TWE received- college re applicant??

[Jakesimp_]

Hello all. I just received my TWE this morning. Currently I am a high school senior with my private pilot’s license. I was accepted to Purdue for professional flight technology. I am curious as to how the re applicant process works, as I would still love to attend USAFA. I would like to do a year at Purdue, getting my instrument and commercial ratings for flying, as well as taking the courses USAFA recommends for re applicants. What are the stats for college re apps (how many are offered appointments each year/what sort of chances do they have?) and would I re apply for the class of 2025, or do a year of college then apply for ‘26? My ultimate goal is to be an Air Force pilot. I was going to join AFROTC or the ANG at Purdue, would that still be recommended for me? Any advice is much appreciated, thank you!

 

[Bigrod]

You apply with the c/o 2025 while attending Purdue. Ace your first semester classes, work on your CFA daily and continue to improve essays, interview techniques and leadership skills all at the same time.

 

[HawkeyeMom]

I would also recommend joining AFROTC if your goal is to become an AF pilot.

 

[USAFA_2024_Candidate_Fam]

Join AFROTC for the leadership opportunities, PT and another potential nomination source. There is no commitment but would send a stronger message on the application and during the interview process. Not to mention, if you do re-apply and receive another TWE, you will still be eligible for the In College Scholarship Program which could cover a big chunk of your final 3 years. Beyond that, earn solid grades and work on your instrument (you may finish it before application deadline but you won't be in commercial until this exact time next year at best so likely won't be a factor).

 

[jimbowmsp]

Hello all. I just received my TWE this morning. Currently I am a high school senior with my private pilot’s license. I was accepted to Purdue for professional flight technology. I am curious as to how the re applicant process works, as I would still love to attend USAFA. I would like to do a year at Purdue, getting my instrument and commercial ratings for flying, as well as taking the courses USAFA recommends for re applicants. What are the stats for college re apps (how many are offered appointments each year/what sort of chances do they have?) and would I re apply for the class of 2025, or do a year of college then apply for ‘26? My ultimate goal is to be an Air Force pilot. I was going to join AFROTC or the ANG at Purdue, would that still be recommended for me? Any advice is much appreciated, thank you!

Off topic, but just went through this with my son, who also got the TWE this morning.

Ask lots of questions regarding how you will merge into the 141 flight school with a private pilot certificate. In my son's case, UND and another university flight program advises that they will give credit for the PPL, but it will still take about 7 lessons to get you merged into the flight program.

We have found that there will be no appreciable instruction towards your instrument or commercial until the second year.

That was a deal breaker for my son. Better than even chance that he will have his instrument rating before school starts in the Fall, and then it is more difficult to merge into their program as they will give you ZERO credit for the instrument rating and make you duplicate all the training.

I would guess that Perdue is the same but worth asking the questions from a knowledgeable advisor. ER had similar answers.

All great schools but difficult to imagine putting progress on hold for a year just to match up with other student with no flight time. DS has accepted engineering at University of Minnesota, and will continue part 61 instruction on his own terms. ROTC to start but ANG backup plan.

Good Luck!

 

[USAFA_2024_Candidate_Fam]

Off topic, but just went through this with my son, who also got the TWE this morning.

Ask lots of questions regarding how you will merge into the 141 flight school with a private pilot certificate. In my son's case, UND and another university flight program advises that they will give credit for the PPL, but it will still take about 7 lessons to get you merged into the flight program.

We have found that there will be no appreciable instruction towards your instrument or commercial until the second year.

That was a deal breaker for my son. Better than even chance that he will have his instrument rating before school starts in the Fall, and then it is more difficult to merge into their program as they will give you ZERO credit for the instrument rating and make you duplicate all the training.

I would guess that Perdue is the same but worth asking the questions from a knowledgeable advisor. ER had similar answers.

All great schools but difficult to imagine putting progress on hold for a year just to match up with other student with no flight time. DS has accepted engineering at University of Minnesota, and will continue part 61 instruction on his own terms. ROTC to start but ANG backup plan.

Good Luck!

We met with UND and ERAU at length and while UND does make you take a supplemental class (additional tuition and flight fees) to transition into their program (which delays entry into Instrument), ERAU does not. Our DS is registered to begin Instrument on day 1 at ERAU but will have to complete familiarization with the C172's in their fleet (he learned in the DA40). He earned his PPL at a 141 program which aligns very closely to ERAU, but for the Part 61 instruction I can see why they want to spend more time ensuring exactly where the student is before moving ahead. I understand that the full Aeronautical Science/Professional Flight path is overkill for seeking a rated slot but its where he wants to be and ensures that he will have the highest possible GPA along with a worst case scenario Plan B if something takes him out of play for Field Training and subsequent continuation toward commission.

