Prior Enlisted Direct Entry

[WinstonWolfePF]

Hello everyone, first-time poster here. I'm trying to find a little more information on Prior-E Direct Entry applicants who either are applying or have applied, and what their packages looked like along with the result of the application. I'm finding it pretty hard to find any real stats or even anecdotal experiences from Direct Priors. Everything I have heard pretty much says that GPA and ACT/SAT scores are the most important thing for us, and I'm just wondering if there is any knowledge I can glean from this forum.

As far as the USAFA-stated guidelines go, this is what they look like:

Guidelines for Direct Appointment to the US Air Force Academy:
SAT Verbal 580 and SAT Math 560.
ACT English 24, Reading 24, Math 25, and Science Reasoning 25.
Top 20% of high school class or about a 3.50 GPA if school does not rank.

Mid 50% Range of Airmen
SAT Verbal 593 – 630, SAT Math 643 – 680,
ACT Science Reasoning 26 – 28, ACT Math 26 – 29, ACT Read 25 – 32, Eng 26 - 28

That's pretty much all I have to work from. Does anybody have any first-hand experience?

 

[c17hopeful]

I'm not a prior, but I have several good friends who are. In my experience, it tends to be that priors from more academic career fields (PA, some maintainers, linguists) tend to come direct more often. Everyone else goes to the P, which I definitely don't think is a bad thing, and many people have said helped them a ton. But your standardized test scores are definitely the most important thing, along with your commander's recommendation. If both of those factors are strong, you should have no problem getting in, as I believe we usually do not fill all of the direct prior spots.

 

[WinstonWolfePF]

I'm not a prior, but I have several good friends who are. In my experience, it tends to be that priors from more academic career fields (PA, some maintainers, linguists) tend to come direct more often. Everyone else goes to the P, which I definitely don't think is a bad thing, and many people have said helped them a ton. But your standardized test scores are definitely the most important thing, along with your commander's recommendation. If both of those factors are strong, you should have no problem getting in, as I believe we usually do not fill all of the direct prior spots.

I'm cyber/intel, I'd think that a good amount would come from career fields like mine. My ACT scores are above the mid-50% range and my GPA is above the guideline. As for the slots left empty each year... I'm having a hard time really nailing down the reason for that; whether it is due to lack of applicants or lack of qualified applicants. I've heard that there are only like five or six direct entry priors each year. I find it diffucult to belive that there are only that many qualified applicants each year... but I suppose it's possible. It also makes me think that those guidelines really aren't the be-all and end-all.

 

[Wishful]

Hello everyone, first-time poster here... I'm trying to find a little more information on Prior-E Direct Entry applicants who either are applying or have applied, and what their packages looked like along with the result of the application.

Admissions Advisors (2nd Lts) will have more info; give them a call!

 

[Velocity2012]

If you search on "prior" or "prior enlisted" you'll see a number of previous thread that may be useful - not specifically about GPA/scores but more about lifeat the Academy and the challenges of transition. My DD is in 2021 and speaks very highly of the direct entry prior in her squad as practical knowledge trumps book learning in some courses she finds.

 

[AFrpaso]

These days I think most LEAD slots are filled as the AFA started marketing to enlisted airmen a bit more (just what I heard).

My SAT score was high 1800s - low 1900s. I can't remember which. My HS GPA was ~3.80 and I had a year of community college with a GPA of ~3.90. My ALO told me that I was competitive for direct entry. Keep in mind that this was 7 years ago. I actually didn't get an appointment to either the Academy or the Prep School, but it turned out that somebody was looking out for me and I was offered a Prep appointment later.