Acceptance and Chances

There are no super secret nomination sources. If you are not military or from a military family, your only remaining nomination source is the VP nom assuming you applied for it.

Don't tell him there are 'other sources' and give him any semblance of hope for this year.

His question is about the prep school. USAFA will make that decision and his best chance to influence that decision is to speak with the coach that recruited him

Yes many re-applicants make it on the second round.

You shouldn't make it sound like he has other options for 2020 at USAFA.

Now if he had a nomination and didn't win his slate, he would still have a shot but he doesn't have a nomination and there aren't any super secret nomination sources remaining
 
Also better to start a new thread if asking a specific question about your status. Otherwise, the way these threads ramble between subjects it isn't always clear who we are now offering the advice to.
 
'Many direct appointments don't get in the first time'

The only 'direct appointment' is if your parent is a Medal of Honor recipient and you as the candidate meet the minimum requirements.

People get confused enough without people making stuff up
 
If you are not military or from a military family, your only remaining nomination source is the VP nom assuming you applied for it.

Don't tell him there are 'other sources' and give him any semblance of hope for this year.

His question is about the prep school. USAFA will make that decision and his best chance to influence that decision is to speak with the coach that recruited him

Yes many re-applicants make it on the second round.

You shouldn't make it sound like he has other options for 2020 at USAFA.

Not true. The Superintendent has 50 appointments to use that have nothing to do with being from a military family.

§901.16 Superintendent category.
Fifty eligible applicants who have not secured a nomination to the Academy from any other nominating authority may be nominated by the Superintendent. Highly qualified applicants are selected for nomination from the nationwide precandidate program by the Academy. Appointments from this category are made in order of merit from the nationwide pool of qualified alternates to fill the class.

Stealth_81
 
There are no super secret nomination sources. If you are not military or from a military family, your only remaining nomination source is the VP nom assuming you applied for it.

Don't tell him there are 'other sources' and give him any semblance of hope for this year.

His question is about the prep school. USAFA will make that decision and his best chance to influence that decision is to speak with the coach that recruited him

Yes many re-applicants make it on the second round.

You shouldn't make it sound like he has other options for 2020 at USAFA.

Now if he had a nomination and didn't win his slate, he would still have a shot but he doesn't have a nomination and there aren't any super secret nomination sources remaining

I was referring to Sup nominations. If slates cannot be juggled around and he is a recruited athlete, this is another possibility. The recruiting coach may have some insight for him.
 
'Many direct appointments don't get in the first time'

The only 'direct appointment' is if your parent is a Medal of Honor recipient and you as the candidate meet the minimum requirements.

People get confused enough without people making stuff up

By "direct" I am referring to an appointment directly to USAFA, and not as a "prior" or "preppie."

Sorry if this was confusing for anyone.
 
Dear members of the Service Academy forums,

I am currently a junior at a military preparatory academy in Minnesota. Needless to say, I came here to seek the advice of alumni, cadets, and those well-versed with the admissions of the United States Air Force Academy. I am a well-above average student, and I currently have a 4.1 GPA. I have yet to take the ACT, but I am determined to do the best I can and to get above a 30. I participate in a multitude of extracurricular activities including the school newspaper, peer mentoring/counseling, Color Guard, CHOOSE (an anti-drug/alcohol awareness group), Boy Scouts (Currently working on my Eagle Service Project), Diversity Club, Jazz Band (I have been playing guitar for 9 years in the styles of classical, rock, and jazz), Varsity Wrestling, JV Track, JV Cross Country Running, and I am a cofounder of the ultimate frisbee club.
Despite a good track record overall, I should mention something: I was diagnosed with clinical depression in my sophomore year of high school which affected my grades tremendously. I recovered over the summer and I am unstoppable, fueled by an ardent desire to succeed in every area of my life, but never forgetting my experience with failure because it has served as a great teaching tool for myself and others in my influence (peer mentoring and helping underclassmen and those my age as well). I would be devastated if I were turned down because of one year in which I suffered but learned the most about myself.
Lastly, I would like to discuss my aspirations for the future. I am of mixed backgrounds; My father is from El Salvador and my mother is from the U.S, and is white. I believe that this detail has been greatly influential in my life and as a part of who I have become. I have learned to accept all people from all walks of life, which is especially relevant in the military; being able to cooperate with those around is crucial to delegation of tasks and in general, accomplishing a mission. I have no connections to the U.S. military, but I am determined to create a legacy of excellence and I know that USAFA will provide me the necessary lessons to become a leader in every aspect of my life. I plan to study law at Northwestern, working in JAG. After I become a captain, I plan to work in the private sector in a law firm practicing Civil Law. After 15 years of working in the private domain, I intend to run fo the U.S. Senate for the state of Minnesota. I know that the lessons that USAFA taught me will set me apart from my colleagues, thus improving my chances of election. As a senator, I will focus on the significance of education, military spending, and environmental conservation.
I know that I can change the world for the better, and USAFA will put me on the right path to success. God Bless!
Sincerely, A Future Cadet
 
Not true. The Superintendent has 50 appointments to use that have nothing to do with being from a military family.

