6KDogwhistle and Maplerock,
kmargie.
I get your aspirations, but here is where I come from:
1. If you found this site, and know that USAFA is selective, than you are already in front of the 8 ball. You know that your competition will be stiff.
2. Your post scares me a little from an academic aspect.
~ Nowhere do you state any academic cgpa. Yes, you are in a rigorous curriculum according to you, but you do not state how well you are doing in those courses.
3. Just me, but honestly, if I had a dollar for everyone that comes on here and says I want to be a pilot, than I would be a millionaire!
~ If your goal is to be a pilot, than ask yourself what if you can't be a pilot? Would you still want to be in the AF?
~~ Flieger, Stealth, 6Kdog, Raimius, Hornet, Bullet, etc. will tell you that just because you are medically qualified to attend an SA does not mean you will be medically qualified to fly. You need to pass the DoDMERB for an appointment, but for flying you must pass the FAA FC1 physical. In other words, they can say you will commission, but fly a desk because medically you can't meet the FAA FC1 standards. Same is true for things like vision.
~~~ You state you are a female. Females sometimes due to sitting height have a bigger hurdle to become a pilot, especially for fighters and ejection seats.
If knowing that you can't pass the FAA FC1, would you still want to go AF?
~ I won't even go down the path of how winging out of UPT is letter M and getting an appointment is letter A.
4. Get your medical records in order if you have had any issues after the age of 13.
~ Many get tripped up because their doc prescribed an inhaler after age 13 as a safety issue. Folks kept refilling it with no idea that it could impact their kids because on the DoDMERB intake exam they ask about prescriptions.
5. As others have stated take that SAT/ACT as often as you can afford.
~ As a junior you can take the PSAT. Score in the top 5 percentile, you are eligible for the NMSF. It will help you, not only from a resume award aspect, but plan B for colleges.
6. Do not have tunnel vision...SAs as top choices.
~ I would say to you, look at your future in HS as if you want to get into an Ivy.
~ Things happen. My DS went AFROTC scholarship because the more he investigated life at USAFA and life at his college (with merit) he decided he wanted to go to his college (it was a free ride between the AFROTC scholarship and his merit) He is now an O2 and a pilot.
~~ Additionally, the further you go down this road, the more you will realize that plan B is important. AFROTC scholarships are not like USAFA appointments.
~~~ AFROTC scholarships are BEST sitting, not superscored like USAFA. AFROTC is national from the get go. USAFA starts at a Congressional district level, than State (Sen slate) and ending at a national level.
~ God forbid as a swimmer you tear a ligament in late April as an appointee and need 8 weeks recovery medically prior to I Day, than you may now be unable to report to I day and need that scholarship...aka you are a medical turnback.
Wish you the best.