USAFA Appointment Certificate

I wonder if USAFA does not recruit much because they don't need to. If they already receive ~11,000 applicants annually, numbers don't seem to be an issue. And similar to what FH76 said, some applicants that apply have had USAFA as their number one choice, meaning they have done the research and already have an in-depth knowledge of the Academy and what it entails.
My guess is they don't have to advertise because they have a consistent and strong applicant pool to choose from every year.
 
FH76 said:
That’s a very interesting take and no doubt warranted from your perspective. For my DS and us USAFA was always the dream, as it is for many others. Yes there will be some that will be on the fence about which SA to choose and those that are lucky enough to have that option. My guess however is that the large majority of cadets at USAFA are there regardless of how smooth their admissions / recruitment process was when compared to the other SAs. I Can tell that USAFA never recruited DS, he had to let them know he wanted it and wanted it with all his heart.
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Appreciate your perspective - probably pretty accurate of the large majority. My son initially had a goal of getting an appointment to USMA - probably the name recognition alone was the reason it was at the top for a teenager - but he knew that he wanted the rigor of a SA. We then took our first in-person trip to USAFA. Exciting to visit a SA for the first time and the culture seemed to align with what he was looking for. Also, talking with Coach Kaz was a huge motivator - that guy made me want to join USAFA! Then DS visited USMA and then USMA was back on top of the list. Then did summer seminar with USNA and USAFA. USNA was now the top preference. Did USNA CVW after and that cemented it's position on top of his list, but still scheduled an overnight visit with USMA. Really doing what we could to make sure he was positioned to make an eyes wide open decision.

Obviously could be construed as a lot of "flip flopping", but really it was over a year of a lot of trips around the country to try to gather as much information and experience as possible outside of the normal research that applicants can do to figure out the best fit for them. I have no doubt he would be equally as successful at any of the 3. In situations such as this (which may be an outlier when looking at the overall population of kids looking at different SAs), I can definitely tell you that small things do actually matter when you're trying to figure out what's the best fit. When the experience seems to be more engaging (and equally so) with two of the SAs, and there seems to be a noticeable difference when comparing them to the 3rd SA, it's definitely something I would address as a member of their admissions team. These kids are told over and over again to execute at a high level, so it's noticeable to them when 1 SA doesn't seem to for this short window of time.

Also, USAFA had the the sharpest decline in application numbers last year compared to USNA and USMA. And FWIW, if he decided to go with USAFA, I wouldn't have any reservations about it and neither would he. I'm sure to some, my blathering won't change any perceptions or whatever... but I'm talking about much more than receiving a BFE in a timely manner. I'm sure I've overshared to the point of exhaustion for some of the readers, so I'll hop off this thread.
 
I have had multiple kids appointed to multiple academies, between the 4 of them all except USCGA so far. It has also been a conversation that USAFA's appointment certificate is the most lackluster of the bunch. My DD never even received one, her alo lost it or something. Next DS had USMA and USNA mailed or handed to him pretty quickly, while USAFA wasn't until awards day at school long after the decision was made and we often wondered if it is something they only send to those that have accepted the appointment, a way to save money perhaps? Next DS also only received certificate at awards day. My youngest is still in the application process so maybe things have changed recently but he did receive the appointment certificate from USMMA within the week of it showing on his portal.

As you can see from my signature line the lack of nice certificate did not influence the decision but it was noticed. If I had to rank certificates/BFE packages, I'd go USMA, USNA, USMMA, then USAFA and honestly Ted Cruz's congratulatory appointment notification certificate might be ahead of USAFA :)

DD knows some that graduated recently from other academies, she argues that while USAFA might lack on the front end, their diplomas are the best and those are ultimately the goal anyway so eyes on the prize.
 
bballdad said:
Appreciate your perspective - probably pretty accurate of the large majority. My son initially had a goal of getting an appointment to USMA - probably the name recognition alone was the reason it was at the top for a teenager - but he knew that he wanted the rigor of a SA. We then took our first in-person trip to USAFA. Exciting to visit a SA for the first time and the culture seemed to align with what he was looking for. Also, talking with Coach Kaz was a huge motivator - that guy made me want to join USAFA! Then DS visited USMA and then USMA was back on top of the list. Then did summer seminar with USNA and USAFA. USNA was now the top preference. Did USNA CVW after and that cemented it's position on top of his list, but still scheduled an overnight visit with USMA. Really doing what we could to make sure he was positioned to make an eyes wide open decision.

