Chance Me: USAFA Class of 2025

lacebolla

lacebolla

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
97
Hello, everyone. I hope you all are doing okay with this pandemic and that you're staying safe. Seeing as I have just been given Candidate status, along with emailing my ALO for the first time, I thought the time would be appropriate to post a chance me. Thank you in advance for all of y'alls help.

Academics: 3.48 GPA. It should be around 3.65 to 3.7 given the rigor of my classes and my goals for this senior year. At the end of my senior year, I will have finished taking 10 AP courses, doing well in all (A+ to B+ averages). I have been given an Engineering Distinction, as well as an AP Scholar recognition. My ACT is 28, but I am retaking the test this September. My school doesn't rank, but I estimate I am around the top 11%-12% percentile. I speak Spanish fluently, and show proficiency in French.

Leadership/Extracurricular Activities: I am the Co-Captain of the girl's Cross Country team, as well as the Midfielder of my Varsity Soccer team. I have been in both these teams since freshman year, and just became Co-Captain this summer (given that we return to school by March). I've been a member of NHS for three years, as well as the Chairperson of Marketing on my school's Robotics team. I have worked with the VA and other local hospitals during the pandemic by cooking and serving meals from my workplace. I have worked two jobs, with the pandemic having had me work well over 40 this summer. I am an English tutor at my school, and have been active in community outreach to younger children by introducing STEM workshops to our elementary school girls.

Again, thank you so much for your help. I look forward to hear what you all have to say. Please don't be afraid to ask me to elaborate or provide more information :)
 
DistanceRunner07 said:
What were your ACT sub-scores?
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Here they are:

English: 34
Math: 24
Reading: 30
Science: 24
Essay: 10

I know that my STEM scores don't pair up as well with my English and Reading scores, but I am retaking them this September. I don't know how competitive I'd be with these.
 
HS GPA is low. Standardized test score is low. Class rank is good. I assume the GPA is an unweighted figure, but with only two semesters to go, be realistic and know you are not going to move the needle a significant amount here. Aim to raise the standardized test scores in math and science. You have provided 3 data points - 3.65 GPA, top ~10% of class (unsure if that figure will be shown to board because the school doesn't provide it), and a 28 composite ACT. I see the ACT as the weak link in these 3. I hope you are able make additional attempts this year. The jury is out on how the board would perceive these scores from your Junior year. Some applicants will not have a single score to report - so what is better? Nothing, or a low score that we assume would improve 12 months later?

Sports, leadership, and extra-curricular - these are ok. Nothing that would stand out, but good.

Are you being recruited for CC or Soccer?
 
shiner said:
HS GPA is low. Standardized test score is low. Class rank is good. I assume the GPA is an unweighted figure, but with only two semesters to go, be realistic and know you are not going to move the needle a significant amount here. Aim to raise the standardized test scores in math and science. You have provided 3 data points - 3.65 GPA, top ~10% of class (unsure if that figure will be shown to board because the school doesn't provide it), and a 28 composite ACT. I see the ACT as the weak link in these 3. I hope you are able make additional attempts this year. The jury is out on how the board would perceive these scores from your Junior year. Some applicants will not have a single score to report - so what is better? Nothing, or a low score that we assume would improve 12 months later?

Sports, leadership, and extra-curricular - these are ok. Nothing that would stand out, but good.

Are you being recruited for CC or Soccer?
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I will definitely focus on getting those ACT subscores in STEM improved to improve my overall chances. I definitely see that my GPA isn't as strong as I had hoped it to be. I am not going to be recruited for Soccer or CC, as my school doesn't allow colleges to do that (this is what I've been told by my college counselor.) In knowing this, what's the chance that I'd get in?
 
lacebolla said:
In knowing this, what's the chance that I'd get in?
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No one here knows this answer. We cannot know how good your essays are, how well you interview, or the competitiveness of your district. Even if we did know all of these things, it STILL wouldn't matter because nobody on this forum makes the call on your application. All you can do is give it your best shot. Good luck!
 
lacebolla said:
In knowing this, what's the chance that I'd get in?
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No one here can give you credible odds — and anyone who purports to do so should probably not be trusted. There are just too many variables and unknowns.

Most of your package is fully baked at this point. Know that GPA isn’t the metric SAs use. They examine closely your transcript in context of your school profile, to see if you took the hardest classes your school has to offer and excelled at them. As for your ACT scores, the math and science results stick out like a sore thumb. The SAs are STEM-centric schools and want to know that you’ll be able to handle the work amid all the other demands.