§901.16 Superintendent category.
Fifty eligible applicants who have not secured a nomination to the Academy from any other nominating authority may be nominated by the Superintendent. Highly qualified applicants are selected for nomination from the nationwide precandidate program by the Academy. Appointments from this category are made in order of merit from the nationwide pool of qualified alternates to fill the class.

Stealth_81

Do all academies have this (or a similar) category, or just USAFA?
 
Alarin 1025, Let me guess: you attend STA. Great school. You have built a nice resume. Keep up the good work and continue to look for opportunities to build your leadership record. And study, study, study for the ACT. Take the test multiple times.

Regarding the depression diagnosis, I suggest you research Jacques Lamoureux's story. Jacques suffered from depression and DoDMERB initially disqualified Jacques. The AFA pursued and eventually obtained a waiver for Jacques. Today, Jacques is an AFA graduate and ADAF. True, Jacques was a recruited "blue chip" athlete, but his depression was severe. Apply to AFA and prepare to address the depression issue during your medical exam.

As others say frequently on this board, continue to work hard in school, stay out of trouble and train for the CFA. Shoot for the stars, but make sure you are pursuing plans B-D, too. I wish you continued success.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/c...es-depression-soar-air-force-article-1.367107
 
Dear members of the Service Academy forums,

I am currently a junior at a military preparatory academy in Minnesota. Needless to say, I came here to seek the advice of alumni, cadets, and those well-versed with the admissions of the United States Air Force Academy. I am a well-above average student, and I currently have a 4.1 GPA. I have yet to take the ACT, but I am determined to do the best I can and to get above a 30. I participate in a multitude of extracurricular activities including the school newspaper, peer mentoring/counseling, Color Guard, CHOOSE (an anti-drug/alcohol awareness group), Boy Scouts (Currently working on my Eagle Service Project), Diversity Club, Jazz Band (I have been playing guitar for 9 years in the styles of classical, rock, and jazz), Varsity Wrestling, JV Track, JV Cross Country Running, and I am a cofounder of the ultimate frisbee club.
Despite a good track record overall, I should mention something: I was diagnosed with clinical depression in my sophomore year of high school which affected my grades tremendously. I recovered over the summer and I am unstoppable, fueled by an ardent desire to succeed in every area of my life, but never forgetting my experience with failure because it has served as a great teaching tool for myself and others in my influence (peer mentoring and helping underclassmen and those my age as well). I would be devastated if I were turned down because of one year in which I suffered but learned the most about myself.
Lastly, I would like to discuss my aspirations for the future. I am of mixed backgrounds; My father is from El Salvador and my mother is from the U.S, and is white. I believe that this detail has been greatly influential in my life and as a part of who I have become. I have learned to accept all people from all walks of life, which is especially relevant in the military; being able to cooperate with those around is crucial to delegation of tasks and in general, accomplishing a mission. I have no connections to the U.S. military, but I am determined to create a legacy of excellence and I know that USAFA will provide me the necessary lessons to become a leader in every aspect of my life. I plan to study law at Northwestern, working in JAG. After I become a captain, I plan to work in the private sector in a law firm practicing Civil Law. After 15 years of working in the private domain, I intend to run fo the U.S. Senate for the state of Minnesota. I know that the lessons that USAFA taught me will set me apart from my colleagues, thus improving my chances of election. As a senator, I will focus on the significance of education, military spending, and environmental conservation.
I know that I can change the world for the better, and USAFA will put me on the right path to success. God Bless!
Sincerely, A Future Cadet
Hello fellow Minnesotan! I cannot speak to the depression portion of your note. I simply don't know.

All of your activities and grades look solid. But the glaring missing detail is that you have yet to take the SAT or ACT. If you were my son or daughter, I would buy some practice exams and get an inkle where you rack and stack. ASAP! Some exceptional students don't do well with time tests while others roll with it. My DS was in that not-so-good camp. It took a while to get rid of the anxiety and build confidence. He figure out a way of learning techniques of getting though the science section MUCH faster. To put it in perspective, he was a full time college courses in high school and tested in the top 0.3% in the county (Chem and Bio). Yet he was getting a 26 on the science section. Basically he guessed on the last 25% of the questions because he ran out of time. With enough time, he would get a 36. But it's timed. The solution was he had to learn how to (more or less) game the testing system by taking ACT prep classes. Of course you might have to polish your skills that are covered on the ACT/SAT. But you are flying blind (pun intended).

At the end of the day, colleges stare intensely at ACT/SAT standardized tests. That's the game. So turn your attention to taking the ACT ASAP as it could quickly sour your dreams. Now if you try a couple practice tests and get a 33, then study some more and aim even higher so you stick out like a sore thumb (in a positive way). Our DS eventually got a 33 (still struggled with timed tests). But it took him a lot of effort (and a lot of practice) while others can obtain that score without studying a second. :)

Best of luck!
 
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