USNA vs USAFA

One other thought -- you should consider the cultural differences between the Services.. I really don't know much USAFA, but did spend 6 months doing Nav Training at an Air Force Base back in the 80's. Perhaps it was because it was a training base, but I felt that the Air Force was more uptight, lock step and rigid than Navy. Of course, when it came to flying we all fly by the book , but the atmosphere of the base was different. Again, just my perception -- with almost 30 years hindsight-- the Air Force philosophy is that if the book doesn't say you can do something, then it can't be done; and the Navy was the opposite, encouraging initiative with the philosophy that if not expressly prohibited, its fair game. I prefer the Navy culture.
 
DS had same decision to make two years ago - USNA or USAFA. We spent some time talking about majors and visiting SAs and other Universities with a focus on schools with his major. I told him that he didn't know if he would spend 5 years or 25 years in the service, so I thought he should pick a major that he could use if he got out earlier rather than later. DS did not seem to have a strong inclination toward service selection. If he knew he wanted to be a pilot, I would have encouraged him to look at platforms and bases, and evaluate that into his decision. That wasn't the case for him. We also talked about the culture of the AF vs Navy but best I could tell, that didn't factor into his decision either. Also, the campuses didn't make a big difference. Downtown Annapolis has lots of options but USAFA has beautiful mountains and snow. Since DS didn't have a strong preference for service selection, he decided to go to USNA due to more options for service selection.

After arriving at USNA, talking to folks, and attending the major nights/briefs, he changed his major into something that we had never discussed. For a kid that didn't have a strong desire to go into a specific career field (not that they necessarily get their first choice), USNA was the best fit for him. He really liked USAFA a lot too. So, I would consider: (1) service selection, (2) major of study, and (3) the intangibles. If you find that both SAs offer your career field and major, which might be the case for you, I would consider # of slots allocated for your chosen field and differences between the two services. The best to you.

bandad
 
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