Nervous about my chances.

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Spencerar06

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May 27, 2022
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Im gonna be 100 percent honest here, I didn’t get the greatest start as a freshman in highschool. I finished freshman year with roughly a 3.2 unweighted gpa and a not so great class rank. As of the beginning of sophomore year, I realized how important getting into USAFA really is to me, and I’ve had straight A’s ever since. I’m still waiting on my transcript so I’m not sure where I stand. My extracurriculars I believe are decent as I was the captain of the jv soccer team this year and am confident I will be receiving my letter after next year. Do you believe that if I manage to get straight A’s for the rest of my highschool career, and get an excellent sat super score, that I have any chance at all at making the academy? (Please be brutally honest, I’m willing to take any advice I can get my hands on)
 
I'll spit out the same phrase you'll hear a million times on these forums: no one can really speak to your chances except Admissions.

That being said, here's my two cents: Yes, you still have a chance. 3.2 GPA to start isn't fantastic, but keeping straight A's (not even considering AP/IB classes), will leave you around a 3.8 by graduation, and that's about the average for admitted cadets. You'll have a couple chances to explain your situation, so you can inform Admissions of your learning curve and desire for growth.

Read these forums religiously. Soak in as much information as possible. Learn what you need to do in these next two years to maximize your chances. Keep fighting for it. Don't give up the ship (or aircraft, I guess)!
 
An direct appointment out of HS is the first plan but also remember that you are applying for a FFS offer and the prep school.

With that said I think if you work hard and push yourself to be the best version of yourself that you can be then I think you have a very good chance of putting forward a competitive application.

Don’t count yourself out, let admissions make the call, and if you don’t like their response apply again.
 
Hey! You're still in! You have chances of admission up until you receive a white envelope saying that you didn't get in. I didn't have the perfect grades... believe me LOL. My freshman year was a lot like yours, except my grades stayed like that until the end of my sophomore year. My test scores weren't even that good either. But you know what I did? I didn't give up. Once I realized in my junior year that I wanted to go to USAFA, I felt as if it would be a stretch. But the second the application opened I filled it out. Before my senior year even started, I already completed all of my interviews and turned in my candidate kit. Now, granted, I had some heavy leadership positions in sports and newspaper and NHS and other clubs, but still.

You do not have to have perfect grades to get into USAFA. They're not looking for that. USAFA is looking for well-rounded individuals who can deal with the stress that is found at the Academy, and the stress that is found in the Air Force. Remember – you have a 100% chance of being a reject if you never apply. Make the most out of the process, contact your ALO's often and early, finish the application once when you get it. It's a long road but it's probably the most important thing you'll do in your life.

Also, when you write your essays, write about how you grew as a person since your freshman year! Reflecting on your mistakes is NEVER a bad thing! Hope this helps.

P.S. take as many AP classes you can! It doesn't matter what you get on the test, just show admissions that you have exposure to the subjects taught at the academy (calc, physics, gov, chemistry, etc.).
 
Why you?

The SAs are turning away 3.8 gpa students with very good SATs and much better than decent leadership and sports backgrounds.

What makes you standout other than 6 straight semesters of straight As in hard stem courses after a slow freshman start. (A great story if you pull this off)

(And if you do pull this off and don’t get admitted you are still way ahead of the game with a better start on your future.)

Id be looking for that something that sets you apart from the pack. And I don’t know what that might be.

A hobby that makes someone take notice , a sport that not everyone plays, a field of study, a job maybe the type that 100s of others like you don’t have , something that would make decision makers look at you differently.

Something that will jump off your essay or your congressional interview and set you apart.
 
No one knows until the admissions see your application.

Was there a reason why your grades in freshman year weren't that great? You seem to know what to do for your academics. But, just getting straight As isn't always enough. Did you or are you trying to take the hardest courses possible that your school offers? Make sure you have your honor and AP/IB courses if your school has them available.

It looks like you have a decent part in the athletics and leadership compartment. Did your team win any championships or leagues? If so, make sure to let USAFA know.

Even with high academics and great extracurricular activities with high leadership positions won't be able to guarantee you a spot. You are also competing within your state. You never know what may happen. Just put the best application possible and make yourself stand out to admissions in your application package.

Good luck to you. Hope all goes well.
 
My advice is to seek out every opportunity to gain leadership experience as possible. Civil Air Patrol/Boy Scouts/JROTC are all great extracurricular activities to get involved with and each provides many leadership opportunities. Does your school have a Link Crew program? If so apply to be a Link Leader. If your school doesn't participate in the program, speak to your Principal and tell him/her you would like to found a chapter at your school. Our area was not sending students to Girls State due to Covid when my DD inquired, but I know the SAs view Boys/Girls State very positively. It's not just about grades and sports. USAFA is looking for a Congressional nomination, a good CFA score, leadership, test scores, character, academic rigor, grades, and sports.