Obviously could be construed as a lot of "flip flopping", but really it was over a year of a lot of trips around the country to try to gather as much information and experience as possible outside of the normal research that applicants can do to figure out the best fit for them. I have no doubt he would be equally as successful at any of the 3. In situations such as this (which may be an outlier when looking at the overall population of kids looking at different SAs), I can definitely tell you that small things do actually matter when you're trying to figure out what's the best fit. When the experience seems to be more engaging (and equally so) with two of the SAs, and there seems to be a noticeable difference when comparing them to the 3rd SA, it's definitely something I would address as a member of their admissions team. These kids are told over and over again to execute at a high level, so it's noticeable to them when 1 SA doesn't seem to for this short window of time.

Also, USAFA had the the sharpest decline in application numbers last year compared to USNA and USMA. And FWIW, if he decided to go with USAFA, I wouldn't have any reservations about it and neither would he. I'm sure to some, my blathering won't change any perceptions or whatever... but I'm talking about much more than receiving a BFE in a timely manner. I'm sure I've overshared to the point of exhaustion for some of the readers, so I'll hop off this thread.
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Wow Impressive journey for you and your family! Congrats wherever your son ends up. Seems like he is an amazing kid and will do great things.

On the flip side of things, for those fortunate to have choices in which SA to choose, ultimately I think they should consider what they will be doing after graduation. For DS, the thought of 6 months out at sea or leading an infantry platoon was never his desire so he always had his sights set on USAFA or AFROTC.
 
What I find interesting/ curious is that there seems to be a sense that some posters are assigning significant emotion/ validation/ appreciation/ recognition FROM the United States Air Force Academy and other SA/ROTC programs on a binary Yes /No of mailing or not mailing a fancy certificate in a BFE as quickly as other SA/ ROTC options. This happens on valentines day too where people get upset if they don't receive a card, implying that means that others do not care. Ah, to each their own.

Again, sharing perspectives, another validation the SAs/ ROTCs provide is the acceptance or scholarship themselves - that's a "wow" factor to some in providing a path to train, get an education, and serve our nation. That acceptance has value, and in the opinion of some, a bedazzled/ embossed fancy certificate in a BFE is ultimately nice, but not having it immediately in the candidate's hands doesn't necessarily diminish the experience for them as much as others.

Good luck and my sincere thanks to all who are willing and planning to serve.
 
Sam2018 said:
I have had multiple kids appointed to multiple academies, between the 4 of them all except USCGA so far. It has also been a conversation that USAFA's appointment certificate is the most lackluster of the bunch. My DD never even received one, her alo lost it or something. Next DS had USMA and USNA mailed or handed to him pretty quickly, while USAFA wasn't until awards day at school long after the decision was made and we often wondered if it is something they only send to those that have accepted the appointment, a way to save money perhaps? Next DS also only received certificate at awards day. My youngest is still in the application process so maybe things have changed recently but he did receive the appointment certificate from USMMA within the week of it showing on his portal.

As you can see from my signature line the lack of nice certificate did not influence the decision but it was noticed. If I had to rank certificates/BFE packages, I'd go USMA, USNA, USMMA, then USAFA and honestly Ted Cruz's congratulatory appointment notification certificate might be ahead of USAFA :)

DD knows some that graduated recently from other academies, she argues that while USAFA might lack on the front end, their diplomas are the best and those are ultimately the goal anyway so eyes on the prize.
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USAFA must have changed the appointment certificates last year. I had heard that same complaint by others in the past, but my 2026er's USAFA certificate is just as nice as his USMA certificate. Ted Cruz did send him a really nice letter, though!

I will say that we do not have either my USAFA or DH's USMA appointment certificate. No idea where either of those are. We do have our SA diplomas proudly hanging in our house and DH's grandfather's USMA diploma (as well as a rubbing of the USMA Alma Mater and my class print). It is cool that the two USMA diplomas are nearly identical even though they are 53 years apart. You're right...eyes on the prize.
 
bballdad said:
Sorry you haven't heard of someone called the JV team when it doesn't seem like they have their stuff together. I certainly didn't make it up.

