Is there anything else I can do to become a more appealing candidate?

Slippy13

Slippy13

Prospective - C/O 2029
Joined
May 1, 2023
Messages
53
Hello,

Sorry for all the questions. I’m a sophomore, and I’m keeping my grades up, in many leadership opportunities, and I play sports. I’m also a cadet in Civil Air Patrol. I’m doing everything I can from what the academy website says to do, but I want to make sure I’m seriously qualified.

Thank you!
 
I'm not sure if you're able to PM yet or not, but send me a message if you can. I'm an ALO and graduate. I would be happy to discuss everything with you. You'll be assigned a mentor ALO when you start the application process, but that's a little way away.
 
BigJake2000 said:
I'm not sure if you're able to PM yet or not, but send me a message if you can. I'm an ALO and graduate. I would be happy to discuss everything with you. You'll be assigned a mentor ALO when you start the application process, but that's a little way away.
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I can’t quite yet, but I will let you know. Thank you very much Sir/Ma’am!
 
Take on leadership roles at CAP and rank up every 56 days. Apply for powered flight academy and merit scholarships for Wings program. Glider flight academy, Cyber Patriot, Encampment Cadre, there is also a Cadet Summer Activity at Air Force Academy through CAP you can apply for. All of these activities have merit scholarships so rank up and get leadership roles at your squadron with an aim for Cadet Commander
Sports are important so lead by example and try for Team Captain.
 
Check out your alternative paths to service: read everything about all five academies, read up on the various ROTC/AFROTC/NROTC programs, and learn what careers you might choose from when you graduate. The fact is getting into USAFA is very difficult so you'll need a plan B and C, and you may find one of these alternates might appeal to you quite a bit.
 
"Keeping your grades up" I hope that means A's in the most difficult classes your school has to offer.:) In all seriousness, AP, IB, and stem-heavy classes matter. Excellent SAT/ACT scores (1500/35). Team captain, drum major, section leader, club president, Eagle Scout, Billy Mitchell, etc Leadership roles matter. Varsity letters, league, district, sectional, and state are great. Muli-sport is even better. Athletics. Academics. Leadership. Keep those in focus. Leave nothing to chance. The competition is fierce. Have multiple backup plans. Most importantly don't do something stupid and life-altering as a 10th, 11th, or 12th grader. Drugs, alcohol, etc.
 
As StPaulDad said, have a plan B and C. I’ve seen students receive a no from an SA and get pretty disappointed when they put all their eggs in the SA basket. Having a backup plan, ROTC / State or University academic scholarships, make that No from a SA easier to take should that happen.

As T-37IP said, AP/IB and stem classes matter. Athletics, Academics, Leadership is a big part of the SA / ROTC application. Sports are very important. Take a look at the service academy’s profiles for the last few incoming classes.

Pay attention to the details on the application and associated forms that you need to fill out. I have a friend who’s DS was 10+ pounds overweight for the USAFA & AFROTC. Was dead set for USAFA but got turned down. This young man was devastated. I suggested trying for USNA or NROTC as their weight limit is higher than the AF. Still pondering…..

Good luck to you!
 
Take the SAT/ACT early and often, as I tell my students. I would take the June test(s) if you are able. Start preparing by using Kahn Academy and/or other online resources. Best of luck!
 
Get a piece of paper (or make a PowerPoint slide). Put the symbol of the school you want to go to in the upper left corner.

Make some columns. Title the columns: GPA, AP/Honors Courses, SAT/ACT, Sports, Physical Fitness, Leadership Positions, Teacher/coach Recommendations, Other Cool Things, Awards/Honors, volunteer, etc.. For some schools, you may need to list majors which may be tiered.

Research online where the average candidate falls in each of these categories. Note: This is NOT THE MINIMUM! MINIMUMS ARE FOR NON-SELECTS! Figure out where SELECTS fall into each of these categories. Write it into the columns.

Underneath these categories, write where you are in each area and where you are GOING in each area, and HOW you will get there.

Include a timeline. Freshman Year: JV basketball player; senior year Varsity Captain; take ACT in October of this year. Do ACT/SAT studying under BLANK program; Take ACT again in December. Ask for recommendations by this point, etc.

Include an application timeline. When do you need to apply for a nomination? What other application dates are there? Advice: A "due date" means get it done a month earlier. Don't learn this the hard way.

Work these categories and have a plan for each of them to get you to at least the typical SELECTEE's profile.

