My Introduction

[GreenCuisine]

Hello, everyone! I am a homeschooled Sophomore in high school that is also dual enrolled in community college, a novice snake breeder, and a dual citizen of the US and New Zealand. I am wanting to commission in the US Air Force (I'll have to lose my dual citizenship ), preferably through USAFA. I own 8 reptiles: six ball pythons, a bearded dragon, and a leopard gecko. I will be majoring in either Chemistry or Biochemistry. I have had a love for aviation for years. My uncle has a Cessna that I have flown in many times. I have cracked a ton of walnuts, both literally and figuratively. Since I was about 7-8 years old my parents would buy 200-400 pounds of uncracked walnuts that me and my siblings would deshell and sell the walnut meat. In the 7-8 years that we have done it, we have cracked 2000+ pounds of walnuts! I joined this forum to receive information that will help strengthen my USAFA application journey when the time comes. Thank you for all the help that you have given me already!

 

[USNA_STEM_Prof]

Welcome! I had snakes as a kid and always wanted a ball python, haha, so your post made me smile. Good luck.

 

[MidCakePa]

I have cracked a ton of walnuts, both literally and figuratively.

Welcome aboard! You’re wise to start thinking about USAFA now, giving you time to strengthen your credentials and confirm your interest to serve as a commissioned officer. Also to explore other paths to that commission. Continue taking the hardest classes your school has to offer — especially in STEM — and pursuing opportunities for leadership and athletics.

Growing up, we had two walnut trees in our backyard, plus the neighbor’s two walnut trees hung a bit over our shared fence. My mother enjoyed baking with veggies, particularly zucchini bread and carrot cake. So it fell upon me to grate the zucchini (not so bad) and carrots (a bit tougher). It also fell upon me to harvest fallen walnuts, crack them and pick out the meat. It was a royal pain! Let’s just say that to this day, I do not enjoy zucchini bread or carrot cake. And I was in my 50s before I could again stomach walnuts. I now like to put them — store-bought, of course — in my morning oatmeal!

 

[Peter2025]

Hello, everyone! I am a homeschooled Sophomore in high school that is also dual enrolled in community college, a novice snake breeder, and a dual citizen of the US and New Zealand. I am wanting to commission in the US Air Force (I'll have to lose my dual citizenship ), preferably through USAFA. I own 8 reptiles: six ball pythons, a bearded dragon, and a leopard gecko. I will be majoring in either Chemistry or Biochemistry. I have had a love for aviation for years. My uncle has a Cessna that I have flown in many times. I have cracked a ton of walnuts, both literally and figuratively. Since I was about 7-8 years old my parents would buy 200-400 pounds of uncracked walnuts that me and my siblings would deshell and sell the walnut meat. In the 7-8 years that we have done it, we have cracked 2000+ pounds of walnuts! I joined this forum to receive information that will help strengthen my USAFA application journey when the time comes. Thank you for all the help that you have given me already!

I was homeschooled (k-12) and dual enrolled my junior and senior years. Feel free to pm/ask any questions you have specifically about being a homeschool applicant. One of the big things required is course descriptions for the classes you've taken as a homeschooler (my mom so endearingly called it the "30 hour document"). Make sure you keep your syllabi!

 

[99Gold]

Welcome! My oldest was homeschooled K-12 with some dual enrollment his senior year and is now a 2026er at USAFA. Let me know if you have any administrator/teacher/principal questions.

 

[Apollo 8]

I was homeschooled (k-12) and dual enrolled my junior and senior years. Feel free to pm/ask any questions you have specifically about being a homeschool applicant. One of the big things required is course descriptions for the classes you've taken as a homeschooler (my mom so endearingly called it the "30 hour document"). Make sure you keep your syllabi!

I'm homeschooled and my mother sent in my transcript almost two months ago(USNA and USAFA), with no course descriptions. I haven't heard anything about them not being valid yet...
Curious if they are phasing this requirement out.

