What are my chances of being accepted?

kevster

10-Year Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
207
Hello Everyone,

I was wondering what you all think my chances of getting accepted into USAFA or any of the other service academys would be? I am a junior and here is roughly what my resume would look like...
GPA- 3.4 ( all AP courses)
SAT - CR- 640, Math- 580, Writing-500 ( retaking .. yeah that writing score will get me nowhere)
Varsity sports all 4 years
Various camps, jobs and services
Very good recommendations
Leadership positions held within school

Any advice/thoughts/information would be very helpful!!! Thanks for your time.
 
You guys are both nuts. It's 44.0700%.

Seriously, forget the writing and get the M and CR scores up over 650 minimum. If you can pull up you GPA (getting a bit late for that) and get at least a 1300 on the M/CR, you might have a chance.
 
i think you would really need to bump up the gpa....or really bump up the SAT.

I had 590 writing, 600 reading, and 720 math with a 4.1 gpa and got in....my SAT wasnt that strong but i think my gpa/schedule compensated for it
 
Kevster,
The Academy does not consider the SAT Writing as part of the app, but the SAT Math score needs to be closer to 700. Reading could use a boost, too, but not as bad as the math. Work hard this second semester, get a four point, and hopefully raise the GPA a bit too. I'm not sure how "all AP courses" work, but admissions will request your real GPA with the entire workload, not just AP (which should bring up your GPA quite a bit). Volunteer hours are also important, so try to get into a weekly routine of volunteering a few hours, and it'll build up fast. And the ultimate recommendation is your ALO interview, so make sure you're focused, dedicated, and show enthusiam to him. This is my opinion, but hope it helps :)
 
Everyone has given great advice...listen to them, the mean score for M is @80 pts higher than yours.(658). The curriculum that is required is haevily based on science and math, thus that score will mean alot!

Also get that CFA under your belt...don't submit until you can't perform any better. Come next fall kids will start saying they were only able to do 3 pull-ups or 40 push-ups...no where near the max (18 and 79)
 
Lets put is this way.
You have a shot, so go for it. Give it everything you've got. Would you not if people here said you didn't have a chance?
That being said you also need to apply to several civilian colleges as backups, also you need to raise your SATs to around 1300 M\CR.

I recieved an appointment a month ago so Ill give you some of my stats.
SATs: M/670 CR/630 WR/600
GPA... This is complicated so Ill just write it out.
Freshman: Honors Geometry, Honors Biology, Honors History, Academic English, Band, French............GPA for this year=4.1
Sophmore: Honors Algebra 2, Honors Chem, Honors History, Honors English, French, Band................GPA for this year 3.84
Junior: Honor Pre-clac, Honors Physics, AP US History, Honors English, French, Band................GPA for this year 3.6
Senior: Ap Calc, Ap Physics, Ap Government, Ap Lit, Band..........GPA so far 3.1

GPA for the first 6 semesters was a 3.785 unwieghted. I said it was complicated because I wanted you to see this classes I had, also I wanted you to see the trend in my falling GPA as I added harded classes. I have been told they don't like to see trends like this however they do like to see you take progressivly harder classes every year, so if you keep Bs and better you should be alright.

I was also involved in 2 Varsity sports, Eagle Scout, Lots of community service, Several Jobs, and many leadership positions in Scouting.


Since you already know your academics aren't as strong as they should be you must make up these lost points on your CFA and other parts of your composite score. The easiest way to gain points is by maxing out on as many CFA events as possible. So start working now.
Also get the "Candidates guide for USAFA" off Amazon, and if you want another good book get "Beyond the Wild Blue" by Walter J. Boyne.
 
I also wanted to ask what my odds are. I am currently a Sophmore, I have a 4.2 Gpa, I am taking all the hardest classes. I have 360 hours of community service and the number is increasing. I started a History Club at my School, which is booming everyday. I am also a member of the spanish club. I am first chair Sax in the Band at my high school. I am number 6 in my class. I lettered in Varsity wrestling. I am also a varsity football player, and a long distance runner in track. I lift weights everyday, and I run my 2 miles in about 9:30 to 10mins. I also have tested my ability for push ups, sit ups, and jumping. I am able to get beyond what is required for the test. I study hard everyday for the SAT, ACT, and the Asvab test. I also am normally the last one out of my school, I love it so much. I am being told that I am the hardest worker anyone in my school has ever seen in their life time. I am polite and generous. I am also an Active member in my church. I lead singing as well as teach classes to younger kids. I love to use my brain as well. I am 6' 150 pounds. My eye sight is not the best, but I do wear glasses and contacts.
 
Hi!

I've posted this before but as there are "newbies" here, I'm happy to repeat it.

ALL the posters have been dead-on accurate.

My "bona fides" are: I'm an Admission Liaison Officer, also known as the ALO. I'm part of the admission process for USAFA, and to a lesser extent, AFROTC. IF you are a candidate for USAFA you WILL get to know me, or one of my counterparts!

I have done this for 15 years...and I will tell you in a nutshell: NOBODY here can tell you what your chances of admission are. They are precisely...unknown.

Why?

Because EVERY candidate is evaluated upon their entire package of information. It's called the "whole candidate concept." EVERYTHING about you is evaluated. We limit it: from the first day of 9th grade onward, everything you've done, will do, etc., is graded, evaluated, and reviewed. NOTHING is too small to report; everything will be graded and have points assigned.

In the end, you will receive a "weighted composite" score. You won't see this score; your ALO will but he/she won't be allowed to tell you. Why? Because we don't know what it will mean in the end until it's all over. But that score is what will decide whether or not you are accepted.

