2011 appointments half filled already?

cgchris99

5-Year Member
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Nov 18, 2010
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We went to a nominee brunch this weekend. It was put on by a USAFA Parents club. They brought in bunch of cadets to provide a question and answer session on cadet life. It was pretty informative.

What surprised us was a comment made that half of the positions have already been filled. They also touched on the class size reduction from 4400 to 4000 over the next 2 years. I didn't catch the persons name providing the info but he was in uniform.

I've been told by multiple sources and even on this forum that the majority of appointments get made in March. I don't know how this could be if half are already filled.

I felt my heart sink when he said half are filled considering we are hoping for the BFE.

Any thoughts?
 
We went to a nominee brunch this weekend. It was put on by a USAFA Parents club. They brought in bunch of cadets to provide a question and answer session on cadet life. It was pretty informative.

What surprised us was a comment made that half of the positions have already been filled. They also touched on the class size reduction from 4400 to 4000 over the next 2 years. I didn't catch the persons name providing the info but he was in uniform.

I've been told by multiple sources and even on this forum that the majority of appointments get made in March. I don't know how this could be if half are already filled.

I felt my heart sink when he said half are filled considering we are hoping for the BFE.

Any thoughts?

That's probably about right if what was really meant was that USAFA knows who the principal Noms are and if the students who were also sent LOAs got a nom. They could easily, on paper, know at least half of the kids by now that fit that criterea. Not to mention the Prep School and other commissioning sources. Sure by now, they could even know more than half since all noms have been in since Jan and many were turned in last year.

However, doesn't mean the kids themselves have been notified yet! They could hold all that info close to the vest until March/April and send it all out at once.
 
If you recall, he later said that as of January, there had been 300 appointments offered and 61 accepted. I didn't see how that jibed with the 1/2 filled already comment, but luckymacy's explanation makes sense.
 
Definitely agree with the above posters that the slots are "filled" but the appointments haven't been sent out yet - at least if it's anything like USMA. For several of my candidates/districts, the RC knew and had told me several weeks ago who was getting the slot, but the official site doesn't reflect it yet and the candidates themselves don't know yet. And while it still could change, for the most part they can look at it, figure it out and go from there. So if they know candidate A is taking the district 1 slot, then they can move on and look at the senator slots and remove him from contention there, etc. It seems to be a lot of sliding around to make things work but I'd fully believe half have been "penciled" in already. I wouldn't believe half (for USAFA) have been issued, especially with the recent news release saying that due to the cuts and attempts to reduce the wing size that appointments would be more like to be going out later in the future. http://www.usafa.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123242367
 
I think LuckyMacy has it right.. My DD and I were at that meeting as well. It was very informative and I thought the cadets that came in did a great job of answering the questions.. They are definately focused and you can see the confidence in them that you wouldn't see in regular college kids. The guest speaker was great as well and told it like it is and kept it humurous with his little picture comments.. It was well worth the trip and we had a good time... Good food too and big kudos to the the Harms family for setting it up along with the other members ....
 
"FILLED" and "NOTIFIED" are 2 different things. Relax folks. I know it's tough.
 
We went to a nominee brunch this weekend. It was put on by a USAFA Parents club. They brought in bunch of cadets to provide a question and answer session on cadet life. It was pretty informative.

Northern Illinois Parents' Club?? I couldn't make it on Sunday, but I wish I could have! How many candidates were at the brunch? I was under the impression that it was anyone who had received a nomination, so were there a bunch? Would have loved to see other potential classmates.

What kinds of questions were asked/answered?
 
Northern Illinois Parents' Club?? I couldn't make it on Sunday, but I wish I could have! How many candidates were at the brunch? I was under the impression that it was anyone who had received a nomination, so were there a bunch? Would have loved to see other potential classmates.

What kinds of questions were asked/answered?

There were 15 or so nominees there and 6 already had appointments. It was pretty informative. The Cadets were great and gave lots of information about the things they get to do.
 
There were maybe 18 tables with at least 2 nominees per table. My wife counted 8 appointees. Much of the info was duplicative of what has been on this forum but it was great to have the 7 cadets, some of each degree, giving their personal answers. One of the firsties was really pushing ski diving. The saddest part was that some said they (almost) never go home. Mia familia!
 
