Jen2277
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I believe your ACT scores are good for direct entry, but I'm not sure if your high school GPA will weigh you down. How are your leadership/ extracurricular activities?
LEAD Program C/O 2023 Thread
- Thread starter Defender32
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I believe your ACT scores are good for direct entry, but I'm not sure if your high school GPA will weigh you down. How are your leadership/ extracurricular activities?
Justacandidate
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For extracurricular activities:
I was in the academic decathalon team for 2 years.
I was in choir for 3 years. 2 of which were spent in the advanced choir.
I had three jobs that lasted through my high school years and up to before I enlisted.
Won 11th place in a UIL competition in science
Leadership:
Currently treasurer of the booster club.
Former vice leader in choir and academic decathlon.
My leadership activities are lacking as I didn’t volunteered to lead much. If I did lead it was because the other leaders were gone.
Paradigm_VC
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Prep-schooler here, I didn’t get mine until mid April 2018.
Paradigm_VC
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According to the conversion chart I was looking at your ACT's are low but not "that" low (I referenced my own SAT scores which were a 1250). I know people here who got accepted with a score like that. Your counselor might not know your prior-enlisted. In general, its impossible to apply for the prep-school except through the LEAD program. Long story short its impossible to say.
Your in the current phase of the application process right? I didn't find out until Mid-April last year. The latest you can find out is May. The admissions team meets twice a month to rack and stack applicants and they start reviewing in January if I'm not mistaken. So for example, my application went through like 5 rack and stacks before I was finally at the top of the list.
If you dont hear back from them by May then you probably didn't get it.
Paradigm_VC
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I dont want to be "that guy" but the odds aren't good in general. Regardless of how well you did. There were about 64 priors who got accepted to the LEAD program for the class of 2022-2023. Of the 64 I believe 56 of us went to the prep school for the class of 2023. The rest (8ish) went direct. When we got here for "priors week" at the prep, (a three day transition period ahead of basic training) they sat us down for a brief and gave us the rundown on why the numbers were so scewed.
According to them, (though idk how truthful they were being) they send almost every prior to the prep regardless of their background. Of the 8 who went to the hill, most of them only got sent there because they were too old to go to the prep.
So there yuh go. Its possible to go direct, but the odds are literally 15% give or take.
Justacandidate
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Thank you for your response. I was just looking for some insight on who gets direct and who doesn’t.
TubbinAtor
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Does anyone know if your job will effect your chances in the LEAD Program?
Jen2277
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I don't believe so, no where in my application did it ask for my AFSC (that I remember). I don't see why your AFSC will effect your chances.
Paradigm_VC
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It depends on what you mean by "effect". If you mean that your job is critically manned then no, I don't think the academy itself takes into account manning. Generally speaking, all the commissioning programs take priority over manning issues.
That being said. The LEAD program specifically requires you to get your commanders approval. This means he could shoot you down if he has some reason to do that. Though Idk if any commander would be so crappy as to shoot down an eager airman who wants to go to USAFA.
Additionally, if you have a job that deploys a lot, you could be sent on deployment and that would in turn screw up your ability to complete your application depending on how far along the process you are. So that could technically "effect" your chances too.
My shop was cool about it. I actually had a deployment tasker sometime around January but they new I was in the middle of the application and got someone else to go instead. I was extremely fortunate that we had a enough airman to do that and my shop was super reasonable too. It's the reason i'm here today honestly.
In regards to job affecting your appointment:
In a sense USAFA and USAFA PL (prep school) are looking for diversity in thought and experiences.
Being prior enlisted you having that is a given.
I will say the majority of the other priors here are prior maintainers. I was an enlisted aviator before this.
In regards to being deployed: myself and several others worked on their application while deployed.
It is more challenging but not impossible.
I was even able to complete my medical overseas w/ a lot of coordination.
In regards to appointments:
It is standard to find out from your commander.
He is notified prior to your USAFA App portal being updated.
Although it often goes unspoken it is also standard for prior enlisted to come to the P regardless of how high your metrics are.
The exception to this of coarse are those who are to old to enter the P.
The statistics for this past year were 64 prior enlisted were accepted by lead. 6 went direct, the remainder came to the prep school.
In a sense USAFA and USAFA PL (prep school) are looking for diversity in thought and experiences.
Being prior enlisted you having that is a given.
I will say the majority of the other priors here are prior maintainers. I was an enlisted aviator before this.
In regards to being deployed: myself and several others worked on their application while deployed.
It is more challenging but not impossible.
I was even able to complete my medical overseas w/ a lot of coordination.
In regards to appointments:
It is standard to find out from your commander.
He is notified prior to your USAFA App portal being updated.
Although it often goes unspoken it is also standard for prior enlisted to come to the P regardless of how high your metrics are.
The exception to this of coarse are those who are to old to enter the P.
The statistics for this past year were 64 prior enlisted were accepted by lead. 6 went direct, the remainder came to the prep school.
TheTallOne
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I’m in the same boat, good luck! Just sent out the LoRs to my counselor early this morning. I have not received a response. Do any of you think adding them to my application will be an issue or as long as they were sent before the deadline (today)?
4BravoX1
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It shouldn't be an issue, but why did you not have the people writing the LoRs put submit them through the portal using the code on the LoR request letter?
