[AFROTC] Will I get an investigation for dissenrollment?

[JD1776]

I am a rising AS200 on a aero engineering tech major HSSP. AFROTC is my passion and I have a deep desire to be a pilot.

I received a 2.2 GPA this semester when taking 16 credits and a 2.4 GPA last semester when taking 19 credits. When I got a CE after my performance last semester, I made sure to spend more time studying for my classes this semester. I was shocked when I saw that I had recieved a 2.2 term GPA instead of the 3.0 I was expecting. What killed me was my calculus grade.

Having realized that I need to improve, I have scheduled a meeting with my CC to switch my scholarship from a 4 year to a 5 year so I can spread out my credits, and I've made a MFR for both myself and my CC outlining how I will improve by getting extra tutoring for STEM classes and going to teacher office hours. I'm also taking calculus over the summer, and if I pass it will replace my old grade and give me a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Since this is my third CE and my 2nd academic CE, would this allow me to be investigated for dissenrollmentllment?
What other effects would my CEs have on my field training selection, rated selection or commission?
If I raise my cgpa above 2.5 before the fall semester begins, would I even get a CE?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

[lcdrmom]

My son was in a similar situation. He had a lot of fun freshman year, got very involved in Arnold air society, but forgot about grades along the way. He ended with a 2.4 gpa and a conditional warning. It was a very needed wake-up. What he did is take several classes at community college over the summer and got all A's. It pulled his gpa up well over the 2.5 he needed to keep his scholarships.

His cadre said as long as he got the CC transcripts in to them before start of fall term, the new gpa would count for second semester freshman year and he could avoid a the conditional.

He has since buckled down and now has just over a 3.1 in aero engineering. He is a rising senior, and pilot selectee. You might want to check with your cadre and see if they'll accept summer courses to mitigate your gpa.

 

[Pima]

The problem I see you are truly facing is that cgpa will kill you for SFT selection. On avg even for tech majors the cgpa is 3.0. Additionally the matrix for scoring includes other things which you have not mentioned.
1. AFOQT which if very high could offset your low cgpa
2. PFA, again you need it to be very high, think maxxing high to offset that cgpa
3. CoC ranking, which is the highest percentage in the matrix. I highly doubt you will rank out very high.

I would also be prepared for them to deny you the ability to extend your scholarship from a 4 yr to 5 yr. Yes, they do allow 5 yrs, but typically that is if the school's engineering program is a 5 yr program, not because the student has determined to extend it due to their needs.
~ 16 credits is not a hard work load. Sorry, but that is how I feel. None of my kids took less than 18/19 credits per semester their entire college career.

 

[eljay60]

Replacing grades with summer classes can be problematic as well, if you take them at a different school. Cadre at my son's school said they only consider the GPA provided by his college. Since the school only takes transfer courses as pass/fail, a 4.0 in an equivalent course at a local community college would not change his cumulative GPA at his school.

 

[JD1776]

My son was in a similar situation. He had a lot of fun freshman year, got very involved in Arnold air society, but forgot about grades along the way. He ended with a 2.4 gpa and a conditional warning. It was a very needed wake-up. What he did is take several classes at community college over the summer and got all A's. It pulled his gpa up well over the 2.5 he needed to keep his scholarships.

His cadre said as long as he got the CC transcripts in to them before start of fall term, the new gpa would count for second semester freshman year and he could avoid a the conditional.

He has since buckled down and now has just over a 3.1 in aero engineering. He is a rising senior, and pilot selectee. You might want to check with your cadre and see if they'll accept summer courses to mitigate your gpa.

Thank You Lcdrmom, I'm taking my summer courses at my institution and getting tutoring so hopefully, I can do the same to avoid the CE

 

[JD1776]

The problem I see you are truly facing is that cgpa will kill you for SFT selection. On avg even for tech majors the cgpa is 3.0. Additionally the matrix for scoring includes other things which you have not mentioned.
1. AFOQT which if very high could offset your low cgpa
2. PFA, again you need it to be very high, think maxxing high to offset that cgpa
3. CoC ranking, which is the highest percentage in the matrix. I highly doubt you will rank out very high.

I would also be prepared for them to deny you the ability to extend your scholarship from a 4 yr to 5 yr. Yes, they do allow 5 yrs, but typically that is if the school's engineering program is a 5 yr program, not because the student has determined to extend it due to their needs.
~ 16 credits is not a hard work load. Sorry, but that is how I feel. None of my kids took less than 18/19 credits per semester their entire college career.

