It might have been a little harsh, but the OP only has to look on the AFA forum and about 4 threads after his, there is a thread called Pilot Slot.
Part if that thread discusses exactly how to get a pilot slot out of the AFA and chances of getting UPT. Thus, I get hornet's post.
Now to answer one part of the question.
How do you get what you want to fly?
You hope and pray that the plane you want is given out on drop night at UPT
I am not trying be mean, but that is the truth. Tonight at Laughlin they will be dropping plane assignments for those that made it through IFS and than UPT. fencer and our DSs will be two among them. Both of them submitted a list of their top three choices, but I know for our DS his number one choice doesn't drop with every class, his number two choice is probably on every students list and it too does not drop every time, which leaves him with his last choice, but if he scores lower than others that request the same plane he will get whatever the AF needs him to fly.
Honestly, I am guessing you want a 22 or a 35, many kids your age have that dream. However, the chances of getting either of those out of UPT is going to be about 3%. Yep, 3%. 35s are not even dropping yet, will be by the time you make it through in 6 years,(4 years to commissioning, 6-9 mos. Casual statuss, and a yr at UPT = 6 years) but even at that time they maybe dropping one a class. Add in the fact that 25% of the class will bust IFS, and from there 25% will bust UPT. The top 20-25% will track fighters, and the top grad usually will get that golden egg. Do the math.
~~~ Trust me you and almost every kid, including my DS aspired to fly those planes at your age. Hence, theoretically the majority are not going to get the airframe they wanted to fly at the age of 18.
Right now you have a ton of hurdles to clear, mainly commissioning.
I would also say that when you wing, you will be HAPPY to fly anything. It is an emotionally, mentally demanding year that you can't even begin to fathom.
Unless your imagination includes studying 6 days a week, at least 4 hours a night, and that is after working/flying a twelve hour day, including reporting for work at 4:30 a.m. Add on being on a constant roller coaster of getting an EQ on one flight and barely passing on the next. Don't forget the emotional impact in the beginning as you watch your peers be washed out or washed back because they weren't making the cut.
~~~ Our DS commissioned AFROTC, 13 of his class went UPT.4 of them will never wing because they failed out of UPT. In DSs UPT class they started with 28, and lost 4 before they tracked.
Hence, I am not exaggerating when I say you will be happy to wing.