Cannonball,
No offense, but you are what 16-17? Do you realize you are planning your life until you are at least 33/34 at best, but maybe even 42 if you do 20?
You have so many hurdles to clear that right now, and at least for 15 MORE YRS this should not even be on your radar. Using history as an example. Those that commissioned in 88, never predicted 9/11 and the airline hiring freeze/slowdown for airlines since @02 until now.
They thought that it would be a snap. We had a friend leave in Mar 01 from the Strike world and enter commercial. He was furloughed and returned to the AF in 08, as an RPA pilot. He was an AFA grad of 87.
Nobody that entered the AFA in 10 thought the AFA would tell them as a C1C there were not enough pilot slots for this yr. group, and some will not go rated even if this is their 1st choice.
As a wife of a CSO F15E O5 (ret, aka Bullet) and a Mom of 14-08 UPT student, I get your desire and setting your goals high. However, they will both tell you the same thing. You know what they call a fighter pilot, a heavy pilot, an intel officer at any given time? Lt., Capt., Major, etc.
JMPO, instead of posting here about things that are completely out of your control and at least 5-6 yrs from now (assumption 16/17), use this time to learn the path to get into the AFA or an AFROTC scholarship. Additionally learn the path to get a pilot slot once there.
This discussion could be completely moot if you don't have the stats to clear the very 1st hurdle. 3.8 with no APs in No VA and a 1250 best sitting SAT is probably not going to get you an apptmt., and maybe no scholarship either if it is non-tech.
I would also say that just like stats mattering, so does your medical history. You maybe spinning wheels asking questions when something medically will DQ. I.E. history of asthma, allergies, surgeries, eyes, etc.
You may be Q'd for AF, but not Q'd for an FC1 physical. For AFROTC cadets given a rated slot they go to Wright Pat for a 3 day physical. They all already were cleared by DoDMERB, but some, including a poster here failed their FC1 physical, and now will not be going rated.
Just saying, spend more time clearing hurdle 1, and less time thinking about hurdle number 5,6,7 or 8.