Thanks CrewDad. Do you think if junior applicants list their SAT, it is automatically assumed by USAFA that they will be taken again? She doesn't want to sink her application if scores will come up in March.It plays a role when choosing similar applicants. But not the most important factor for summer selection. Summer is to seek out who can benefit the most from the program. But. SAT/ACT will open your official file if high enough. I believe ACT 27+ or SAT 1100 would qualify for Juniors. But may need higher score for Seniors to open Apps to advance to next level, this is subject to your district competitiveness and your ethnic group. Thus, can demand much higher score. I believe URMs and female applicants get second hard look. Good luck to your kid.
What does a 27 convert to in SAT score? Thanks for the help!If she has something she’s comfortable submitting now you should submit now. I wouldn’t submit score if it is under 27. You can still qualify AFASS with school grades. You can always update scores until Apps close on Jan 31 2019. If she has ACT 29+ SAT 1300+ and has overall strong package, she may be invited to compete for Merit Scholarship which offers Air ticket and Free Seminar. If invited she will be asked to submit CFA done by March. So in addition to consideration to AFASS she can be ID’d as someone they want to follow and ID to encourage to complete App early and for LOA consideration. So many Merit Scholars are considered for LOA if they continue to maintain strong package when they start their Part 2 App for Appointment in July. For example, my DS applied with 31 ACT to AFASS and got selected for Merit Scholar after, upon invitation, turning in additional Essays and CFA and school transcript and Recommendation. For his final score he turned in 34 ACT. So you can continue to upgrade your package until the deadline.
Summer Merit Scholar Award is a targeted award by the Academy to recruit HYPO Candidates and it is not need based. It is merit based so you can be a rich kid poor kid white hispanic black Asian different doesn’t matter. Admissions use this opportunity to target candidates they want to recruit and encourage them to complete the package in their senior year. They will pick you, you can’t pick them. You have to be invited to compete after you have been selected to the program. About 150 out of 700 accepted candidates are invited and about 30 are selected. To be successful to the final you just have to be prepared to provide more to the package except DODMERB and Nomination. You have to complete your CFA, additional essays, high quality classes GPA with official transcripts, high ACT/SAT (especially in English and Math 32-36 or 750-800 each sections this is what they like to see not a must have, they care less about Reading Science) recommendations, strong foot print in athletics and leaderships. So if selected to the program you have a better idea where you stand with potential Appointment. Scholars have separate admissions session with Admissions Director and your regional commander to provide more direct contact and meet and greet opportunity. My DS was given a private session with his Regional Director after he had a separate group session. I decided to attend the private session on the last day after parents attended the dinner the day before. It’s a great way to complete your package with possible LOA offer in Aug-Dec.
Need based is a separate ask if you need financial assistance. You can ask but not guaranteed. All Academies offer some limited need based assistance. I hope this was helpful.
Why are you so worried about Summer Seminar? It will have zero affect on the treasured appointment.
Whoa, had no idea! I’ve been here over a year and never seen or heard this referenced. Very interesting. Puts a different spin on the old “does summer seminar matter” debate. What does HYPO mean?
Good to know!!!Just to add to the does SS matter debate: DS was waitlisted last year for AFASS and eventually was turned down. He was also waitlisted for AIM and SLE and was turned down as well. (He did get into NASS and loved it) He was disappointed and was worried he was not competitive.
He received an LOA from the USAFA Saturday (Merry Christmas!). A turn down for SS does not equal no chance of appointment.
As others have said it is a recruiting tool and nobody really knows why some get selected and some do not. Just put together the best app you can and if you get to go have a great time!
She would like to see if it's a good fit for her. And she sent the scores with her SS app but did not make her SS app into an admissions app. Scores were too low.Why are you so worried about Summer Seminar? It will have zero affect on the treasured appointment.
I'm not sure. She said there was a specific question whether applicants wanted to use SS app as Admissions app. She checked no because of the low scores.@Dadx4, unless I’m terribly uninformed, SS applications automatically become appointment applications. I don’t believe you have any say in that. But as @fencersmother says, don’t sweat the test scores. USAFA knows that most candidates will be updating their scores over time.