Juniors Applying to the academy NEED a backup school

Christcorp

15-Year Member
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I posted this back around December to motivate academy applicants to make sure they are applying to other schools. Many students only apply to their #1 school. Forums like this one usually have students who have the academy as their #1 choice. That's fine and all, but you MUST have backups. I've reworded this for juniors in high school. Hopefully you'll be better prepared.
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This is not intended to be discouraging or to make you stress out. Very simply: Now that most of you have finished your Pre-Academy Application; you need to relax for about 5 minutes, and move on to the 2nd most important stage of your future. APPLYING TO OTHER SCHOOLS. Please don't tell me how you wanted the academy for your whole life. So has thousands of other applicants. And even if you are one of the best of the best; the academy can not and will not take more than approximately 1150 new applicants. That number was higher, but is shrinking every day. It doesn't matter if the academy is your first choice or not. If you're good enough to believe that you should be able to be accepted to the air force academy, then you are good enough to be applying to the best colleges and universities in the country.

And in case you can't afford some of these schools, you need to get applying to at least 4 other schools NOW, so you can have time to look at scholarships, grants, merits, private money, etc.... Even if you're looking at ROTC; you need to prepare your other school applications RIGHT NOW!!!! Do it. Do it now. PLEASE DON'T WAIT. All the information you're getting ready for the academy application can be used for your other college applications. Most universities start early admissions in September. If you have everything together during the summer, you'll be ready to go.

I can't tell you how many applicants didn't get the academy appointment, and settled for community college or state "U", because they didn't think they could get accepted or pay for other schools. There's nothing wrong with CC's and state universities, but they should be "A CHOICE" and NOT "A LACK OF OPTIONS". I'll tell you right now; if you don't think you can get accepted to certain other schools, how can you expect to get accepted to the academies??? The academies are considered equal to and as selective as the Ivy league and high end private universities. APPLY NOW!!!! The money will come later. Get accepted first. If you get accepted, there are plenty of ways to find money.

12,000 will initially apply and/or be interested in the air force academy. When the dust settles, only about 1100 will be accepted. That's LESS THAN 10%. Have your other schools lined up so you can apply as soon as possible. Including ROTC. I can't emphasize this enough. Best of luck to you all in applying to the air force academy; but if you don't have at least 4 other colleges/universities lined up with applications, then you are making a big mistake. Good luck. mike.....
 
I agree with everything Christcorp said. Do not wait to apply to other colleges until January because you never know what could happen. Be proactive and apply as early as possible. Apply for ROTC. Don't wait because the deadline for that is earlier than the deadline for most colleges. I missed applying for the deadline. While I did get accepted to USAFA, there is still the "what if I hadn't been accepted?" I would have been attending a state school's honors college because I was too lazy to apply anywhere else. It's important that you take into account that you may not be accepted, and if that's the case you are going to want a back up plan that is going to look good on paper if you reapply for the USAFA. Basically what I'm saying is, dont get lazy! It will only hurt you.
 
Christcorp, Thank you for posting theste types of posts. It is helpful for kids to hear it from somebody other than parents. Thanks.
 
Great advice. I would argue some of the best canidates are those with a Plan B, C and D. And you never know what they might find during your medical that could prevent you fom going. It happens every year.
 
Christcorp, GREAT advice as always! I will tell you, my son did not get accepted to either USAFA or USMA and looking at his stats would make you wonder why. He attended both SLS's and wanted nothing more and has worked towards it since freshman year. But this was the toughest year to get into one of the SA's and I am so thankful I prepared him enough last year to apply apply apply to each and every school he wanted to attend and worry about the finance part later. Better to have options! He applied for AFROTC, AROTC, and all senior military colleges and even a few state universities and he was accepted to every school he applied to. Thankfully he secured the 4 yr AROTC and now is going to his top choice school (aside from the academies of course)
It was such a tough year and so many candidates are getting that dreaded TWE- but hold those heads up high and keep trying! Now he is struggling with whether to open the file for the class of 2016 or not. He doesn't want to seem unappreciative of the 4 yr or have his ROTC unit frown upon it. The bottom line is to have as many options as you can because you never know what might happen.
He became very close to a whole group of kids that went to the SLS's and they all keep in touch and out of a group of 15 of them that attended the SLS- only 2 were accepted. And those young adults were by far some extremely bright and competitive individuals.
Great advice Christcorp!
 
