Is there any correlation between denial to summer seminar and the actual application?

Today I was denied summer seminar. While I didn't submit my application until the day before, I know of others who applied to the air force summer seminar fairly late but were still accepted. This was very discouraging because I had become very enthusiastic about the whole process after all the research I had done. I would very much love to attend the air force academy but I was told that if you get rejected into summer seminar, there is virtually no chance of getting accepted into the academy itself. Is this true?
Is there anything I can do to help my resume?

sarahkatherine said:

Today I was denied summer seminar. While I didn't submit my application until the day before, I know of others who applied to the air force summer seminar fairly late but were still accepted. This was very discouraging because I had become very enthusiastic about the whole process after all the research I had done. I would very much love to attend the air force academy but I was told that if you get rejected into summer seminar, there is virtually no chance of getting accepted into the academy itself. Is this true?
Is there anything I can do to help my resume?

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NOT TRUE!!!

I don't know who told you this but take this from me as "Direct from USAFA/RRS" as I've spoken for YEARS with the folks up there and I have also actually participated on selection boards.

Whether or not you were or were not selected for Summer Seminar will really have very little impact on your "selection" or "non-selection" for USAFA next year.

In truth..."statistically" it is harder to be selected for summer seminar than it is for academy admission.

So while this may be disappointing...do NOT let it dissuade you if you truly wish to attend USAFA!!! Continue to work on your "package" to make yourself the most desired candidate there is!!!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
(I was not selected for Summer Seminar)

No

I didn't go to summer seminar, but I've been accepted to the academy. From what I've heard, summer seminar is a great chance for prospective candidates to get a feel for what the academy might be like. It does not have any bearing, though, on your future admission chances for the academy.

I didn't attend summer seminar and I'll be working 2nd BCT for 2016 this summer. Doesn't have anything to do with an actual appointment.

Later,

Brian

Not true at all.

I was not selected to attend Summer Seminar, yet I'm here doing quite well and I'm as happy as a clam.

Don't get too discouraged!

Nope, I got denied to the summer seminar and got an early appointment.

bsa07eagle: Any advice for an incoming basic cadet?

Summer Seminar selection only looks at a slice of a candidate's eventual profile, and can they cannot select as many for seminar as for admissions.

Now, if you were counting on your academic record to carry you through (i.e. minimal athletics and leadership), it could be a bad sign...

Enjoy your life now and in the coming months. Time flies by so much faster here. Basic is basic, it is going to suck, just don't take it personally.

Later,

-Brian

sarahkatherine said:

Today I was denied summer seminar. While I didn't submit my application until the day before, I know of others who applied to the air force summer seminar fairly late but were still accepted. This was very discouraging because I had become very enthusiastic about the whole process after all the research I had done. I would very much love to attend the air force academy but I was told that if you get rejected into summer seminar, there is virtually no chance of getting accepted into the academy itself. Is this true?
Is there anything I can do to help my resume?

Click to expand...

Not being accepted into the Summer Seminar sucks however, you can still visit the Air Force Academy on your own if you really want to experience and feel cadet life in the academy. I went to Summer Seminar and you get to be 'in' the whole deal as opposed to 'watching' from the sidelines for just visiting. I recommend you visit as that the option you currently have; many people that I went to SS with hated the experience and said they would never join as others said they loved it. Getting denied to the SS doesn't mean jack though as long as you continue to do your part; community service, maintaining positions in clubs, holding your class rank/GPA, etc.

Good luck though

A few years ago my son was set on attending summer seminar and felt he needed that experience to help get into USAFA. He was denied, and when he received his denial letter he was pretty discouraged. In a moment of disappointment he crumpled up the letter and tossed it in the trash. He continued to pursue his goal and when he received his appointment over a year later, I presented him with the crumpled up SS denial letter that I had secretly retrieved from the trash! Today he is nearing the completion of his 3rd degree year at the academy. So don't get discouraged, you can definitely still get into USAFA if you are denied summer seminar.

To turn the question around... Does anyone know how many candidates on average who are accepted and attend SS actually get an appointment?

crair70 said:

To turn the question around... Does anyone know how many candidates on average who are accepted and attend SS actually get an appointment?

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According to a post by Admissions on their Facebook page in response to the same question, the number is about 80% historically.

Best

Romad said:

According to a post by Admissions on their Facebook page in response to the same question, the number is about 80% historically.

Best

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Not sure how accurate that is. Reason I say that is: Until the last 2-3 years, they only had 2 session per year for summer seminar, with 350 applicants in each, and they were accepting 1250-1300 appointees. Even if ALL of the summer seminar attendees received an appointment, that would be just a little over 50%. And I know for fact that not all of the summer seminar attendees received appointment. Some didn't even apply after having gone to summer seminar.

Now, with 3 sessions, that's approximately 1050 attendees. 80% would be approximately 800. With the academy only appointing 1057 applicants this year to the academy, 800 who attended summer seminar would be pretty high of an appointment range. Especially considering that on average, there are 500-600 appointments that the academy must fill from congressional slates. Whether or not they went to summer seminar or not is irrelevant. Normally, they'd have to take the highest scored individual on the slate of 10 names provided by the MOC. And there are no official scores on the individual's application for attending summer seminar. Then there's 100 more appointments given for presidential nominees. Whether or not they went to summer seminar is irrelevant. Now is it possible for 80% of summer seminar attendees to receive an appointment? Yes; but I would say that that would be highly coincidental.

Not saying that the person on facebook provided wrong information or simply made it up. But when the summer seminar applications don't include ACT/SAT scores and most other information like gpa and such is self reported, and academics account for 60% of your total score on your application for an appointment; it would have to be really coincidental that 80% of the individuals chosen to attend summer seminar also received an appointment 8 months later, when the academy has no idea what type of person went to summer seminar.

This is a very small control group but my DD was recruited with four other athletes and none of the five went to SS.

I was denied to SS but I just received an appointment. From everything I understand they are not connected i.e. acceptance to ss doesnt mean appointment and denial doesnt mean TWE>