Falcon Visitation Experience (FVE)

usnausafa2023

usnausafa2023

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Joined
Aug 23, 2018
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18
How do you get selected for an FVE? And, when do the invitations typically come out? From what I have read, it sounds like an amazing experience and I hope I get the chance to become a part of it.
 
usnausafa2023 said:
How do you get selected for an FVE? And, when do the invitations typically come out? From what I have read, it sounds like an amazing experience and I hope I get the chance to become a part of it.
Click to expand...

is that similar to the CVW for USNA?
 
DS just received an invite. He didn't do anything special other than begin his application. He is not done with it yet. Looks like 4 days this year?

Congratulations! You have been selected to attend the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Falcon Visitation Experience (FVE). This program is a campus visit during the week of 24-28 October 2018 in Colorado Springs,
Colorado.

During your visit, you will be immersed in all aspects of cadet daily life to include living in the dorms, attending academic classes, participating in cadet activities, and getting rowdy at a Falcon football game! We hope you
will be able to see yourself at USAFA amidst the many opportunities this college offers.

Each year, the Admissions Office selects highly competitive applicants who will add intangible value to the Air Force's mission to attend the Falcon Visitation Experience. In order to be considered for acceptance into the program, fill out and return the attached Traveler Worksheet by 12 September. After 12 September, your slot will be offered to another individual.

The Academy will fund the entirety of the event including your airline tickets, transportation, lodging, meals, and activities. All participants will be responsible for meals en route to/from USAFA, any souvenirs or miscellaneous items purchased on the trip, and any baggage fees beyond the free carry-on for the plane.

We look forward to showing you all that USAFA has to offer and hope that you consider spending four days on campus learning about the opportunities and challenges of this prestigious college.
 
My DD just got hers a little while ago as well. She is excited(as are we)!
 
The FVE is for top diversity candidates I believe, or at least it used to be. So if you do not meet those requirements please do not worry if you do not get an invite.
 
Sam2018 said:
The FVE is for top diversity candidates I believe, or at least it used to be. So if you do not meet those requirements please do not worry if you do not get an invite.
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Not sure about that? For what its worth, my son is a upper middle class Caucasian; so male, white, not in poverty. So maybe it used to be? But I'm not sure that is applicable to today.
 
Potter2023 said:
DS just received an invite. He didn't do anything special other than begin his application. He is not done with it yet. Looks like 4 days this year?

Congratulations! You have been selected to attend the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Falcon Visitation Experience (FVE). This program is a campus visit during the week of 24-28 October 2018 in Colorado Springs,
Colorado.

During your visit, you will be immersed in all aspects of cadet daily life to include living in the dorms, attending academic classes, participating in cadet activities, and getting rowdy at a Falcon football game! We hope you
will be able to see yourself at USAFA amidst the many opportunities this college offers.

Each year, the Admissions Office selects highly competitive applicants who will add intangible value to the Air Force's mission to attend the Falcon Visitation Experience. In order to be considered for acceptance into the program, fill out and return the attached Traveler Worksheet by 12 September. After 12 September, your slot will be offered to another individual.

The Academy will fund the entirety of the event including your airline tickets, transportation, lodging, meals, and activities. All participants will be responsible for meals en route to/from USAFA, any souvenirs or miscellaneous items purchased on the trip, and any baggage fees beyond the free carry-on for the plane.

We look forward to showing you all that USAFA has to offer and hope that you consider spending four days on campus learning about the opportunities and challenges of this prestigious college.
Click to expand...
jroed said:
My DD just got hers a little while ago as well. She is excited(as are we)!
Click to expand...

Do you mind sharing your DS and DD stats? I very much want an FVE and I was hoping you could give some insight on the qualifications.
 
Potter2023 said:
Not sure about that? For what its worth, my son is a upper middle class Caucasian; so male, white, not in poverty. So maybe it used to be? But I'm not sure that is applicable to today.
Click to expand...

Hahaha,
Diversity Candidate?
Jose Marti, a Cuban national hero, once said, "Ignorance kills people."
Do you think that there are no successful, white, well educated, upper-middle-class diversity candidates? Two Cuban Americans ran for the Republican Party nomination the last election. Coincidentally they will be giving Nominations to our children if they are lucky enough. The world where we live today is diverse, and that is supposed to be the beauty of the Armed Forces a Diverse Army like our nation.
 
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Hey everyone!

