Are my CFA scores OK?

Happy2102

5-Year Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
22
Male, everything else besides CFA is good.

Basketball Throw: 58 feet
Pull Ups: 12
Shuttle Run: 9.0 seconds
Sit Ups: 56
Push Ups: 64
Mile Run: 8:46 seconds

Are these scores OK?
 
Male, everything else besides CFA is good.

Basketball Throw: 58 feet
Pull Ups: 12
Shuttle Run: 9.0 seconds
Sit Ups: 56
Push Ups: 64
Mile Run: 8:46 seconds

Are these scores OK?

Since the CFA is pass/fail, and nobody here actually sits on the boards, we can only make statements on what we have heard. That being said:

Looking at the averages for the past year, I would be a bit concerned about some of your scores.
Bball throw could be improved. Try to get up to the average, which I think is about 69-70. A bit of practice to improve technique can go a long way.
Pull ups are fine. You can get some bonus points by going higher.
I got by with a similar shuttle run, but don't rely on it.
Sit ups are on the low side.
I would be most worried about the run. Basic is heavy on running, and your score is relatively low. Try to get it below 8 at the minimum.
 
Since the CFA is pass/fail, and nobody here actually sits on the boards, we can only make statements on what we have heard. That being said:

Looking at the averages for the past year, I would be a bit concerned about some of your scores.
Bball throw could be improved. Try to get up to the average, which I think is about 69-70. A bit of practice to improve technique can go a long way.
Pull ups are fine. You can get some bonus points by going higher.
I got by with a similar shuttle run, but don't rely on it.
Sit ups are on the low side.
I would be most worried about the run. Basic is heavy on running, and your score is relatively low. Try to get it below 8 at the minimum.

I agree. Work on your sit-ups, and definitely improve the running score.
 
basketball throw, situps and mile run can be improved a little.

seeing as apps are almost due i would get on it and the basketball throw and situps should be the easiest to improve while the mile will be much harder since it takes a lot of training to get those times down. just make sure you push yourself and see what the results are
 
So does this mean that, no matter what my other scores are, I will not be accepted into the USAFA?
 
So does this mean that, no matter what my other scores are, I will not be accepted into the USAFA?

The Academy grades your application based on a whole candidate score they calculate, but as far as we know, they do have a pass/fail point for each section on the CFA. No one knows here knows/can say what those points are though. You must do your best to eliminate your chances of being below one of those marks.
 
Male, everything else besides CFA is good.

Basketball Throw: 58 feet
Pull Ups: 12
Shuttle Run: 9.0 seconds
Sit Ups: 56
Push Ups: 64
Mile Run: 8:46 seconds

Are these scores OK?

The real question is did you submit these scores? If so, then it is what it is. If not, you only have a short time to improve. Are any of these scores a 'fail'? As LFry94 (my favorite prepster) said, no one on these forums (with the possible exception of 'Insider') knows. What we do know is that a few of these are well below the average for selected candidates. If the rest of your package is strong, then USAFA may ask you to re-take the CFA. That is their option.

The point is that you have worked hard to get to this point. If you did your best, then rest in that. There is MUCH more to your application than your CFA. Focus on what you can do and not what you have no control over. Your CFA may be passing and the rest of your package compensates for the below average CFA. Then this is a non-issue.

As BCT will be coming soon (27 JUNE 2013), cadets will be expected to run at altitude. A lot! If selected, you should arrive in excellent shape, so you have time to prepare by getting on a running regime NOW. As kinnem (my favorite dad of NROTC Marine Option Scholarship MIDN) says, try one of the many training schedules available to get in the best shape of your life. If you get into USAFA or go ROTC, you'll be glad you did. If you just go to State U without ROTC, you'll still be in great shape. It's a no lose situation. Just do it!

Best wishes for USAFA. :thumb:
 
I have submitted these scores. I just hope that the rest of my application is strong enough :(

In a nutshell:
UW GPA: 3.55
W GPA: 4.5
SAT: 2280
ACT: 34
Math 2 and Biology SAT Subject Tests: 770+ (even though I know that the service academies don't look at these)
 
looks like you have some nice grades... what is your gpa calculated as by AFA in your portal
 
Going off topic here, but the AFA has their own formula for the cgpa. Some schools use a 7 pt scale, some use a 10 pt. Some schools will use a 4.5 and some will use a 5.0 or 6.0.

This is why you will see some candidates cgpas rise, some fall and some stay the same.

