Questions for a Freshman Cadet

To answer luckymacy's question, the class of 2014 currently has 1199 cadets, down from an I-day count of 1300.
 
To add on to the academic atmosphere - the instructors are extremely nice and approachable. (hence we're #1 in teacher availability!!) They'd meet you at 2am if you really needed them to. They're there for your success and want to help you. Most instructors are military officers, though some are civilians. The officers that are grads (usually) are pretty nice and even sympathetic because they know what you're going through. I haven't had a teacher that was distant or unapproachable. It's also their job. Part of doing their job is being available whenever you need them.

I still email my english teacher from last semester and ask him for homework advice!
 
Would AFA let me transfer my orgo credits? No offense to chemists but I do not want to take these classes twice
 
i'm not exactly sure on that one, but I bet you probably could since it's an advanced course. If you want to know specifics, you could probably ask your liason officer to ask, or get you the contact info for the head of the chem department.
 
I have always wondered how difficult the classes are especially Chem and Calc and particularly for those who hasn't taken a calculus class yet? :confused:
And throughout the day do C4Cs have time to go to an extracurricular activity?
 
question

Jezzie,

Im sure you have been asked this allot but what would you say has been the most challenging for you so far at the Academy. Academics? Any specific classes? Getting yelled at?

And also what has been the most fun?

P.S. Do you know anyone on the ski team?

thanks!
 
Thanks for the great info so far

Airman's Creed
High Flight
Major General John M. Scofield's quote "the discipline which makes these soldiers.."
USAFA honor code
USAFA core values
AF rank, enlisted and officer
AF song - all verses
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I'll be entering basic this Summer with the class of 2015. Should I memorize all these, and is there anything else you want to add? I sometimes have difficulty with rote memorization, so I want to do as much as I can before I enter.
 
Hi,

Personally, I find the academics to be pretty challenging, but that is just me. The load of 6 classes is just overwhelming sometimes with all the additional responsibilities of being a cadet. Getting yelled at means nothing to me any more. The most fun...well, I find most things here to be more fun after the moment. Still, some things like running on the terrazzo, greeting, and many other 4 deg duties can be made quite entertaining (as long as no one else hears). Hanging out and talking to my roommates is also a blast, the three of us were not forced to change rooms or roommates either semester and we have a blast together. They are awesome and I would not have made it through the first day with them. We are really tight and when the door is closed we spend a lot of time imitating upperclassmen and having an all around good time. Just my perspective...

Later,

Brian
 
xeonv2 said:
I have always wondered how difficult the classes are especially Chem and Calc and particularly for those who hasn't taken a calculus class yet? :confused:
And throughout the day do C4Cs have time to go to an extracurricular activity?
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My DS did not take any Calc in HS and found the Academy Calc class very challenging. Having been homeschooled his comment to me was that he regretted having not taken a Jr College Calc class prior to going to BCT.
 
My son had taken Calc 3 at college and gotten an A in it and still found Calc 3 to be very challenging last semester. He had taken a year of Chemistry, a year of AP Chemistry, and 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry at college and still found Chemistry to be the most difficult class he'd ever had (he did validate a semester of it). He is thrilled now to be done with both Calculus and Chemistry.

@Skifast - my son was interested in the ski team going in. He went to the organizational meetings since he's raced since he was around 7. He said that there were about 100 kids at these meetings and that they were told they'd have around 3-5 slots. Since he didn't have a lot of confidence how he'd stack up since he'd only skied in the midwest, he stuck with D&B instead. I can ask him to try to get a contact if you're interested, but he was disappointed to find out it was so competitive. He is doing ski club and having a lot of fun with that just getting off base if nothing else!
 
BlackOps2015 said:
Would AFA let me transfer my orgo credits? No offense to chemists but I do not want to take these classes twice
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lol not a chance. You will have to endure orgo again if you take the chem track. Don't worry, if you've had it once you'll be fine. Dr. Bird/LTC Peak/Maj Low are great teachers. Dr. B is very nice, but way too smart. hehe.

Plus, you'll join the handful of others that are taking it twice. ;)
 
Our DS also found Chemistry to be very challenging - but managed to pull a B as a final grade. Don't forget, the great thing about the Academy is there's always help available in any subject - you just have to ask and the professors are eager to assist. Aside from that he'd probably say the biggest challenge is the lack of freedom - but that will definitely improve after Recognition.

As for skiing, there are plenty of opportunities. Our son joined the Ski Club and is also on the Freestyle Ski Team. He's managed to make it to the slopes EVERY weekend since getting back from Christmas break. Makes life as a 4 deg much more bearable.
 
Chemistry: I had a fairly solid understanding of chemistry, but lacked some details. I had a 4 or 5 on the AP chem test, and tested into the advanced chemistry (called chem 222 at the time). I managed to pull a C- in chem 222, and that was because I studied and improved my grade with the final exam! From what I saw, the normal chemistry class was different, but not really "easier."

Math: I had a bad experience with Calc 2, but a great Calc 3 instructor. I tested into Calc 3, but chose to take Calc 2 as I had missed part of it in my AP class. Unfortunately, I had a poor instructor and didn't learn much in that class. (Fortunately, that is not representative of the vast majority of the faculty.) For Calc 3, I had a REALLY good instructor who managed to make the class both fun and relatively pain free.
 
Thanks all for the great info!

I was just wondering how much the team gets out to train and where. I've heard the winter is hard and that having a winter sport to do really helps.

Anyone know what the average amount of days on snow is? How does it balance out with Academics?

As always thanks for the responses.
 
My buddy (a 4 degree) gets out every weekend with the ski team. They usually leave on Friday afternoon/evening and get back Sunday evening. I think they generally go to Keystone.
 
ammarty said:
Thanks for the great info so far



I'll be entering basic this Summer with the class of 2015. Should I memorize all these, and is there anything else you want to add? I sometimes have difficulty with rote memorization, so I want to do as much as I can before I enter.
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Just a thought, you might not want to learn these quotes now because when it comes time to actually know them and you can spit them out really quick and your classmates can't then you might get yelled at for "pimping out your classmates."
 
soccerdude407 said:
My buddy (a 4 degree) gets out every weekend with the ski team. They usually leave on Friday afternoon/evening and get back Sunday evening. I think they generally go to Keystone.
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I talked to my friend yesterday. He said that they don't just go to Keystone; they go all over the place: Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper, Steamboat, and a few others.
 
I've been looking at the wings of blue parachuting team for a while and have been thinking that would be a cool thing to get involved in. Does anybody have any information on how cadets are chosen for the team and such? I haven't been able to find information anywhere else.
 
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