USAFA Academics

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AA787DRIVER

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My son was able to get his appointment this week to the USAFA and was wondering how good/hard the academics are for an undergraduate BA aerospace engineering from the Academy? He was looking at doing AFROTC at MIT, Georgia Tech or Purdue and knows where they stand as academic power house schools in engineering. He loves the feel of USAFA, but wants to get a solid degree. Anybody have some insight? Can he do a visit and sit in a class in the next month before deciding? Thanks!
 
The degrees at USAFA are all Bachelor of Science by the way.

USAFA has one of the top, if not THE top aerospace and aeronautical engineering programs. The service academies are all ranked along side the ivy league schools, MIT, etc.

Take a look at www.academyadmissions.com and search on "tours".

No, you will not be allowed to sit in on a class. Cadets are active duty personnel. Classes are part of their duties and having a civilian sit in would be disruptive.
 
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Has he been accepted to MIT with AFROTC Type 1? That would be a tough decision... the other schools, not so much.
 
SpiritCommitteeLiaison said:
The degrees at USAFA are all Bachelor of Science by the way.

USAFA has one of the top, if not THE top aerospace and aeronautical engineering programs. The service academies are all ranked along side the ivy league schools, MIT, etc.

Take a look at www.academyadmissions.com and search on "tours".

No, you will not be allowed to sit in on a class. Cadets are active duty personnel. Classes are part of their duties and having a civilian sit in would be disruptive.
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My DS was able to spend a day at USNA where he was able to sit in at every class his assigned midship went to plus he spent two nights there too, he got a good feeling of the SA. It was great. I wish USAFA would do the same.
 
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SpiritCommitteeLiaison said:
The degrees at USAFA are all Bachelor of Science by the way.

USAFA has one of the top, if not THE top aerospace and aeronautical engineering programs. The service academies are all ranked along side the ivy league schools, MIT, etc.

Take a look at www.academyadmissions.com and search on "tours".

No, you will not be allowed to sit in on a class. Cadets are active duty personnel. Classes are part of their duties and having a civilian sit in would be disruptive.
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I sat in a class. They are good! And I know that because I’m a college student
 
cluelesscandidateparents said:
My DS was able to spend a day at USNA where he was able to sit in at every class his assigned midship went to plus he spent two nights there too, he got a good feeling of the SA. It was great. I wish USAFA would do the same.
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If you are selected for a summer seminar (in person), they then have classes you sit in on designed specifically for SS.

My daughter did both the summer seminar, as well as spending a day with a cadet back in 2014. At least I think I remember she spent a day with a cadet -- it could have been USNA. If so, then covid has put a stop to it for the last 2 years.
 
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SpiritCommitteeLiaison said:
If you are selected for a summer seminar (in person), they then have classes you sit in on.

My daughter did both the summer seminar, as well as spending a day with a cadet back in 2014. USAFA may bring back a day with a cadet, but covid has put a stop to it for the last 2 years.
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I know. Covid has made a mess of many things. For personal and financial reasons my DS could not attend summer seminars to any academies :(
 
AA787DRIVER said:
My son was able to get his appointment this week to the USAFA and was wondering how good/hard the academics are for an undergraduate BA aerospace engineering from the Academy? He was looking at doing AFROTC at MIT, Georgia Tech or Purdue and knows where they stand as academic power house schools in engineering. He loves the feel of USAFA, but wants to get a solid degree. Anybody have some insight? Can he do a visit and sit in a class in the next month before deciding? Thanks!
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My boy got into Purdue and Notre Dame, as well as other top engineering schools. He has full rides to some of these schools and is looking at doing AFROTC at Notre Dame or SP-AFROTC at Purdue. But, if he gets an appointment, without a doubt he will be going to USAFA. Their Aerospace/Astronautical/Areonautical engineering program is superb and why they always rank in the top national polls. Many of the years above Purdue, Notre Dame and others. In 2017 they were the #2 ranked Aerospace/Astronautical/Areoautical engineering school and have been consistently right about that same ranking since. So to answer your question, yes his degree from USAFA is a very solid degree from a definite power house school. They are doing a lot of tours up there now and he may be able yo meet with current engineering cadets, my son did when he went on his tour. I'm not sure but maybe someone from admissions would be able to let him know if he could speak with some of the faculty from the engineering department when he visits too.
 
