Texas A&M or Embry riddle For USAF Pilot Commission

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Nov 28, 2021
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I am having a backup plan in case I can't make it into the USAFA which would be the best college to earn a commission from to be a USAF pilot or even transfer to the USAFA
 
There is no better university to commission from for a pilot slot. Pilot slots are given out at a national level which means you have to be a great candidate out of everyone in the country. Embry Riddle produces a lot of pilots because people who tend to go to that school are smarter people in general. Just pick the university that matches with your goals and major.
 
every college has different pros/cons to their detachments, and no college will be "the best" for earning a pilot slot. your chances of selecting pilot are only partially, if at all, influenced by the college you choose. you should pick a college where you feel like you can succeed academically and physically. i would recommend visiting detachments to get a feel for what you like. good luck!
 
There is no better university to commission from for a pilot slot. Pilot slots are given out at a national level which means you have to be a great candidate out of everyone in the country. Embry Riddle produces a lot of pilots because people who tend to go to that school are smarter people in general. Just pick the university that matches with your goals and major.
I agree with Beamer here. Choose the school that you think fits you best, and the school that you will excel at. However, I will say that Texas A&M is much bigger and has the most ROTC cadets in the country, so it would probably be harder to stand out. One thing I remember from my detachment commander interview was when he told me to look for a smaller school so that you can stick out from the rest of the cadets. You will then be granted with more opportunities that could end up looking really good for a pilot slot.
 
Certainly with more than 700 cadets Texas A&M is the largest detachment in the country at one of the largest schools. But ERAU AFROTC isn’t exactly small
- see pic. I believe these are two of the top 10 largest detachments. So if looking for standout options in small v large schools, understand hoW big the detachments are, not just the school size.

Schools are so vastly different. Major strength, what can you afford if the scholarship doesn’t work out, what school is the best fit, what branch of service if you aren’t selected to become a pilot has the best other paths for you. All things to consider. The majority of officers in the AF are not pilots.

USAFA is highly selective but you can reapply from either school. Gpa, application strength, recommendations all play.

Good luck. Thanks for your willingness to serve.
 

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Affordability is a huge consideration. If not medically cleared already through DODMERB prior to attend whichever school you choose. Every year there is at least one student/parent here, distressed after finding out they are DQ’ed medically. Or dropped from program for xxx reasons. Or decide to DOR. And are then looking at paying themselves. Pretty stressful. So have that financial convo with yourself and parents!

Another consideration is looking at what schools will supplement financially with a scholarship, should you receive one. Some will provide housing, additional scholarships, etc. Not a specific point to OP’s school choice/question, but rather a general point of consideration for all readers.

Good Luck!!
 
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