Learning to fly through a private flight school is going to cost you upward of at least $100 per hour
Just putting it out there, but depending on where they live it is more likely to cost closer to 200 an hour. In NC and VA we did not spend less than 175 an hour. Of course that was when gas prices were higher, thus prices may have dropped since that time.
For me personally, I think the cost is well worth it for many reasons, listed in order when it can start to impact.
1. AFOQT
~ 200 year. This exam will be part of your score for SFT selection. Pilot and Nav are parts of the exam. You can find test questions on line.
2. TBAS
~300 year. This exam is part of your rated board score. Cadets sign paperwork stating they will not discuss what is on the exam, thus don't try to find test questions.
3. IFT/UPT
It will make you more comfortable at first in every aspect.
~The 1st few days at IFT will be academics and exams. BOLD testing may seem simple, but missing or misplacing one comma, colon, period, etc. and you got the question wrong. I believe that a failing score is an 85.
~~ Bold means certain words are in BOLD.
~ Crosswinds can be an issue for takeoff and landing. Having flight hours may make it easier for you from experience to adjust compared to a student that has no flight time.
~ Briefing/debriefing.
~~ That will be part of your review as a student from your IP. You will do this also as a PPL student, but at a much lower expectation level. Yet, it will get accustomed to talking in front of people in this situation.
As I said, the edge is early on, later on it all equals out. There are students that have a PPL and do not get a fighter, while the student that had no hours does get one. And yes, there are students with a PPL that do not wing. The reason why is the pace moves a heck of a lot faster than any student can imagine, even if they do a ton of research.
I don't know of the restrictions about when it would be too late for flight hours to go on record
You have several years to get them, because as you stated you will not be a sophomore until Fall 2016. You won't take the TBAS until @ this time 2017.
JMPO and with $2.07 you can get a small coffee at Starbucks. I would check into how AFROTC views your major. Not all computer degrees are considered a tech degree. This is important because for SFT selection the rate does vary along with the avg cgpa.
~ Tech majors can feel more comfortable with a 3.0/3.1, but non-tech cgpa is usually around 3.3/3.4. The "bad" year when there was an overall selection rate of 58%, but the cadets that were tech and wanted rated had a rate of 63%. Non-tech going rated was around the national overall rate of 58%.
~~ It is important to also understand that it is national. HQ AFROTC could not care less if 100% are selected from one unit and 0% from another. They will determine their individual score and how many they will attend, from there they draw a line. If your score is above that number, you attend, below and you will not.
There are some units that traditionally send more (%) than the avg. This is something you should discuss with the incoming unit. What is their avg cgpa, AFOQT and PFA for their det. regarding selection? Their cgpa maybe 3.3 tech or it maybe 2.9.
Additionally, this goes back to what you consider on track from an academic rigor and juggling life. For many colleges a tech major min. course load is 18-21 credit hours to graduate on time.
~ As you rise within the ROTC ranks, you will have a job/position. It will not just be show up for LLAB and PT. If you become a CFC, you will attend weekly staff meetings...more hours. You will write reports/reviews for those cadets in your flight...more hours.
~~ Some units will assign a GMC to a POC for mentoring purposes. Think if it like allowing the new kids on the block talking to you privately. Some will use it a lot, some will not. In the ADAF world they call them their sponsor when they PCS to a new base.
~~ Some units will have mandated volunteering. At DS's unit for the det. to make money to offset costs of military dining in/outs they clean up the football stadium 2-3x a semester. The college pays them to do this. The cadets arrive Sun. at 7 a.m. and it takes them about 5 hrs.
~~~ His unit also did the Susan G. Kohlman run and Relay for Life. It was expected that all of the cadets participate in those too.
Just saying that it is not uncommon for cadets to carry 21 credit hours and 15-20 hours weekly on top of that for ROTC while maintaining a strong cgpa.
Finally, something that we have not touched upon. Physical ability (PFA). We don't need to know details, but you should realize they will care about those scores. If right now you are closer to an 8 min mile than a 7 min. mile, you need to work on your run time. For sit ups and push ups I have seen so many posters say they can do great, but the thing is the unit will be looking at your form too. If it is not to their standard, than they will not count it. You have wasted time and energy for nothing. Download the CFA. It will show you the form that they will use.
~ The PFA is going to be the 1st impression at your det. as a new cadet. They typically do it the 1st week of school. They do not care if it is 99 degrees and 95% humidity, nor 30 degrees. They plan the day and unless the weather is not within the standards it will occur. This is something you have complete control over. They don't take this aspect lightly because part of SFT selection score will be your PFA. Not maxxing means to me you left points on the table.
~~ There is a thread here addressing how some units place an emphasis on this aspect.
http://www.serviceacademyforums.com...appens-will-i-get-cut-from-the-program.45486/
If you read through the thread, you will see one poster has stated that their units goal is 98 on the PFA. Overall on this site I would say 95 is avg. 75 is failing. It is a 100 pt scale.
