Appointment Competitiveness

[Eagle26]

Hello All,

I am a current high school Junior and am planning on applying to both the USAFA and USNA. I am wondering if there is anything else that I should be doing/improving in order to increase my likelihood for an appointment to either or both academies as well as to Summer Seminar or SLE? I am also curious what classes would be recommended for my Senior year and have outlined my current schedule and possible senior year schedule. I have also listed some of my stats/accomplishments below.

Junior Year:
- Adv. Leadership (required to take as I am an ASB Officer)
- AP Language Arts
- AP U.S. History
- Physics
- University of Washington Pre-Calc.
- Wind Ensemble (highest level of band offered)

Senior Year projected schedule:

- Adv. Leadership (again, I am required to take this as an ASB officer)
- AP Calc.
- AP Bio. or AP Env. Sci.
- AP Computer Sci.
- AP English Literature
- Senior Civics (required for all seniors)
- AP Comparative Gov.

- I have already taken 3 years of Spanish

- 4.0 GPA (I don't know what it is weighted)

- Have taken a total of 8 honors/adv. classes besides AP

- My PSAT is 1190, everyone in my school took it Soph. year and I had not studied/prepped for it in any way). My SAT keeps getting cancelled because of COVID 19

- Eagle Scout, served as Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Scribe, and Patrol Leader

- Vice President of Leadership in DECA club (was previously Vice President of Hospitality) and am applying to run for State Officer. Won state in Business Law and Ethics event since Freshman year and placed top 12 at Internationals. Also, won state in Virtual Business Challenge Restaurant.

- Secretary of Science Club

- President/Founder of Debate Club

- Member of Interact (community service club)

- Member of NHS (running for officer next year)

- Link Leader (helping Freshmen adjust/get involved in High School), also on the Leadership Council for Link Leaders

- ASB Class Senator, running for student body VP next year

- Varsity Swim since Freshman Year, District Qualifier all years, slotted to be Team Captain next year

- Member of Golf and XC team, should be varsity on both this year (we are delayed because of COVID 19)

- Washington State BioExpo 3rd place Finalist

- City Youth Court Assistant Head Judge (Head Judge next year)

- Volunteer on City Youth Council

- Youth and Government member (propose a bill to State Congress each year)

- Applying to Boys State

- Applying to SS and SLE

- Working towards my Private Pilot's License

- Job as Lifeguard and swim instructor

I know this is quite long but I would appreciate any feedback about changes/improvements that I can make in order to be a more competitive applicant.

Thank you,
Andrew

 

[A1Janitor]

Looks very good to me.

Do well on the SAT/ACT.

How are your CFA numbers?

 

[USAFA_86]

First, I would recommend that you change your username to something that doesn't have you actual name. As for your resume, I think it is very impressive. The only thing that stands out is your test scores so make sure to crush the ACT or SAT when it becomes available. You also have a very long list of extracurriculars, which is very good. Make sure you can explain how each one of them means something to you and be prepared to explain your involvement and responsibility for each one. Last thing, don't be discouraged if you don't get into Summer Seminar. Sometimes applicants go nuts when they don't get into SS and then they assume that they won't get into USAFA, which is completely false.

 

[Eagle26]

Looks very good to me.

Do well on the SAT/ACT.

How are your CFA numbers?

Thanks for the response! I have not done all events together yet, but am currently training for it with special focus on the mile run, bball throw, pull ups, and push ups where I feel I need to strengthen myself in. Individually, I am at about 75 push ups, 115 sit ups, 8 pull ups, 8 sec. shuttle, 5:55 mile, and 55' bball.

 

[Eagle26]

First, I would recommend that you change your username to something that doesn't have you actual name. As for your resume, I think it is very impressive. The only thing that stands out is your test scores so make sure to crush the ACT or SAT when it becomes available. You also have a very long list of extracurriculars, which is very good. Make sure you can explain how each one of them means something to you and be prepared to explain your involvement and responsibility for each one. Last thing, don't be discouraged if you don't get into Summer Seminar. Sometimes applicants go nuts when they don't get into SS and then they assume that they won't get into USAFA, which is completely false.

Thank you for the response! I will change my username right now. I am studying for the SAT and am praying that it does not continue getting delayed. Good to know about Summer Seminar, I am worried my PSAT my hurt my chances of getting in, but am confident that my actual SAT will not hinder my official Academy app.

 

[Eagle26]

Thank you for the response! I will change my username right now. I am studying for the SAT and am praying that it does not continue getting delayed. Good to know about Summer Seminar, I am worried my PSAT my hurt my chances of getting in, but am confident that my actual SAT will not hinder my official Academy app.

Unfortunately it will not let me change my username until April 3rd, 2048, so I have a little bit of a wait before I am able to do that.

 

[A1Janitor]

Unfortunately it will not let me change my username until April 3rd, 2048, so I have a little bit of a wait before I am able to do that.

LOL a mod can help you.

 

[MCA]

Practice your CFA NOW! The CFA really should be one of the first things you get done when your application opens up. I was practicing last minute and hoping I would pass. It was the last thing I turned in and there’s no reason it should have been like that. Learn from my mistake!

If you haven’t already, build connections with teachers and people you would like to write letters of recommendations for you. I found that it was easy to get evaluations and letters of recommendations done because I already knew who I wanted to write them.

