GPA/Class Rank

Teach5

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Jan 28, 2017
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My DS is currently playing the wait game like so many others. His dream to attend the USAFA only happened about a year ago. He had the plan to attend college to get his degree and then apply to become an AF officer. He wants to pursue a degree in meteorology and become a weather officer. Once we found out about the academy we went there for a visit and it was amazing! It was there though that we found out just how difficult it was to be accepted. My DS's GPA and class rank is not as outstanding as the majority. Everyone there was still very encouraging and still said to apply.

With that being said, he has been allowed to apply with a less than stellar GPA (3.56) and class rank. Even after taking the ACT 5 times, his scores meet the minimal, but are not what you see of most cadets. He does have an athletic letter for the last 3 years and an extensive list of extracurriculars. He excels in scouting. He is an Eagle Scout and has been a youth leader in multiple scouting camps, even attending national leadership conferences. His ALO interview was outstanding. His ALO said his interview was one of the best ones he has ever conducted. His MOC interview, not so much. He said during the interview he was told how unlikely it would be for him to receive an appointment because of his GPA and class rank. Well, we were shocked to receive the letter in the mail stating he had received a nomination. So now we wait.

Sorry this has been a long post for those who took the time to read it. Because of his GPA/rank/ACT scores we are hopeful for prep school. If he doesn't get accepted he will attend a year of college, then reapply to USAFA and to AFROTC next year. Between all the application requirements and the nomination application requirements, he's my question.... Has anyone had a similar experience where their candidate was accepted? I understand that recruited athletes might be accepted with lower academic scores, but does anyone know of those that have not been recruited? His scores were good enough to apply, but compared to others, it makes the waiting tough (I know it's tough for all). Anyone know of anyone with a similar application?
 
Well I haven't heard back yet but my application is very similar. I have a 3.39 GPA with dual college high school and 1280 SAT, 2 years of JV XC, president of volunteer club, and part time job. I realized I wanted to go to USAFA a year ago, MOC nomination went outstanding but they told me my chances weren't very good (got nominated though). My ALO said I was heading in the right direction by going to university and doing ROTC as my backup. Even though comparing to others doesn't help, I think even if we're behind the mark, making steps in the right direction helps while stressing over an outcome does not. They wouldn't have made us candidates if they didn't think we had a chance eventually. Hope everything works out best for your DS, best of luck!
 
I have a 1250 SAT. I retook it 5 times as well. Obviously it's not a competitive score compared to most, but all one can hope is that the admissions board can see your potential as a leader in the Air Force. I'd like to think that retaking the test five times also shows persistence and determination. However, it probably also depends on if the scores increased and whatnot. Who knows, honestly. Waiting is painful. But we're all in this together. :)
 
The Prep School has other cadets beside recruited athletes with lower test scores, but with much potential. Someone is seeing something in your son that they feel would be a good fit for the Academy.

That is why all of the experienced people on here always say that no one can give a good answer about chances. The "whole person" concept is very real and USAFA likes students who are going to become good officers whether they have perfect academics or not. That is why the in-person interviews are so important because they can get a feel for how the candidate is as a person and not just how they look on paper. Good luck to your son.

Stealth_81
 
^^ I agree and comparing your stats with other former/current applicants serves no purpose since there are other factor considered like teacher recommendations which we will never see. No one except admissions knows the exact formula for the WCS. More apply then are appointed, so it is best to also pursue your Plan B and then just wait to see what the outcome is.
 
We should know that there's more to it than just class rank and gpa that go into a candidate's selection. The thread "Why didn't little Johnny or Janie get an appointment?" by Christcorp is a great read. The candidate handbook has a lot of info as well but like others said we don't know the real secret formula. We may not know exactly how someone got offered an appointment but if some would post their competitive stats (as opposed to the usual top tier) and intangibles that may have pushed them to receive an appointment, we would at least know that the "whole person" is no longer a concept. Most appointment offers are released around mid-March; I won't mind sharing my DS's info once he gets his results. Good luck to all candidates!
 
We should know that there's more to it than just class rank and gpa that go into a candidate's selection. The thread "Why didn't little Johnny or Janie get an appointment?" by Christcorp is a great read. The candidate handbook has a lot of info as well but like others said we don't know the real secret formula. We may not know exactly how someone got offered an appointment but if some would post their competitive stats (as opposed to the usual top tier) and intangibles that may have pushed them to receive an appointment, we would at least know that the "whole person" is no longer a concept. Most appointment offers are released around mid-March; I won't mind sharing my DS's info once he gets his results. Good luck to all candidates!
Thanks for referring me to that post. I found and read it, very insightful! Thanks again!
 
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