Thanks for the info! Sorry about the BA/BS typo. Son is just trying to do his homework now that he has a few options available to him and find the best way he is getting his commission and education. He did the STEM Camp at USNA and virtual Summer Seminar last year for USNA before switching to a USAF Commissioning path. A few ROTC people/grads have said the civilian schools offer a better education.
 
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USAFA offers more than a degree, much of it the experiences offered. What does your son want for his college experience -- regular college with AFROTC, or the immersed military environment with amazing opportunities USAFA offers? USAFA cadets ranked highly can go onto grad school right after commissioning, many of whom go to MIT, Harvard, and other of those type schools.
 
@greentrees has imbedded a HUGE point - not only for SAs but any college - doing WELL within your class is important - there are so many opportunities, but none are handed to you simply because you go to x college or SA. Similar to my ASU civilian DD - the college's websites and outward presentation is Look at All the Opportunities! But you have to be tops or the exact right fit to get them. BTW, my DD got the Fulbright! Yeah! She didn't need to go to a prestigious school, but rather, the one that has an 80%+ acceptance rate!

Agree with all excellent posts and stories above. SA education is excellent and COUPLED with experiences, IMO can't be beat. Wonderful 1st world problem for OP's DS. - he will do well in any of the programs, and get a great education at any. It is more the college experience as the fork in the road and then meeting back up with all commissioning Cadets as 2nd Lieutenants. Just like SA admissions, no one here can tell you which is the "right" path, or guarantee whether he'd get xyz opportunities at one vs. the other.
 
My son is a sophomore at USAFA studying astronautical engineering. He’s been on a research project since doolie year and will be presenting their research at the National Space Symposium next month. Take a look at the speakers, best in the space industry and leaders in the world. My sons classes are difficult. He started with Calc 3 doolie year and is now taking courses I don’t understand.

To think he is only a sophomore and already researching and being put in proximity to the best of the best in this field makes me confident he is getting a top astronautical engineering degree that would hard for any school to match. The sheer fact that he has access to government resources blows the others away. Part of his research just got sent to NASA and will go up in a satellite where they’ll continue to get research data.

My son plans to get a masters at AFIT after graduation.

 
AA787DRIVER said:
A few ROTC people/grads have said the civilian schools offer a better education.
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Well they might be just a bit biased. . . just like how the people on this forum will be mostly biased towards USAFA. In addition to my time at USAFA, I've taken in-person STEM courses (albeit in a different field) at two civilian universities, including one of the power houses you mentioned, and I can't personally say I've noticed an appreciable difference in rigor.

I believe that "your mileage may vary" at any institution. A lot depends on what the student is willing to do to get the most out of their undergraduate career. I'd consider USAFA to be a more "intimate" experience both academically and otherwise.

It sounds like your son has plans to join the AF regardless. If he wants to be a pilot, then USAFA historically offers the highest odds of securing a pilot slot.
 
SpiritCommitteeLiaison said:
The degrees at USAFA are all Bachelor of Science by the way.

USAFA has one of the top, if not THE top aerospace and aeronautical engineering programs. The service academies are all ranked along side the ivy league schools, MIT, etc.

Take a look at www.academyadmissions.com and search on "tours".

No, you will not be allowed to sit in on a class. Cadets are active duty personnel. Classes are part of their duties and having a civilian sit in would be disruptive.
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That is not true. We had a civilian sit in our physics class one time. She was doing a cadet for a day sort of program and was being escorted by a cadet who volunteered to host a civilian.
 
AA787DRIVER said:
My son was able to get his appointment this week to the USAFA and was wondering how good/hard the academics are for an undergraduate BA aerospace engineering from the Academy? He was looking at doing AFROTC at MIT, Georgia Tech or Purdue and knows where they stand as academic power house schools in engineering. He loves the feel of USAFA, but wants to get a solid degree. Anybody have some insight? Can he do a visit and sit in a class in the next month before deciding? Thanks!
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Link for Appointee Tours
 
foxtailsean said:
That is not true. We had a civilian sit in our physics class one time. She was doing a cadet for a day sort of program and was being escorted by a cadet who volunteered to host a civilian.
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Good to hear confirmation that they brought that back, then. As a mentioned subsequently from my initial post, I corrected myself since I remembered my daughter was part of that program, though they were not allowed to spend the night.
 
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SpiritCommitteeLiaison said:
Good to hear confirmation that they brought that back, then. As a mentioned subsequently from my initial post, I corrected myself since I remembered my daughter was part of that program, though they were not allowed to spend the night.
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When was this program? Was it offered to her after she received an appointment?
 
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