Cooking classes vs. Athletic classes

PyroSweets

PyroSweets

C/O 2026
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
31
I'm a Junior right now, and am going to apply for the USAFA class of 2026 in a week or two. I'm also filling out my course registration for my senior year. I have a passion for cooking, and even though I am continuing my rigorous class progression, one of my eight classes each semester will be cooking related (I've already taken several throughout high school). Even though another one of my classes each semester will be a PE credit, it might be of interest to me to take a second PE credit each semester instead of cooking since I haven't been in any organized sports in high school. What should I do?
 
Without organized sports, do you have other extracurricular activities that you can show leadership with?

Are you working out sufficiently to do well on the CFA?

Can you join a sport like Cross Country or track?
 
PyroSweets said:
I'm a Junior right now, and am going to apply for the USAFA class of 2026 in a week or two. I'm also filling out my course registration for my senior year. I have a passion for cooking, and even though I am continuing my rigorous class progression, one of my eight classes each semester will be cooking related (I've already taken several throughout high school). Even though another one of my classes each semester will be a PE credit, it might be of interest to me to take a second PE credit each semester instead of cooking since I haven't been in any organized sports in high school. What should I do?
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I was able to show leadership in culinary but it really depends on the course. I do think if you take an athletic course it would be more beneficial in terms of physical preparation.
 
Can you follow your passion and impact your Culinary program positively? Be a leader to others in the program? With Covid it is a challenge but can you post recipes to a page for other young student cooks to try?
Do you have the self discipline to train for your physical tests outside of PE? Our DS only had one year of PE (sport outside of high school) and earned admission, but he prepped on his own time for the CFA. A lot of prep.
Personally I think there is a lot to be said for following your passion if you can make a positive impact and articulate what you brought to the table (see what I did there?) and how you grew from the experience.
 
Dear OP

You and my DD are in exact same spot, she loves baking ( she is foodie, ran a baking business ) and never participated in sports. She is senior now and should be getting her appointment offer from USAFA soon. One of most impactful recommendations given here was for her to participate in cross country as she never participated in a sports before her junior year. Doing that she not only got fit, but also earned varsity letter. She did have other EC where she participated in leadership capacity.

I think participation in XC made her application well rounded and complete. You have time on your side, make it count. Good luck
 
PyroSweets said:
I'm a Junior right now, and am going to apply for the USAFA class of 2026 in a week or two. I'm also filling out my course registration for my senior year. I have a passion for cooking, and even though I am continuing my rigorous class progression, one of my eight classes each semester will be cooking related (I've already taken several throughout high school). Even though another one of my classes each semester will be a PE credit, it might be of interest to me to take a second PE credit each semester instead of cooking since I haven't been in any organized sports in high school. What should I do?
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With your notes above, cooking credentials can be posted in your academy application in the academic awards/honors column if you have a certificate for it... along with your Math, Chinese Mandarin, Physics, and Chemistry awards.
 
Most importantly, you should pursue cooking classes because it is something that interests you. Developing your interests is what helps you figure out who you are and what you want to be in life. If you ONLY took cooking classes, a service academy would not be a great fit probably. But taking cooking classes makes you a more interesting person which I always vote for.

I would not take an athletic course in lieu of cooking, but you do want to join an athletic team. You want sports on your resume if you can help it.
 
As much as I love to cook myself, I'd say do the cooking classes in your free time. If you are going to do cross country, I wouldn't worry about the PE class but find something like Personal Finance, economics or a computers class to fill your schedule. You don't really get much of a chance to explain the why-I-took-this-class on your transcript much and you wouldn't it to look like "she took it b/c it's an easy class".
 
The key is you haven't mentioned anything besides taking the cooking classes, even if you have consistency of courses and 8 cooking related classes by the end of your HS career. The advice of others - is spot on - what did you DO with it? Are you the teacher's chef apprentice? Duties? Appear on Chopped JR? How about put on your own version of it? Enter a state fair competition? Demonstrate cooking classes to an audience (of how many, what purpose, audience? etc). Coordinate an activity with other clubs? Like film club? They pick the film, you bring the food? Hopefully you are doing some very interesting things with the cooking.

No, I would not recommend taking another PE class. Do an organized varsity sport. But it's still going to look like window dressing as you are marking a bubble for senior year only, probably not captain, and probably no all-city/county/state or other level honors. It's going to be one lonely bubble mark in that vast list of sports.

The CFA for YOU is going to be important to show you have physical fitness. Go on your fact finding mission for each SA, print out the CFA instructions, make a chart of max and averages, and plan to max in as many elements as possible. Assuming your application window opens on 07/01/21, you have 125 days or 4 months and 5 days from TODAY to plan your CFA - and that's just when the window opens.
 
