Why are academically qualified candidates receiving Falcon Foundation Scholarships?

All3Services said:
More likely that a potential football player would be offered a spot at the USAFA Prep School on the academy grounds and he would play for the Huskys for his Prep year if that was the option.
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That would be amazing. Not getting hopes up but he would accept that in a heartbeat.
 
DW8Ch said:
That would be amazing. Not getting hopes up but he would accept that in a heartbeat.
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My oldest went to USAFAPS and Parent's Weekend was the Husky football season opener home game (always is) the day before the Falcons played. Huskys played against a "football academy" school that travelled all the way from Georgia on buses and the end score was 71-7 to the Huskys. Crazy amount of pushups for the Cadet Candidates but a great day for all. His first roommate at The Hill was a Husky football player but several of them used it as an opportunity to move on to other schools to continue their football time after being exposed to the military for the year at The P. Good luck to your son whichever way he chooses or is appointed. You will never meet a Preppie who isn't super proud of that status and they have a very special bond with their own class Preppie peers and those who have gone before.
 
All3Services said:
My oldest went to USAFAPS and Parent's Weekend was the Husky football season opener home game (always is) the day before the Falcons played. Huskys played against a "football academy" school that travelled all the way from Georgia on buses and the end score was 71-7 to the Huskys. Crazy amount of pushups for the Cadet Candidates but a great day for all. His first roommate at The Hill was a Husky football player but several of them used it as an opportunity to move on to other schools to continue their football time after being exposed to the military for the year at The P. Good luck to your son whichever way he chooses or is appointed. You will never meet a Preppie who isn't super proud of that status and they have a very special bond with their own class Preppie peers and those who have gone before.
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Thank you.That is a beat down. Yesterday was a great visit and a great program. They were very supportive of his interest in AFROTC. To me, I can’t see how he would have the time for both. The coaches seemed to think he would but it is a cross town partnership at another university which is an hour away. He’ll just have to figure it out. An appointment to either prep or direct would make this much simpler. 😀

Sorry to all that this has strayed a bit from the OP’s point but in a way I hope they see that some would be honored with the chance to attend a prep. FF or USAFAP. I don’t think it means you are less than or unqualified or being treated unfairly. I think it simply means they really want your child and are willing to foot the bill for an extra year to keep you onboard.
 
Blue&SilverBear said:
Something worth considering… how competitive is Plan B? Is it UVA or Directional State? Does it place graduates in the fields the student is interested in?

This is not elitism or arrogance, it is just the real world. Graduating at 21 from a less prestigious school will not yield the same lifetime career opportunities as as graduating at 23 from a service academy.
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Disagree. Plenty of great officers come out of ROTC. Outside of a better shot at a pilot slot, USAFA holds minimal impact on your career when you can end up at the same place as an ROTC commissioned officer.
 
jwells02 said:
Son received a FFS offer. Top 10% of his highly competitive high school and took the highest rigor. SAT was 1480 and did well on CFA. Resume was heavy on leadership, varsity captain, school president, has PPL etc.

After receiving the offer he asked admissions what lacked in order to improve. They said his application was strong, they wanted him, and nothing was lacking, he just didn't win his nomination category (received 2 noms). We live in a very competitive district. We visited one of the prep schools and admissions said this upcoming year they'll have the most academically inclined falcon scholars they've seen.

Is USAFA really using these prep schools as a repository for desired candidates for whom they have no room?

He's having a really hard time accepting this as he will have to take all the AP classes that he aced over again. He wants the academy so bad but has a full ride at a university where he can graduate in three years due to AP credits. His ALO told him he was his strongest mentee, and felt this offer was inappropriate and told him that if it was him, he probably wouldn't take the FFS.

I've read some similar stories recently on here.

If these kids really have nothing to prep for it seems cruel to offer it.
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Short reply - "Gross" _ Sal Vulcano.

Long edgy reply below- feel welcome to skip or read on.

