Falcon Foundation Scholarship athlete advice

[MusicCityMomma]

Hello FFS recipients and parents! I’m just wondering, now that everybody has had a little time to research and process and listen to the call yesterday, how many are going to accept their scholarship?

Are there any other athletes out there trying to decide? This is my DD’s dilemma. She now has two D1 offers at B and C schools. If she takes the FFS she will go an entire year without practicing her sport and in all likelihood that will be the end of it. She had met and talked to the USAFA coach when she visited right before Covid and he was willing to let her walk on... but no LOA. She didn’t have anything official for him to see other than sophomore stuff because the season was canceled Junior year, and she is already crushing it this year hence the other offers.

I would love to know if anyone else is in this boat. it is a spring sport so she even thought about trying to participate the second semester when she is at a regular college following NWP. The problem there is college athletes only get 4 years to participate even if they transfer.

 

[Stealth_81]

In my opinion it comes down to which she wants to do more, continue her sport or go to USAFA. If she absolutely wants to continue in her sport then take the D1 offer. If she really wants USAFA then take the Foundation offer (golden ticket) and try to get back into her sport later.

Stealth_81

 

[Hopeful Mid 2024]

I know there has been a lot of talk about NWP here on the forums, myself included, I went through the program, and I loved it. However some of the other prep schools offer sports that you can participate in. Look into that if it interests you.

However, since your DS sport is a spring one, she could participate at the school of her choice in the spring if she chooses to attend NWP in the fall. I know we have one person from NWP right now running track (or XC I don't remember) at his spring semester school, so that is also a viable option.

 

[HappyCamper2020]

Hello FFS recipients and parents! I’m just wondering, now that everybody has had a little time to research and process and listen to the call yesterday, how many are going to accept their scholarship?

Are there any other athletes out there trying to decide? This is my DD’s dilemma. She now has two D1 offers at B and C schools. If she takes the FFS she will go an entire year without practicing her sport and in all likelihood that will be the end of it. She had met and talked to the USAFA coach when she visited right before Covid and he was willing to let her walk on... but no LOA. She didn’t have anything official for him to see other than sophomore stuff because the season was canceled Junior year, and she is already crushing it this year hence the other offers.

I would love to know if anyone else is in this boat. it is a spring sport so she even thought about trying to participate the second semester when she is at a regular college following NWP. The problem there is college athletes only get 4 years to participate even if they transfer.

We are in a similar situation. Son has a direct appointment to West Point, but is a little short of their track marks. He might be able to make their team, but it probably won't happen before the Falcon Scholar offer expires. He also has some good D1 offers, but only partial scholarships. He really wants to run in college. He is leaning USAFA Falcon Scholar at NWP because he could focus on Cross Country / Track training in the Spring. I assumed running for a local community college would take away a year of NCAA eligibility, but Hopeful Mid 2024's comment makes me wonder. We'll definitely look into that option.

 

[Capt MJ]

@Stealth_81 reduces the question perfectly.

If she accepts one of the D1 offers, goes to college and enjoys playing her sport, majors in something, gets her degree in something, finds a job doing something, free of the “needs of the AF” that dictate majors in certain areas and asks for years of your life in obligated service, and that feels right and best to her, then that is a perfectly fine path, and the path of commissioned service as an AF officer was not the must-do goal.

If the D1 schools have AFROTC units, she could look into that, if her ultimate goal was to serve as an AF officer. That is a challenge, to do a D1 varsity sport and do AFROTC in one of the allowed majors, but can be done by those who are hard-chargers and truly committed to both.

Or if commissioned service as an AF officer remains THE dream, and via USAFA, then Falcon Scholar is indeed a golden path to a seat in 2026. She could call the USAFA coach, stay in touch, let the coach know of her D1 offers and commitment to the sport, ask for workout advice to keep skills sharp, ask to be kept in mind should a miracle occur and spots open up at USAFAPS at the last minute.

Finally, she could ask her 40 year old self what she most regretted, not playing her college sport, and the college experience and life opportunities that come with that, or not going to the Air Force Academy, and the Service Academy experience and life opportunities that come with the officer career that follows. There is no right or wrong path here, but a 360 degree look is always worth taking.

 

[Capt MJ]

I failed to add - she could go to D1 school, major in something preferred by AF, do well, and apply for a commission through OTS, if serving as an Air Force officer is still the goal. As with all OTS/OCS programs, they are highly competitive, cherry-picking from top college grads, and numbers accepted flex with the Service need for new junior officers from all commissioning sources.

 

[KiwiBird]

“needs of the AF” that dictate majors in certain areas and asks for years of your life in obligated service,

At USAFA, could they force you into a certain major? I'm planning on aerospace engineering, and since that is one they seem to like, I am not too worried about it.

 

[HappyCamper2020]

I know there has been a lot of talk about NWP here on the forums, myself included, I went through the program, and I loved it. However some of the other prep schools offer sports that you can participate in. Look into that if it interests you.

However, since your DS sport is a spring one, she could participate at the school of her choice in the spring if she chooses to attend NWP in the fall. I know we have one person from NWP right now running track (or XC I don't remember) at his spring semester school, so that is also a viable option.

I would be careful here and get clarification from the SA coach. Here is what I found on the Naval Academy Foundation Preparatory Program site. I imagine the same holds true for USAFA, but I'm waiting for confirmation. The NWP runner you mentioned might want to check in with the USAFA coach if he plans to run for the USAFA NCAA team. He could always run for the USAFA Marathon Club team. If my DS goes with NWP, he will likely compete in USATF track meets and local 5k/10k races, preserving his NCAA eligibility.