FVE Invitation
- Thread starter lacebolla
- Start date
Hi! I also attended the FVE last week.
I have been doing some research and asked some of the admissions advisors and it's to my understanding that it is a good sign, but not a definitive yes. The FVE program was intended to sway competitive applicants into going to USAFA. People applying to USAFA also have a chance of getting into West Point, USNA, or other prestigious civilian colleges (UCLA, Yale, Harvard etc.). FVE was designed to give 60 highly competitive candidates an in depth view of the USAFA campus in hopes that you would complete your application, and attend their institution.
As you saw, we were given a lot of information about the institution and had many opportunities to ask current cadets and recent graduates any questions that we had. We also were given access to attend classes that current cadets take. This privilege isn't given to every applicant and since only 60 people are chosen, it's a selective program and shows that the admissions committee sees value in you.
Again, it is not a definitive "you will get in" but it's a good sign that they are interested in you.
Hope this helps.
lacebolla
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- Aug 17, 2020
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Yes, this really helped. Thank you!
Just for some further information, I attended FVE last year and I'm pretty sure about 27 of the 30 people that went at the same time as me ended up attending USAFA. The 3 or so of us that did not go were either medically denied (like me) or accepted offers to other academies like USNA or USMA. The admissions office explained their selection process to us a little bit more in depth than how Jman explained it above. An invitation to FVE means that you are probably academically competitive, but it also means you are likely from a district that doesn't get a plethora of USAFA applications. They want to attract good candidates from nomination districts that have little competition. USAFA doesn't need to bring candidates from competitive districts to attned FVE, because there are already a large number of people who really want to attend the academy that are competing for spots. As Jman said, FVE is designed to convince competitive candidates that might not otherwise attend the Academy that USAFA is the place for them.
MY OPINION on FVE:
Yes or no, no caveats: I pick yes.
Think of it like non-IC heavily recruited candidate - in any other year it's an all expenses paid, 4 day 3 night trip! Agree with @20cris - DD also reported selection on test scores, congressional district, and something else. My DD had an FVE group chat and even if it's self selection, it was a pretty large group, and they all got offers of appointment except those not medically qualified.
Yes or no, no caveats: I pick yes.
Think of it like non-IC heavily recruited candidate - in any other year it's an all expenses paid, 4 day 3 night trip! Agree with @20cris - DD also reported selection on test scores, congressional district, and something else. My DD had an FVE group chat and even if it's self selection, it was a pretty large group, and they all got offers of appointment except those not medically qualified.