Deemed Un-Competitive?

Hello all! I am a Junior in high school and just opened my application with the USAFA. They said I am un competitive. I suppose it's my low math ACt score. I will be retesting net month and again in october. If I significantly increase my math/ general scores could I be deemed Competitive?

Don't panic

First letter DS got stated he was not competitive. It seems that until a certain amount of the application process is complete, a candidate is not considered competitive. Once a more significant portion of the process was complete, he received a letter acknowledging his competitive status. He ended up with an LOA to USAFA and USNA. In the end he received offers of appointment to USNA, USAFA and USMA. Accepted the USNA apoointment and has recently completed plebe year. It is early, keep working to improve your file, get things done to the best of your ability, and beat the deadlines whenever possible. Good luck.

Cadet Shakkori said:

Hello all! I am a Junior in high school and just opened my application with the USAFA. They said I am un competitive. I suppose it's my low math ACt score. I will be retesting net month and again in october. If I significantly increase my math/ general scores could I be deemed Competitive?

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You say you "Suppose" it's because of a low math ACT score. Well; we're not looking at your application, so you probably know better than us. But considering that you haven't taken any medicals yet, you are probably correct. So yes, take the ACT and SAT as many times as you can. It's NOT POSSIBLE for your score to go down. The academies take the BEST score from each testing, and combine them to "Super-Score" your test. Meaning, if you got a 28 in math and a 30 in Science; and next time, you got a 31 in math and a 25 in science, they'd keep the 31 in math and the 30 in science.

But remember; you are not trying to be "COMPETITIVE". You are trying to BE THE STANDARD that others have to reach. If you are aiming for the academy averages, and to be competitive, and you reach those....... I can almost guarantee you that you WILL NOT RECEIVE AN APPOINTMENT. Those who receive appointments overall are much HIGHER than the average. They are much stronger in all areas.

What your GOALS should be. (And if they aren't, then you should rethink a military academy in your future)
1. 36 Composite ACT
2. 2400 Total SAT
3. 4.0gpa unweighted
4. Taking ALL AP classes or the IB program
5. Varsity letter in 2-3 sports
6. Captain of sports teams
7. Member of numerous clubs or organizations
8. Leader in those clubs or organizations
9. Hundreds of hours of volunteer time
10. Other leadership training and experience
11. Community involvement

Will you succeed in all of these areas? Probably not. No one has. But if that isn't your "GOAL", then you aren't starting with the right attitude. If you think being the average or getting the mean average scores is going to get you an appointment; you are sadly mistaken. And just as important; don't let anyone convince you that a particular club or organization is "BETTER" or gives you a better chance than another. They don't. JrROTC, Scouts, or CAP doesn't give you any better chance over FBLA, Student Government Organization, and Girl/Boy's state. What matters is doing what you are passionate about, because you'll do better at it and gain higher levels of leadership in such clubs/organizations. Too many people believe that simply being a member of "XYZ" organization/club gives them an edge compared to other applicants.

Anyway; those should be your goals. Whether you reach them all (Unlikely) isn't important. What is important is that your goal is "Perfection", NOT being "Competitive".

Keep working hard and you will go far, keep your head up. I wasn't competitive at all at first either and I was fortunate enough to graduate a week ago.

If it's meant to be it'll happen,

Best of luck to you!

JMPO and 0.0198643 cents, look at long term, not short term. I get you want the AFA, but you also acknowledge low Math scores. The AFA is not known as the Little Engineering School in the Rockies because they are a Liberal Arts school.

Look at the mandated curriculum for all 4 yrs regardless of your major, and you will see Math and Science is everywhere; not easy classes OBTW. If you do not have that foundation now, it will be hard for you as a C4C. Applicants never realize that college classes will move at a much faster pace than HS, and they don't wait for you to get it.

I am in no way shape or form implying you should not push forward, I am implying the reason why you should is for yourself, and not anything else. If you get in, GREAT, get Falcon, GREAT, but getting in, and staying in from an academic perspective are two different birds. My fear is that you won't use this yr to "get it" math wise and that will be an academic issue in your future.

Does anyone know if it is normal for the status to change multiple times? Without changing anything my application changed from competitive back to pending review. Thanks in advance

Christcorp said:

But remember; you are not trying to be "COMPETITIVE". You are trying to BE THE STANDARD that others have to reach. If you are aiming for the academy averages, and to be competitive, and you reach those....... I can almost guarantee you that you WILL NOT RECEIVE AN APPOINTMENT. Those who receive appointments overall are much HIGHER than the average. They are much stronger in all areas.

What your GOALS should be. (And if they aren't, then you should rethink a military academy in your future)
1. 36 Composite ACT
2. 2400 Total SAT
3. 4.0gpa unweighted
4. Taking ALL AP classes or the IB program
5. Varsity letter in 2-3 sports
6. Captain of sports teams
7. Member of numerous clubs or organizations
8. Leader in those clubs or organizations
9. Hundreds of hours of volunteer time
10. Other leadership training and experience
11. Community involvement

Will you succeed in all of these areas? Probably not. No one has. But if that isn't your "GOAL", then you aren't starting with the right attitude. If you think being the average or getting the mean average scores is going to get you an appointment; you are sadly mistaken. And just as important; don't let anyone convince you that a particular club or organization is "BETTER" or gives you a better chance than another. They don't. JrROTC, Scouts, or CAP doesn't give you any better chance over FBLA, Student Government Organization, and Girl/Boy's state. What matters is doing what you are passionate about, because you'll do better at it and gain higher levels of leadership in such clubs/organizations. Too many people believe that simply being a member of "XYZ" organization/club gives them an edge compared to other applicants.

Anyway; those should be your goals. Whether you reach them all (Unlikely) isn't important. What is important is that your goal is "Perfection", NOT being "Competitive".

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Highly respect your word !