Skydiving problem

USNA69 said:
I suppose that the reason for this is that the USAFA ALOs are more in the business of recruiting, attempting to get good candidates to attend the academy while USNA BGOs are more in the business of trying to only select the very best because we have so many that are attempting to attend. Subtle difference. :shake:
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You would suppose wrong -- at least the admissions numbers don't bear that out. :biggrin: I should have mentioned that immediately after the "best candidate" comment was the qualifyer: "While you appear to be a good candidate, I am not the admissions board and you can never tell how many candidates like you are applying this year. Also, my input is only a small percentage of what the USAFA looks for."

And finally, the ALO's are pretty good at ferreting out blatent liars while, as you have demonstrated, the BGOs tend to believe everything they hear.:yllol:

OK, I'm just having a little fun. Actually USNA69, I had no idea you were a BGO -- I think that that's a terrific way of helping the USNA. So thanks for your past AND continuing service!
 
AFDAD2010 said:
You would suppose wrong -- at least the admissions numbers don't bear that out.
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What numbers are you looking at? USAFA had a little over 9000 applications this year while USNA had nearly 11,000. I haven't seen AFA's profile sheet for 2010, but historically USNA has been a solid step ahead.

You have an ALO who makes a statement and then issues more disclamers than a used car salesman and you question BGOs?:confused:

Seriously, Your disclamer pretty much negated his entire initial comment. I made my initial post in hopes candidates and their parents would consider the inappropriadeness of a "you're the best" type of statement.I only used the example I did to show only one of the many ways something can happen. He didn't lie to me, he had a misunderstanding with the track coach which I thought was understandable and explainable. OBTW the kid is graduating from one of the other SAs this year.

And the only "fun" I get out of any of this, after trying to help in whatever little way I can, is to pick on the other SAs, and USAFA is so easy to pick on.:shake:
 
The ALO's statement was meant to suggest that as far as his part of the process is concerned, the candidate shouldn't worry. It doesn't negate anything since his point was that the candidate was one of the best he had ever seen. That was true and the candidate could take comfort in that. He also properly noted that his was only part of the process and there is no sure thing.

Princeton review does admission selectivity every year. It looks at GPA, test scores, class rank, etc. USAFA scored a 97 and USNA scored a 96. Not enough to say that USAFA is tougher to get into but it makes the point that the numbers do not bear out the fact that USNA is harder to get into. I'll be sure to cite all sources in the future.
 
AFDAD2010 said:
It looks at GPA, test scores, class rank, etc. USAFA scored a 97 and USNA scored a 96. Not enough to say that USAFA is tougher to get into but it makes the point that the numbers do not bear out the fact that USNA is harder to get into. I'll be sure to cite all sources in the future.
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I was at an Congressional Academy Day last week when the ALO stated that last year slightly over 9000 applied to USAFA. USNA received almost 11,000 applications. With both academies accepting relatively the same number of candidates, this, in itself would support my premise that USNA is the more difficult of the two.
Your almost identical scores above, combined with the number of applicants at each would solidify my argument.
 
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Huh? So the university of Michegan must be one of the toughest schools in the country to get into; they had 25,733 people applying last year (http://www.admissions.umich.edu/fastfacts.html -- I told you I'd provide sources from now on). The number of applicants has little to do with difficulty in getting in. Location, desire to be in a certain military branch, the variety of positions available once you graduate -- all these impact the number of actual applicants -- so do things like scandals which have plagued all the academies and impact applicant numbers each time they happen. Percentage acceptance is a better number but even here, it doesn't tell you how good the applicant pool actually is to begin with. That's why Princeton looks at all those factors. Last year, BTW, the naval academy accepted only 13% vs. 18% at the airforce. That looks more selective but 85% of AF freshmen were in the top 25% of their class compared with 82% at USNA. So the AF pool may have been SLIGHTLY better. My point is that these are all great places to be and you really can't make a great case for one being that much more selective than the other (at least not the top three.) Oh, and my source for the last few stats is the USNEWS America's Best Colleges 2007 section on Service Academies.
 
Hey man, I had your mindset when before I did my first jump. I really wanted to go solo, but It was cheaper to go tandem. In my opinion, tandem for the first few jumps is a whole lot better than starting off solo. The jump master will be able to show you the ropes talk to you under the chute. In all honesty, during the minute of freefall, I didn't even notice that he was there.

I jumped twice on a tandem rig. The first time was just kinda a familiarization jump, because most people only do it once 'for the hell of it.' The second time around, he showed me some maneuvers, such as spinning, and getting lateral movement by sweeping your arms back and pointing your toes. Pretty cool stuff.

Just wait until you're 18 and go tandem. Either way, you're still skydiving.
 
BR2011 said:
im looking to go for my first jump, but i have one problem. i want to go solo (AFF), but my parents will only let me go tandem, and because I'm a minor i need their signature. Does anyone know of any compelling reasons i can give them to let me go solo?

They think its too dangerous. I tell them, it would be a good warmup for them before i join the military and am really doing something dangerous.
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sophmore year at afa just take the class
 
Or you could avoid making a stupid decision...



...and go to Navy.
 
well i ended up going solo. (i am a good negotiator, my parents folded like napkins:smile: ). it was pretty awesome, but not as good as i really expected it to be. the rush was not the same as what you would feel on a roller coaster, or a jet for that matter. in fact the ride down with my chute open was the best part.

heres a vid my dad took of me landing. (he spaz's when i actually land :shake: )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDC1aGl74W4

BTW: dont worry dmeix, i am making the smart decision. Navy is my first choice, and the Academy i have a nom too. so if i am able to go to an Academy it will most likely be USNA:thumb:
 
Must you do that. You're going to give me a heart attack. Was kinda fun listening to your Dad freak alittle at the rate of speed you were going when you hit land. Ok Mr. "I wanna jump", no more adventures until after the appointment & I-day. Geez.
 
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