Medical & Lack of Exposure holding me back...

[FastFalcon7]

The fact that USAFA is requesting a waiver bodes well for you --- not an absolute, but honestly, why would they waste the WA's time requesting a waiver if there is no interest?

"I have very little exposure to military officers" -- this is NOT a negative. In fact, I have heard the opposite. Just goes to show that only the people in Admissions knows what Admissions is looking for.

Assuming I get the waiver, are my chances now equal to everyone else, or do waiver candidates for below the priority?

 

[MN-Dad-2016]

Our son didn't get accepted till April (they gave him 2 days to decide). His ethnicity is from Scandinavian descent (it is obvious). We do not have any military background other than his deceased Grandpa who was a cook in the Navy for 4 short years.

We went through the waiver process too. As I have posted before, the folks processing the waivers have a very large stack of paperwork on their desk. Our contact appreciated us reaching out knowing that if she succeeded in the waiver process, he was going to USAFA. I'm convinced his folder got pulled out of the middle of the thick stack. When the AF cardiologist had some questions (nothing to do with the medical file but rather why we went to the Mayo to go the the foremost authority of pediatric cardiology who blessed him off as not having an issue) I was able to answer his question via a note. My strong guess would be I may have not been asked if I wasn't close to the process. When I let them know West Point granted a waiver, I'm pretty sure that too helped. In conclusion, by us reaching out, it helped the AF cardiologist make his decision to grant the waiver on a condition that really was made up by another doctor. Long story and a battle that took nothing shy of 100+ hours to remove a condition misdiagnosed that was pretty serious...

Others mileage may vary and think reaching out will hurt. But I'm a huge fan of respectively interjecting a personal presence in the background for important decisions. If you go about it in the wrong way you will make things worse. Put your sales hat on. Don't be a pitbull but rather a soft presence of excitement and concern.

Of course if everyone with a waiver called to bug them, that would nearly always work against because you because you would be PITA. But the reality (per my DoBMERB contact that is located inside of USAFA) too many of the people who are DQed requiring a waiver simply move on to another plan and erase their desire to attend. In other words, it was one college of many without a burning desire to go to USAFA. That means there are a lot of granted waivers that were wasted energy. I will share my path and approach if you drop me a PM.

Fast forward. It's been a wonderful ride and exciting times are ahead of him. He loved USAFA and the AF and is off to grad school this fall. Things happen for a reason. I'm convinced by getting involved, we helped shape his pending destiny!

 

[Falcon A]

Assuming I get the waiver, are my chances now equal to everyone else, or do waiver candidates for below the priority?

Having been granted a waiver does not make you a lower priority.

 

[USAFA83GradWife]

Assuming I get the waiver, are my chances now equal to everyone else, or do waiver candidates for below the priority?

My DD had 2 waivers. As you can see from my signature block, it didn't prevent her from getting appointed. In fact, USNA gave her an appointment contingent upon getting a waiver.

Needing & getting a waiver does not hurt nor help your chances.

My only point is that if you weren't someone that USAFA is interest in, admissions wouldn't waste everyone's time by asking for a waiver. The WA is already super busy as it is.

 

[MD2020]

This is correct to a point. The geographic component has a huge impact on gaining an appointment since you first compete on your MOC's slate.

Typically, out of the approximately 4000 candidates that receive a nomination each year, the SA determines that around 2400 of those candidates "are qualified academically and in physical aptitude." Those 2400 are vying for one of the 1200 appointment slots

The MOC identified Principal Noms/#1s from the MOC's slate (as identified by the SA) take up about 500 (or more) of the available 1200 appointment slots. Many of the #1s have eyewatering records, but it is also true that some of the #1s have records that are not as good as some of the candidates from the other congressional districts.

Approximately 200 (or more) of the 1200 slots go to recruited athletes/LOA holders/prep school. Everyone that gets an appointment is "qualified" but many of these appointments are given to meet the needs of the SA

This leaves between 350-500 slots that the remaining 1700 fully qualified candidates compete for, and the SA selects those candidates that best meets the needs of the SA. Those needs include meeting certain diversity goals (geographic, ethnic, gender, other) in order to create a class make up that represents our society and the military branch.

It is not like they rank order all 2400 candidates and the line is drawn and only the top 1200 get in. All 2400 are qualified and the SA tries to compose a class using the rules they have been given.

I agree... as in the above note (my last line, first paragraph) "Also, how competitive an area is greatly effects an appointment decision.". I know that MD & VA are very competitive areas so even the best of the best may not get a coveted appointment. that is why it is so important to have Plan B, C, and D in place.

 

[fencersmother]

As a homeschooler, you may qualify as a "diversity candidate," which potentially could actually help your chances. Recall that "diversity" does not mean the same thing to USAFA as it does to your local newspaper or school.

 

[flieger83]

Affiliation or lack thereof with military officers/members is a non-issue. If an ALO told you that, I'd be asking for his/her name but you said it wasn't an ALO.

The academy will ask if a parent has served; this is for demographic reporting only (think Congressional inquiries about how many military kids apply, etc...) and it has nothing to do with your application. Other than that, what an ALO/the Academy wants to know is:

a. Did you research the academy, know what it means to serve, and have you really given this some thought?
b. How did you hear about the academy?
c. WHY you? What makes you the person we desperately want to have at our academy?

There's a lot more to it than that, however this is an "abbreviated" summary...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

 

[CivilAirPatrolCadet]

As a homeschooler, you may qualify as a "diversity candidate," which potentially could actually help your chances. Recall that "diversity" does not mean the same thing to USAFA as it does to your local newspaper or school.

Thanks! I am a female, but very much Caucasian My math score was a little low (580). but the other two were 730 (reading) and 760 (writing). I am doing a dual enrollment program, but haven't done a lot of school sports because of being homeschooled. Two nominations and hoping to hear back before a rejection letter in April

 

[FastFalcon7]

I GOT THE WAIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fencersmother]

OK! That's great!!!!

It may not be the first one you'll ever need so word to the wise: keep all paper work.