Finally took the CFA today

[txfwindian]

ok folks, DD took CFA today. Since her deadline is nov 1, her coach is submitting the scores today. She did make her best scores in every category.

BB: 42.5 ft
FAH: 15 secs
Shuttle run: 10.5 sec
push ups: 22
crunches: 85
mile run: 7 min 58

Any thoughts from experienced folks if these are passable at USAFA? She is going to give another try for USMA in 30 days.

 

[You]

Here's a link someone else put up here a little while ago. It will give you a vague idea of where your DD stands, but I've heard it might be slightly inaccurate.

Candidate Fitness Assessment Score Calculator - Ace your CFA

Preparing to apply to a Service Academy? Use our Candidate Fitness Assessment Score Calculator to help you prepare for USMA, USAFA, and USNA.

www.gainserviceacademyadmission.com

 

[MidCakePa]

Has DD looked at the CFA averages listed on the USAFA website? Does she think she left any points on the table? Will her fitness, health and weather conditions allow for another try before 11/1? Based on those answers, she can determine whether another try would be worthwhile.

And how does the rest of her package look? CFA is just 10% of total points, but it may help compensate for other areas. Or may need to be compensated for.

 

[txfwindian]

Has DD looked at the CFA averages listed on the USAFA website? Does she think she left any points on the table? Will her fitness, health and weather conditions allow for another try before 11/1? Based on those answers, she can determine whether another try would be worthwhile.

And how does the rest of her package look? CFA is just 10% of total points, but it may help compensate for other areas. Or may need to be compensated for.

I asked her if she wants to take another try, seems adamant not to. She does not thinks next few days will help her much. she would wait a month more and then submit for USMA. However if USAFA gives her more time after submission, she will go for another round.

She does thinks she could have done better in fah ( couple of more seconds if we showed her count), few more crunches.

Her rest of the package is solid ( 1490 sat, good EC) and 1 yr xc varsity

 

[f4fwildcatfm2]

With those scores it is important that she continues to work on getting her fitness up because she wouldn't be able to pass the USAFA fitness tests taken by cadets at her current level. Also she would struggle a lot during basic.

 

[Flygirl2019]

Has DD looked at the CFA averages listed on the USAFA website? Does she think she left any points on the table? Will her fitness, health and weather conditions allow for another try before 11/1? Based on those answers, she can determine whether another try would be worthwhile.

And how does the rest of her package look? CFA is just 10% of total points, but it may help compensate for other areas. Or may need to be compensated for.

You said the CFA is just 10% of the total points. Where do you see what different aspects of their package are worth? Is it possible to get an appointment without passing the CFA?

 

[shiner]

You said the CFA is just 10% of the total points. Where do you see what different aspects of their package are worth? Is it possible to get an appointment without passing the CFA?

No, but they may offer for you to retake it.

 

[MidCakePa]

Is it possible to get an appointment without passing the CFA?

What @shiner said. To receive offer of appointment, a candidate must be 3Q — triple qualified — and have a nomination. 3Q means academically, medically and physically qualified. The last one is determined via CFA.

 

[FlyFalcon]

I'm currently trying to retake the test with the same end date. I highly recommend getting her to retake it.
BB is better than mine so she looks good there. if she can do one pull up it would really help, currently I barely do one but it counts and it's points. Shuttle run is about the same as mine, I recommend having her look up some tips every point counts.

Push-ups are the easiest way to quickly earn points. Have her do about 200 correct push-ups a day. Not all at once. Through out day like 10 every hour. I currently do this with my test being on the 27th ( yeahhhhh I know I know). If she can even get 10 more push ups it would really help her case as it puts her closer to the average which again is points.

Also she's sooo close to the max for the crunches is she using a mat when she does them? I found I could only hit the max when I had a max at I tend to do them quick ( correctly of course) which ends with pain with out meaning I can only hit around 75. If she does have a mat I recommend setting goals durning the test. The second she stops she dies it's just how our bodies are because we start feeling sore and sore means less push to get another one. So get as many as possible as fast as she can. Then when it starts to hurt realize the she can get another ten ( if time permits) ten feels like alot but it's a mental game you play, one you can win.

Lastly I'm a miler, I run the mile for track and currently running XC. What helps me is not thinking about how much farther I have but setting a small targets each time. For example let's say she just started, instead of thinking "man I have three more laps" have her practice "man I just need to hit the curve" oh hey look that came quickly that wasn't so bad, now set another one "ok I just need to the other side of the curve" by doing this you trick you mind it focusing on what your doing, not what you'll have to do. Small goals are less threatening then big ones. This also keeps out negative thoughts which slow times down. Our minds suck at motivation of they aren't trained, actually they suck even when trained just less. She can do it, our physical capabilities far exceed what our pain tells us.

-sorry that was long but she can improve even with such a small amount of time. It just takes alot of patience in doing push ups when tired, and think positive when negative is easier. She's got this!

 

[txfwindian]

With those scores it is important that she continues to work on getting her fitness up because she wouldn't be able to pass the USAFA fitness tests taken by cadets at her current level. Also she would struggle a lot during basic.

Yes, she plans to continuously work on her fitness irrespective of the outcome.

 

[txfwindian]

Here's a link someone else put up here a little while ago. It will give you a vague idea of where your DD stands, but I've heard it might be slightly inaccurate.