A lot was communicated from your succinct note - quite a bit to unpack.
  • Your son did not receive the appointment directly to USAFA, despite 2 nominations and terrific statistics. (He lost that competition).
  • Your son has an opportunity to go to a civilian school and graduate early on a full ride because he has many AP credits.
  • Despite being beaten out for an appt, USAFA wants him and has offered the falcon scholarship/ prep path to get there
Your post has a malingering odor of entitlement and presents that you feel he is a victim because of this offer. Just fyi, every year for the past 5, in April, a parent posts something like this - now we have the 2024 version. Reality is having top grades and SAT scores does not entitle you to an appointment - you're competing with national best-of-the-best rock stars who do, too. Some are amazing athletes, articulate and compelling leaders, national champs, Blue chip recruits, all state musicians, record holding athletes, pilots, patent holders, teens who started their own multi-million dollar business at 13, etc. It's arrogant to think you were mistreated by a school offering you a path to commission and serve even though you were beaten out in your district by other candidates who perhaps interviewed better, perhaps had even better stats, etc.. fyi - if the entitlement was present during the interview, that alone could have self-sabotaged your direct appt chances/ overshadowed all that talent.

I think your ALO was out of line to discourage your son from taking the falcon scholarship, and to imply he was mistreated. Your son wasn't #1, but if he wants this he still has a path, AND, they want him. Cruel? I'm thinking of a stronger word that rhymes with full-spit - that's Nonsense - that's a gift that you're not seeming grateful for (likely due to the entitlement thing). One theme I see from those who really want to be an officer is indefatigability - they are relentless/ resolved to commission and serve as an officer. And great officers need that, too. I don't see that same commitment if your son if he's dissuaded/ discouraged if he has to retake courses he rocked the APs on, or spend an extra year to ge there, and is doubting the path. Maybe he needs to spend some time talking with the man in the mirror and decide if he really wants this, or not. If not, take the full ride and let others serve as officers. Or, take the free ride, and pursue a commission via OCS after graduating - maybe by then he'll be ready/ more resolved or more committed? IDK. Doesn't sound hungry/ resolved to go to USAFA like other candidates are...

I like the post above that said something like not cutting off your head because you have a headache. Back in college by buddy relentlessly pursued a young lady, let's call her Dawn, because - actually, her name was Dawn. He went for it, and fell short. Dawn ended up dating someone else instead, and he was crushed - and yet by our senior year, there was Dawn, on his doorstep, all but putting an apple in her mouth and presenting herself on a silver platter to my buddy, and noting she'd come around, realized she wanted him, had overlooked a great guy. His first reaction was to say no, because his ego was hurt. I and other friends literally surrounded him - proverbially slapped him across the face and said DUUUUUDE - your dream girl wants you - forget that your ego was hurt, and go for it. he did, they've been married now for 25 years - he won - they won - they got what they wanted. Your son's dreamgirl offered him a path to be with her. You seem annoyed that path is uphill/ hard and included a level of initial rejection. Leave egos aside and your son should sit in a room by himself and decide what he wants. If it's to finish college early - go ahead. If it's to be an officer, go ahead. Only in severe cases as a parent when our kids were young did we use "never-ever" but honestly I hope you "never ever" refer to yourself as a victim for being offered a path to commission via USAFA / falcon and despite not being above the line for who got a direct appt. Eeish.
 
nedmac28 said:
Disagree. Plenty of great officers come out of ROTC. Outside of a better shot at a pilot slot, USAFA holds minimal impact on your career when you can end up at the same place as an ROTC commissioned officer.
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I don’t think they are referring to the Air Force AFSC/career benefit. They mean the effects on an after-service career.
 
nedmac28 said:
Disagree. Plenty of great officers come out of ROTC. Outside of a better shot at a pilot slot, USAFA holds minimal impact on your career when you can end up at the same place as an ROTC commissioned officer.
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This is not a comparison between military opportunities or officer quality coming out of USAFA vs ROTC, this is lifetime career opportunities in and out of uniform. I would not have had the same civilian opportunities with Central Northwest Pick Your State University instead of USAFA on my resume.
 
DW8Ch said:
Thank you.That is a beat down. Yesterday was a great visit and a great program. They were very supportive of his interest in AFROTC. To me, I can’t see how he would have the time for both. The coaches seemed to think he would but it is a cross town partnership at another university which is an hour away. He’ll just have to figure it out. An appointment to either prep or direct would make this much simpler. 😀

Sorry to all that this has strayed a bit from the OP’s point but in a way I hope they see that some would be honored with the chance to attend a prep. FF or USAFAP. I don’t think it means you are less than or unqualified or being treated unfairly. I think it simply means they really want your child and are willing to foot the bill for an extra year to keep you onboard.
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Funny part is that my youngest then got in direct and wishes he went to The P first after seeing how it worked for his brother.
 