7258FFAWPOA
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The TallOne - My experience with the counselors has been that they are more than happy to help. It would be best to call your counselor and speak to them (or another one that answers if yours is out) and get positive confirmation that they have received all required items and that your application is complete if it is not annotated as such on your portal. An email should not be thought of as a reliable form of communication for an item as critical as a Service Academy Application. Do not have an attitude that it is your counselor's job to do this. They are awesome but it is your job to ensure that your application is complete. You taking responsibility for your stuff from start to confirmed finish will serve you well throughout your career in the military regardless of where you end up.
TheTallOne
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[/QUOTE]It shouldn't be an issue, but why did you not have the people writing the LoRs put submit them through the portal using the code on the LoR request letter?[/QUOTE]
I was mentored on the standard process for requesting LOR in my squadron/community and followed that instead of portal instructions. I was advised it is important to make it as easy as possible for the rater.
Future lead candidates, this application is obviously different from other types of applications. You will never be wrong following instructions provided, and other people assisting you likely do not have specific instructions given only to candidates.
@7258FFAWPOA
I agree completely. I did not want to call and waste the time of my counselor (who is likely very busy) unless individuals here thought strongly on the topic.
The letters were added to my portal early this morning or late last night. I’m looking forward to hearing back, and good luck to the rest of you.
I was mentored on the standard process for requesting LOR in my squadron/community and followed that instead of portal instructions. I was advised it is important to make it as easy as possible for the rater.
Future lead candidates, this application is obviously different from other types of applications. You will never be wrong following instructions provided, and other people assisting you likely do not have specific instructions given only to candidates.
@7258FFAWPOA
I agree completely. I did not want to call and waste the time of my counselor (who is likely very busy) unless individuals here thought strongly on the topic.
The letters were added to my portal early this morning or late last night. I’m looking forward to hearing back, and good luck to the rest of you.
It shouldn't be an issue, but why did you not have the people writing the LoRs put submit them through the portal using the code on the LoR request letter?[/QUOTE]
I was mentored on the standard process for requesting LOR in my squadron/community and followed that instead of portal instructions. I was advised it is important to make it as easy as possible for the rater.
Future lead candidates, this application is obviously different from other types of applications. You will never be wrong following instructions provided, and other people assisting you likely do not have specific instructions given only to candidates.
@7258FFAWPOA
I agree completely. I did not want to call and waste the time of my counselor (who is likely very busy) unless individuals here thought strongly on the topic.
The letters were added to my portal early this morning or late last night. I’m looking forward to hearing back, and good luck to the rest of you.[/QUOTE]
Different perspective for consideration!
I was told to be in contact with my counselor as much as possible. Yes! They are incredibly busy, however these are the people that choose who gets addimitted or not. By calling often, you are point a voice to a name, in a way making them more personally invested in your interest.
This was a recommendation given to me my by my ALO, who was a prior enlisted grad.
By the end of the application term I could call and my counselor knew by my voice who I was!
I was mentored on the standard process for requesting LOR in my squadron/community and followed that instead of portal instructions. I was advised it is important to make it as easy as possible for the rater.
Future lead candidates, this application is obviously different from other types of applications. You will never be wrong following instructions provided, and other people assisting you likely do not have specific instructions given only to candidates.
@7258FFAWPOA
I agree completely. I did not want to call and waste the time of my counselor (who is likely very busy) unless individuals here thought strongly on the topic.
The letters were added to my portal early this morning or late last night. I’m looking forward to hearing back, and good luck to the rest of you.[/QUOTE]
Different perspective for consideration!
I was told to be in contact with my counselor as much as possible. Yes! They are incredibly busy, however these are the people that choose who gets addimitted or not. By calling often, you are point a voice to a name, in a way making them more personally invested in your interest.
This was a recommendation given to me my by my ALO, who was a prior enlisted grad.
By the end of the application term I could call and my counselor knew by my voice who I was!
Defender32
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Can any prep schooler or former shed light on how appointments for priors at the prep school work?
If you preform well at Prep School, do they give you a direct appointment, or do you have to go through a nomination from your congressman as well?
If you preform well at Prep School, do they give you a direct appointment, or do you have to go through a nomination from your congressman as well?
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This document is a few years old, but I don’t expect the policy will have changed. It’s a primary source. Page 4. You can always contact the LEAD POC to confirm.
https://www.academyadmissions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/USAFA-LEAD-Handbook-2011-12-2.pdf
Source: Google search string “USAFA LEAD nomination”
Defender32
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Thank you for your fast response. I was reading a Prep School parent thread that appeared to have Preppies applying for a second nomination so I was unsure.
Paradigm_VC
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hey there,
I'm currently at the prep. We DO have to get a congressman nomination even though we applied through the LEAD program. From my understanding they do have alternate options for those who do not get one. The bottom line is that if you do well at the prep, get above a 2.5 GPA and above 250 on your PFT, you should get an appointment.
Though they cautioned us numerous times that they only have "so many nominations" that they themselves can give and because of that they've encouraged everyone to get one from their home state. Basically they said that if enough of us DONT get a nomination, they wont have enough of their own to give out. I dont know how true that statement is but I wasn't going to leave it to chance and fortunately I earned one from my state.
That being said, worry about getting that acceptance letter first. If/when you get accepted to the prep, then you should immediately start looking at your state to see when the application deadlines are due! Some of the priors here said their applications were due as basic started and so obviously they can't get a nomination the normal way now.