New COVID 19 AFROTC Policies from HQ

[AetherAce]

This memorandum was sent out 6 days ago and I'm not sure if anyone has already posted it on this forum so here it is:

https://docdro.id/R51Spkr

It covers changes over recruiting, the Scholarship application process, Scholarship deferments, the AFOQT, Body Fat Measurements?, and contracting for AS300 cadets.

Because most of the topics in this forum are about the scholarship application, a very dumbed down summary of changes:

• Scholarship interviews will still preferred to be in person but only if local guidelines allow. Otherwise, video conferencing and telephone (last resort) interviews are authorized.
• ACT/SAT still required, no change to minimum scores.
• GPA minimum still 3.0.
• If an applicant's school is virtual, they are permitted to have a parent/guardian administer the PFA.
• Height and weight are being added to the PFA form and will be measured during in person interviews. " Regardless of method of interview, if the application is not within BF standards, the interviewer must still address their assessment of fitness in the write-up."
• Interviewers will be expecting less extracurricular activities done after March 2020.
• Deferring or taking a gap year will revoke your scholarship and you must reapply for the year you do go to university.
• If cadets do defer to reapply, they can resubmit their application for AY21-22 "as is" and not have to reinterview or update their package.
• The upgrade to Type 1 scholarships for those attending Ivy/Elite universities is a one time thing and there is no guarantee it will happen again.

I recommend you read through the entire memorandum, or at least the sections relevant to you. My summary lacks some details that may be important.

As a scholarship applicant like many others, I do have questions I hope the members of this forum might be able to answer:
- Would there be any disadvantage for not being of height and weight at the time of the interview/PFA? From my understanding of previous years, cadets only had to be of height and weight when they arrived at their detachment. Now that it is measured far before cadets even leave for college, and their "assessment of fitness" is included in the write-up, would this impact a scholarship application when read by a board?

 

[kinnem]

Thanks for the post. That's good gouge.

Would there be any disadvantage for not being of height and weight at the time of the interview/PFA? From my understanding of previous years, cadets only had to be of height and weight when they arrived at their detachment. Now that it is measured far before cadets even leave for college, and their "assessment of fitness" is included in the write-up, would this impact a scholarship application when read by a board?

I cannot say with certainty how this would impact a scholarship application. That being said, I doubt they are including it just for kicks, and you should assume it might make a difference. If it's an issue for you then it helps to start working on it now. Keep in mind if you are outside height/weight guidelines then you might still be able to pass a tape test which takes additional measurements.

 

[AetherAce]

Thanks for the post. That's good gouge.



I cannot say with certainty how this would impact a scholarship application. That being said, I doubt they are including it just for kicks, and you should assume it might make a difference. If it's an issue for you then it helps to start working on it now. Keep in mind if you are outside height/weight guidelines then you might still be able to pass a tape test which takes additional measurements.

I'm about 8 pounds under my minimum weight, no health problems or anything like that, just always been skinny and a distance runner. I plan to interview in about a month and I can make the minimum weight by then but its definitely not going to be healthy for me to gain so fast. Up until I read the memorandum I was in the process of gaining weight by muscle slowly but be well within standards by the time I would be in college.

With these new developments, I could rush weight gain through fat and water gain and quit running for a bit, or continue to try to gain muscle and hope being a few pounds underweight won't affect my application too much. I do also understand the physical parts of the application are weighted the least but I am very focused on getting a Type 1 and I want to have every part of my application be the best it can be.