All3Services said:
Funny part is that my youngest then got in direct and wishes he went to The P first after seeing how it worked for his brother.
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To be honest, I had hoped for a prep option for both of boys. Oldest has thrived in all three areas at USAFA without it, but he would have had adjustment time and made so many connections during a prep year. I won't be sad for one second if DS#2 is offered prep.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
One theme I see from those who really want to be an officer is indefatigability - they are relentless/ resolved to commission and serve as an officer. And great officers need that, too.
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My son's prep year was possibly the best thing that could have happened to him. That year of maturity and easing into academy life was priceless. You don't know what you don't know. I am a firm believer in the fact that "things happen for a reason."
 
Wow. Interesting thread.

I, too, mentored a strong candidate who received a FFS. Top grades, PPL, CAP, USAFA grad parents, etc. He did everything right. But there are only so many appointments available. I suspect that the fact he was in an on-line school all 4 years of high school probably made admissions think that it wouldn't hurt if he got some classroom time first. I was pretty concerned that he would feel slighted and not pursue the FFS.

Boy was I wrong! He was beyond thrilled. Signed up to go to Northwestern Prep the first semester and then ASU the 2nd. This young man had it all figured out even before I had a chance to congratulate him on receiving the scholarship!

I guess what I am trying to say is that my candidate has the right attitude about FFS. He has a goal and a plan. He's keeping his eye on the prize. I know without a doubt he will do well at USAFA in class of 2029.
 
Taking off the ALO hat.

I think we can all agree that a Falcon Foundation scholarship offer is a wonderful and generous opportunity for an applicant to continue to chase their dreams.

The express purpose of the FF is to provide additional academic preparation to applicants who didn't have the best educational opportunities (see below). It is confusing that these scholarships are being handed out to applicants who have seemingly "outstanding" academic qualifications.

I believe that, in the past, someone like OP's son would have simply not received an appointment, prep school offer, or FF scholarship offer. That, in the past, there used to be a "pool" of applicants who weren't high enough on their nom slates to get an appointment but at the same time overqualified for the prep school and FF scholarship. Is it right to offer this group the prep school and FF scholarship slots over other applicants with poor academic opportunity but otherwise excellent potential? It certainly seems to go against the purpose of the programs themselves. At the same time, is it fair that this "pool" of applicants should walk away with nothing when other seemingly "less qualified" applicants get something?

Personally, I did not interpret the original post as entitled and frankly I'm surprised by the speed at which many people thought to jump down their throat. Though it is a sensitive time to make such a post, when others are still waiting for anything at all. That being said, I do think the ALO could have approached the situation differently.

In times like these I remember a quote from Jean Luc Picard, "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life." It will be up to the applicant to ultimately decide what is right for them and to live with the consequences of that decision.

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
The Falcon Foundation provides a limited number of highly-motivated young people the opportunity to sharpen their skills for admission to USAFA by providing scholarships at a College or Preparatory School especially selected for this purpose.

The Falcon Foundation recognized that many deserving young people, with outstanding potential for an Academy education and a desire for an Air Force career, needed additional academic preparation prior to cadet appointment. The competition for an Academy appointment is intense and those who have not had the best educational opportunities may need to prepare more thoroughly to compete for admission.

The Falcon Foundation endeavors to meet this need within its means through its sustaining program of annual scholarship grants.
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- https://www.falconfoundation.org/About

BACKGROUND
Although a private organization, the Falcon Foundation works closely with the Academy Admissions office to award scholarships.

A group of prominent Air Force alumni organized the Foundation in 1958, three years after the first class entered USAFA. They recognized that many deserving young people, with outstanding potential for an Academy education and a desire for an Air Force career, needed additional academic preparation prior to appointment. The Falcon Foundation makes annual cash grants for scholarships to college preparatory schools across the nation. Each scholarship award provides a portion of the cost of room, board, and tuition. Scholarship recipients must be able to pay for transportation to and from school, and for clothing, laundry, and other personal expenses. A student must be an active candidate for a Falcon Foundation Scholarship.
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- 2023 Admissions Handbook (unpublished)
 
AFrpaso said:
Taking off the ALO hat.

I think we can all agree that a Falcon Foundation scholarship offer is a wonderful and generous opportunity for an applicant to continue to chase their dreams.

The express purpose of the FF is to provide additional academic preparation to applicants who didn't have the best educational opportunities (see below). It is confusing that these scholarships are being handed out to applicants who have seemingly "outstanding" academic qualifications.

