USAFA Prep School - Question

[bendaddy]

I'm sure this has been already asked in some form or another, but what is the typical academic profile (GPA, class rank, SAT/ACT scores) of a high school student admitted into Air Force Academy Prep School? I understand that you can be, in a way, "over-qualified" for Prep School if your academic areas are not of concern. Thank you.

 

[Amy Nan]

Amy

My son is a 2009 grad and also a USAFA preppie. He was a football recruit and we were told that the "typical" sat was about 1060 Math and CR.

My other son just finished up at Northwestern Prep. It was tough but wonderful!

(Athletes typically end up at the Academy Prep School.)

 

[jackson1989]

The typical "overqualified" tag is not necessarily true for the Falcon Foundation Scholar program. My son is currently a Falcon Scholar at MMI. He had very good test scores (above the mean in both areas), but his GPA in H.S. was not that great. He also had excellent leadership, sports, service, etc. I think the bottom line is if you have strong academics that may bump you out of the USAFA Prep school, they may offer you a Falcon Scholarship instead. At MMI, there are Falcons with CFAs that need improving, SAT/ACTs, etc.

I also believe it is different for each academy. When we went to CVW at USNA, they specifically said they either put you in the prep offer category or you are just considered for direct entry.

The letters for Falcon Foundation go out in February. It is a great option if you don't get an appointment the first time.

 

[flieger83]

The typical "overqualified" tag is not necessarily true for the Falcon Foundation Scholar program. My son is currently a Falcon Scholar at MMI. He had very good test scores (above the mean in both areas), but his GPA in H.S. was not that great. He also had excellent leadership, sports, service, etc. I think the bottom line is if you have strong academics that may bump you out of the USAFA Prep school, they may offer you a Falcon Scholarship instead. At MMI, there are Falcons with CFAs that need improving, SAT/ACTs, etc.

I also believe it is different for each academy. When we went to CVW at USNA, they specifically said they either put you in the prep offer category or you are just considered for direct entry.

The letters for Falcon Foundation go out in February. It is a great option if you don't get an appointment the first time.

The USAFA prep school is "typically" filled with:

1. Young enlisted men/women from the USAF as a way to get them to USAFA. They go through a VERY tough screening to qualify for this! FYI: they are PRIORITY NUMBER 1 for USAFA PS appointment.
2. Recruited athletes that don't quite make the "grade" for admission; typically they have a single SAT or ACT score that is below the minimum required for admission, but have shown they have EVERYTHING else that USAFA requires for candidate admission. The PS will ensure they meet entrance requirements.
3. Minority students that come from schools/communities that really don't afford them the educational opportunity to excel; but have shown they "have what we want" in a cadet. Make no mistake, these are not "charity" cases; these students are REALLY OUTSTANDING but just need a little help that their locality/school can't offer.
4. Remaining slots are filled by the BEST of the "YOU ALMOST MADE IT" candidates.

Don't think that the PS is a "free ride" for athletes, minorities, etc., because its FAR from that! It is a TOUGH place to be at and requires the same intense devotion to success as does USAFA. It simply has a finite number of slots.

So...if you're NOT offered USAFA PS but are offered Falcon Foundation...what does that mean? IMHO (I went to Northwestern Prep by the way) it means that USAFA has determined that they are VERY interested in you, that you have something that needs to be boosted, and the folks in admissions have determined that you do NOT need the 24/7 environment of the PS. So they'll have you go to one of the "other" PS and they'll offer the PS slot to someone they feel needs the 24/7 of USAFA PS.

Just my opinion...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

 

[riroka]

Classes question

I have a question....if you go to one of the schools as a falcon foundation student do you repeat your basic classes at the academy? i get that you add a year of school, but how does it work academics wise?

 

[jackson1989]

My son is basically taking the same courses he will take next year. That said he will have an opportunity to validate classes during BCT. He does not automatically validate just because he has taken the same classes this year. It should give him a leg up on his transition to the academy either way.