Do I stand a chance in being accepted to USAFA?

Hi, my name's Nate. I really want to attend the Air Force Academy, but I'm not sure how much of a chance I have. I turn 17 tomorrow, and I'm a junior in high school. Also, I haven't taken the SAT or the ACT, but I will take SAT this Saturday and ACT most likely in April.

GPA: 3.17
Class Rank: 106/372
AFQT: 86

My grades for last semester are:
Eng 11: B
Alg 2: B
Physics: C
US Hist: A
Lvl 1 French: B
AFJROTC: A

I haven't done much as far as activities, which I know is going to hurt, but here goes:

Volunteer at Care Home: about 10 hours
JROTC Basketball Team
JROTC Drill Team (Heavy Weapons)
Party Equipment Delivery (family owned): since 6th grade
Thrift Store Salesman: 2 years
Woodland Christmas Parade 2010: First Place Unarmed

I know my grades were very low last semester, and I've kept A's this quarter. If it helps any, in JROTC I hold the rank of 2nd Lt. and am 99th Squadron Deputy, which is responsible for directing unit activities.

Thank you for your time. I welcome any and all advice.

I could give you my opinion but try this...

ask Pima or Flieger82, they will tell you no nonsense.

Alright buddy, here's what I would do. I really don't think you have a chance for the class of 2016... That might hurt a bit, but realize that there are many roads to the Academy! For you, the perfect option is Prep School. This is specifically meant for candidates like yourself. Apply for the prep school (I believe that they may be the ones that actually send you the application), and start dedicating youself to ACT/SAT Prep manuals! You also need to get some serious leadership! To help myself out in this category, I completed my Eagle Scout and worked hard to get my Varsity Football letters. I also applied for randomn clubs (I was voted President of the Honor Society... easiest job in the world!). Run for some class leadership positions (ones that you think you can get elected by your class!). In short, don't worry about the academics so much as the leadership and physical training (order the P90X workout! it really helps with the CFA). If you take care of those areas and really try hard this next year, the USAFA WILL NOT throw away your application, they just might send you a prep school one instead and make you prove yourself before you hit the big leagues. You just have to earn that prep school application, YOU CAN DO IT!

What level were your core classes? B's carry a different weight in AP than honors or standard. I know the upcoming SAT is only a week(or 2?) away so if you are set to take that there is not a ton you could do at this point, but the ones in May and June you should have time to prepare for. Being an officer in JROTC is good but it is hard for that to count as an EC and compensate for a lack of athletics. It is important to do well on the CFA. If there are any mitigating circumstances toward your application make them known. With these end force reductions and smaller incoming classes 2016 looks to be an admissions bloodbath. Apply for ROTC and pursue all avenues to become an Air Force Officer.

@otterpop
When I apply to USAFA, they also send my application to the Prep School, correct? Or would I need to only apply to the Prep School, rather than the Academy itself? Thank you very much for the help!

(916) Nate said:

@otterpop
When I apply to USAFA, they also send my application to the Prep School, correct? Or would I need to only apply to the Prep School, rather than the Academy itself? Thank you very much for the help!

Click to expand...

When you apply to USAFA you are automatically looked at for Prep School

(916) Nate said:

@otterpop
When I apply to USAFA, they also send my application to the Prep School, correct? Or would I need to only apply to the Prep School, rather than the Academy itself? Thank you very much for the help!

Click to expand...

Anyone correct me if Im wrong, but only prior enlisted personnel can apply to the USAFA Prep School. All civilians applying for an appointment to the USAFA who dont get accepted (Yes Strike Eagle) are automatically considered for admission to the Prep School.

Also, if you want to become more competitive for the Class of 2016, make sure to make all A's in your senior year (study as hard as you can), study for like crazy and take the SAT/ACT (which ever one you prefer or both), and train for your CFA, and make sure to stay heavily involved in JROTC.

I think you have plenty of time to become competitive for the c/o 2016, so just push yourself. Its good that you have expressed interest this early, that means you have time to train for your CFA, and retake the ACT/SAT as many times as you want until you recieve your best scores.

Good luck!

Your academics are sub-par and your athletics are not strong. Without knowing your SAT/ACT range and complete application, it is hard to say. Right now, I would say you have a pretty steep curve to climb in order to get in. You might have a better shot at Falcon Foundation or a USAFA Prep-school slot.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but one A in your education classes is not going to cut it. Also, a C in Physics will look bad because at the Academy, you get a Bachelor of Science degree, so you will want to make sure all of your technical classes like Physics are at least a B+, but strive for an A. The good news is you have time to get your grades up. I recommend shooting for straight A's your first semester senior year, then applying with those grades. To be honest, I do not know if the Prep School will take you with only one A on your transcript. You need to keep in mind that thousands of applications will be seen by the admissions board from HS kids that have 4.0 GPAs, top ten percent in their class, etc. Study hard, the dream is not over, but to "stand a chance" like you ask, get your grades up and do not give up! Also, as another alternative, there are different Prep Schools than USAFA Prep, so look into those as well. Good Luck! Graduating from there was the most rewarding experience of my life at the time, so I hope you make it happen.

Am I the only one puzzled by the AFOQT score? How did you manage to take that when you are still in hs. Are you saying you took unofficial one?

If so remember the AFOQT is not going to be a part of your PAR.

The score was given to me on my ASVAB test that I took in January.

What does the AFA think about someone with a 3.2 to 3.5 GPA, in mostly all honors classes, but a pretty solid SAT? Like all 650+? (Ignoring extra-curriculars for the moment.)

Still below average. They might get in, depending on other factors.

Too be honest, you need to shoot for prep school buddy. It's not a bad option, considering the last 6 semesters of your high school education can't be brought up that dramatically by one final push. The AFA wants people who have proven they can perform at a high level for a long period. Trust me, you can definitely show them you mean bussiness by going to prep school. My advice, find the ALO in your area and talk to him. He would be the BEST person to talk to about your chances and the battle plan that will work best for you.