USAFA Prep Questions

Eagle8201 said:
Have questions?

Hey, I graduated the prep school last month and will be going to the hill. If you have any questions about the prep school, feel free to ask.
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Congratulations on your graduation! I have a question, do you apply to the USAFA Prep school? or are you selected if you do not get an appointment to the Academy? Thanks
 
America Works: I believe we had ~50 show up and graduated ~45. Probably 15-20 direct entries joined us for I-day at the academy and historically priors have around a 50% attrition rate (we’re doing really good for now- only have lost 2 that I know of, 6 months into doolie year)

Minty iced tea: priors show up a couple days before the rest of the incoming preppies in order to do in-processing since we are technically still active duty at the prep school and it is treated as a PCS.

Lynn114: you cannot apply directly to the prep school. Everyone fills out the application for USAFA and then admissions picks those they want to send to the prep school (mostly athletes, also priors that are young enough to spend the year in prep school, and a few others that fit into ‘diversity’ categories)

Felt I should revitalize this thread since I know appointments are starting to come out and class of 2019 preppies will be here sooner than we know it!
 
Is the application to the Prep School for USAFA a different application to the Academy alone?? How do they determine the Prep School Candidates/Appointees what qualifications are different from USAFA Appointees? Thanks in Advance
 
JakobF, see my reply to Lynn114 right above your post. There is no application to the prep school. You appply to USAFA and may be picked up to go to the prep school instead- it’s all up to USAFA admissions, they make the call on prep offers
 
Enlisted airmen applying through the LEAD program can apply directly to the Prep School. They are the only group that I know of that have that option.
 
jennvberg said:
Will they send out a list of items you need to bring to the prep school? If not, what should I bring?
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Prep School will post on your preppies portal page a list of what to bring and what not to bring. they will also get a new list of to do items on the portal page prior to departure date, including things like if your preppie will be traveling with you or if prep school will be scheduling travel. immunizations, eye prescriptions, and many other things you will be surprised. Congratulations! this past year has been a great experience for DS, with many ups and downs much like life with much growth.

Also it will be asked later, yes your preppie will have to reapply to the academy and seek a nomination from all available sources even if they have one for this year. the process is less involved and they will have much help in doing it.

Enjoy this very exciting time and the year will fly by.
 
Oscar Whiskey said:
Good Question jennvberg—I want to know the same thing especially about laptops and other computer items.
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They will get a laptop at the prep school, they buy it along with uniforms and books and class fees etc... DS took his own after Christmas break for personal use. you can not connect personal commuters to the prep network. The cost of these can be paid up front or taken out of preppies pay through out the year.

I believe DS has a private modem that can accommodate 4 prepies which is provided by local carrier I think his cost is $5 a month since they split it. but it is slow and often he just uses cell phone data. if you have a good unlimited Data plan on phones that may be the better way to go, but you need to decide if it worth the cost for the speed.
 
Excellent information refdad thank you for sharing. One question about help with Applications while at the Prep School. My DS doesn't want to start his at all until he gets there. our MOC and Senators have a deadline for Nom packets early October I think. I keep telling him to go back to all his sources and ask for referral letters to be written again so he has them in hand. How much do they help them with that process??
 
JRS92078 said:
Excellent information refdad thank you for sharing. One question about help with Applications while at the Prep School. My DS doesn't want to start his at all until he gets there. our MOC and Senators have a deadline for Nom packets early October I think. I keep telling him to go back to all his sources and ask for referral letters to be written again so he has them in hand. How much do they help them with that process??[/QUOTE
They will email them with a reminder to apply for the nomination from available sources. There will be time to apply for the nomination. My DS applied for senator and MOC (which he did receive).
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JRS92078 said:
Excellent information refdad thank you for sharing. One question about help with Applications while at the Prep School. My DS doesn't want to start his at all until he gets there. our MOC and Senators have a deadline for Nom packets early October I think. I keep telling him to go back to all his sources and ask for referral letters to be written again so he has them in hand. How much do they help them with that process??
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Sometime in August the prep school sat down with all the preps and went over the USAFA PS Statement of Understanding they must sign. This details the expectations of the prep to get an appointment to the academy.
1) seek a nomination from all sources available.
2) maintain academics at the prep school 2.42 total acum
3) maintain fitness/medical - that includes fitness test which they will do several times at the prep school, meet medical standards or have waiver, body fat standards
4) conduct character attitude and behavior - basically continue to show the right stuff
5) title X requirements - age, single and citizenship requirements
the academy has everything else they need. so preps will not need to resubmit to the academy

