Does Summer Seminar really help your chances of being accepted?

Tweester777

5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
22
What my ALO says: It gets your name in front of the Admissions panel.

What the Academy says: NO

What a cadet told me while I was at the Summer Seminar: Because you were accepted to the SS, that means the Admissions panel liked what they saw on paper. Granted, that was only your PSAT scores, a resume of your physical activities, community service/volunteering, and grades, and some other stuff. But that usually comes out to being the same in the actual application. He also said that it's way harder to get into the SS since its roughly 650 people accepted to the SS and about 5000 apply. (give or take a few). That comes out to 13% acceptance rate, so if you got into that, there is a fairly well chance about that Academy.

Now I know what the cadet said isn't proven on paper, but what he said does make some logical sense. I was just wonder if the SS really does have any standing on the application, if only slightly, and not through the "Oh you made it to the SS... you get an acceptance," way.
 
Will it get you in the academy?

No.

Will it look VERY good on your application, will it make you a "candidate" immediately even without an "official" nomination, is it a good thing?

YES.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I understand that, though are the things the Cadet told me true?

Yeah, sorta.

It's true that it's "statistically harder" to be accepted to SS than it is to the academy...but I try not to compare them.

What I've seen in the past, oh, 17 years of being an ALO is this: if the candidate was accepted to SS, they stand a "much better than average" chance of being appointed in the coming cycle.

BUT BUT BUT...that's NOT to say it's a "slam dunk." Far from it...the candidate MUST MUST MUST continue to "bust their bu**" and go for it!!!

It's a GOOD THING but not "the" one and only answer.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I understand that, though are the things the Cadet told me true?

Yeah, sorta.

It's true that it's "statistically harder" to be accepted to SS than it is to the academy...but I try not to compare them.

What I've seen in the past, oh, 17 years of being an ALO is this: if the candidate was accepted to SS, they stand a "much better than average" chance of being appointed in the coming cycle.

BUT BUT BUT...that's NOT to say it's a "slam dunk." Far from it...the candidate MUST MUST MUST continue to "bust their bu**" and go for it!!!

It's a GOOD THING but not "the" one and only answer.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

Does this still hold true for today?
 
Well here is our experience. Son #1 rejected from SS...now a 2nd LT heading to UPT after graduating from USAFA. Son #2 accepted to SS and appointed to USAFA but chose USMA. Side note... Son #2 was waitlisted for SLS at West Point but eventually went.
 
You also have to figure that not every who applies to the academy also applies to Summer Seminar. So if you were technically competing with everyone who applied to SS, then your chances would be good. But since there are people who dont apply or dont get accepted and the fact that you are competing with those in your district and not nationwide, not sure if getting accepted to SS means that much
 
@Tweester777:
As a 5-year member you've probably read the posts on SS using the "Search" function, but for the other readers who haven't...I'd urge you to check them out.
Question? The cadet who informed you, how did they get this info, rumor? from someone, (maybe themselves) assigned to Admissions? I know it makes sense to think that, "If they like me for SS then they must like me for USAFA" but the reality is that it's 2 separate apps fulfilling 2 separate goals using 2 separate metrics. It's logical to think there's a connection which is why it's so hard to believe that there's not. That's why as you point out, it isn't proven on paper.
From what I have been told (from someone in Admissions) there's no "leg-up" between getting accepted for SS & USAFA. The only advantage is that the pedigree info from your SS app populates over onto your USAFA app. Believe it or not...That's it.

As an aside, there are some truly heart-wrenching (in every sense of the word) essays submitted to SS that will make you want to start & contribute to a GoFundMe page for the deserving applicant to get up the approx. $1K it costs to attend. For the uninitiated, you have to pay to attend SS.

When one reviews the prior posts on SS, you'll see that it has the uncanny ability to become a major distraction/anxiety producing event for applicants/parents. SS lets the Academy promote itself & may help the SA applicant who is "on the fence" about going decide & possibly give the AFA a look at that applicant who, at a young age, is currently dealing with some bad things in life.

Quoted direct from the USAFA SS webpage:
Please keep in mind that selection to attend Summer Seminar is NOT in any way a prerequisite for admission to the Academy. Summer Seminar is NOT a pre-screening or pre-selection program. All students applying for Summer Seminar are encouraged to apply for appointment to the Academy, regardless of selection for Summer Seminar. There is no correlation between selection for Summer Seminar and appointment to the Academy. If you are not selected for Summer Seminar, it should not be interpreted as a reflection on your qualifications or ability to successfully pursue an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. (Their bolding)
https://www.academyadmissions.com/admissions/outreach-programs/summer-seminar/

Well enough about that: Your goal is to get into the AFA not SS, so let's do it!:
  • -Get one of the "How to Get into the AFA..." books; the authors have been there, done that.
  • -review the demographic profile of the prior class & do your best to measure up. Maybe there's a category you never heard of ; Boys/Girls State, for ex.
  • -http://www.neoafapa.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/2021_-_Demographic_Profiles.224160126.pdf
  • -focus on your WCS & Noms. Those are your keys to success & a tall orders in & of themselves.
  • Improve, improve, improve your WCS; put all your SS energy/angst there! Good luck!
 
@Wishful - it looks like a new member resurrected a 7 year old thread. OP last responded in 2011... That makes me think the new member did some digging before asking the question. Thanks for the great advice to the resurrector (if that's a word), but the OP ought to now be a graduate if they stuck with it!
 
My sons' good friend went to SS. He did not get an appointment. My sons did not go to SS. Both nom + appointment. Go figure.
 
Allow me to answer, officially (one of the few times I'll use that term): attending USAFA Summer Seminar with NOT, repeat, NOT have any impact on your candidacy for appointment the following year.

That is directly from USAFA/RRS to all ALO's and we've been telling our candidates and potential candidates this for some time.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Back
Top