Steve;
thanks very much for the advice! I'll give my ALO a call this Monday. And yes, I am almost finished with the online forms. All i have remaining are the ALO interview and the CFA (which i am also clueless on how to prepare for). So, any tips for the call/interview?
Hi! (Please read to the end, this will be long but I hope it'll be helpful)
Okay...first, let's go backwards...the CFA.
DO NOT RUSH THIS! Let me repeat that: DO NOT RUSH THIS!
A LOT of candidates see the CFA as a simple physical test: THAT IS SO WRONG!!! The CFA is a test of your fitness, both aerobic and anaerobic. As such it's meant to be challenging, but not terribly difficult for a VERY fit individual. If you are in decent physical condition, it shouldn't be too big a deal BUT, and I'm painting with a MASSIVE brush here: MOST students in the USA today are NOT in great physical condition. And I've given waaaaaay too many CFA's where I FAILED the candidate. No, check that: THEY FAILED THEMSELVES!
You do not want to know how many young men I've watched die on the pull-up bar because they couldn't do even ONE...let alone three. GAME OVER. Ladies...maybe 5 push-ups...GAME OVER.
And the candidate has TOTAL control here! They can build to a great score IF IF IF they put their mind to it! There's a candidate on this forum that contacted me a year ago...was concerned about things. I've discussed all this with her, etc..etc...BOTTOM LINE: a year ago she was hoping for a 2 minute flexed arm hang. When I told her that ONE pull-up outscored the LONGEST flexed arm hang EVER done (it does)...she said: "Well then, I better work on pullups."
She recently did EIGHT for a USMC GYSGT at an airshow and was awarded a nice T-Shirt that says: "Pain is just weakness leaving the body!" FYI...MOST of the GUYS weren't getting these shirts!
She's gonna NAIL the CFA!!!
So...you have TOTAL CONTROL here...focus BIG TIME on this unless you can already nicely EXCEED the means in ALL areas!
Notice I still haven't talked about the interview? You know why?
THE INTERVIEW WHILE IMPORTANT SHOULD NOT BE A BIG SCARY ORDEAL!!!
Again, you can control portions of it, based upon how you approach it. If YOU make the contact with the ALO, and prior to that you have a listing of all your achievements, etc., HANDY, then when you call if the ALO asks anything "off the cuff" you will have a ready answer. That will score with the ALO. Trust me; we really REALLY like to see a positive, motivated, and prepared individual. It means, to us: THIS PERSON IS SERIOUS! And that's a BIG thing we're looking for.
Write an "I love me" paper/resume. By this I mean a listing over EVERYTHING you've done since day-one of 10th grade. Used to be 9th grade but I'm seeing more of the "focus from sophomore year onward" now so...
This paper should list EVERYTHING! NOTHING is too small. If you attend a church/synagogue/mosque and have been asked to take "Old Mr/Mrs XXXX down the aisle to a seat" put it down. Why? Because I as an ALO want to know "WHY were YOU selected to do that?" Do you stand out to a Minister/Rabbi/Priest/Imam? Why? What "do you have" that makes you a trusted person? EVERYTHING has value: put it down.
Sports, extracurriculars, community service, etc...etc...ALL OF IT. The ALO will want to know it all as it will all come into play on his/her AF evaluation of the candidate.
Have this list ready to e-mail if the ALO asks. They will but if they don't, a nice follow-up to your first call is a nice e-mail thanking the ALO and including this. Gives them a better picture of YOU, reinforces all you spoke about, ensures they realize how serious you are.
Still haven't talked about how to prepare have I?
Or maybe I have?
Questions? They're all over this forum..."Why you? Why the AFA/USNA/USMA...etc...", and so on. The MOST IMPORTANT thing I can pass on?
BE YOURSELF AND BE HONEST! Do NOT try to "snow" the ALO. Trust me, it'll show and then you've dug a HUGE crater (a hole isn't a big enough term) for yourself.
Honest, integrity, a humble but confident personality...
WINNER!!
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83