 

[Peter2025]

I'm homeschooled and my mother sent in my transcript almost two months ago(USNA and USAFA), with no course descriptions. I haven't heard anything about them not being valid yet...
Curious if they are phasing this requirement out.

Not sure. Note sure which academy it was for. I think she had to include it for when emailed as the school rep.

EDIT: Quick google search for the C/26 candidate booklet.

"a. Homeschooled students must also provide a transcript with grades. In addition, homeschooled students must submit the type of curriculum used and a brief description of all courses. This will take the place of the profile for homeschooled students. A college transcript must be submitted for all college courses, regardless of dual enrollment, dual credit or concurrent enrollment status. "

 

[99Gold]

Not sure. Note sure which academy it was for. I think she had to include it for when emailed as the school rep.

EDIT: Quick google search for the C/26 candidate booklet.

"a. Homeschooled students must also provide a transcript with grades. In addition, homeschooled students must submit the type of curriculum used and a brief description of all courses. This will take the place of the profile for homeschooled students. A college transcript must be submitted for all college courses, regardless of dual enrollment, dual credit or concurrent enrollment status. "

I was emailed directly by my DS's USAFA admissions team to provide them. I also sent in a school profile detailing how I give my children their grades and set up customized curriculum. I can't remember if they asked for the profile or I just sent it with the course descriptions. I'd be very surprised if they phase the course descriptioms.

 

[Peter2025]

I was emailed directly by my DS's USAFA admissions team to provide them. I also sent in a school profile detailing how I give my children their grades and set up customized curriculum. I can't remember if they asked for the profile or I just sent it with the course descriptions. I'd be very surprised if they phase the course descriptioms.

Any homeshooler could probably tell you of THAT family that makes it harder for the rest of us by giving all their kids A's for stuff they either didn't do or didn't earn an A in.

 

[Apollo 8]

Any homeshooler could probably tell you of THAT family that makes it harder for the rest of us by giving all their kids A's for stuff they either didn't do or didn't earn an A in.

For that reason my mom was glad I held a couple B’s. According to her my small failure legitimatized me.

 

[GreenCuisine]

One of the reasons why I am enjoying taking college classes while in high school. Because I’d have to submit my college transcript along with my high school transcript it will look more legit. I’ll have all my required high school credits next semester and so I’ll be taking 3-4 classes all together at two community colleges.

 

[GreenCuisine]

I’ll be making a revised high school transcript over Christmas break to propose to my mother that will make things easier for us later on during my application process.

 

[NMMom]

I was emailed directly by my DS's USAFA admissions team to provide them. I also sent in a school profile detailing how I give my children their grades and set up customized curriculum. I can't remember if they asked for the profile or I just sent it with the course descriptions. I'd be very surprised if they phase the course descriptioms.

Our homeschool covering requires course descriptions to be turned in for every high school course, so I have them written. However, these are 1/2 page to a full page per course, detailing the concepts taught and methods used. I assume this is more than the people in admissions would like to receive. Can you give me an idea of how much information you included for each course? I assume they should all be on one document.

 

[Herman_Snerd]

Hello, everyone! I am a homeschooled Sophomore in high school that is also dual enrolled in community college, a novice snake breeder, and a dual citizen of the US and New Zealand. I am wanting to commission in the US Air Force (I'll have to lose my dual citizenship ), preferably through USAFA. I own 8 reptiles: six ball pythons, a bearded dragon, and a leopard gecko. I will be majoring in either Chemistry or Biochemistry. I have had a love for aviation for years. My uncle has a Cessna that I have flown in many times. I have cracked a ton of walnuts, both literally and figuratively. Since I was about 7-8 years old my parents would buy 200-400 pounds of uncracked walnuts that me and my siblings would deshell and sell the walnut meat. In the 7-8 years that we have done it, we have cracked 2000+ pounds of walnuts! I joined this forum to receive information that will help strengthen my USAFA application journey when the time comes. Thank you for all the help that you have given me already!

