Candidate Fitness Assessment

Hopeful MDN

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I had a question about the CFA-

I just got back from the Naval Academy Summer Seminar Session 1 and I took the CFA. I wanted to know if my scores were good enough so I will not have to take it again, and so that the CFA is one more thing that's off my list to worry about in the application process.
My scores were:

Basketball Throw-69 ft
Pull-Ups-16
Shuttle Run-8.93
Sit-Ups-Reached Max
Push-Ups-Reached Max
1 mile run- 6:22

If someone could get back to me on how competitive these scores are that would be great.
 
You did great - The main thing they look at is situps, pushups, and mile run because it is on the PRT test, which you know. One of the midshipmen I talked to said if you came anywhere close to the max requirements, your in great shape and shouldn't worry :)

Good job! I fainted during my mile. Yay for doing it ALL over again.
 
I'm sure they don't have a lot of weight - but it improves your scores. My squad leader did 3... and he's male... and he got accepted... haha.
 
those look like solid scores to me. mine were a little below most of those and a few above and i passed no problem, you'll be in good shape. while we are on the topic of the importance of sit ups, push ups, and mile.

ive been doing push ups and crunches every day with running usually ever other day. i can do alot of crunches no problem and have worked hard for strong abdominal muscles but whenever i took the cfa my legs being held down was the only thing i was able to use to get me up. i got 69 sit ups and once it was over i didnt even feel a workout in my core area. any one with tips?
 
those look like solid scores to me. mine were a little below most of those and a few above and i passed no problem, you'll be in good shape. while we are on the topic of the importance of sit ups, push ups, and mile.

ive been doing push ups and crunches every day with running usually ever other day. i can do alot of crunches no problem and have worked hard for strong abdominal muscles but whenever i took the cfa my legs being held down was the only thing i was able to use to get me up. i got 69 sit ups and once it was over i didnt even feel a workout in my core area. any one with tips?

The advice is always the same, just practice the exercise you are lacking in exactly the way it is done in the CFA. Don't do crunches to help with sit-ups, do sit-ups. (you can do both, but one does not replace the other)
 
If we pass but only did average, does that mean we need to take it again? I really don't want to take it again because I feel I did pretty well, but does it play any part in admissions if you do really well?
 
On the CFA, if you passed, you're done. As USNA1985 has posted before, even if you max the CFA, it's only a small "bump" in your score, versus having average scores.

HOWEVER, if your CFA scores were only "average," you have a LOT of work to do to be ready for Plebe Summer, or for doing well on a real PRT. So, keep doing lots of exercises for your whole body, and do lots of running. If you're in the best physical shape, Plebe Summer will be a lot easier. Not "easy," but "easier."

Also, it's important for you to be used to doing workouts on your own. Once Plebe Summer is over, you will still be responsible for doing well on the PRT twice a year, and you will need to take personal responsibility for that. Might as well start now.
 
On the CFA, if you passed, you're done. As USNA1985 has posted before, even if you max the CFA, it's only a small "bump" in your score, versus having average scores.

HOWEVER, if your CFA scores were only "average," you have a LOT of work to do to be ready for Plebe Summer, or for doing well on a real PRT. So, keep doing lots of exercises for your whole body, and do lots of running. If you're in the best physical shape, Plebe Summer will be a lot easier. Not "easy," but "easier."

Also, it's important for you to be used to doing workouts on your own. Once Plebe Summer is over, you will still be responsible for doing well on the PRT twice a year, and you will need to take personal responsibility for that. Might as well start now.

Every point counts. :thumb:

Admissions doesn't show you your whole person "score" but if they did I'm sure some people would be devastated to know by how few points they "lost" the appointment.
 
CFA does not really matter they just want to see that your in some good physical condition its not based on any points just pass or fail.
 
CFA does not really matter they just want to see that your in some good physical condition its not based on any points just pass or fail.

That is the first time I have heard this. If it was only pass or fail why would they need a max and not just min? It obviously has to count for something...it's part of your physical fitness score which is part of your whole person score.
 
the reason they put a max on there so that they make you try your best. Physical is looked at least by the academies and like i said they just want you to be in some what of physical fit.
 
I also took the PRT which I believe they include in my application and I feel like I did pretty well on it.. 10:22 1.5 mile, 40 pushups, 76 situps. Do you think that's good enough?
 
after Plebe Summer, will it still be required for our class to wake up early together for PT? and if not, are there groups that get together to work out? I'm used to working out by myself, but I like having someone else around to push me a little bit harder
 
After Plebe Summer, requirements of all kinds will vary a LOT based on your company assignment. The first morning of training within company (after PS)was a real eye-opener for the Plebes of my Mid's company. Here, they THOUGHT they were in shape. However, their training staff was comprised of Marine Corps and SEAL candidates, so they went out for "a little (6 mile) run." It wasn't pretty.

Saturday Morning Training (SMT) and other training within company may or may not be physical training. It can be pretty much whatever the training staff puts together. First semester, they had lots of running and PT. Second semester, they had more professional knowledge training. Even the amount of time spent in "training" varies a lot by company.

You should be able to find others to work out together, but you can also run or work out by yourself, if you have time. Depending on how much "training" your company does, finding time to work out by yourself could be a challenge.
 
yeah to echo 2012mom? when i had a CVW in mid april we had smt and even with the end of the year rapidly approaching the plebes i talked to said the workout we did was harder than anything in Plebe Summer. They made it sound like the physical aspect is a part of PS but they emphasize the mentality aspect of it.

Also about the personal workout time, one of my host's roomates would always find time to workout after dinner before the study period.
 
Every point counts.

Admissions doesn't show you your whole person "score" but if they did I'm sure some people would be devastated to know by how few points they "lost" the appointment.

True, but you're also mixing apples and oranges. The highest possible score on the CFA will not help a candidate who is deficient academically.

I have posted the CFA average scores provided by USNA elsewhere on the USNA forum. If you are at or near average, there probably is not much benefit in retaking the CFA. The one exception to this is if you are weak in sports -- i.e., you're homeschooled or just don't participate in organized sports. In that case, a strong CFA will help demonstrate your fitness.

Finally, only retake if you can substantially improve your score. Doing 4 pullups vs. 3, or running the mile 10 secs faster won't make any difference.
 
do most midshipmen stay in shape while at the academy? I know that one can be separated for repeatedly not meeting the minimum scores on the PRT, but do most still score relatively high?

The reason I ask is because right now I can max everything on the PRT except pushups; I'm in the 70-80 range. I'm gonna keep working at it, but I was hoping that by the end of Plebe Summer and throughout my stay at USNA I would be able to get at least 100.
 
As someone who did very marginally on the PRT and failed a couple, I'll give you the honest scoop. No, not everyone stays in the necessary shape to do well every time. And most likely, if you are solid in everything else, the Academy won't even notice or really care until 1/c year, as long as you're not failing every single one. And from a technical standpoint, the PRT is not, relatively speaking, that important in your final Order of Merit. It counts as 1/3 of your PE grade, which counts as part of your Military Order of Merit, which if I recall, is like 30% of overall OOM (I'm a bit hazy on that, someone correct me). So if you want to do it the hard, stupid way like me, you can fail quite a few PRTs, get A's in your PE classes, solid rankings, and high grades, and you will still finish in the top third or so (even made Dean's list a couple times).

I don't recommend you do that, life becomes very miserable, and the PRT is a very silly thing to let slide, even if statistically it's not going to make much of a difference. Just don't become super obsessed with maxing every single thing every time; maintain physical fitness, but academics and in-company responsibilities are going to get you your service selection.
 
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