 

[Jakesimp_]

Join AFROTC for the leadership opportunities, PT and another potential nomination source. There is no commitment but would send a stronger message on the application and during the interview process. Not to mention, if you do re-apply and receive another TWE, you will still be eligible for the In College Scholarship Program which could cover a big chunk of your final 3 years. Beyond that, earn solid grades and work on your instrument (you may finish it before application deadline but you won't be in commercial until this exact time next year at best so likely won't be a factor).

Thanks for your input. I did not apply for any AFROTC scholarships (Which I regret now) and am now wondering if there is any way to receive tuition aid for my freshman year. If I were to get another TWE next year, the ICSP would definitely help. Tuition is now our main concern if I were to attend Purdue, so I will be contacting their ROTC division tomorrow to see if there is anything they can do.

 

[Jakesimp_]

Off topic, but just went through this with my son, who also got the TWE this morning.

Ask lots of questions regarding how you will merge into the 141 flight school with a private pilot certificate. In my son's case, UND and another university flight program advises that they will give credit for the PPL, but it will still take about 7 lessons to get you merged into the flight program.

We have found that there will be no appreciable instruction towards your instrument or commercial until the second year.

That was a deal breaker for my son. Better than even chance that he will have his instrument rating before school starts in the Fall, and then it is more difficult to merge into their program as they will give you ZERO credit for the instrument rating and make you duplicate all the training.

I would guess that Perdue is the same but worth asking the questions from a knowledgeable advisor. ER had similar answers.

All great schools but difficult to imagine putting progress on hold for a year just to match up with other student with no flight time. DS has accepted engineering at University of Minnesota, and will continue part 61 instruction on his own terms. ROTC to start but ANG backup plan.

Good Luck!

Yes, I will definitely be asking them tomorrow all about the transition for a PPL. I believe you can go straight to commercial or instrument training, whichever comes first. I'll most likely be joining AFROTC, however I wish I had applied for a scholarship. Thanks for your advice!

 

[jimbowmsp]

We met with UND and ERAU at length and while UND does make you take a supplemental class (additional tuition and flight fees) to transition into their program (which delays entry into Instrument), ERAU does not. Our DS is registered to begin Instrument on day 1 at ERAU but will have to complete familiarization with the C172's in their fleet (he learned in the DA40). He earned his PPL at a 141 program which aligns very closely to ERAU, but for the Part 61 instruction I can see why they want to spend more time ensuring exactly where the student is before moving ahead. I understand that the full Aeronautical Science/Professional Flight path is overkill for seeking a rated slot but its where he wants to be and ensures that he will have the highest possible GPA along with a worst case scenario Plan B if something takes him out of play for Field Training and subsequent continuation toward commission.

Interesting.

ER gave us different information, but could be part 61 related. We have a family friend attending that engineering major and flight minor.

That would allow access to the flight school but still allow a different major.

They said they stopped that option and family friend grandfathered in.

Now we are told that they would approve the flight minor as I believe current crisis affecting potential enrollment.

Glad DS will be able to start flying toward instrument right away! Best of luck!

 

[nik024]

Unfortunately, there is no scholarship from AFROTC for your freshman year (at least not that I know of) if you didn't apply for the high school one. However, cadre will evaluate you during freshman year to see if you get a scholarship (will be vying for that since I got a TWE today) for your sophomore year and every year after. Hope that helps and good luck on your next application.

 

[usafaco9496]

Thanks for your input. I did not apply for any AFROTC scholarships (Which I regret now) and am now wondering if there is any way to receive tuition aid for my freshman year. If I were to get another TWE next year, the ICSP would definitely help. Tuition is now our main concern if I were to attend Purdue, so I will be contacting their ROTC division tomorrow to see if there is anything they can do.

We made the same dreadful ROTC mistake with my DS last year. He was a non-select for 2023, and when we reached out to AFROTC they said we were too late and he would be evaluated by his supervisors freshman year for possible scholarships for sophomore, junior and senior years only. It was a costly mistake and we paid way more than we had hoped. I’d reach out to admissions at Purdue (or OSU...go Bucks!) and ask for more money! And reapply for 2025! Get your app in this summer before school starts (I think the portals open 01 July), take a full load (engineering, math, science), improve In at least one category, get involved, fall in love with whatever school you choose, then if it doesn’t work out the next cycle it’ll be no big deal!

 

[Hollywood05]

My DS received his TWE last year at this time. He made contact with his ALO and his admissions counselor and asked how he could better himself and his application strength. Both of these people offered valuable information. I would recommend waiting until these representatives are through the busy time before contacting. My son took the constructive criticism to heart and went to work. Happy to say the hard work paid off as he received an appointment for 2024. Stay strong, work hard, persistence is key.

