Re-applying to USAFA & USCGA

[AFJROTC_C/Capt]

Currently, I am a Junior in high school and about to be a Senior. I currently have a 3.7 weighted GPA and a 3.4 unweighted with a 25 ACT Composite 20 English/31 Math/22 Reading/ 30 Science. Now I am applying to the above-listed academies, but have accepted the fact that with those scores I will not get in mostly due to my first semester of my Junior year I got a D- in AP Physics which wrecked my GPA. I do Cross Country JV, Long Distance Track JV, and Air Force JROTC Raider Team (Kind of like Ranger Challenge at the AROTC college level) Varsity Captain and we went to nationals. I am also in NHS, Eagle Scout, Computer Programming Club, Cyber Defense Club, Kitty Hawk Honor Society (JROTC thing), and my JROTC's Corp Computer Officer (Cadet Captain) making me the highest ranking Junior in the corp. So in loo of not getting into the Academies, I am looking at two instate colleges and dual-majoring in cyber-security and computer science at the two colleges along with doing Air Force ROTC at whichever one I go to and doing club rugby at whichever one I go to. So on to the real questions:

1.) How do I go about applying for USAFA and USCGA in college?
2.) Do I use college of former high school contacts for recommendations?
3.) Is club rugby good enough to count as a sport?
4.) For you ROTC people how do you first establish a good relationship with your ROTC instructors(I know their input is important in reapplying)
5.) How favorably do these two branches look at someone who genuinely loves computers and wishes to continue majoring in Computer Science at the academies?
6.)How would you guys recommend going about improving my profiles
7.)How important are high school grades in the re-application process?
8.) Also for ROTC people what would you recommend doing in college to help chances of getting into an SA, besides getting all A's and B's.

PS: Thank you for your time and feedback. I am pretty sure my heart is in the right place I've always wanted to go to USAFA. Everyone has always told me I wasn't good enough including my parents. I want to prove them all wrong. I want to accomplish my goal of becoming an officer in the USAF and continuing my passion in cyber-security while serving my country.

 

[USCGA2020Candidate]

First off... PAUSE. You have not even completed your first application yet which is a process that takes significant time and effort and no one here or anywhere can accurately predict who will and won't get in except for admissions. The only sure fire way to not get in is to not apply. However, it is important that your plan B is well developed and works for you. Don't write yourself off as a junior in high school. Take it from someone who did.

Second: Retake your ACT to bring your score up as many times as is feasible to get a score you like and try to practice whether it be an ACT prep class/book etc.; USAFA super scores which means they take your highest scores in each section across all the attempts you've made. Similarly, bust your you know what to bring your grades up.

Third: Understand that many people change their mind their first year out of high school, I was one of them, I didn't even apply to USAFA in high school. This can include majors, AFROTC vs USAFA. AFROTC is an excellent option to become an officer in the US Air Force with pros/cons compared to the academy.

Fourth and Finally: Focus on whats in front of you; eat the elephant one bite at a time. There's often a gut reaction your junior/senior year of wanting to have everything perfectly planned and executed years in advance. Do your best effort in everything you do everyday, but remember to keep your priorities straight. Bombing your senior year academically because you spent all your time on extracurriculars will not bode well for you. I've seen it happen. Many people have gone down this road before you and made it happen, you can too.

Bottom Line: Don't spend your time on the internet trying to "what if" everything. go out and work hard and make it happen. Find the way that works for you.

"I have not failed 10,000 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.” - Thomas Edison