You seemed to miss the entire point of my response, though. It's not about patting anyone on the back, and I certainly didn't focus on anyone getting all up in their feelings about not getting a shiny folder or pat on the back and being a sad kid about it, it's about all of the administrative aspects of the admissions process. If you don't think recruiting is important to the SAs, I don't know what to tell you - should probably look into what their budget is to attempt to attract top tier kids. If you think my family's perceived shortcomings of USAFA's administrative application processes are actually part of a design to prepare and harden the applicants and make sure they're tough enough for a SA, that's an interesting take. It seems more likely their execution of their admissions program could be better.

First, second, and third impressions matter, especially when kids are deciding between SAs and top schools in the country. It certainly doesn't mean the kids are soft when they recognize one of the schools seems to be less mature in the administrative side of the application/recruiting process. My son has chosen to go with another SA and made his decision tree of his preferred academy a long time ago before these things were even noticed, but these things have been a topic of conversation around our dinner table. To suggest someone is looking for some daily affirmations for noticing them is lame.
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Of course I’ve heard of the JV team analogy, but never in relation to USAFA as you intimated, which is what I was saying.

As for the rest of it, people can draw their own conclusions.
 
FH76 said:
That’s a very interesting take and no doubt warranted from your perspective. For my DS and us USAFA was always the dream, as it is for many others. Yes there will be some that will be on the fence about which SA to choose and those that are lucky enough to have that option. My guess however is that the large majority of cadets at USAFA are there regardless of how smooth their admissions / recruitment process was when compared to the other SAs. I Can tell that USAFA never recruited DS, he had to let them know he wanted it and wanted it with all his heart.
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That's how I see it too. The SAs attract a certain type of person. The whole process is burdensome, and that's intentional. They want you to really want it. There is also considerable thought into the process. After many years of AF service, you realize it's still a governmental agency. There are manning shortfalls, regulations, and red tape. But things will get done, sometimes in a slow churn.

Again, if your son/daughter has an appointment now, they should pat themselves on the back. They have stood out in a very competitive field and should be proud of their accomplishments. If they needed immediate gratification (a certificate) so badly that they chose an alternate university, I think both the candidate and the AF won. Their heart wasn't in it, and that makes for an absolutely miserable cadet or an elimination. The AFA can almost tell you exactly how many cadets won't make it through their first year. They hand select those that have a great chance of making it, but some won't. When I went to UPT (pilot training) many years ago they told us on the very first day to look around the class, one third of us won't finish the program. And a year later, they were really close, 8 of 22 washed out.
 
99Gold said:
USAFA must have changed the appointment certificates last year. I had heard that same complaint by others in the past, but my 2026er's USAFA certificate is just as nice as his USMA certificate. Ted Cruz did send him a really nice letter, though!

I will say that we do not have either my USAFA or DH's USMA appointment certificate. No idea where either of those are. We do have our SA diplomas proudly hanging in our house and DH's grandfather's USMA diploma (as well as a rubbing of the USMA Alma Mater and my class print). It is cool that the two USMA diplomas are nearly identical even though they are 53 years apart. You're right...eyes on the prize.
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I'm glad they have upped their game, again not that it matters in the long run but it is nice. I hope DS gets one :)

What we've noticed is how my husband's and ds's USMA appointment certificate are almost identical as well. I love that about USMA, the history and how it is honored has always impressed me.
 
Last year I did not receive my BFE until April/May and I was one of the first non LOA appointees. Just give it time. Sure it is nice to have, but in the whole scheme of things, it has little value. I recommend focusing on prepping for the difficult years ahead.
 
TheToast said:
I had a question that was sort of related to this topic.

From my personal experience, I’ve noticed West Point and the Naval Academy have done a lot of outreach to recruit students compared to the Air Force Academy.
I was curious as to if anyone else has noticed this and if there was a reason(s) as to why.
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My DD received appointments to USNA and USAFA and having now followed this entire process, USNA did a much better job of reaching out to her, communicating, opportunities for Candidate visit weekends that are not available at USAFA unless your one of the select FVE which she was not and Navy held 3 in person summer seminar sessions- AF held one in person much smaller, hence, she went to Navy summer seminar as she only got invited to virtual at USAFA. My view USAFA could up its game on recruitment and outreach. They are competing for the best and the brightest with the other service academies and they should put their best foot forward. I understand the view here that we should all tough it out and the free education and all, but if you have a child who is focussed on serving the competition is with the other academies and they could do a much better job.
 
