re applying for co2026

Joined
Feb 27, 2021
Messages
28
Im currently in the co2025 batch still waiting for an appointment, but I have already started thinking about reapplying for next year. I know it is not the end until the TWE comes but it is getting quite late in the admissions cycle. I have a few questions about reapplying to USAFA or any service academy.

1. When should I start the PCQ again? I heard from other posts that college re-apps should wait until much later to open their PCQ since I only have 4 months from when my candidate status starts.
2. Does USAFA ask for senior year grades or do they only ask for first semester grades from college?
3. Does admissions favor those who try again and re apply after being rejected?
4. Am I allowed to email or call admissions to ask what was weak about my profile? (I was also medically DQ'd)
5. If I ultimately do go to my plan B school, should I do ROTC or spend time participating in clubs, intramural sports, and finding leadership positions in extracurriculars? I know that ROTC takes up alot of time so I may not be able to do clubs.
 
I can only speak to a couple of your questions. First, USAFA does love to see reapplicants. Applying a second time shows grit and commitment. Second, I would definitely recommend the ROTC route. It not only shows your desire to become and serve as an officer, it gives you a glimpse into what to expect in the military, as well. Probably the most important aspect of ROTC, is that it gives you another possible nomination source for next year. The other advice I would give is to take classes to mirror a doolie schedule. I'd make sure to definitely take calc, chem, and an English course your first semester. I would meet with your professors (math & English) at the beginning of the semester to let them know of your USAFA goal so that they know you enough to write a good recommendation. Then I'd work extremely hard to ace those classes. After a TWE, should it, unfortunately, occur, I would try to reach out to your ALO for feedback on what to strengthen. Good luck this month and for next cycle as well, if it comes to that.
 
What hopefulmom182 said!!! She should be an ALO.

Her advice is precisely that which I give to any candidate that says "not gonna happen this year, okay, what about next year?"

1. Take a "doolie" college schedule: crush it. Repeat: CRUSH IT!!
2. Get in the best physical condition of your life! YOU OWN THIS...the CFA should be a JOKE to you in a year!
3. Line up your recommendations...explain to everyone, EVERYONE, what you are going to do to make it happen this time as you were close!!!
4. Start prepping yourself to redo the process; think about that writing you have to do for USAFA...okay...what "adverse situations have you experienced?" Hmm...how about what you just went through? What did you learn from it? What are you changing, if anything, etc?
5. Oh, did I mention becoming a fitness icon?
6. Speak with your ALO, contact your counseling team at USAFA, and let them know you appreciated their help this year and that you'll be back next cycle so what would THEY recommend/like to see change? They "may" give you some ideas...they may not.

I could go on and on, but I've always been accused of using 100 words when 10 would suffice so I'll stop.

This is a situation I have some familiarity with though...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
(TWE's from USMA/USNA/USMMA/USAFA/USCGA Classes of 1982)
(BFE's from ALL of them except USCGA, Class of 1983)
(Those puddle pirates were tough! :biggrin: )
 
I also like to point out that there are dedicated service academy prep programs available across the country. Northwestern Preparatory School, Marion Military Institute, Greystone, just to name a few. These are all programs designed to earn appointments to the service academies for people that have already applied one time. I can't speak for other schools, but at Northwestern Prep, self-prep students took the exact same classes, and were treated the exact same as academy sponsored students. I'm not saying that ROTC then reapplying isn't a good route, I just like to mention that there are other options.
 
I'm a reapplicant who succeeded in securing an appointment the second time around. If you have specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them, and hopefully shed my experience on reapplication. Just PM me!
Thank you! I will definitely reach out if I don't get in this year
 
I'm a reapplicant who succeeded in securing an appointment the second time around. If you have specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them, and hopefully shed my experience on reapplication. Just PM me!
I would love to hear how this went for you. I'm pretty new here so I don't have the ability to PM yet.
 
Back
Top