Be top 10% of your class, usually near 3.8 unweighted;
Not disagreeing on the whole, but I don't think it helps candidates by painting a broad brush stroke as what you have stated.
Every HS is different, and we do not know how USAFA will rejig that info.
~ IE DSs uwcgpa went up because his school used a 7 point scale.
~~ 3.8 uwcgpa taking only honors when they had the opportunity to take APs may ding them.
Top 10% and 0 % go Ivy will be viewed differently than top 15% and 35% go Ivy.
~ School profile is part of the PAR. 3.8 top 15% and 35% go Ivy says something different than 3.8, top 10% and 0% go Ivy.
~~ 1 says As are not handed out like candy on Halloween and the school is truly competitive. The other says As are handed out like candy on Halloween.
~~~ JMPO and $2.07 will get you a small coffee at Starbucks.
I also would say that posters like Flieger, Christcorp, Fencer, etc. would say to any and all candidates that the SAT score to feel safe is 1600 out of 1600, ACT is 36 composite.
The OP has a lot of time to work on what they are lacking.
~ Many kids do not even start this path until late fall junior year.
We don't know what the magic formula is to get into USAFA, but we have clues. Only USAFA admissions knows for sure. We know that they are looking for people from all walks of life that can prove they have what it takes to make it through the program & become great Air Force officers and leaders.
1000% agreement.
Finally, apply for USAFAs SLS program your junior year. It will not give you an edge per se, but it gives you a glimpse.
~ Trust me there are many candidates that never attended SLS, but received an appointment, just like there are many that attend and did not receive an appointment.
Good luck.
PS Chris,
You will not be dinged regarding rigor for having Honors when others have AP/IBs....IF your school curriculum does not allow you to take those courses, but you could be dinged if they allowed it.
~ They look at the rigor too. It is part of the GC evaluation submitted.
~~ Our DSs transcript included the % that took APs, and the pre-reqs to take these courses.
~~~ Could not take AP until they took Honors. IOWS, AP Bio/Chem/Physics required Std/Honors first. DDs school allowed a student to take Std/Hon/AP right out of the gate.
~~~~ DS would not get dinged for no AP because of the school. DD would have been dinged for taking Honors because she could have taken the AP class.