Can I still get into USAFA if I graduate high school early?

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AZflygirl

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Hello,
I was wondering if I would still be eligible for the Air Force Academy if I graduated high school a year early. I'm a freshman, so that means if I graduate in three years, I will potentially be applying to colleges this next year. Then I noticed on the USAFA website that you have to be 17 to apply, which means I will not be able to apply until my senior year of high school. Is there any way that I can continue my plan of early graduation and still be accepted to the academy without there being a year-long gap between high school graduation and starting college?

Any help and insight would be greatly appreciated :)
 
Ensure to read the link below. The wording is a little weird. Will you be 17 by July 1st of the year that you would attend USAFA? You do not have to be 17 to apply, just turn 17 by July 1st of whatever class you would join. This is not waiverable either. If you would not meet this requirement then talk an ALO about recommendations for attending a university or gap year.

www.usafa.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

www.usafa.edu www.usafa.edu
 
To add on, USAFA says they want 4 years of English, Math, and Science. Im sure there are ways to fulfill this without actually taking 4 separate years of each. It’s just another problem that needs to be solved. I would suggest emailing either an admissions counselor or your ALO if you know who they are. They would have the best and most accurate information.

www.academyadmissions.com

Academic Requirements | U.S. Air Force Academy

Academic requirements for admission to the Air Force Academy are based on academic record transcript and college admissions tests (SAT or ACT scores).
www.academyadmissions.com www.academyadmissions.com
 
My $1.09 worth (which in AZ will get you an XL Polar Pop at Circle K)...

There's no advantage, in my professional (ALO and high school teacher) opinion to early high school graduation. What's the positive benefit/gain? You might meet all your district/state graduation requirements but do you "fill all the squares," that the colleges/universities that you are interested in, require? If you do, then press on however, if you don't, perhaps a little more thought?

Let's look at what USAFA says on their own webpage in the section: "Academic Requirements."

"To be academically competitive for an appointment to the Academy, we recommend completion of the following high school courses:
  • Four years of English (with a college preparatory class in writing)
  • Four years of math
    Strong background in geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and pre-calculus
  • Four years of science
    Lab-based and should include biology, chemistry, and physics
  • Three years of social studies (to include a course in U.S. history)
  • Two years of a modern foreign language
  • One year of computer study"
Now...the first thing to take note of consists of two words: "We Recommend..." We recommend does NOT mean "we require." So that means that you're not required to meet these guidelines, however, these are the recommendations based upon the past "pass/fail" efforts of new cadets. Those that didn't have this strong background, struggled and many did not succeed. FYI, I'm one of them: I got as far as trigonometry in math...got to USAFA and ran into a buzz-saw called "Math 131: Integral and Differential Calculus." LONG story short: at the end of the year, I finished with an "F" in the class and met an academic board for "consideration for dismissal due to academic failure." I don't advise that to anyone.

The second question is really related to the overall question: what is the benefit of early graduation? Again using my experiences only, "early graduates" in high school have typically been students that: "wanted to take a gap year and either travel or work" or "were VERY academically superior" and were bored in HS AP/Honors classes and had early admission to college. I flew with a guy in the AF like that: he graduated high school at 16, finished his bachelors' degree at 19 (and AFROTC) but had to wait until he was 21 for his AF job. Now, I understand, they can commission younger but...I digress...so during his wait he completed a master's degree in his field. FYI, he's now a Ph.D. professor at one of the Senior Leadership Schools (National Defense University, War College, etc.).

Okay, if you've read this far...I think you have to really ask: is early graduation to my benefit? That's really the question, IMHO. If you have a goal, a target in sight, and early graduation helps ensure success, then it probably is to your advantage. If, however, you don't and are just interested in early graduation, maybe take a look at taking some "dual credit" classes or even taking a split-schedule of high school classes and classes at a local community college. This could help "prove" to any SA that you're college material (here are my grades in college English and Math, taken while I was also attending high school; hence, I can multitask).

Again, this is just my opinion. However if I were your ALO, these are the things I'd be asking you.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I knowy school allows for an early graduation by a semester ( mostly kids whowant to work more so they get your of school ealier to get a head start on the spring job market) to do this they would double up in English course. You could double in math and English different years to get the credit.

