Selection Composite Score

[USAFAMamaBear]

In looking at how admissions makes decisions on offering appointments, how do they calculate the Selection composite score, leadership composite score, academic composite score, and selection panel composite score? See image below for reference. Thanks!!

 

[FlyFalcon]

I doubt any of us will be able to answer that. Or at least a very small information. If we did know there's a good chance applicates like I would probably do everything their power to max it out which would defeat the point of "whole person" application because you wouldn't see the other past "they checked off all the boxes". Many people don't hit all the "boxes" but still get tin because they have something to offer. But we can theorise. For example leadership probably is made of team captain, scouts, JROTC and presidents of clubs. Maybe certain posstions would be weighted more than others to make a larger score. The academic would be made of GPA and how hard the class you took were. This is why they would need to see a school profile to accurately Gage how tough your school was. It's not fair to compare some who only took AP US history because that was the only AP class vs some who took a 10 AP classes. The one who took 10 seems better but we can hate on the one that only took one because no other classes were offered.

Those are my guesses. Good luck to you ( or your son/ daughter)!

 

[USAFAMamaBear]

I currently have one son at the United States Air Force Academy and his brother is a senior applying to USAFA. We found an interesting document from West Point breaking down how many points they give on an application for each activity, for instance they assigned 800 points if you were an Eagle Scout/Gold Star. The points were calculated out and there was a max point in each category possible. It was very interesting to see how they looked at things like Eagle Scout, boys state, team captain, etc. We were wondering if there was a similar system used at the Air Force Academy. Thanks for the positive encouragement! My two boys are very close and really hoping they can be at the Academy together!

 

[HCopter]

@USAFAMamaBear , the USMA RAND study is referenced quite a bit throughout these forums, always good to get a bump to the current year cycle.

The only thing I ever found was a flowchart.

Doesn't give #'s, but interesting to read.

Hint: look for USAFA's Rand Study
PDF Page 28/95
Figure 2.1 USFA Selection Process Flowchart

CAVEAT: NOT SURE WHETHER THIS FLOWCART STILL APPLIES, just what is out there on the internet.

 

[FlyFalcon]

I'm applying myself so glad to help. I've found west point give out alot more information than USAFA when it comes to numbers. I'm a captain and in JROTC so I know they look at the decently. Also been co-president of spanish club so I know they look at that less.

 

[USAFAMamaBear]

@USAFAMamaBear , the USMA RAND study is referenced quite a bit throughout these forums, always good to get a bump to the current year cycle.

The only thing I ever found was a flowchart.

Doesn't give #'s, but interesting to read.

Hint: look for USAFA's Rand Study
PDF Page 28/95
Figure 2.1 USFA Selection Process Flowchart

CAVEAT: NOT SURE WHETHER THIS FLOWCART STILL APPLIES, just what is out there on the internet.

Thanks! I'm really grateful that Air Force Academy considers the whole candidate. My current Candidate Has higher test scores and grades to my other candidatHas higher test scores and grades to my son currently at the academy, But my other son at the Academy killed in the leadership department. I don't know if he could've had much more in the leadership department to add to his application. It's always interesting to see how they come up with the whole candidate score, appreciate you sharing this link with me. My son's application is complete, he's completed the applications for his congressional and senatorial nominations, but in our state those decisions are not made until mid to late December. His brother receive the primary nomination from our congresswoman, so we're not sure how this will play out for our current son? Not sure if they want to extend to primary Nominations two years in a row to the same family??

 

[MidCakePa]

The RAND study is referenced often this time of year. Keep in mind that it’s now some 20 years old and was done specifically for USMA. Whatever may have been true then — whether for USMA or others — may no longer be.

 

[USAFAMamaBear]

The RAND study is referenced often this time of year. Keep in mind that it’s now some 20 years old and was done specifically for USMA. Whatever may have been true then — whether for USMA or others — may no longer be.

Interestingly enough I went back and reviewed the document and Rand did a study specifically for USAFA in 2016. See image below.

 

[gnba_25]

Nice flow chart of the admissions process

 

[BuckeyeDad20]

The RAND study in 2016 is interesting. Of course it doesn't mean that USAFA accepted their recommendations. But, you can triangulate broad levels of importance of the different areas if you read USAFA website, read the RAND study and look the latest class profile you can get your hands on. When you combine all of these, you get a pretty good sense of what you need to do. the exact weighting is not known by the public nor should it be as that would lead to simply gaming the system. But if you look at the class profile and see average grades, average test scores and that 81% of the class earned an Athletic letter, 23% had leadership in school (Prep, Vice President or Editor - and this does not take club/team captains into account) you see some markers to go for.