Additionally the PAR portion includes more than just the cgpa and SAT, but the rigor of your curriculum and your school profile too.
~~~ Class rank
~~~ How many kids take APs? 25, 50, 100% of the class?
~~~ Percentage that go Ivy, 4 yr Private/OOS, 4 yr IS, 2 yr CC, or nothing at all.

For example, that 3.55 cgpa at a school where 50% go IVY, and you are top 10%, tells them that your school does not hand out A's like Halloween candy.

Flip it, 3.55 cgpa, and your rank is 25%, but 0% go IVY, 25% go Private/OOS, 20% go IS, 35% go CC, 20% go into the work force says they hand out A's like Halloween candy.

The point is that sealed transcript tells them more than just your cgpa, and the AFA will act accordingly to reflect it. We were told that the reason our DS's cgpa went up by 0.25 was due to these factors.

If you have a hard copy of your SAT/ACT and had them send the scores directly to schools when you took the test they usually have a breakdown according to each college admissions formula at the bottom of the page of what your cgpa would be for that school.

It was always enlightening to see how the 5 schools that my kids listed had varying cgpas for him. Only 1 or 2 were identical to his HS transcript cgpa.

As it has been stated it is a WCS, and every portion has set points allowed, but within that portion they also have percentages for each section of that portion. It is not 60% cgpa, and SAT alone. It is looking deeper into those sections. Theoretically you can have a 1280 out of 1600, with 9 APs, 3.75 cgpa and never move forward because that 1280 consisted of 480 V and 800 M, but AFA states clearly on their website 490 V is not deemed competitive. That is what I am saying, it is not just the final number, it is what is inside that made up the number.
 
Last edited:
Do you have other sports? My DS had only 7 pull ups and don't remember the others but average or lower however had 2 varsity sports. ALO said the sports can make up for some of the CFA, so long as minimums are met (they don't release those). HIGHLY recommed you start running and daily. BCT is lots of running and at altitude you will be much happier if this is easy for you. FYI they have you run the 1.5 mile run first day of BCT:shake::shake:
 
I was a recreational runner and a XC runner at the end of high school, and I scored ~6:45 on my CFA.
Running at the Prep School altitude (lower altitude than the Academy) was very difficult for me when I arrived. In fact, I run three miles a day up here now and I still struggle with it.
 
On topic, don't worry if the CFA scores are strong enough to get an appointment, worry about once you get the appointment how those scores will impact you at BCT.

As LFRY has stated, AFA knows that for many cadets the altitude change will be a factor. Listen to others and keep training. I say this for 2 reasons.

1. If the AFA really believes you have a shot they can re-open the CFA portal again. Not still training will place you behind the 8 ball, especially if they re-open it this week and it closes out in the end of Feb.

2. Appointed in March and after 6-9 months of stress you relax for 6-9 weeks. That places you around May/June and now you are busting your hump to get back in shape for I Day, but meanwhile you have Prom, finals, graduation, parties etc. You will have to make sacrifices to get back up to steam.

Personally, 8:46 mile run is :eek: Max pts for the run is about 3 minutes faster, and as we all know they don't publish mins. If they reopen it I think it would be the run that they are worried about. As I said altitude is on their mind. Run in the cold, run in the rain, run, run, run. I know for our DS as an AFROTC scholarship cadet 7 min mile was always his goal because he always maxxed out the other portions for the PFT.

This will be a part of your life for 4 yrs.

OBTW if you did the mile run in 8:46 seconds, please disregard my comment. However I think you meant mins., not seconds :biggrin:
 
just as everyone has already said... you need to work on sit ups and the mile. Since you already submitted your CFA, you can't take it again unless they ask you to. Since you have good academics they will probably ask you. If they do, you want to be ready for it. The Academy doesn't advertise the minimums, however, the prep school I went to last semester has a pretty good idea of what they are based on their experience. Try to get sub 8mins for the run. 45 seconds seems like a lot but really if you just run your heart out it's do-able. Besides, you can always breathe later... Not really sure what to say about sit-ups... Just do sit ups all the time and you'll get better!
 
thats a really good question... last year they asked me to retake it but I don't remember when exactly it was...I think it was near Christmas time or more towards the beginning of January though. When did you submit your CFA scores?
 
okay yeah I think I got a letter from them like a week or so after I submitted my scores.. so they might let you do it even though it would be after the 31st!!! I would recommend preparing yourself to retake the test even if you might not be able to... it's better than being unprepared!
 
Back
Top