If you are a soccer player...you are a runner (unless you are the goalkeeper). Have you considered going out for the track team as well? It will give you another opportunity to captain a team, maintain your fitness, and earn additional varsity letters. According to the USAFA Class of 2025 Student Profile, 25% of accepted students participated in track (the most popular sport). Plus if you are accepted to USAFA you will do a lot of running at altitude. Fitness is huge!

You will also need letters of recommendation from your high school counselor, a junior/senior math teacher, a junior/senior English teacher, another teacher (preferably a junior/senior science teacher), and your coach. Your senior year teachers will barely know you when they have to write your letters, so I would focus your attention on your junior year teachers. You should give them every opportunity to tell USAFA how incredible you are by being incredible! Make sure you are asking smart questions in class and leading discussions that will benefit the other students. Always offer to help struggling learners or go out of your way to welcome students who have just moved to your district and don't know anyone. Go to teacher help sessions even if you feel like you have a good handle on the material... the more they know you and the more they know you care, the more they will be willing to go to bat for you. All of these things are important.

Best of luck to you.
 
DomerDad said:
My advice is to seek out every opportunity to gain leadership experience as possible. Civil Air Patrol/Boy Scouts/JROTC are all great extracurricular activities to get involved with and each provides many leadership opportunities. Does your school have a Link Crew program? If so apply to be a Link Leader. If your school doesn't participate in the program, speak to your Principal and tell him/her you would like to found a chapter at your school. Our area was not sending students to Girls State due to Covid when my DD inquired, but I know the SAs view Boys/Girls State very positively. It's not just about grades and sports. USAFA is looking for a Congressional nomination, a good CFA score, leadership, test scores, character, academic rigor, grades, and sports.

If you are a soccer player...you are a runner (unless you are the goalkeeper). Have you considered going out for the track team as well? It will give you another opportunity to captain a team, maintain your fitness, and earn additional varsity letters. According to the USAFA Class of 2025 Student Profile, 25% of accepted students participated in track (the most popular sport). Plus if you are accepted to USAFA you will do a lot of running at altitude. Fitness is huge!

You will also need letters of recommendation from your high school counselor, a junior/senior math teacher, a junior/senior English teacher, another teacher (preferably a junior/senior science teacher), and your coach. Your senior year teachers will barely know you when they have to write your letters, so I would focus your attention on your junior year teachers. You should give them every opportunity to tell USAFA how incredible you are by being incredible! Make sure you are asking smart questions in class and leading discussions that will benefit the other students. Always offer to help struggling learners or go out of your way to welcome students who have just moved to your district and don't know anyone. Go to teacher help sessions even if you feel like you have a good handle on the material... the more they know you and the more they know you care, the more they will be willing to go to bat for you. All of these things are important.

Best of luck to you.
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Hey, thanks for the advice. I just emailed my counselor about getting a Link Crew Program started and it really seems like something that would be fun to take part in. Hopefully they'll take me seriously enough to get a program of our own up and running.
 
Dude you’re fine. I’ve seen friends if FAR worse scores get in and I tell ya, you’re still in the race. As the posts above said, more leadership roles!! My interviews were all about leadership, and your freshmen year abilities can honestly be used as a “learning experience” moment you can use in your interviews.
 
Spencerar06 said:
Im gonna be 100 percent honest here, I didn’t get the greatest start as a freshman in highschool. I finished freshman year with roughly a 3.2 unweighted gpa and a not so great class rank. As of the beginning of sophomore year, I realized how important getting into USAFA really is to me, and I’ve had straight A’s ever since. I’m still waiting on my transcript so I’m not sure where I stand. My extracurriculars I believe are decent as I was the captain of the jv soccer team this year and am confident I will be receiving my letter after next year. Do you believe that if I manage to get straight A’s for the rest of my highschool career, and get an excellent sat super score, that I have any chance at all at making the academy? (Please be brutally honest, I’m willing to take any advice I can get my hands on)
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I had a 3.3 unweighted from freshman-sophomore years. 4.0 unweighted junior senior. I got in. Showing progress is good. Not everyone starts school on a hot streak, and admissions knows this. Try support your growth as a scholar with a nice SAT/ACT score.
 
Actually you don't need six more semesters, as you need to have your app completed before you get your senior year grades. They may ask about them later, but most of your case will rest on what you get done by Christmas. So get started on it now: show the progress in GPA, show the leadership, make it clear when you took on the challenge to get into the academy. Don't go in a hundred directions, but step off firmly and resolutely and keep after it. And if you miss right out of high school come back again, as a *lot* of successful applicants are actually reapplicants on their second or third attempts.
 
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