Candidate Fitness Assessment Score Calculator - Ace your CFA

Preparing to apply to a Service Academy? Use our Candidate Fitness Assessment Score Calculator to help you prepare for USMA, USAFA, and USNA.

www.gainserviceacademyadmission.com

She is 40 percentile, but passed according to this scale. I am not counting on it though...

 

[dddad]

I’d say a pass but 22 push ups may be flirting with disaster. If it was a problem, she’ll probably only need a few more. Hope it works out for her. As for USMA, strength is important so make sure she puts a little extra focus there. Assuming she gets over the CFA hump, improvement until and after she reports is key. Good luck.

 

[txfwindian]

I’d say a pass but 22 push ups may be flirting with disaster. If it was a problem, she’ll probably only need a few more. Hope it works out for her. As for USMA, strength is important so make sure she puts a little extra focus there. Assuming she gets over the CFA hump, improvement until and after she reports is key. Good luck.

DD is determined to do much better in her attempt for USMA, USNA. She is hoping she can ask for a retake after the deadline for USAFA.

 

[justdoit19]

I wouldn’t count on asking to retake beyond the deadline. In fact, I would advise my child to not even ask that question of USAFA. It could potentially put a negative on her application. If not formally, then perhaps informally.

Follow the rules, and do you best along with the thousands of others that are applying. The whole process is designed as an attention to detail, following the rules kind of thing. Planning, preparing and organizing the sometimes 18 month process.

Unless there is an extension granted, absent a very good, extenuating circumstance (and even at that, not sure inquiring is a good idea imo), the deadline is the deadline. Period.

 

[txfwindian]

I wouldn’t count on asking to retake beyond the deadline. In fact, I would advise my child to not even ask that question of USAFA. It could potentially put a negative on her application. If not formally, then perhaps informally.

Follow the rules, and do you best along with the thousands of others that are applying. The whole process is designed as an attention to detail, following the rules kind of thing. Planning, preparing and organizing the sometimes 18 month process.

Unless there is an extension granted, absent a very good, extenuating circumstance (and even at that, not sure inquiring is a good idea imo), the deadline is the deadline. Period.

DD said that the application packet mentioned to submit CFA( even if failing) before the deadline. She maybe granted retake option with 2-3 week deadline.

 

[You]

DD said that the application packet mentioned to submit CFA( even if failing) before the deadline. She maybe granted retake option with 2-3 week deadline.

Just my two cents: if she's given the chance, make sure she takes it. If anything, it might show admissions she's willing to improve and not willing to settle for anything less than her best.

 

[txfwindian]

Just my two cents: if she's given the chance, make sure she takes it. If anything, it might show admissions she's willing to improve and not willing to settle for anything less than her best.

yes. if USAFA asks her to retake, she is going to retake it. She thinks she can improve her score in pushups, pullups/fah, mile run in another 3 weeks of training.

 

[HCopter]

@txfwindian , any update? It would be nice to see if DD's scores are passing I hope so!!

@FlyFalcon good luck tomorrow! Make sure to eat well, hydrate, sleep well. The "test" actually begins now, "active preparation period" before the CFA test! Don't forget the little things - make sure you and your administrator know the commands, check the bar if it's not the one you use, sweep the area of shuttle run, etc and be very aware of your "self talk" - keep yourself pumped up and good luck!

 

[txfwindian]

@txfwindian , any update? It would be nice to see if DD's scores are passing I hope so!!

@FlyFalcon good luck tomorrow! Make sure to eat well, hydrate, sleep well. The "test" actually begins now, "active preparation period" before the CFA test! Don't forget the little things - make sure you and your administrator know the commands, check the bar if it's not the one you use, sweep the area of shuttle run, etc and be very aware of your "self talk" - keep yourself pumped up and good luck!

No update from USAFA so far. She does have her ALO interview scheduled for this week. Very busy week for her with couple of Plan B schools early action deadlines on Oct 31 ( essays to write for them ).

 

[FlyFalcon]

Thanks! I'm a varsity runner in XC so I know how important it is to get sleep and eat well. For me it's always two days before though that takes difference. Heres how my test went, not the best but it's in and I'll take it



Basket ball throw: 26 feet
Pull-ups-1
shuttle run: 10.2
Sit-ups: 95 (max)
push-ups: 42
mile: 6:20

As I said I know my basketball throw is really weak. Even though I worked on it for four months I seemed to make no improvement maybe a foot? But it's ok, I'm not one to get stuck over the fact that I didn't improve a single bit. Funny story with the pull-ups I did a practice test and the bar moved XD we found a new bar for this test thankfully. I think I could have done two and I'll continue to work on them for my sake but I didn't want to risk my push-ups. Shuttle run is ( in my opinion) a XC runners nightmare as all of my muscle is endurance and only some fast twitch fibers, but again I'll work on it. Lastly the sit-ups were done in a 1:25 as I had no idea how fast I was going. Last time I hit 95 at 1:45 and felt good but this time hurt more so I thought I was running out of time......nope just going faster lol. Naturally even in 33 degree weather, 10 mile winds with a wonderful chilly downpour I was pretty happy with a 6:20 it felt soooo long with out spikes though. Thanks everyone for the encouragement! One last form to fill out for everything then interviews and I'm done! ( Form is the extra curricular as my sectionals meet is in a few days definitely want to be able to put on there that we went to state twice)