Actually as I know it EA is different than SFT.
EA is for 250. Some 250's are cadets that did not get selected as a 200 for SFT. Some are the 5 yr program.
If you enter as a 4 yr scholarship cadet. As a C200 you will meet the SFT board. Upon completion you are now a POC, C300. That is when you go up for your AFSC board.
AFROTC gives out career (AFSC) assignments in the spring of the cadets jr yr (or if they are 5 yr, the yr prior to graduation).
Now if you did not go to SFT as a 200, you will not meet that AFSC board. Instead, you are meeting the EA as a 250. (collegiate wise you are a jr)
If you do not get selected, in essence it is now over. Basically, they are going to let you walk away, but your last yr of school will not be ROTC scholarship.
This is why so many cadets are panicking. They may now be stuck between a rock and a hard place if they don't get it. They will have only 1 yr of college left, and if they bank on the scholarship to attend, a loss of an 18K scholarship can leave them scrambling. The loss of the scholarship would be last yr of college.
Honestly, if you are a 200 that didn't get selected ly for SFT, it would have behooved you to realize that career options were going to be narrowed. You probably won't get a rated spot.
Our DS was home for spring break last week and he stated that they expected the 250 acceptance rate to hover around 40%, and actually closer to the 35%.
People believe once they have scholarship in hand it is clear sailing until graduation. This may be true for other branches, but for the AF that is a fallacy.
2 yrs in and you live this ride all over again. They know come the fall that they will be meeting a board in Feb. It is a one shot deal, unlike scholarships.
Either way regarding the results you will live to meet at least another board. Both of those boards are life changing regarding your military opportunities.
Strike, 4 or 5 yr can apply, but either way they took a ding. Think of it from a board perspective. They didn't make the cut last yr., so why should they take them over someone else who are just coming up? They really need to show improvement to get it. Honestly anyone who meets the SFT for the 2nd time and gets it, needs to:
A. JUMP FOR JOY...esp. in the face of force shape re-structuring
B. Be proud of how hard they worked for it to get it.