USAFA CFA

wildblue2020

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Aug 29, 2015
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This is one of the last pieces of my application! I have a 4.0, 5 ap classes, two other college classes, and other honors classes, 34 reading, 31 English, 28 math and science (super score ACT), president of debate, national honors society, service club, and empowering youth to prevent suicide, Vice President of future business leaders of America, and national technical honors society, school board member, cross country (4years) track (4 years), captain of cross country and track, boys state, boys nation, and 350+ hours of service. (Competed at debate nationals once and future business leaders of America nationals twice) Should I retakethe CFA?
The extracurriculars listed above I have been a leader in or have been involved in for consecutive years.

Basketball throw: 69
Pull ups: 13
Shuttle run: 8.01
Sit ups: 82
Push ups: 72
Mile run: 6:49

Thank you!
 
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Personally, I would wait to submit your application until you know your CFA scores are as good as they can be (without missing the deadline). Having said that, I'm not sure if you should submit those scores. Will they pass? Absolutely. Are they the best you can possibly do? That's up to you. Best of luck! :thumb:
 
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I would like to thank you for your advice. My dad is an academy grad and told me to submit those scores but I knew that I could do better. What you told me affirmed that. I took the test again today and the results are as follows:

Basketball throw: 73
Pull Ups: 17
Shuttle run: 7.91
Sit Ups: 90
Push Ups: 75
Mile: 6:26

Thanks again @wildblueyonder
 
I'm not being rude in any manner, just curious, but how have you been in xc and track for four years but can only run a 6:20 mile?
 
I'm not being rude in any manner, just curious, but how have you been in xc and track for four years but can only run a 6:20 mile?

Running a mile after the events of the CFA is a lot different than running a mile fresh. You've likely already shocked a lot of muscles in your body and are not used to transitioning straight into a race. The pull ups and push ups sap some strength from your arms and the sit-ups obviously trash your abs and probably your hip flexors as well. Your quads and hamstrings are still in good shape but the rest of those muscles are still important for running.

I ran a 4:40 mile and 1:58 half mile during my track years. A few years later when I took the CFA I think I ran somewhere around 7:30ish. Later as a cadet candidate I ran the 1.5 mile in 7:48 at altitude.
 
I agree with afr paso. I felt trashed at the start of my mile during the CFA. It's like I forgot how to run because I couldn't control my upper body since it was worn out from the pullups and all. Bottom line is you won't be able to run your fastest mile in the CFA or not even close for that matter unless you train calisthenics for a living and your upper body is so efficient that it doesn't even get tired. Still I have to ask you paso, a 4:40 mile and 1:58 800 converting to the 7 minute is a huge jump. I'd think you had a pretty efficient anaerobic system. Were your muscles just dead from everything else or what?
 
Jest,

I took the CFA two years after graduating high school, when I logged those times. I still ran but not nearly as much, probably around 5:45 pace for a mile fresh. You also guessed right on my muscles. At the time I was downright terrible at upper body and sit ups, so I pushed extra hard on those (at the cost of my mile time).

These days I score 400ish for the PFT and 450ish for the AFT, so it is completely possible to increase your scores with hard work!
 
That's why when you practice for the CFA, practice it in order, and timed. You'll be shocked, perhaps, at your results.
 
fencersmother is spot on. So many candidate practice each portion separately, but never under test like conditions. Candidates just go all out and by the time the mile starts they are pretty tired. Its why its so important to practice in the order you have to take the test in under the same conditions as the real test.
 
Sits up fatigue your quads and hip flexors alot. This is why alot of candidates legs feel dead when they get to the starting line of the run.
 
And OP, I am no authoritative by any means, but from wandering around these boards for a few years your scores look solid. Take a look around at some other threads and compare.
 
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