With all the discussion about the CFA, applications, when to submit, etc... Pima mentions a very important factor. The applicant who is middle of the road or average on scores and such. This takes introspect by each candidate. No one really wants to admit that they may not be as stellar as they'd like to believe. But each individual applicant really needs to sit down and figure out the best way to maximize their application and odds. Yes, while eagle scout, CAP, JrROTC, etc... are very good on a person's application, they are normally "Life Long" endeavors. (As much of a Life-Long a 17-18 year old person can have). In other words, a 16 year old can't just decide to improve their chances at getting accepted to the academy by all of a sudden trying to become an eagle scout. That's impossible. It takes years to go from 2nd, 1st, star, life, eagle. Same with many other EC's. If you've never done fresh/jv/varsity sports, and choose to start doing track in the spring of your junior year, so you can put it on your application; that's better than none at all, but it isn't going to count for as much as a person who played sports since jr high. 1 year in a club, just so it can go on the application/resume isn't nearly the same as 4 years and working your way to an officer in that club.
So follow the advice that many have given. Be involved; take advanced classes; get physically fit; etc... But then at the end of the day, you and only you (the candidate) has to decide how best to maximize your application. If you've got killer GPA/SAT/ACT/Class rank; and you've been practicing the CFA for 4 months; and you have achieved "X" score in all areas; you have to determine if you think you can significantly improve on those scores. If you feel you've reached your max potential, (Assuming you're within the average or above scores); then it's time to submit your application. You may gain an advantage having the application available and reviewed by the board. Remember, the board doesn't review all packages and wait until March to give out appointments. They give out LOA/appointments along the way. And you can be considered for either if your application isn't available to the board. Which means 100% complete. However; if you honestly know that your application is average and middle of the road; and while good, there's nothing spectacular about it; and based on the type of people (Non-Athletic recruits) who have received LOA/Early Appointments, how yours compare; you may be better off seeing if you can get that one or two more pullups. But there is not one person here that can advise you on that decision. So PLEASE DON'T ASK. Telling us that you can do 11 pullups, and asking if you should submit or try to increase the number, is not something anyone here can answer. That's like asking: "What are my chances".
One of our senators was extremely impressed that 2 of the applicants had their applications completed early. One at the end of July and the other in August. To the senator, it showed someone who was really determined to get into the air force academy. The academy also sees this. Not that getting it in uber early is any guarantee. But if you have a very strong/high application score; the "Determination" factor of having it in so soon could in fact play a part in the board's review of your application and scores. Does the 4.0 gpa, high sat/act, high class rank, high EC/Sports/etc... applicant who submits their application in July/August completed have an advantage of a 100% equal applicant who submits their application in October? MOST DEFINITELY!!!! But equally defined, the weak package that probably has no chance of getting an appointment, will probably have no advantage at all submitting it early. The CFA really only has 3 basic significance. a) You really suck and can barely do 1 or 2 pullups. b) You are are at or above average with 90% of everyone else. (Basically, these are the pass and fail categories). Then there's c) which comes into play for the very last few appointments that will fill in the final 1400 that accept the appointment. That one or two extra pullups (Might) have an impact. The problem is however; so could a state that is more under represented compared to other states have an impact on choosing someone from that state instead of someone with a higher CFA score. Or maybe other diversity factors such as gender, race, part of the country, etc...
I know many people would like the entire appointment process to be strictly a numbers game. But it can't be. You can not just take 10,000 applicants; score them on all the criteria; and then choose the top 1400 scores.The academies are funded by tax dollars. That means that all 50 states expect to be equally represented with appointments. That's why 453 of the appointments will be from the #1 choice on the representative's slate. That's why there will be 100 presidential appointments. And throw in another group of misc. nominees, prior enlisted, ROTC, etc... Basically; HALF of all appointments are committed for already. So, the remaining 700 is going to be based on a lot of diversity factors. Will you allow a representative to have 10 cadets in the academy? No, the rule says 5. If by chance, the remaining 700 scores happen to be all White Men, do you take them. (I know, touchy subject; sorry, deal with reality). If the remaining 700 happen to come from all the private well to do and affluent areas of the north-east USA, do you take only them and none from Louisiana, Mississippi, or Idaho? And, is it fair that some are going to be recruited athletes who might not have the highest scores of the remaining thousands of applicants???? That's a hard one. They will meet the minimum standards, but obviously some might have lower gpa's than someone who didn't get accepted. But honestly, the academy doesn't get all it's money from taxes. Athletics brings in a lot of money, publicity, recruiting, etc... Both to the academy, ROTC, and with enlisted personnel. So, those activities are also important. And remember, there's quite a few of the athletes that are also on the dean's list; so don't think all jocks have lower GPAs. MOST going to the academy have the same or above gpa's as the rest of those accepted.
So, everyone needs to do the best they can with their grades, EC, Sports, CFA, etc... Then, you need to be honest with yourself. If you've maxed what you can max, then submit your application. You're actually reducing your odds by holding out. If you have average scores but think you can do a little better on the CFA, but you have a killer application in all other areas, you have to think how much you lose not having your application reviewed, compared to what another 1 or 2 pullups will get you. Or, you have to be honest with yourself and look at the past year's class profile and compare your application. If you are below the average, and honestly not stellar in any one area, maybe you should hang out for a little longer and try to grab every extra point you can from a kick-butt CFA. (But if you can only do 5-7 pullups now; it's unlikely you will ever be able to do 18-20 any time soon). Best of luck. Mike....