What are my chances of being accepted?

bomb; you are totally on target. There's a lot of people who apply to the academy and think that there's some magic list. "If I complete everything on this list; and take these exact classes; and participate in this particular activity/EC/etc...; then I will get accepted and receive an appointment". Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. You could have 2 identical twins. One in Denver and One in Atlanta. Both EXACTLY the same height, weight, hair color, etc... Both taking EXACTLY the same classes and receiving EXACTLY the same grades. Both performing exactly the same sports, class officer, boy/girl state, JrROTC/CAP/Scouts, Meals on Wheels, teaching kids to read, etc... Same ACT/SAT scores. Same scores on the CFA. I'm talking 100% EXACTLY THE SAME. One can receive an appointment/LOA early (November), and the other one could not get an appointment at all. There are so many variables in the appointment process. These variables deal with your state, district, members of congress, slots available, when your application was 100% complete (HINT: The earlier it is 100% complete, the better chance you have). The mood of the board on the day the looked at your application and compared to the others they looked at that day/week. There are so many variables.

So, take the extra curricular activities, sports, leadership positions, hobbies, etc... that you like and not the ones you think are going to get you in. Because as God as my witness, for every activity, position, sport, etc.... that you can name from a person who received an appointment; I can find someone who took those same activities, sports, positions, etc... and DIDN'T receive an appointment. I personally know applicants who were turned down by the air force academy and was accepted and IS ATTENDING Princeton and other Ivy League schools. I know 4.0 gpa students who were turned down from Air Force and are attending some very prestigious schools. And if you know anything about the college entrance process; "Which the academies are very similar to"; I can also show you people who were TURNED DOWN by harvard, yale, princeton, etc... and ARE ATTENDING the air force academy.

Some years, the applicant from Podunk Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, etc... has an edge in the application process. Some years, it's the applicant from New York City, Detroit, Los Angeles. Then there's the years where the applicant from the south. I will tell you one thing; take the most liberal/anti-military places in the country; e.g. Berkley, etc... and you will probably have one of the easiest nominations imaginable. There ARE CONGRESSMAN in the country that have NO RESIDENTS in the academy. On the other hand, come from the Virginia Coast, San Antonio area, Gulf Coast of Florida, etc.... and you will be competing with HUNDREDS of other applicants. best of luck. Mike...
 
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