 

[a400831]

Here is another perspective from someone who was in your shoes several years ago. I got the TWE when I first applied for the class of 2015. Decided to do AFROTC and reapply to USAFA for the class of 2016. Reapplied, got an AFROTC and Congressional Nomination, but got another TWE. I was crushed. I felt that I had failed to reach my dream twice. However, I ended up falling in love with AFROTC, got my pilot slot, and I am now living my dream of flying the mighty Block 50 Viper out in Germany.

Getting the TWE TWICE is the best thing that ever happened to me. I would not trade my AFROTC experience for anything. This is not a spear at USAFA or trying to discourage you from reapplying. It is simply important to realize that the commissioning source is simply a path to the dream, not the dream itself. Work hard, explore every option, and I hope to see you at the merge one day.

 

[Jakesimp_]

Here is another perspective from someone who was in your shoes several years ago. I got the TWE when I first applied for the class of 2015. Decided to do AFROTC and reapply to USAFA for the class of 2016. Reapplied, got an AFROTC and Congressional Nomination, but got another TWE. I was crushed. I felt that I had failed to reach my dream twice. However, I ended up falling in love with AFROTC, got my pilot slot, and I am now living my dream of flying the mighty Block 50 Viper out in Germany.

Getting the TWE TWICE is the best thing that ever happened to me. I would not trade my AFROTC experience for anything. This is not a spear at USAFA or trying to discourage you from reapplying. It is simply important to realize that the commissioning source is simply a path to the dream, not the dream itself. Work hard, explore every option, and I hope to see you at the merge one day.

Thank you for this response.
While I’m crushed in a way that I received a TWE, I’m optimistic. I know that I’ll do anything I can to fly fighters someday, and I’ll come out of a 4 year program the exact same. I was curious if you (or anyone that sees this) knew anything about how joining the guard before college works, and how re applying as an enlisted airmen worked for USAFA. I know I’d most likely miss my fall semester, which isn’t desirable but the guard seems like an excellent fallback if I get another TWE. If I have to miss my entire fall semester and classes as well as reduce my chances of USAFA, I’d rather to AFROTC.
Hope to see you in the skies someday

 

[a400831]

My knowledge of the Guard is from my UPT bros, so my advice will be somewhat limited. However, this is my view:

Flying and life is all about probabilities. You should choose the path with the highest probability of achieving your dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Any path that gives someone else the opportunity to say "No" to letting you reach your dream decreases the probability of success. If you want to go Guard (which is a fine option with some advantages), get your degree, get your hours, then apply directly for a pilot position in the guard. If hired, you have guaranteed several things: 1. You will be sent to OTS to become an officer 2. You will have a guaranteed pilot slot 3. You already know the airframe you will fly because you rushed that specific guard unit that flies that specific airframe. The downside is you have to wait until after college and wait for a unit to start hiring, then rush that unit and hope to be selected.

If you enlist in the guard, the opportunity for commissioning and getting a pilot slot is not guaranteed by any means. Your career field may refuse to release you, and you are stuck in a job you never wanted in the first place. Of the 24 dudes in my pilot training class, only one was prior enlisted guard. That should tell you something.

AFROTC and USAFA are the two sources that produce the largest amount of pilots. Your odds of getting a pilot slot are high if you meet the averages for selection.

If you know you want to fly now, I see very little reason to enlist in the guard first. You are taking a chance by doing that with nothing to gain.

 

[Jakesimp_]

My knowledge of the Guard is from my UPT bros, so my advice will be somewhat limited. However, this is my view:

Flying and life is all about probabilities. You should choose the path with the highest probability of achieving your dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Any path that gives someone else the opportunity to say "No" to letting you reach your dream decreases the probability of success. If you want to go Guard (which is a fine option with some advantages), get your degree, get your hours, then apply directly for a pilot position in the guard. If hired, you have guaranteed several things: 1. You will be sent to OTS to become an officer 2. You will have a guaranteed pilot slot 3. You already know the airframe you will fly because you rushed that specific guard unit that flies that specific airframe. The downside is you have to wait until after college and wait for a unit to start hiring, then rush that unit and hope to be selected.

If you enlist in the guard, the opportunity for commissioning and getting a pilot slot is not guaranteed by any means. Your career field may refuse to release you, and you are stuck in a job you never wanted in the first place. Of the 24 dudes in my pilot training class, only one was prior enlisted guard. That should tell you something.

AFROTC and USAFA are the two sources that produce the largest amount of pilots. Your odds of getting a pilot slot are high if you meet the averages for selection.

If you know you want to fly now, I see very little reason to enlist in the guard first. You are taking a chance by doing that with nothing to gain.

I would get 100% of my tuition covered, as well as gaining hundreds of flight hours at my university. With all that experience it seems quite likely that I would be a top candidate for guard units I'd apply to, correct? Then from there they'd send me to AMS/OTS and SUPT