Okay...the FVE...yes, it's used with diversity candidates. And it's used with "non diversity" candidates. And guess what? Diversity doesn't mean individuals of a specific (read non-caucasian) ethnic background. USAFA looks at diversity different from many institutions of higher learning. A diversity candidate could be the kid in the midwest that lives on a farm; his father was killed in an accident when he was 12 and he's the oldest of five siblings. So he's up every morning tending the animals with mom, before heading to school. After school, he races home to take care of the farm animals, field work, and to help his mom raise his siblings. Somewhere in all that he gets his studies accomplished. He has no sports, no extracurriculars, and his SAT/ACT scores, while excellent, aren't quite up to USAFA's typical appointee. Guess what? This candidate was admitted as a diversity candidate due to the diversity in his life that he had to overcome to succeed.

Let's not get wrapped up in "XXX-American" labels and diversity; that's not how USAFA wants to look at it. USAFA wants the best future officers we can find and we want them from all walks of American life. Majority, minority, etc., isn't the focus, and nobody should get that wrapped up in it. Our nation has become very diverse, as has our military, and that's a good thing. At the end of the day, USAFA is looking for the best leaders, not the best "XXX-American's" for their diversity program or other programs.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
flieger83 said:
Hey everyone!

Okay...the FVE...yes, it's used with diversity candidates. And it's used with "non diversity" candidates. And guess what? Diversity doesn't mean individuals of a specific (read non-caucasian) ethnic background. USAFA looks at diversity different from many institutions of higher learning. A diversity candidate could be the kid in the midwest that lives on a farm; his father was killed in an accident when he was 12 and he's the oldest of five siblings. So he's up every morning tending the animals with mom, before heading to school. After school, he races home to take care of the farm animals, field work, and to help his mom raise his siblings. Somewhere in all that he gets his studies accomplished. He has no sports, no extracurriculars, and his SAT/ACT scores, while excellent, aren't quite up to USAFA's typical appointee. Guess what? This candidate was admitted as a diversity candidate due to the diversity in his life that he had to overcome to succeed.

Let's not get wrapped up in "XXX-American" labels and diversity; that's not how USAFA wants to look at it. USAFA wants the best future officers we can find and we want them from all walks of American life. Majority, minority, etc., isn't the focus, and nobody should get that wrapped up in it. Our nation has become very diverse, as has our military, and that's a good thing. At the end of the day, USAFA is looking for the best leaders, not the best "XXX-American's" for their diversity program or other programs.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Click to expand...

Sir, how would we let them know about these different experiences that we had that make us “diverse”?
 
sa_applicant2023 said:
flieger83 said:
Hey everyone!

Okay...the FVE...yes, it's used with diversity candidates. And it's used with "non diversity" candidates. And guess what? Diversity doesn't mean individuals of a specific (read non-caucasian) ethnic background. USAFA looks at diversity different from many institutions of higher learning. A diversity candidate could be the kid in the midwest that lives on a farm; his father was killed in an accident when he was 12 and he's the oldest of five siblings. So he's up every morning tending the animals with mom, before heading to school. After school, he races home to take care of the farm animals, field work, and to help his mom raise his siblings. Somewhere in all that he gets his studies accomplished. He has no sports, no extracurriculars, and his SAT/ACT scores, while excellent, aren't quite up to USAFA's typical appointee. Guess what? This candidate was admitted as a diversity candidate due to the diversity in his life that he had to overcome to succeed.

Let's not get wrapped up in "XXX-American" labels and diversity; that's not how USAFA wants to look at it. USAFA wants the best future officers we can find and we want them from all walks of American life. Majority, minority, etc., isn't the focus, and nobody should get that wrapped up in it. Our nation has become very diverse, as has our military, and that's a good thing. At the end of the day, USAFA is looking for the best leaders, not the best "XXX-American's" for their diversity program or other programs.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Click to expand...

Sir, how would we let them know about these different experiences that we had that make us “diverse”?
Click to expand...
By telling them who you are and what makes you who you are. If you've experienced a life situation that is different, unique, or otherwise "out of the norm" then tell them; speak with your ALO, get the word out. Normally it's the ALO that tells USAFA about the kid that is just like the one I described. FYI...that was a real person. Like the kid in Alaska years ago...did his schooling via video and satellite (no internet near him) and he was a "musher." He raised sled dogs and raced them; he was even in the junior version of the Iditarod. USAFA wasn't sure what to make of a kid from "nowhere Alaska" with great grades, but no school attendance, and okay SAT's...no sports, no job they understood, etc.

His ALO wrote a huge letter, explained everything...USAFA/RRS credited the kid cross-country, track, and all sorts of other things based on the Iditarod alone...and he was appointed. That was...a bunch of years ago; I was told that when I went to ALO training at USAFA @ 1995.