And do PT. Too many forget how important this is and fail as a result.
 
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Leadership Roll in community service area. Maybe something you create and build. Adopt a park in your community. Start a Food drive for the homeless and get out there and serve on the front lines. Recruit helpers/partners.
Importantly, get professional counseling/tutoring on interviewing techniques. Look for someone with SA or Military background for this. Or at least have someone with that experience you can talk to, in regards to interviewing questions. Practice Practice Practice.
To many underestimate the importance of interviewing in this process. There's quite a lot of parity in highly qualified applicants, and some of this ends up being subjective. Make the best impression you can in all the interviewing, congressional and AOs.
 
I might be the outlier here. Find or identify something you are passionate about. Make it better. Be able to discuss and articulate that.

So many applicants build resumes. Do that, but make sure you build the resume only you could build. It should be personal. Just like your essays and personal statements.

I will always advocate for the support and opportunities our son had via the American Legion (Ladies Auxillary for ladies). Whether it is the Boys State opportunity or it is the Oratorical Contest, these challenges provide so many potential opened doors it is crazy. Our son made almost $5,000 competing for the oratorical over three years and it provided substantial growth and networking.
 
Academician said:
Take the SAT/ACT early and often, as I tell my students. I would take the June test(s) if you are able. Start preparing by using Kahn Academy and/or other online resources. Best of luck!
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Thank you very much!
 
What most candidates forget is that although each candidate may be one of the better students in his/her school, so is the individual against whom he/she is competing. Bottom line: the competition has changed -- A LOT. Applying to a service academy is like starting down a path for one of the most competitive challenges they will face in his/her life. It is definitely worth the effort, but more will drop by the wayside compared to the number that ultimately cross the finish line [get a BFE (appointment offer)]. If you can find a way to improve any area of your application, do so. Every WCS (whole candidate score) point counts.

As the president of a SA parent club, I used to tell parents that the good news was that they lived in MA (Massachusetts) and the bad news was that they lived in MA. I explained, since MA has some of the best public education standards in the USA, their DD/DS has access to excellent educational opportunities; however, the bad news is that the individuals against which their DD/DS will compete for a nomination/appointment have the same access (bad news). I used to joke that to optimize the system, they should consider moving after their DD/DS's high school junior year to a state with lower standards. Nobody did that.
 
Falcon74 said:
What most candidates forget is that although each candidate may be one of the better students in his/her school, so is the individual against whom he/she is competing. Bottom line: the competition has changed -- A LOT. Applying to a service academy is like starting down a path for one of the most competitive challenges they will face in his/her life. It is definitely worth the effort, but more will drop by the wayside compared to the number that ultimately cross the finish line [get a BFE (appointment offer)]. If you can find a way to improve any area of your application, do so. Every WCS (whole candidate score) point counts.

As the president of a SA parent club, I used to tell parents that the good news was that they lived in MA (Massachusetts) and the bad news was that they lived in MA. I explained, since MA has some of the best public education standards in the USA, their DD/DS has access to excellent educational opportunities; however, the bad news is that the individuals against which their DD/DS will compete for a nomination/appointment have the same access (bad news). I used to joke that to optimize the system, they should consider moving after their DD/DS's high school junior year to a state with lower standards. Nobody did that.
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Yikes, I go to one of the best schools in that state. I have been working with one of the congressmen in my stat, so hopefully that will help!
 
Slippy13 said:
Yikes, I go to one of the best schools in that state. I have been working with one of the congressmen in my stat, so hopefully that will help!
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Remember, despite how difficult it is to compete for a Congressional/Senatorial nomination, the real competition comes later. Numerically speaking, only 20%(?) will ever see the inside of the Cadet area. Total Congressional/Senatorial nominations may be as high as 5350, but the class size may be closer to 1100.
 
Slippy13 said:
Yikes, I go to one of the best schools in that state. I have been working with one of the congressmen in my stat, so hopefully that will help!
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How does working for a congressman help you?

Hypothetically, if there are ten other better candidates in your district, do you believe working for a congressman would bump one of them out and put you in?

Could it? I guess. Should it? Let’s ask the one bumped out.
 
A1Janitor said:
How does working for a congressman help you?

Hypothetically, if there are ten other better candidates in your district, do you believe working for a congressman would bump one of them out and put you in?

Could it? I guess. Should it? Let’s ask the one bumped out.
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I meant that he knows me and it helps me schedule an appointment.
 
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