The last piece of advice I have is to be honest with yourself. You are going to be writing essays and be interviewed about your character, grit, and perseverance. Be honest with yourself. Do you really want to go to USAFA? Why? What’s your overall goal for USAFA? How can you contribute to the campus? Are you prepared for the military lifestyle, academic rigor, and emotional toll? In sum, find your “WHY”! Why am I attending? Is it just for the free college or something greater? What are your plans after USAFA?

These are all questions you should be asking yourself. The application in and of itself is long, hard, and complicated. If you aren’t determined to attend, then you won’t complete it. You will also write essays and be interview about your “why” and if you aren’t sure if you want to go, then it will be difficult to write essays and answer the questions.

Your evaluator and the admissions team can see if a candidate wants to go and they can also see if a candidate is just trying to look good on their application or interview. Don’t over-inflate yourself. Don't over-saturate your resume. Don’t focus on how you are a part of 15 different clubs and have 3000000 service hours. While it may look great, nothing of that would truly speaks to who YOU are.

I recommend that you find two things that you are passionate about and then have all of your co-cirriculars be around those. For me my passions were law enforcement and education. ALL of my co-cirriculars (quite a lot) were around those passions. It was easy for me to write my essays answer questions in my interviews because I knew my why and I knew my passions. Don't be a candidate who is involved in so much but doesn't know why.

And most importantly - Be humble. Be honest. Be true.

I know this is a lot but I believe in you! This thread is full of great advice and a lot of questions have already been asked and answered. I would encourage you to just spend some time here looking and gathering information.

Hope this helps.

 

[Eagle26]

LOL a mod can help you.

Practice your CFA NOW! The CFA really should be one of the first things you get done when your application opens up. I was practicing last minute and hoping I would pass. It was the last thing I turned in and there’s no reason it should have been like that. Learn from my mistake!

If you haven’t already, build connections with teachers and people you would like to write letters of recommendations for you. I found that it was easy to get evaluations and letters of recommendations done because I already knew who I wanted to write them.

The last piece of advice I have is to be honest with yourself. You are going to be writing essays and be interviewed about your character, grit, and perseverance. Be honest with yourself. Do you really want to go to USAFA? Why? What’s your overall goal for USAFA? How can you contribute to the campus? Are you prepared for the military lifestyle, academic rigor, and emotional toll? In sum, find your “WHY”! Why am I attending? Is it just for the free college or something greater? What are your plans after USAFA?

These are all questions you should be asking yourself. The application in and of itself is long, hard, and complicated. If you aren’t determined to attend, then you won’t complete it. You will also write essays and be interview about your “why” and if you aren’t sure if you want to go, then it will be difficult to write essays and answer the questions.

Your evaluator and the admissions team can see if a candidate wants to go and they can also see if a candidate is just trying to look good on their application or interview. Don’t over-inflate yourself. Don't over-saturate your resume. Don’t focus on how you are a part of 15 different clubs and have 3000000 service hours. While it may look great, nothing of that would truly speaks to who YOU are.

I recommend that you find two things that you are passionate about and then have all of your co-cirriculars be around those. For me my passions were law enforcement and education. ALL of my co-cirriculars (quite a lot) were around those passions. It was easy for me to write my essays answer questions in my interviews because I knew my why and I knew my passions. Don't be a candidate who is involved in so much but doesn't know why.

And most importantly - Be humble. Be honest. Be true.

I know this is a lot but I believe in you! This thread is full of great advice and a lot of questions have already been asked and answered. I would encourage you to just spend some time here looking and gathering information.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I have already begun training for the CFA because I know that is what needs the most improvement. I have been set on attending a service academy since I was 8 (with the understanding that I can bring my experience as a servant leader to the academy where I will further be able to develop as I know they will provide me with the tools and means in order to improve upon this foundation to serve in the best way possible). I am interested in government and business as well as aviation which I believe my extracurriculars sufficiently reflect. I am looking forward to applying and the opportunities that will present themselves from the process. Thank you again for the response, I really appreciate it.

 

[BuckeyeDad20]

If there was a market for candidates, I would buy your stock. You look really strong. Your PSAT is weak and doesn't really match the rest if your resume though. Chalk that up to being younger and a bad test day. If you Swim, your CFA will be fine. Upper body is a little weak, work on that and improve Bball and Pullups. That being said, improving your CFA from where you are is completely easy and you could do it in June, July, August next summer, test at end of summer and be set. MORE importantly is prepping for ACT/SAT. Based on the classes you take and GPA, you should do 32+ on ACT or 1430+ SAT. If you can do that, you should feel very good about your chances assuming you pass the physical and don't have any character issues.

Good luck!

 

[Eagle26]

If there was a market for candidates, I would buy your stock. You look really strong. Your PSAT is weak and doesn't really match the rest if your resume though. Chalk that up to being younger and a bad test day. If you Swim, your CFA will be fine. Upper body is a little weak, work on that and improve Bball and Pullups. That being said, improving your CFA from where you are is completely easy and you could do it in June, July, August next summer, test at end of summer and be set. MORE importantly is prepping for ACT/SAT. Based on the classes you take and GPA, you should do 32+ on ACT or 1430+ SAT. If you can do that, you should feel very good about your chances assuming you pass the physical and don't have any character issues.

Good luck!

Thank you for your feedback! I have begun working in improving my bball and pull ups for the CFA, and I think by next summer I should be well within target range. I have also been studying for the SAT and was actually supposed to take it at the beginning of December but unfortunately, like the other 2 I had been signed up for it also got cancelled. I look forward to actually taking it especially to see where my baseline scores will have (hopefully) progressed from the PSAT a year ago.