Burnish your examples of leadership, not just activities. It’s not about titles, but impact. And work on that CFA, as it’s one of the few things that’s fully in your control at this point.
 
lacebolla said:
what's the chance that I'd get in?
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You are asking for pure speculation. There are many variables and not a singular recipe for admissions success. Being here at SAF is a great start. Focus on being the best YOU and focus on what you control. For the most part, a candidate's student resume will dictate their chances for admissions. Will your whole person score be high enough to yield an offer of appointment? This is something we cannot answer for you. What can you tweak in the next 5 months to net as many points as possible? These are the golden nuggets you will find value in from SAF. Do your best, be a leader with impact to arm yourself with solid responses to your essays and interview questions. Then, submit the package and wait.... It will be painful, but you already know that. In the end, if this is what you really want to do in life - you either get in on the first try, or you head to a prep program and repeat the process all over.
 
Hi. This is a sea service input but applicable to the sister service academies. I'd say, you have a “chance”. Every candidate that has taken steps to apply and that has completed the application has a chance.

Make sure you tilt chance in your favor. You didn’t mention anything regarding potential nominations sources. Remember, one needs a nomination to earn an appointment. No nomination=No appointment. Chances go up with a nomination. How high up, I don’t know. Apply to all the sources that you are eligible and work extra hard on submitting the best package possible. Keep in mind there may be a requirement for an interview by your nominating source. It isn’t too early to put some ideas in the oven for a slow bake. Don’t get caught in a rush for ideas when the interview time comes.

Have you attempted to do a regulation CFA? If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?

Lastly, keep working your own application without regard to the other “chancers” on the boards. It can be a potential source of anxiety. Take pride in knowing you did the absolute best you could do on your own application, then give it a rest and start working plan B. This year is different.

Only the best to you.
 
lacebolla said:
I am not going to be recruited for Soccer or CC, as my school doesn't allow colleges to do that (this is what I've been told by my college counselor.)
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That should not be a real roadblock for a talented D1 prospect. For Soccer, even if the school is not cooperating, YOU can send videos of yourself along with stats and especially any honors like All Conference, All County, etc. For Cross Country, its even easier as its all about your times although honors like All Conf, etc work just as well here also. I don't want to overstate this but IN GENERAL, sport recruits are going to have been good enough in high school to have picked up some mention in their conference or above. Absolutely not always true but that's what seems to be the case.
 
A parents opinion:

Your ACT composite and M/S are dangerously low. Given limited time, how will you compensate for them? Retake ACT/SAT, show good grades in relevant M/S courses, AP exams to counter low scores? Did you take any AP exams? There is not much to move the cumulative GPA dial now. WHen you slice & dice/filter out extraneous courses - how are grades in just core classes? Improvement YOY, Subject by Subject?

EC's You have leadership titles, but what did you actually DO? How competitive are you - ranked city, district, regional, state? I think either your college counselor is way off (no such thing as "not allowed to recruit"), although there are rules about when/how colleges can recruit (as in not allowed at certain times/certain circumstances).

What is Your Story?
What's up with Spanish fluency?
Explain more about 40+ hrs/week work?
I don't really mean for you to explain to us on SAF, but you need to ask yourself what these mean to you, how do they shape you?
I ask because you focus least on these, but perhaps the most of your story is here. I don't know, just guessing.

Are you answering the question - Why should we bring this candidate to the Cadet Wing? Does this person have the demonstrated history and future capacity to thrive, excel, and lead at USAFA and beyond? Above all other candidates, why should it be you? Do you want to sweat it out and be 1 of 1,000 rectangular lego pieces, of which 1 of 10 are chosen, or do you want to be that must have, can't live without wing, claw, dumpster tool, eyeball attachment? In 2 mins (what someone posted USAFA spends on each application, can't say it's true or not, but sounds reasonable to me!): Who Are You?
 
You have a 15.2% of getting in.

Seriously though, if you only took the ACT one time, do prep, watch videos and take practice test after practice test. If you are short on time focus on Math and Science exclusively since the Academy super scores. My children improved 2 to 5 points at the second ACT so put the work in to improve it. As others have said, you have limited ability to boost GPA or add extracurriculars that would have impact at this point in your High School career. Get the ACT up, write great essays explaining why you, and crush your interviews.
 
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