Thank You, Pima, I'm doing the 4-5 year change since after my first CE my CC told me that I was taking too many credits and should switch to my institution's 5 year engineering program. I plan on using it to get an extra year as a GMC so I will be better prepared for SFT. I thought that I could handle 19 credits my first semester but clearly, I was wrong. I'll make sure to heed your advice and study hard for the AFOQT and work on maxing my PFA.

Since my problem is my GPA, would turning it around to at least 3.0 by SFT improve my CoC rank?

 

[JD1776]

Replacing grades with summer classes can be problematic as well, if you take them at a different school. Cadre at my son's school said they only consider the GPA provided by his college. Since the school only takes transfer courses as pass/fail, a 4.0 in an equivalent course at a local community college would not change his cumulative GPA at his school.

Thank You, eljay, I will keep this in mind. I plan on taking my summer courses at my institution so that I can receive full credit and so that I satisfy the prerequisites.

 

[Pima]

I plan on using it to get an extra year as a GMC so I will be better prepared for SFT.

I would talk to your unit about that. I am not sure you can do that. Typically whether you are on a 4 yr academic program or a 5 yr it does not matter for AFROTC SFT. As a freshmen you are an AS100. Sophomore you are an AS200 or 250. For AFROTC that is SFT yr group. If you are not selected and they keep you, you become an AS500. Hence, I have never heard of anyone saying to them since I am going to extend it to a 5 yr, I want to not apply for SFT as a 200, but instead jump to a 500 and apply next year.

I am not saying you can't opt out of applying for SFT or it doesn't happen, but what I am stating is that you need to ask your unit if that is even an option. I feel you are assuming that you have the final voice in deciding to stay longer as a GMC. We all know what the word ASSUME means ---in case you are missing the joke, it might be an age thing --- break down the word. ASSUME = Make an Arse out of You and Me.

I know at my DS's unit that the cadets who were on the 5 yr HQ AFROTC approved academic program and entered as an AS100 with him, went to SFT their AS200 yr. Their 5th yr as a cadet was as an AS700, not AS400 like cadets on the 4 yr program. In his yr group only 1 cadet was allowed to stay and move on to AS500 (engineer/rated), the rest all were disenrolled. Point being he was not given the option to not apply, it was just that he was not selected and the unit fought for him to stay as an AS500.

I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but trying to make sure you see the bigger picture from their perspective.

More bad news, but impo I think it would be incredibly hard to pull your cgpa up to a 3.0 by the time you will be boarded (next Feb). If I am correct you cgpa right now is around 2.3+/- with 35 credits. You will basically need to pull @3.7 with 35 credits over the summer and fall to balance it back to a 3.0. Now if they allow you to not apply and become a 500, than of course yes you can pull it up to a 3.0.

I do understand you want to serve and want to be a pilot, but I also want to say that your story is something every HS candidate and/or HSSP selectee needs to read. Kids in HS think because they are strong in Math and Science that a tech major should be the route, even more so when they read statistically 80+% of all AFROTC scholarships go to STEM majors. The problem is although you may have umpteen AP credits and do jump start at your local CC, it is not the same as the 4 yr college.
~ A common joke at colleges with renown engineering programs is on the 1st day they tell the kids look to your left, now your right. One of you will not graduate from this program.

I get it, truly I do, you might need the scholarship for financial reasons, and you probably believe that being an engineer will give you an edge at UPT. If you need the scholarship for financial reasons than you really need to buckle down. My DS was an HSSP recipient (non-tech Type 2), his best sitting SAT was 1410, ACT was 33 or 34...best sitting, not superscore. He did all of AP Math and Science classes, but his real love was not STEM, it was History and Politics. Where is he now? He is an ADAF PILOT!
~ You can't become a pilot if you are not selected for SFT ---cgpa is part of that equation
~ You can't become a pilot if you are not selected for UPT --- cgpa is part of that equation.

As a UPT student nobody cares what you majored in at college, nor if you are a USAFA, AFROTC or OCS grad. What they do care about is how you handle the stick and your academics at UPT. Fencersmother's twin sons went to USAFA. 1 of them was in my DS'S UPT class. He had a STEM degree, my DS was Govt. They both are flying the same airframe at the same base.

How do you get an edge for UPT as an AFROTC cadet? Flight Hours. Google or ask your Cadre about PCSM. Flight hours gives you points. Flight hours also helps you on the TBAS. Flight hrs costs money. Hence if you can't afford flight hrs, than it brings you back to number 1...you need to get that cgpa up. up and up.

Sorry for the novella