A quick recommendation is for you to also apply rotc and to the top 20 colleges like Princeton with this Aw shucks koala Outback kiwi vibe. it’s charming and attention grabbing as h*ll- their admissions committee will eat this up.

Attaching for fun a picture of what we think of when someone mentions walnuts near my home in the NE US.

Be authentic and play to your strengths. . G’day, good luck.

 

[justdoit19]

As with any applicant, make sure you are comfortable with standardized testing. Practice practice practice!! Tests will be superscored.

Good luck to you!

 

[Academician]

Hello, everyone! I am a homeschooled Sophomore in high school that is also dual enrolled in community college, a novice snake breeder, and a dual citizen of the US and New Zealand. I am wanting to commission in the US Air Force (I'll have to lose my dual citizenship ), preferably through USAFA. I own 8 reptiles: six ball pythons, a bearded dragon, and a leopard gecko. I will be majoring in either Chemistry or Biochemistry. I have had a love for aviation for years. My uncle has a Cessna that I have flown in many times. I have cracked a ton of walnuts, both literally and figuratively. Since I was about 7-8 years old my parents would buy 200-400 pounds of uncracked walnuts that me and my siblings would deshell and sell the walnut meat. In the 7-8 years that we have done it, we have cracked 2000+ pounds of walnuts! I joined this forum to receive information that will help strengthen my USAFA application journey when the time comes. Thank you for all the help that you have given me already!

One item that you have not noted is participation in a sport. Plus, along with playing a sport or two, I also recommend that you start preparing for the CFA today. Create a workout routine, as I tell my students, that is truly 'routine.' Also, build a running program of about three miles at a time and about 10 miles per week. USAFA is at 7258 feet in altitude, so the 'air is rare.' Best of luck with your journey!

 

[UHBlackhawk]

Reference giving up NZ citizenship.
Yes, it’s a bridge you will need to cross. But if you do so, check and see what is required to maintain “ties to NZ”.
I know someone who gave up his German citizenship before attending a SA. He did 20 years in the US military, then applied to get his German citizenship back. He was able to demonstrate “ties to Germany” by visiting rewrites there on a regular basis and maintaining proof of those visits, and now has dual citizenship again.

 

[GreenCuisine]

A quick recommendation is for you to also apply rotc and to the top 20 colleges like Princeton with this Aw shucks koala Outback kiwi vibe. it’s charming and attention grabbing as h*ll- their admissions committee will eat this up.

Attaching for fun a picture of what we think of when someone mentions walnuts near my home in the NE US.

Be authentic and play to your strengths. . G’day, good luck.

I am also planning on applying to most if not all of the senior military colleges as backups. Sadly, they are all out of state but have excellent financial aid and scholarship opportunities. My backups for my backups are my state universities. Attending a Service Academy is preferred but ROTC will be sufficient.

 

[GreenCuisine]

As with any applicant, make sure you are comfortable with standardized testing. Practice practice practice!! Tests will be superscored.

Good luck to you!

I'm taking the PSAT this fall so I can be in the running for the NMSQT. Later next spring I will also be taking the SAT and ACT preferably before the USAFA application start date. Still would have plenty of time to take them again in case I don't get satisfactory results.

 

[GreenCuisine]

One item that you have not noted is participation in a sport. Plus, along with playing a sport or two, I also recommend that you start preparing for the CFA today. Create a workout routine, as I tell my students, that is truly 'routine.' Also, build a running program of about three miles at a time and about 10 miles per week. USAFA is at 7258 feet in altitude, so the 'air is rare.' Best of luck with your journey!

Sadly, as I am homeschooled I don't have very much access to organized sports during non-summer times because the school districts in my area are not fond of homeschoolers and often don't let them into their after-school programs such as organized sports and JROTC. However, my older sister has some connections with some guys that play floorball at the city's rec center and they have expressed their willingness to get me on the team if that's what I decide to do, which most likely I will decide to do. For those of you who don't know, floorball is basically like hockey except with a ball and no skates.