Chances for AFROTC Scholarship?

[Sophos]

SAT: 2010 (1360 M+V)

GPA: 3.8UW, 4.5W

Class Rank: 10th Percentile

EC:
Chess Club 10,11,12
Junior Statesmen of America 10,11,12
Debate Team 9
Future Scientists and Engineers of America 9,10,11,12 & President
Engineering Safety Committee, Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy, 2011-2012
Press Relations Committee, Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy, 2011-2012
Admissions Committee, Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy, 2011-2012
First Robotics Team 1717 Member 9,10,11,12
Pneumatics/Electrical Team, FRC Team 1717, 2011-2012
SolidWorks Design Team, FRC Team 1717, 2011-2012
Pit Operations Leader, FRC Team 1717, 2011-2012

Awards:
National Hispanic Recognition Scholar

Athletics:
Competitive Fencer (National D-rating) 2006-2011
Cornell Fencing Camp 2010

Community Service:
Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary (100hrs)

PFT:
I failed the running portion. Not because I'm fat and lazy, but because I am 5'7'' and have short legs.
Average on everything else.

Intended Major(s):
Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Physics

Applied School(s):
Michigan - Ann Arbor, Georgia Tech, Stanford

Additional:
My interview lasted an hour rather than a half hour. I hope that is a good thing.
I also sent a thank you note to the Lt. Col. who interviewed me.

[kinnem]

Assuming your math and CR SAT scores are equally high and >= writing you should be OK. But you have to at least pass and preferably far exceed the run. Fail one portion and youve failed the test. You MUST pass the test. I'm assuming you have some AP courses in math and science given your interests and you've done well at them. You look like an excellent candidate on paper except for the PFT.

If nuclear engineering is your first interest I'm curious why AFROTC as opposed to NROTC. NROTC loves nuclear guys.

[Sophos]

As far as I know, the Air Force loves nuclear guys as well. Thank you for your assessment.

Yes, my math and science courses are:
Biology (A)
Physics (A)
Geometry GT (A)
Computer Science (A)
Alg 3/4 Trig GT (A)
AP Comp. Sci. (A)
AP Physics (A)
Pre-Calculus Honors (A)
AP Chemistry (B)
Advanced Engineering Physics (A)
Math 150/160 (B)
Robotics (A)

[Jcc123]

Sophos - my 11 yr old daughter is 4'10" and can run a 7:30 mile. Do not get in the habit of making excuses - it will not serve you well.

[ital898]

I think you have a good chance looking at grades, but yes, you need to get that run under control. I know some of the smallest people and they're usually the fastest.

[Pima]

kinnem and Jcc123 are correct the PFA is not a max 3, and fail 1 scenario. Fail 1 and you get a 0 for points. That can be a make or break when you start to realize that it accounts for a % in your WCS.

It will also be a huge issue when you get to AFROTC because if you don't pass it and you have a scholarship you will not go pass go and collect the money! Plus as a C200 for SFT it is a big player.

JMPO, but I am curious since you are a fencer how you didn't pass the running. I know several fencers and all of them are strong enough runners because it is an aerobic sport regarding endurance compared to say Football or baseball. Nobody shoot me, what I mean by that is there is no stop and go, i.e. hit the ball run, and wait to the next person, which allows you time to rest.

Secondly, all of the branches knowing this really look for athleticism because this is something needed in their program. There are 2 other aspects that it shows which they want for the military.

1. Dedication even in harsh environments over yrs. Anyone who has been in any sport, especially outside events like: Soccer, track, LAX, etc. play in the rain, play in 95 degree temps, compete in 35 degree temps for hours.

You have that under your belt with fencing, not so much harsh environment, but 6 yrs of competition under that gear is not comfy.

2. Leadership. Most sports the longer you stick with it, the more you become a leader within that organization to mentor the new players.

Fencing is like TKD and that is where you get hurt, which brings us back to the failing the run. It places a question mark around this issue as it is your only athletic event. Again nobody shoot me, because before you do, there is a poster here (fencersmom) that has a DS at the AFA12 as a recruited athlete, so it is seen as a sport.

I am just saying when you place that into the PFA portion it leaves someone with the question of how they can fail the run?

For the OP,

Academically you are great. You have some great EC's showing long term commitment to all of them with growth into leadership positions.

It would be a bold face lie to say that you won't be dinged alot on the PFA because it will be a 0 for that portion when it comes to points.

I would think you probably will get a scholarship, maybe even a Type 2, if that SAT is not a superscore, but best sitting. However, I would think a Type 1 is not in the cards.

Finally, the 5'7 issue is BS, the thing the military hates the most in life is excuses. You need to start running everyday and in every temp. I notice you have schools from Ann Arbor Michigan (freezing) to GT (sweltering), if you don't train for either of these conditions you will hurt yourself. The PFT is scheduled ahead of time, they don't check the weather to determine when; and if it spitting rain, you are running, so you can't say traction on my shoes did when I did the PFA. If it is 90 degrees and 95% humidity you are running. If you had to stay up until 1 a.m. to finish a paper or have the sniffles, they don't care.

Our DS is 5'10, a solid runner @ 6:45-7:00 min mile, many of the girls in his det are faster and most girls are shorter than 5'7. It is not your height that is an issue, it is you have not figured out your running stride. You don't know it because you don't run enough to correct it.

Good luck.

[Romad]

Keep practicing!!! My son is 5-3 and he passed the run with no problems and was awarded a T7. If the 3/4 football player (what we call him ) can do it, so can you after some work....

Good luck

[bgrant94]

two questions

What is considered a failing run time for the pfa? And:

"If nuclear engineering is your first interest I'm curious why AFROTC as opposed to NROTC. NROTC loves nuclear guys."

Does the Air Force have a Nuke program too? As it was one of the majors one could select on the application, I had assumed that they did. However, I have only heard of navy nukes, not air nukes. I am asking because this is the field that I have decided to study. It is, by my understanding, a difficult career path that is best supplemented by years of application that coincide with the years of class work. So I would like to know if I could get a job applying my nuclear engineering degree in the air force. I want to be an officer in this great organization regardless, but i would be even more thrilled if I could also gain job experience in that particular field while in the service.

I've looked it up, but did not find anything useful. If anyone knows of a specific program I should research or anything that might lead me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate the guidance. Thanks

[Pima]

Too lazy to pull up the link for PFA. Plus, honestly, my experience is with our DS and his goal as an AFROTC cadet is not to ever pass a 7 minute mile. Remember that although the CFA and the PFA are different you will compete with the AFA candidates and they know the max pts for a male is 5:30 for a mile.

This is why the PFA needs to be placed into the equation. AFA candidates will apply for AFROTC scholarships, and will strive for max pts. They can tell you that exactly what is the max for pull ups, push ups and sit ups.

UM, yes, there is a need for nuclear engineers in the AF.

Originally Posted by bgrant94

I have only heard of navy nukes, not air nukes.

Bullet flew the 111 and the 15E his entire AF career. Running joke was they could not confirm or deny if they carried Nukes, and if they did they had to kill you! Pretty sure that would be the same for the Missile community too!

[Packer]

Here is the male scoring table for AFROTC. Your goal is a 9:12 1-1/2 mile. The minimum will not get you to where you want to go.

http://www.af.vt.edu/pfamale.html