Heatherg21 said:
Can you follow your passion and impact your Culinary program positively? Be a leader to others in the program? With Covid it is a challenge but can you post recipes to a page for other young student cooks to try?
Do you have the self discipline to train for your physical tests outside of PE? Our DS only had one year of PE (sport outside of high school) and earned admission, but he prepped on his own time for the CFA. A lot of prep.
Personally I think there is a lot to be said for following your passion if you can make a positive impact and articulate what you brought to the table (see what I did there?) and how you grew from the experience.
Click to expand...
As much as I love to cook myself, I'd say do the cooking classes in your free time. If you are going to do cross country, I wouldn't worry about the PE class but find something like Personal Finance, economics or a computers class to fill your schedule. You don't really get much of a chance to explain the why-I-took-this-class on your transcript much and you wouldn't it to look like "she took it b/c it's an easy class".
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Even though I've only started taking culinary courses this semester, I've already begun competing on the district-wide level with my school's team of 3 students. Hopefully this shows some rigor in taking these "easy" courses during senior year. I've begun CFA prep and I'm also going to see if I can join spring XC, and fall XC of senior year if not.
 
HCopter said:
The key is you haven't mentioned anything besides taking the cooking classes, even if you have consistency of courses and 8 cooking related classes by the end of your HS career. The advice of others - is spot on - what did you DO with it? Are you the teacher's chef apprentice? Duties? Appear on Chopped JR? How about put on your own version of it? Enter a state fair competition? Demonstrate cooking classes to an audience (of how many, what purpose, audience? etc). Coordinate an activity with other clubs? Like film club? They pick the film, you bring the food? Hopefully you are doing some very interesting things with the cooking.

No, I would not recommend taking another PE class. Do an organized varsity sport. But it's still going to look like window dressing as you are marking a bubble for senior year only, probably not captain, and probably no all-city/county/state or other level honors. It's going to be one lonely bubble mark in that vast list of sports.

The CFA for YOU is going to be important to show you have physical fitness. Go on your fact finding mission for each SA, print out the CFA instructions, make a chart of max and averages, and plan to max in as many elements as possible. Assuming your application window opens on 07/01/21, you have 125 days or 4 months and 5 days from TODAY to plan your CFA - and that's just when the window opens.
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CFA prep has definitely been a priority because of my lack of sports, and I don't plan on having failing the test as an option. I'm going to see if I can join spring XC at my high school, and if it's too late, I'm going to join fall XC for my senior year. Thanks for the great advice, I really appreciate it.
 
@PyroSweets , wonderful attitude!

SA or civilian, it is quite interesting that you are competing in cooking or whatever the proper term is. Most people haven't seen it before, other than being couch quarterbacks yelling at the TV on Chopped and all those other baking shows. So try to have some good stories of describing the competitions.

I remember reviewing a young man's application for the PVSA award, and it struck me because he carefully crafted all his volunteering towards food - food pantry, Thanksgiving meals, meals on wheels type of things. It was quite interesting. There's no shortage of amazing things you can do. Maybe get the XC team to bake cookies together and set up a table at the open house, getting people to join the team. See, you just double dipped (haha no pun intended) on the leadership there!
 
Thanks all for your advice! Almost a year later, sticking with cooking landed me in national competitions and the role of VP for my cooking club's district. I also joined XC the fall of my senior year, and it helped a ton with my CFA, as I achieved excellent scores.

Thanks for helping me out on one of my first posts!
 
PyroSweets said:
Thanks all for your advice! Almost a year later, sticking with cooking landed me in national competitions and the role of VP for my cooking club's district. I also joined XC the fall of my senior year, and it helped a ton with my CFA, as I achieved excellent scores.

Thanks for helping me out on one of my first posts!
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Yeah, and don't be shy, @PyroSweets , you actually followed all the GREAT advice you were given on this thread, that came from many caring and/or interested individuals in this forum who decided to share their wisdom and ideas with you. I happen to know that you went on to earn a PVSA gold medal from President Biden, and 1st place in State in the annual cooking competition and a silver medal at Nationals; plus a Medal of Achievement in Math and Science from the Colorado School of Mines, tons of leadership and other significant awards elsewhere, and all those STEM accomplishments that I won't even go into. Amazing how one's own accomplishments end up being a culmination of many individuals having come before, who have inspired, provided support, and cared enough to give a stranger a word of advice and support. Sometimes it really does take a village! Now you just wait and see what USAFA decides. Either way, our human value and connection with others far outweighs any application acceptance or denial.

:jump1:
 
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