DODMERB, your ACT/SAT scores, your letters of recommendation, your resume, academic transcript, etc...etc...etc...will ALL be scrutinized MANY times. EVERYTHING will receive a score. NOTHING is too small.

I said that twice, didn't I. Hmm...wonder why? :wink:

So...that being said, here's what I tell my "interested students" regarding admission.

a. TAKE THE HARD COURSES!!! Math, science, literature, etc...etc...AP if you can, it's always a bonus
b. Take the ACT/SAT EVERY time you can afford ($$) too! You can NEVER hurt yourself by taking these tests; the academies ALL take the highest scores and never downgrade you!!!
c. BE FIT! VERY FIT!!! MOST of your HS classmates are NOT fit. Simple question for males: can you do 45 pushups, 65 situps, 7 pullups, run 2 miles in 16 minutes? If the answer is YES, then you're doing okay...if the answer is NO, then you have work to do! For females, fewer pushups and pullups, MORE situps, run...same number. My "ideal" female candidate would mirror my classmate Renee Lovy: 21 pullups (yes, really), 100 situps in 2 min's, 45 pushups (guys, take note) and 2 miles in a little over 12 minutes. Ahhh to find a candidate like "Red!" :thumb:
d. ASK EVERY QUESTION you can think of. The only stupid question is the one you DO NOT ASK!!!
e. CALL YOUR ALO early and often. WE are your points of contact, we are NOT assigned to this job; we volunteer and are screened pretty hard for it. We WANT to help YOU!!!

'Nuff said!

Steve

Stephen E. Wood, Lt Col, USAFR
Deputy Liaison Officer Director for Arizona
USAFA '83
 
Hello Everyone,

I was wondering what you all think my chances of getting accepted into USAFA or any of the other service academys would be? I am a junior and here is roughly what my resume would look like...
GPA- 3.4 ( all AP courses)
SAT - CR- 640, Math- 580, Writing-500 ( retaking .. yeah that writing score will get me nowhere)
Varsity sports all 4 years
Various camps, jobs and services
Very good recommendations
Leadership positions held within school

Any advice/thoughts/information would be very helpful!!! Thanks for your time.

Some academies will consider ALL of your great achievements, not just your numbers. Apply to all academies that you would consider attending. You won't regret it in the end.
 
I also am normally the last one out of my school, I love it so much. I am being told that I am the hardest worker anyone in my school has ever seen in their life time. I am polite and generous. I am also an Active member in my church. I lead singing as well as teach classes to younger kids. I love to use my brain as well. I am 6' 150 pounds. My eye sight is not the best, but I do wear glasses and contacts.

It sounds like you would be an excellent candidate for the Naval Academy. Let the USNA fix your eyes. Do NOT have any laser vision correction done by a civilian doctor. Trust me on this. You could be disqualified if you do so.
 
It sounds like you would be an excellent candidate for the Naval Academy. Let the USNA fix your eyes. Do NOT have any laser vision correction done by a civilian doctor. Trust me on this. You could be disqualified if you do so.

CAN'T AGREE MORE!!!

DO NOTHING to your eyes!!! As said: if anything is to be done to/with your eyes, let Uncle Samuel do it! Otherwise...DQ, Permanently!!!

I'm "fairly sure" of that answer but Mr. Larry Mullen at DODMERB could confirm it. That's ONE of those type questions he could probably answer here on the forum.
 
Well thank you for what you have commented on to me back. I really want to be in the air force, I have read about 500 pages now, 40 guides to the air force, and 3 on the academy, I am the type of person who thinks real hard before doing something. This will truly help me in the long run. I want serve my country, to give back to the veterans who had fought for my freedoms, rights, and religion. I am a firm believer that everything requires hard work. I also just picked up a 600 page, study book for the SAT. And also the ACT. I will be taking both test. I am also studying hard for the ASVAB and I have the guide to that as well. Now my problem is that I have a -3.75 in both eyes and have been told that it will be able to be corrected to 20/20. Being a pilot is something that I will work hard for. Now as far as the course in school goes, I am taking AP European history, AP us History. AP Chemistry, and AP English. History is my favorite subject. But I really would like to be in the USAFA, and I am attending meetings being put on by my very own Congress men. Thank you all and please keep me updated and posted. I love to learn. That is the key to success, Hard work, Displine, Committment, and Dedication.
 
Isn't it a bit early to be studying for the ASVAB? I think if I study now, I'll forget most of it in three years.
 
No need to take the ASVAB at all. I never took it. I think it is just for enlisted personnel.
 
The ASVAB is for ENLISTMENT...NOT for officer candidates/USAFA/AFROTC cadets.
 
Yes thanks very much for telling me that info. Now I am just being prepared, if I cannot become part of the Acadamey and I hope it is gods will for me to be there, then I will be studying hard, so I can take the other route. I just hope the cards all play out, I am training, and am becoming physically fit, better shape, faster, stronger, and more disicplined then ever. Wrestling helped but what I am doing is helping more. I thank everyone for your advice, and I will keep posting so I can learn more.
 
Matthew, your achievements also look like your a great candidate for USAFA also. Keep in mind that USNA (the member) is biased, and may possibly not realize this is the USAFA forum!(lol, USNA :wink:) Since you're a sophomore now, you can look into the summer seminar for next summer. I'm not sure if applications have opened yet, but you can also get in touch with your Admission Liason Officer.

I wish I was 6 feet tall. I went to the banquet dinner for Minnesotan appointees last night and I was the third shortest. Stupid female genes! :cool:
 
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