My son received notice of his appointment on Dec. 19 and we've received nothing in the mail. I was beginning to think we wouldn't receive anything unless he hit that "accept" button. We're still waiting to hear from USNA though before he makes his final decision. I just wanted to let you guys know who may still be waiting for a BFE.
 
Hummingbird said:
My son received notice of his appointment on Dec. 19 and we've received nothing in the mail. I was beginning to think we wouldn't receive anything unless he hit that "accept" button. We're still waiting to hear from USNA though before he makes his final decision. I just wanted to let you guys know who may still be waiting for a BFE.
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I don't know if this helps, but I received my appointment to USAFA on January 30th, and I have accepted it. But I have not received anything in the mail from USAFA. I believe I received my appointment to USNA on March 3rd? I don't really know because I was never contacted via email or phone call, that's just the date that was stamped on the envelope with my appointment certificate from USNA. I did not accept or decline my USNA decision and received my appointment certificate from USNA on March 7th.
 
Hummingbird said:
My son received notice of his appointment on Dec. 19 and we've received nothing in the mail. I was beginning to think we wouldn't receive anything unless he hit that "accept" button. We're still waiting to hear from USNA though before he makes his final decision. I just wanted to let you guys know who may still be waiting for a BFE.
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My DD received her offer of appointment in her portal 5 December. She declined. Her BFE arrived at the very end of February just one week shy of 3 months from offer.
 
Hummingbird said:
My son received notice of his appointment on Dec. 19 and we've received nothing in the mail. I was beginning to think we wouldn't receive anything unless he hit that "accept" button. We're still waiting to hear from USNA though before he makes his final decision. I just wanted to let you guys know who may still be waiting for a BFE.
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I think they send it to everyone who have received an offer of appointment in batches. I wonder if your son's certificate got lost in the mail? DS offer of appointment was mid January. His certificate came in the mail mid February. He declined the appointment a day or two before it was delivered. We think it was mailed out before he made the decision.
 
My DD also accepted appointment to USAFA in mid-Feb and is hoping to receive the BFE. She turned down an appointment to USNA- but the Navy BFE is still proudly displayed on our mantle. Hoping to do the same with USAFA. I think they are capable of, and should be better, than they are on the admissions front. Fly, Fight, WIN!
 
FlyFalcon said:
I just printed out my paper saying I got in 😂. My dad was the one who accidentally opened my package. At that point in may ( don't get me wrong it was cool) but when I had it? I cared more about my butt getting kicked in a few weeks lol. Look it's nice, but gotta agree small things aren't always praised here. You have to learn to celebrate them yourself.

Speaking of which my nwp teammate from last year? Oh yea, he got in this year, boom! That's what I celebrate even as I enter the truly dark days, rec is 66 days away and for those that know....yep "those" days leading up start soon, but I'll always find something to celebrate and for this week it's my 27er I get to bully- cough I mean tough love on for the next 3 years.
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Go get him… keep him on his toes!!
 
Superkids2 said:
My DD received appointments to USNA and USAFA and having now followed this entire process, USNA did a much better job of reaching out to her, communicating, opportunities for Candidate visit weekends that are not available at USAFA unless your one of the select FVE which she was not and Navy held 3 in person summer seminar sessions- AF held one in person much smaller, hence, she went to Navy summer seminar as she only got invited to virtual at USAFA. My view USAFA could up its game on recruitment and outreach. They are competing for the best and the brightest with the other service academies and they should put their best foot forward. I understand the view here that we should all tough it out and the free education and all, but if you have a child who is focussed on serving the competition is with the other academies and they could do a much better job.
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Exactly. The "Well, he/she just didn't want it bad enough and wasn't committed enough to go there" doesn't address the absolute fact that their lack of recruitment and outreach leads to them missing out on great candidates who also have appointments to USMA and/or USNA.
 
Splendor matters. Tradition matters. To a certain degree presentation, pomp and circumstance matter. Otherwise why would they spring for all those cool, fancy, different uniforms and appointments they give them to wear? It's the AFA, not an acceptance/offer letter from Rancho Cucamonga Community College, lol. Sure, it's not the most important thing, but it's a nice touch.
 
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