willing to confront the warts will do well here.

You're going to be balancing a lot of things: academics, military, physical, of course, but also personal life, religion (if any), what it means to lead well, career decisions, and sleep deprivation. Be ready. It's a great place to be if you're the type of person who is willing to take something imperfect and draw out its best qualities. Love USAFA, and it will love you back. Hate USAFA, and you will hate every day.
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EXCELLENT post.
 
Finally a good post by someone who actually knows how it is there and isn't relying on just hearsay. Great job invisibility!
 
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