As I'm going through the process I wouldn't recommend graduating earlier. Because as mentioned about the box's that would have to be checked aren't easy to check by missing a year. Plus the act and sat having that senior year means you have that extra year to retake.
 
NavyHoops said:
If you would not meet this requirement then talk an ALO about recommendations for attending a university or gap year.
Click to expand...
www.rotary.org

Rotary Youth Exchange

www.rotary.org www.rotary.org

My son graduated HS in four years, while spending his entire Junior year in Brazil on a Rotary Exchange. It is logistically possible and would be great way to occupy a school year constructively. Rotary also has semester long exchanges. He also did a gap year exchange, but that would be more difficult logistically if you are applying to an SA.

Best of luck!
 
AZflygirl said:
Yes, I would be 17 by July 1st of the year I would attend USAFA. I was not aware that you did not have to be 17 to apply. Thank you so much!
Click to expand...
My DS tbought he needed to be 17 to apply too. If appointed he wont be 18 for several weeks into the academy already
 
BLUF: Stay in school.

If you are on track to graduate high school early and your top priority is coming to USAFA, I highly recommend taking that extra year of available schooling to knock out some core classes that you are able to "validate" (get credit for) at the Academy. If you are able to validate 6+ classes, you will be well prepared to pick up a minor/double major and/or do an impressive amount of undergraduate research. This is a great way to be competitive for prestigious national-level scholarships for graduate school after college. I am very fortunate to be in this situation as my HS had a fantastic AP program, with many of the courses aligning with ones eligible for validation.

However, a number of my classmates who were not as fortunate will be facing a challenging course load (18-22 credit hours/semester) in order to simply graduate. They aren't able to entertain minors/extra majors or research because they aren't able to begin majors classes until the end of their sophomore year. While it may be arduous, and you may be eager to get out into the "big world" of college, that extra year in high school can lay the foundation for a much more pleasant and rewarding undergraduate experience.

Linked is USAFA's 2020-2021 Curriculum Handbook (I know it's slightly out of date, but I couldn't find a newer version). A "ctrl + f" of "validation" will lead you to the core courses eligible for validation, and their requirements.
 
Our school allows early graduation by a semester, usually it's just English and Government that need to be doubled up on. If you didn't take Algebra 1 in 8th grade than math would need to be doubled on as well. You can make life a little easier by taking Government online, which I know many people did to free up a period senior year, they weren't planning on graduating early. Maybe it's possible for you to take Government over the summer so you can take a STEM related elective, such as computer science if you haven't already.
 
Several of the folks giving advice here are applicants or cadets themselves and while they may have valid opinions, they do not have the breadth of expertise in Service Academy admissions that folks like Flieger83 have. I'll give it to you from a different side. Its is very true that you can finish the required classes to graduate and do well enough in them and on the ACT/SAT to be a great applicant to "Whatsamatta U" (insert local state college) at the minimum and maybe even top rank schools like the ivies, etc. But from a Service Academy Admissions perspective, you lose out on key leadership and other extracurricular opportunities which are a big part of how the Service Academies differ from much of academia. The vast majority of successful applicants to the Service Academies have one or more sport captaincies/music group leadership roles/extracurricular group leads including debate, science olympiad, math league, etc. While its certainly not a law/rule, it is still true that the vast majority of those leadership spots are held by Seniors and while I've seen early graduates with some leadership roles, I've never seen even one with anything close to what the typical successful applicant has.

I'm not saying that the hill from early graduation to Service Academy admission is too steep to climb but that it is MUCH steeper than what you'd have with 4 yrs of high school and it is thus a much harder climb.
 
1) Why do you want to graduate early? Because you can? Because you are bullied? Because your HS doesn't offer much?
Could you take Dual Enrollment classes at the local community college?

2) Note that you will be competing against applicants who have four years in HS...they have another year fo take AP classes, another year of leadership, another year of sports. Why put yourself at a disadvantage.? Do you have the level of leadership/sports/academics that others do?

3) How are your SAT/ACT scores? Did you get to take them?
 
This is an older thread and the OP hasn’t been on the forums for over a year. There’s still good information in here for future candidates, though.

Stealth_81
 
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