I believe that, in the past, someone like OP's son would have simply not received an appointment, prep school offer, or FF scholarship offer. That, in the past, there used to be a "pool" of applicants who weren't high enough on their nom slates to get an appointment but at the same time overqualified for the prep school and FF scholarship. Is it right to offer this group the prep school and FF scholarship slots over other applicants with poor academic opportunity but otherwise excellent potential? It certainly seems to go against the purpose of the programs themselves. At the same time, is it fair that this "pool" of applicants should walk away with nothing when other seemingly "less qualified" applicants get something?

Personally, I did not interpret the original post as entitled and frankly I'm surprised by the speed at which many people thought to jump down their throat. Though it is a sensitive time to make such a post, when others are still waiting for anything at all. That being said, I do think the ALO could have approached the situation differently.

In times like these I remember a quote from Jean Luc Picard, "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life." It will be up to the applicant to ultimately decide what is right for them and to live with the consequences of that decision.


- https://www.falconfoundation.org/About


- 2023 Admissions Handbook (unpublished)
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Thank you for the response. My post was made out of confusion, not a sense of entitlement. I thought prep spots were offered to those whom the academy felt needed more preparation, not a holding area for those they didn't have a spot for. My son's ultimate goal is to serve and he's dreamt of the academy since he was little. He's leaning towards the FFS. If not, he will still serve via ROTC.
 
USAFA also thinks humility as well as reasoned thought are virtues. That’s why if someone is offered a FF scholarship, turns it down and then wants another opportunity, is not given a do over. There are scores of individuals on the FF waitlist.

Think it over. It sounds like your son has great opportunities and he has choices. Pride sometimes gets in the way of good choices. If your son decides to take the scholarship, he should 100% commit to making the most of the opportunity afforded to him. If that’s not his intent he should go elsewhere and let someone who will make the most of it have a chance at their dream.
 
In the end how badly do you want it? You wanted it bad enough to go through all the interviews, write the essays, and try your best in school. I don't like it how people think FFS or Prep is bad because "I was good enough to get in direct". Lose the ego, yes USAFA wants you but you have to wait a year. Think about like prep for USAFA wait what, I guess it is the prep school. That year will prepare you and offer connections that you wouldn't have received. And if all that doesn't stick to your head know that there are probably 1k+ kids who would gladly take the golden ticket. (this is a vent directly at no one in particular)
 
jwells02 said:
Son received a FFS offer. Top 10% of his highly competitive high school and took the highest rigor. SAT was 1480 and did well on CFA. Resume was heavy on leadership, varsity captain, school president, has PPL etc.

After receiving the offer he asked admissions what lacked in order to improve. They said his application was strong, they wanted him, and nothing was lacking, he just didn't win his nomination category (received 2 noms). We live in a very competitive district. We visited one of the prep schools and admissions said this upcoming year they'll have the most academically inclined falcon scholars they've seen.

Is USAFA really using these prep schools as a repository for desired candidates for whom they have no room?

He's having a really hard time accepting this as he will have to take all the AP classes that he aced over again. He wants the academy so bad but has a full ride at a university where he can graduate in three years due to AP credits. His ALO told him he was his strongest mentee, and felt this offer was inappropriate and told him that if it was him, he probably wouldn't take the FFS.

I've read some similar stories recently on here.

If these kids really have nothing to prep for it seems cruel to offer it.
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It is becoming more clear that USAFA is using FF partially as a place for high achieving candidates that don’t fit in the current class. I can see pros and cons to this. Without knowing what all goes into the recipe for current and future class building I will hold my judgement.
For context, DS was a high achiever with outstanding stats in all areas.
He had a Senator NOM to USNA and a Principal NOM to USMA.
No NOM to USAFA.
We received a phone call from USAFA offering him a FFS and he needed to accept or decline essentially immediately. I declined for him, thanked them and explained he was already at BEAST. That is how late his offer came. I have no idea why and can only speculate their reasoning. While my DS wasn’t the best candidate in the country by any means, he was certainly highly desirable and checked all the boxes. I only say this because he wouldn’t be the “Prep” candidate most people would think of “needing “ Prep.
So Prep offers can certainly be made for many unknown reasons.
Having said all of that, anyone who is offered Prep and wants that particular SA, by all means accept it as a five year Appointment to your dream Academy!
 
Why are they receiving foundation offers? Because they had an outstanding application, were well qualified, impressed someone enough to encourage the foundation to invest in them because they believe they'd be an outstanding leader and officer, and finally, the stars lined up in their favor.
 
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