Bottom line, IMHO; make certain your ALO knows everything!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
hopefullmom2023 said:
Hahaha,
Diversity Candidate?
Jose Marti, a Cuban national hero, once said, "Ignorance kills people."
Do you think that there are no successful, white, well educated, upper-middle-class diversity candidates? Two Cuban Americans ran for the Republican Party nomination the last election. Coincidentally they will be giving Nominations to our children if they are lucky enough. The world where we live today is diverse, and that is supposed to be the beauty of the Armed Forces a Diverse Army like our nation.
Click to expand...

Sure, a white male could be a diverse candidate given various scenarios. My point was my kid isn't diverse. No hardships to claim, no minority status, no under-represented district. He has to check NO to all those boxes asking all those questions fishing for something that would qualify him as diverse. He just isn't. I understand what diverse means, thanks for the help understanding and the insinuation I'm ignorant.

In response to the question about my son's stats, he is ranked 2/112, SAT 1500, 3 sport varsity letter athlete, works as a math instructor at Mathnasium, and is the drumline section leader. That's his resume more or less. I do think that the fact that he is not very far along with his application could have been a trigger. He has completed his USNA application online 100% but the USAFA has many many boxes left to check. He plans to complete it after he finishes his nomination packets.
 
To follow this up, my son was told by someone during his visit that the USAFA is looking to have more representation from our rural area in our state. There was another young man who was also on the same puddle jumper flight coming home from the FVE into our regional airport. So in this instance I guess my son was "diverse" in that he lives in an under represented area.
 
Potter2023 said:
I understand what diverse means, thanks for the help understanding and the insinuation I'm ignorant.
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Just a bit touchy, no? I didn’t see the same insinuation in what @flieger83 wrote. But I did read a very good clarification, because fact is, most people do think of “diversity” more narrowly than what he explained.

Who knows, maybe USAFA sees a critical need for more Mathnasium instructors / drumline leaders in the cadet ranks. Frankly, candidates with high class rank, 1500 SAT and three varsity letters are a dime a dozen! :rolleyes:
 
MidCakePa said:
Just a bit touchy, no? I didn’t see the same insinuation in what @flieger83 wrote. But I did read a very good clarification, because fact is, most people do think of “diversity” more narrowly than what he explained.

Who knows, maybe USAFA sees a critical need for more Mathnasium instructors / drumline leaders in the cadet ranks. Frankly, candidates with high class rank, 1500 SAT and three varsity letters are a dime a dozen! :rolleyes:
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I swear...sometimes the anonymity of the internet can really make people mean. Okay, I'll play your game and engage.

Yes, I'm touchy when someone responds to my comment with blatant laughing "Hahaha" and comments that my statement was ignorant "Jose Marti, a Cuban national hero, once said, "Ignorance kills people". I completely agree that flieger83 was nothing but respectful in his response, and my comment was in no way directed at that individual. In fact, it is why I responded back to this thread, because clearly he was accurate in that my son was identified as a top candidate from a region in our state they are looking to add more representation from. When I responded with the statement that you quoted I had quoted the statement I was making that response to so that I was clear. I would hope that flieger83 understood I was not directing that toward them.

As far as your comment that my son's stats are a dime a dozen. In looking at the following:
"A Dime a Dozen" Meaning: This phrase is used to describe things that are abundant in quantity and/or very cheap; something that's easily acquired.

.....come on...... an athlete salutatorian with a 1500 SAT a dime a dozen? This is you being mean and down playing what I've presented because you believe I'm being overly confident and arrogant. But the truth is his stats are neither easily acquired nor abundant in quantity. He's done a great job of pulling together a very competitive whole candidate package that will give him as good (or likely better) shot as anyone in getting into an academy or Rice or Duke or MIT. I'm not trying to suggest he is the strongest candidate in the nation, however he is in the top 1%. Like me or not, you can not argue with straight math calculating where he stands against his peers. It will come down to what the academies are looking for and who he is competing against.

By the way, I will say that your response to our question regarding multiple nominations was very comprehensive and helpful. Thank you for that (this is not sarcasm).

I did not come to this forum looking for a disagreement.
 
@Potter2023, please accept my sincere apologies for having offended you. That was not my intent and my sarcasm clearly fell flat. Your DS’s accomplishments are indeed very impressive. In the general population, his credentials are obviously stratospheric. There are more like him at the SAs. But that in no way diminishes what he’s done. Again, my apologies. Best wishes to him.
 
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