Excellent post Kas. Some FYI: ROTC actually is a "Nomination" authority. Just like presidentials, MOC's, etc... So it would be silly to think that ROTC would frown upon one of their cadets applying to the academy. If they did frown on it, why would they offer Nominations to the academy???

If I was your son, I would do the following; in their proper time.

1. Open up and apply for the academy: Class of 2016
2. After the application is 100% complete this summer. (He's already been through it once, he should have no problem doing it a 2nd time in less time).
3. Start college
4. Start the MOC nomination application.
5. Feel out the ROTC unit at college, and speak with the ROTC commander there about a possible nomination. Have him explain that "So Far" he really enjoys ROTC, and is extremely appreciative for the scholarship. But wants to keep all his options open.
6. Then; if he receives an appointment, isn't obligated to accept it. He can reassess his options at that time and decide then whether to accept an appointment or stay with ROTC if he's happy there.

best of luck to you and your son. mike.....
 
Of course that makes perfect sense! Thanks so much and the advice is terrific! Out of curiousity- if he going to an out of state school does he apply to the local MOC or his home state? I'm not sure how that would work to fly home to interview and then fly back again? Seems unlikely.
 
Of course that makes perfect sense! Thanks so much and the advice is terrific! Out of curiousity- if he going to an out of state school does he apply to the local MOC or his home state? I'm not sure how that would work to fly home to interview and then fly back again? Seems unlikely.

If he's a "RESIDENT" of Georgia, and is going to school at UCLA, he still applies to his georgia MOC. It's all based on your residency. The ONLY TIME I ever encouraged someone to CHANGE their residency, was for an individual going to college at the university of wyoming. We have 1 Representative and 2 senators; which is a MAXIMUM of 30 nominations. I think a BIG YEAR for academy applications in our state was when we had 18 applicants. If you can't get a nomination in wyoming, there's a very good reason. Your application SUCKS. You really should be looking at another route. Usually; when the dust settles, we have about 15+/- real Air Force Academy CANDIDATES. Most have 2 nominations. Those with military parents can have 3 nominations. The ALO's will have A LOT of individuals who are interested and filled out the pre-candidate questionnaire paperwork and such. Many become unqualified academically or physically or medically or choose another option. We had one that wanted the air force academy for more than 5 years. She talked to us all the time. She got accepted to summer seminar. Was SOOOOOOO excited. Came back from Summer Seminar and said: "There's no way in hell I can do that. It's not for me". She stopped her application IMMEDIATELY. She's now a junior or senior at Yale. Go figure.

So make sure he contacts his local MOC. He might need to do interviews during thanksgiving break. If they interviewed him and gave him a nomination this year, they may even do the interview over the phone or have him simply send "Additional" info from his freshman college year. Best of luck. Mike...
 
This is super true Corps, try to apply to the other academy's as well, and if you don't get in, try ROTC.

I think the list went something like this for the TOP ROTC schools in America excluding the Service ones.

1) Norwich University

2) The Citadel

3) Something

4) Texas AM

I don't remember the rest but this is what I have.
 
This is super true Corps, try to apply to the other academy's as well, and if you don't get in, try ROTC.

I think the list went something like this for the TOP ROTC schools in America excluding the Service ones.

1) Norwich University

2) The Citadel

3) Something

4) Texas AM

I don't remember the rest but this is what I have.

I would put Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on that list for those interested in Aeronautical Engineering.

Perhaps Virginia Military Institute is number 3.
 
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