CFA

Joined
Aug 14, 2017
Messages
72
Hi all,

I took the CFA about a month ago, and these were my scores:

Basketball throw: 65.8 ft
Sit-ups: 111
Push-ups: 50
Pull ups: 10
Shuttle run: 9.1 seconds
Mile run: 6:01

I know that these are okay scores, but obviously there is room for improvement. Admissions recommends me taking it as many times as I feel that I can improve. However, I know that I have to take it again soon to remain competitive.

My question is, how much of the application is the CFA REALLY worth? Will my current scores be sufficient, and should I focus on other parts of my application, or will maxing out all components of the test make a significant difference?

I'm willing to train for better scores, it's just that the time crunch and unknown as to how much it is really counted for is kind of making me unsure as to what to do.

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Nobody really knows how much the CFA is really worth. It is generally just a pass/fail item. If you fail, the Academy will let you know and have you retake it. That said, if two candidates are equal in every other area, might they look at the CFA as a tie breaker? Maybe, which is why you are encouraged to always strive for the max. If you feel you can retake it and do significantly better, then by all means, do! Have the above scores been submitted or was it just a practice test? If you don't have any scores submitted, I would take it asap and at least get some scores in the system, just in case you, heaven forbid, have some type of injury that keeps you from taking the test at a later time.

As an aside, the max for the sit-ups is 95. As soon as you reach the max, stop. You don't get extra points for exceeding the max, and it only takes up more of your energy that you could use for other portions of the test.
 
Look up the max for sit ups, I think it is 95 or 96. Even if you do a million sit ups it will still count as the max which is 95-96. The CFA is a test that progressively gets harder, so why waste energy doing sit ups that dont count?

I dont think anyone really knows how much it is actually worth. But I have heard that it is somewhere around 10% of your application. Yes, maxing out your scores can make a significant difference, every point counts.
 
Agree on stopping for sit ups. Wasting energy. Mile run is good. Push ups and pull ups... if you could improve those then retake it. If not, it's probably fine.
 
I know that the goal is to strive for the max, but I did less than this on my CFA and was still considered as "passing". Of course I'm in the retaking stages as well, and I've already retaken it once and I will be retaking it once each month until time runs out, but do not lose any sleep over your scores. For now they are decent enough to get your application into the "Complete" phase. Good luck on your process!
 
My CFA results were:
B-ball throw: 65
Pull ups: 14
Shuttle run: 8.9
Sit-ups: 70
Push-ups: 45
Mile: 6:45

How's my score?
Any tips on the bball throw?
What's the best way to train for the mile?(yes I've seen the email, but I don't have many months)
Overall training tips??
Thanks.
 
I know there is always a lot of discussion of its importance. I can tell you what I was told by admissions at Nass. It is "pass or fail". I was disappointed in my performance because I was recovering from bronchitis, I told the admissions officer I plan to retake because I was not happy with my performance. He said don't waste your time you passed move on. I will say it is because they look at athletics as a whole. I am a 3 sport varsity athlete so the Cfa may not hold as much weight, compared to someone without varsity letters. He also told me he has never seen an admissions decision based on how far you can throw a basketball.
 
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