USAFA Orientation dates

15USAFAap

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Does anybody know when the orientation dates for this year are? Also, is there a website where I can find it?

Thanks
 
also wondering about dates and do you have sign the dotted line and return your acceptance before you get informatin about the orientation or do they send it out to everyone who has an appointment at some point in time?
 
Orientation Information

Does anybody know when the orientation dates for this year are? Also, is there a website where I can find it?

Thanks

There will be a link on your application page to sign up. You will also receive some literature very soon can't recall the exact date with an itinerary. Hope this helps.

Link for orientation sign up begans February 1.

<https://admissions.usafa.edu/>
 
Last edited:
Orientation Information

also wondering about dates and do you have sign the dotted line and return your acceptance before you get informatin about the orientation or do they send it out to everyone who has an appointment at some point in time?

You need to sign the dotted line by May 1, 2011. You should receive information about the orientation within the next couple of months. There were three orientation session last year in April. I am assuming the orientation will be in April again.

Link to Orientation page. Sign up begans February 1.
https://admissions.usafa.edu/
 
Is this like an orientation at a typical university, where parents are also invited to attend? Or is it just for appointees? Thanks!
 
We were allowed to attend our older son's orientation a few years ago. I can't imagine it's any different this year. We intend to attend our youngest son's orientation too.
 
Go to Orientation!

My son and I attended Orientation last year (around April 10th.) It was the first of three orientation sessions held on successive Monday-Tuesdays. We stayed at the Best Western Academy Hotel (along with about 30 other future cadets and their families.) I'm sure other hotels were similarly packed with orientation folks. Last year Brian (BSAeagle) took the bull by the horns and organized a dinner at the Olive Garden on Sunday night prior to Orientation. That was a great and memorable time to meet many of people on this website. (There was a lot of "Hi, I'm Mike....you know, Wallace and Gromit" "Oh yeah!") Someone needs to get these dinners organized this year....and invite a few cadets to join everyone.
Orientation itself is a long day of briefings in Arnold Hall. Aside from learning important information, it is incredible seeing so many great students and their families from every corner of the country. In the late afternoon the students depart to meet-up with a cadet and then spend the night in the dormitory. Meanwhile the parents are bused back to the hotels.
On Tuesday parents are offered a tour of the campus and/or you meet your son/daughter at the Field House.
I don't recall the exact numbers, but I'd estimate that about 75% of the students attending had already accepted their appointment. The remaining 25% were undecided.
There will probably be a thread about buying boots at orientation so that you can break them in by I-day. My son didn't get his boots until I-Day and did just fine.
Overall, I can't express enough how important it is to go to Orientation. I'm still in touch with many of the folks I met there, and said hi to many of them at Parents Weekend. I hope to be celebrating with all of them in May 2014.
 
There will probably be a thread about buying boots at orientation so that you can break them in by I-day

Boots will no longer be sold at Orientation and no credit will be given for boots purchased prior to I-day.

This was sent out in the December newsletter.

BOOTS FOR APPOINTEES

The rules are changing for the Class of 2015. The current boots need no break-in time like the previous solid leather boots so there is no advantage in getting the boots in advance. The cadets will no longer be issued a credit if the boots are purchased in advance. If you have questions please contact Richard Roberts at 719–333-3288 or e-mail him at richard.roberts@usafa.edu.
 
Orientation

A question for parents of upper-classman. We have had an official visit as a recruited athlete, attended classes, slept in the dorm, etc. Would attending orientation be of any benefit for us?
 
A question for parents of upper-classman. We have had an official visit as a recruited athlete, attended classes, slept in the dorm, etc. Would attending orientation be of any benefit for us?

I don't know if I could say that it wouldn't be of "any" benefit. But I would say you could definately skip it.

When our son was thinking about going, he hadn't heard if he had an appointment yet, so we scheduled a visit on the backside of his spring break. We went skiing in Breckenridge then spent less than one day at the USAFA where he toured with a cadet etc... This was at the end of March. When we got back, he had his appointment but didn't see the point of going to Orientation and didn't. Never caused him any regrets, nor did he feel at any kind of disadvantage.
 
Orientation

"Benefit" was probably the wrong word. We are trying to decide if the cost of the travel would be worth it for daughter and one parent. We would be missing school and training for at least two days. We were on campus for homecoming weekend, went to the football game, shadowed another athlete, did a flight simulator, ate in Mitch's, attended classes, visited the coach and slept in a dorm. I would go back in a second...
 
I think that the only thing you would be missing is a chance
for your daughter to meet a few of her future classmates.

John

"Benefit" was probably the wrong word. We are trying to decide if the cost of the travel would be worth it for daughter and one parent. We would be missing school and training for at least two days. We were on campus for homecoming weekend, went to the football game, shadowed another athlete, did a flight simulator, ate in Mitch's, attended classes, visited the coach and slept in a dorm. I would go back in a second...
 
I would say save the money and use it for an extra trip later. Maybe acceptance day, which not a lot of people travel too. Or for jump or just some other trip other than Parents Weekend.

I really don't think your daughter is going to learn anything she hasn't already learned. Like the other post said. She will meet some future classmates, but she will meet them soon enough on Iday
 
Orientation

Thanks Bandit.
 
when we were at the academy last week - they also mentioned purchasing boots at orientation so as to avoid blisters, shin splints etc... i see in a previous post academy is no longer doing this which is odd since group was told to purchase them at or tour last week - can boots still be purchased and how important is this?
 
Our son had attended Summer Seminar, and we had stopped and visited the areas outside the Cadet Area, so he decided not to attend which worked out perfectly fine. However, if the cadet has never visited the Academy (which I guess happens but I can't imagine deciding to accept an appointment and attend there having had visited) then it would probably be a really good thing to attend. I don't think it is imperative that parents have to have visited the academy prior to their child attending there. There is plenty of information online and on www.usafa.edu under the Parent and Cadet tabs.
 
When I called the admissions office in early January, I was told by an admissions rep that they may be canceling "Orientation" this year or at least that canceling is being discussed. Has anyone heard anything about that and could it be true?
My DS is a recruited athlete and did the whole official visit thing, as well. We were still planning to go for orientation and so that is why I asked if the dates for that had been set. My answer was certainly not what I expected.

feedback anyone?
 
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