CFA help

NChopeful

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Jul 17, 2008
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Howdy everyone,

Just had a question about the fitness exam; Are you allowed to change shoes? i.e. Wear my track spikes when I run the mile? Would this be considered an "unfair advantage?" The USAFA's Instructions to Candidate Booklet says "Any item that gives a candidate an unfair advantage is not permitted during the CFA." Maybe this is pushing it...
 
I don't think there are any regs about which shoes you wear as long as they don't, for example, have rollerskates attached. :smile:

Seriously, if the shoes are designed for running on a track -- and you are running on a track, I see no reason why they would be providing an "unfair" advantage.
 
If I recall correctly, you only have a very short period of downtime between ea event, thus make sure you can get in and out of the shoes quickly. Also realize you get max points for a certain time period, but you don't get more points for doing it faster than what they deem as max.

Remember the CFA is a mathematical equation score in between these numbers you get X points, tally them, and then that is added to your WCS.

Use running as an example, you do your run in 5 min. get max points (lets say 20..I don't know the #), but you do only 1 pull up so you get 0 pts, and 45 push-ups and get 10 (assuming 20 is max), and 50 sit-ups anpther 10. Meanwhile, another cadet runs a little slower, but can do more push-up, sit-ups and pull-ups, their score can be higher than yours.

It is about the total score, don't worry so much about the shoes, concentrate more on the events. I am pretty sure since you have track shoes, you'll still run faster than the avg kid!

Finally, don't rush on taking the CFA, practice, practice, practice ---take it when you feel you can't get a higher score. DS started practicing in July and could only do 1 pull-up, and @ 50 sit ups and push-ups, by Dec, he maxed push-ups with 85, sit-ups with 90, pull-ups 13 (max is 18 for AFA). The boards aren't meeting for several months (even reg admission boards aren't until next Mar). The MOC slate can't be reviewed untill all nom files are in. In NC the noms were not submitted until Jan. You may get an LOA in August at the earliest, but LOA's are very rare, be proud if you get one, but not disappointed if you don't!



Good luck...remember practice the entire CFA under their regs, this includes the amount of downtime between ea event. Continue practicing the CFA after taking it since you want to be physically ready for USNA in July of 09
 
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Thanks! I guess you're right.... I went back and looked at the maxes and thought to myself... "I really don't need to go all out on the run, I can ace that with no problem." However, I should start getting in some pull-ups. I don't really have a pull-up bar readily available, and, as a runner, am not much of an upper body strength kind of guy... I can kill the pushups and situps, its just those pull-ups I'm worried about. I don't really know what I can do to help with those other than finding or making a pull-up bar.... Any suggestions?
 
CFA Submission

My son's coach is going to be doing his CFA (retake from NASS). How does he submit the new results?
 
My son's coach is going to be doing his CFA (retake from NASS). How does he submit the new results?

I ran into the same problem, I contacted my regional officer and he just asked for the new proctor's info and he sent him the email.
 
I know that I can take the CFA as many times as I want but can I resubmit it if I have already sent in the rest of my package?

Thanks for the help.
 
I do not know about the USNA, but I do know alot of kids apply to all of the SA's. Beware the AFA will not allow you to re-submit unless they ask you to, so don't submit until you feel you can't do any better. Not sure about the other academies. So if you intend to apply to more than the USNA, check with the other SA's, they may operate differently

Remember the boards and MOC noms aren't even meeting yet, so you have time to get the CFA.

The only time I would rush it is if you have an LOA and a pres, b/c than you get your appt.
 
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