Haha, I was that cadet at the brunch that said I never go home... I traveled overseas twice last summer, and will be traveling this spring break and summer leave. USAFA just has too many amazing opportunities to take advantage of when you have the chance to do so...
 
early offers have been out

My son got an offer of appointment in Oct, based on a nom. (which were given out in Nov). He had an official appt. by December. We know others that got nom. but have been told they won't hear until April 1. It gets stressful with other college offers on the table. Half full sounds reasonable when you think of the sports team offers that have already been given out and the people coming from prep school and active duty positions to USAFA. Best of luck...it is a long, grueling process.
 
My son got an offer of appointment in Oct, based on a nom. (which were given out in Nov). He had an official appt. by December. We know others that got nom. but have been told they won't hear until April 1. It gets stressful with other college offers on the table. Half full sounds reasonable when you think of the sports team offers that have already been given out and the people coming from prep school and active duty positions to USAFA. Best of luck...it is a long, grueling process.

If your son received his nomination in November, then he was given a "Letter of ASSURANCE" in October. Basically it is a GUARANTEE of an appointment "Assurance"; as long as they receive a nomination and/or pass their DODMRB physical. Which your son did. "Congrats by the way". Just clarifying for some who may not know the process.

Early appointees (Military related nominees) and LOA's, like your son, make up a pretty small percentage of all appointments. Roughly in the 10-15% bracket of all appointees. The majority is indeed in March-April. As the MOC's finish their nomination slates; Dec-Jan; the academy will hand out some more appointments. Some, they will notify immediately. Some, they hold out on. One reason may be to see if they can get more than one in off the same slate, if they have multiple nominations. Maybe some of the appointments they offered already were turned down.

"Something people need to realize. The academies are NOT EVERYONE'S 1st CHOICE FOR COLLEGE". Forums like this, normally have very "Military Motivated, Want To Serve", type applicants. But you all make up less than 5% of all applicants. For MANY APPLICANTS, the academies are on a list of 3,4,5 or more schools that they applied to. MANY applicants have the academies as simply another option. For many here, the academies are their primary choice, with other schools being 2nd or more. I would guess, and put money down, that the majority of the 10,000+ initial applicants to the air force academy, do NOT HAVE the air force academy as their 1st choice.

So; is it possible that approximately half (600-650) appointments have already been given out? Sure; that is quite practical. There's close to 200 appointments that are military related that basically have been known for a while; or recently. e.g 100 presidentials, 20 ROTC, average of 50-60 prior enlisted, etc... Then you have many of the prep-school grads who received their nominations. Then there's the principal nominees by some MOC's as well as the LOA's I mentioned. It's quite plausible that 600 or so appointments are already out.

What does that mean for the rest waiting? Well; if your overall score is high enough, and you have a nomination, you'll be in the final round of selection for one of the remaining 600 or so appointments. Many speak of the 2500 "Qualified Candidates". I don't use that term. It's very misleading. There are a LOT of "Qualified Candidates". It's just that every candidate has a composite score, that rates every aspect of your application. And this pool of 2500+ people, happen to have the highest scores. It's simply a more manageable number of candidates to work with. Remember; if you have a 26-27 composite ACT, 1800 SAT, 3.6 GPA, etc..., passed your medical physical, and proved to be physically fit; between the CFA and high school athletics, etc... then you ARE A "QUALIFIED CANDIDATE". But you are competing with individuals where the "CLASS AVERAGE" of the incoming appointees with be a 3.86 GPA, 29-30 composite ACT, 2000 SAT, mega leadership positions, etc...

The thing is; unfortunately, you have no idea where you stand with the remaining 4000+ nominees, of which most are qualified. If 600 appointments have been given out so far; you could be at #601 through #12++. That will get you an appointment. You could be at #1354 or #1536 or #2834 or #3734. No one knows. However; in another week, appointments will start coming out in larger numbers. Then you'll know. It will be continuous from March through April. Some days a couple; some days a lot. The academies are balancing what they give out, with how many turn it down, with how many more they give out, and how many more turn it down, etc... So just hang in there. Best of luck to you all. Mike.....
 
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