DS received nomination from our rep initially and then from senator while at prep school. I am not sure if he submitted letters of recommendation to congressmen again but did interview via skipe he may have just resubmitted letters of recommendation from first go around but I am not sure.

Then we wait to hear if the get the final nod. We are in that process now, I assume the preps do not get official notice of appointment till they complete finals in May.
 
really good information refdad thank you for sharing! And good Luck to your DS. Keep us posted!
I'm going to urge my DS to go ahead and ask the people who wrote his LOR's for our senators if they saved copies and print them out in Duplicate Originals and sign and seal envelopes and we can hold onto them. Then Dear mom doesn't have to chase tail should he need them they will be in hand ready to go. I wish teenagers were just automatically that thoughtful :)
 
refdad said:
They will get a laptop at the prep school, they buy it along with uniforms and books and class fees etc... DS took his own after Christmas break for personal use. you can not connect personal commuters to the prep network. The cost of these can be paid up front or taken out of preppies pay through out the year.

I believe DS has a private modem that can accommodate 4 prepies which is provided by local carrier I think his cost is $5 a month since they split it. but it is slow and often he just uses cell phone data. if you have a good unlimited Data plan on phones that may be the better way to go, but you need to decide if it worth the cost for the speed.
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Since they get a laptop at the Prep school- do they take that to USAFA? Or do they get issued a different one there?
 
Oscar Whiskey said:
refdad said:
They will get a laptop at the prep school, they buy it along with uniforms and books and class fees etc... DS took his own after Christmas break for personal use. you can not connect personal commuters to the prep network. The cost of these can be paid up front or taken out of preppies pay through out the year.

I believe DS has a private modem that can accommodate 4 prepies which is provided by local carrier I think his cost is $5 a month since they split it. but it is slow and often he just uses cell phone data. if you have a good unlimited Data plan on phones that may be the better way to go, but you need to decide if it worth the cost for the speed.
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Since they get a laptop at the Prep school- do they take that to USAFA? Or do they get issued a different one there?
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Hopefully I will have that answer in couple of months. The laptop is the preps so I am guessing that the laptop will be good for the Academy as well. At least I hope, so they don't have to purchase another one.
 
JRS92078 said:
really good information refdad thank you for sharing! And good Luck to your DS. Keep us posted!
I'm going to urge my DS to go ahead and ask the people who wrote his LOR's for our senators if they saved copies and print them out in Duplicate Originals and sign and seal envelopes and we can hold onto them. Then Dear mom doesn't have to chase tail should he need them they will be in hand ready to go. I wish teenagers were just automatically that thoughtful :)
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I panicked about that stuff and still do, it is all part of being a parent, but these preps really do know what they are doing, guess that is why they where selected to attend. DS had no issues with completing nomination requests at prep school but he may have had all his letters electronically saved for future.

Also too note the same portal will be used for application but the check list will be replaced and most of the documents stored there you will no longer have access to. So if you want to save anything make sure you print out hard copies before I-day so you have them for future reflection.
 
Just some helpful input for some common themes

1. Don’t worry too much about nominations. You will have to apply for every nomination you can, and you will be told in time when to complete them. EVERYONE applies for EVERY nomination source they can. I came to the P as a prior enlisted Airman with my unit commanders nomination and still had to apply for congressional noms (and got one). The process isn’t too involved and you will get ample assistance. Worst case scenario, the prep school commander can provide your nomination. tl;dr - don’t worry about nominations right now.

2. You don’t buy a laptop at the P. You will be issued one and you will return it at the end of the year (but if you break it you buy it). You WILL buy a laptop your freshman year on the hill, and that one is yours to keep.
 
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