What are some steps I need to be taking right now to make being accepted into the academy a reality?

Karsten Murphy said:
Would being on a swim team but not being the captain help at all? Also, this might sound strange but would being on a competition fly fishing team help? I would assume that it could because it is physically demanding. One last thing, there is a local sailing club I could join. Would that be something the admissions officers like to see?
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Absolutely! Any activity that helps round out your resume will be helpful. However, try to be deliberate in what you choose and find ways to make an impact in the activity. For instance swimming...great physical sport, the academy has varsity swimming which could potentially be a thing for you. If you get involved with a swim club, maybe being a captain isn't an option, but maybe you could organize a fundraiser, or something else tangible. Same with sailing. Academy has a division 1 sailing team. Maybe it could be your thing. You don't necessarily have to be a world class athlete to play a varsity sport or be considered a recruited athlete at the academy.

Not certain if there's any fishing club at CGA but If your passionate about competition fly fishing, go for it! If nothing else, it's sort of unique and something different than what they normally see.

Again, cool thing is you have plenty of time to get organized and formulate a plan for these activities.
 
Karsten Murphy said:
Thank you sir. That was the most real response I’ve received. I haven’t stopped to consider my other options and opportunities thoroughly. I’ll have to consider the other programs and weigh the pros and cons to see what would fit my mission best. You made some very good points that I need to think on. One thing in my mission is for certain, I want to be commissioned into the Coast Guard. Thank you for the support.
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Another option that not many people know about is CSPI : https://www.gocoastguard.com/get-st...pre-commissioning-initiative-cspi-scholarship

This is a program where you attend college as a regular student for 2 years and apply during your sophomore year. If you are selected, CGA pays for your last 2 years of school and then you would attend OCS upon your college graduation. You would attend boot camp between your sophomore and junior years and would have some commitments during your junior and senior years.
The only catch (other than being accepted) is that you have to be attending a federally designated Minority Serving Institution (MSI). There is a list of schools that qualify. Definitely something else to look into. As @Northwoods mentions, you can also go to any college and then apply for OCS. The CSPI program would be somewhere in between that option and attending CGA.
 
I agree with the others, the age is a rule and unlikely to get a waiver I would assume. I would definitely take classes through the community college. My daughters school (in NC) has a program set up. A couple kids each year graduate HS with an associate's degree. She has 4 classes each semester at her high school, she is taking 3 and 2 college classes. They give a 5.0 for an A in a college class, so she is using that benefit also for her GPA. Especially if advanced courses are not offered at your school maybe you could initiate something with your school. One problem is some community colleges do not offer very challenging courses that you may be in need of.
 
jrlowscot said:
I agree with the others, the age is a rule and unlikely to get a waiver I would assume. I would definitely take classes through the community college. My daughters school (in NC) has a program set up. A couple kids each year graduate HS with an associate's degree. She has 4 classes each semester at her high school, she is taking 3 and 2 college classes. They give a 5.0 for an A in a college class, so she is using that benefit also for her GPA. Especially if advanced courses are not offered at your school maybe you could initiate something with your school. One problem is some community colleges do not offer very challenging courses that you may be in need of.
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Thanks for the response! The largest community college in California is literally across the street from me. My dad who was a professor at the Air Force Academy who teaches there now said that the curriculum is 3 times harder than what he taught at the academy. I’m planning on taking 2 years of classes there.
 
Karsten Murphy said:
Thanks for the response! The largest community college in California is literally across the street from me. My dad who was a professor at the Air Force Academy who teaches there now said that the curriculum is 3 times harder than what he taught at the academy. I’m planning on taking 2 years of classes there.
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Impressive that you have 400 hours of fixed wing time.

Obviously you have to wait until 16 to solo and 17 for your PPL.

I am currently a 1/c cadet at USCGA with around 385 hours of fixed wing time (CPL, Instrument Rating, Multi Engine Rating).

I put in for CG flight school as my top billet choice. Billet night is March 7th.

Let me know if you have any flying related questions about CGA or the CG (as best as I can answer without being an actual CG Aviator).
 
Offshore said:
Impressive that you have 400 hours of fixed wing time.

Obviously you have to wait until 16 to solo and 17 for your PPL.

I am currently a 1/c cadet at USCGA with around 385 hours of fixed wing time (CPL, Instrument Rating, Multi Engine Rating).

I put in for CG flight school as my top billet choice. Billet night is March 7th.

Let me know if you have any flying related questions about CGA or the CG (as best as I can answer without being an actual CG Aviator).
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That’s awesome man! Do you mind sharing what your academics/extra curriculars are that got you accepted? I don’t know if I’m good enough to get accepted. I hope that flight experience helps on my application. I actually just arranged a tour at Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento for my Civil Air Patrol Squadron :)
 
Karsten Murphy said:
That’s awesome man! Do you mind sharing what your academics/extra curriculars are that got you accepted? I don’t know if I’m good enough to get accepted. I hope that flight experience helps on my application. I actually just arranged a tour at Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento for my Civil Air Patrol Squadron :)
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I definitely think your flight experience will help you, however, just having flight time will not get you in.

You have to be well rounded (academics, sports/extracurriculars, etc).

I didn't get accepted to CGA my first time as a high senior. 1450 SAT, Track/XC runner (not good enough to run at CGA), Eagle Scout, Chess Club President, 220 PFE score, 7 AP classes (to include Calc, Chem, Physics), and band (did get the cadet band director to try to recruit me but his pull is not as strong as the varsity athletics coaches).

I did a year of prep school at MMI. I took Calc, Chem, Physics, and English. I was involved in the band and flying program down there. Worked very hard on getting good grades both semesters (4.0 both semesters). Also worked out a lot and improved my PFE score to 250. Also put my primary major as naval architecture and marine engineering (instead of marine environmental sciences).

Got accepted my second time after a year at prep school.

Hope that helps. Feel free to PM me with further questions.
 
Offshore said:
Impressive that you have 400 hours of fixed wing time.

Obviously you have to wait until 16 to solo and 17 for your PPL.

I am currently a 1/c cadet at USCGA with around 385 hours of fixed wing time (CPL, Instrument Rating, Multi Engine Rating).

I put in for CG flight school as my top billet choice. Billet night is March 7th.

Let me know if you have any flying related questions about CGA or the CG (as best as I can answer without being an actual CG Aviator).
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Not to hijack the thread, but can you tell me what all comprises the class rank? Guessing some weight between GPA, some sort of military performance metric and maybe PFE score? Is class rank something you are aware of throughout time at the academy, or not until 1/c year?

My daughter is currently a 4/c. She may or may not know how that works, but I was just curious!

Best of luck to you on billet night!! The 4/C's just put in their sheets for their first summer assignment....I get the feeling billet night for them will be here in the blink of an eye!
 
27BearDad said:
Not to hijack the thread, but can you tell me what all comprises the class rank? Guessing some weight between GPA, some sort of military performance metric and maybe PFE score? Is class rank something you are aware of throughout time at the academy, or not until 1/c year?

My daughter is currently a 4/c. She may or may not know how that works, but I was just curious!

Best of luck to you on billet night!! The 4/C's just put in their sheets for their first summer assignment....I get the feeling billet night for them will be here in the blink of an eye!
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Class rank is a combination of GPA, Military Performance Score, and PFE. GPA is weighted the most, but small differences in Military Performance and PFE scores can make a difference in where you are in class rank. For example, the way I understand it, the PFE scores are assigned a point value, and all of those points are averaged together. Anything 199 or less is worth zero, 200 to some number is 1, and so on. Max point value is 4. They take the PFE 7 or 8 times while at the Academy (I believe any 1/C that got a perfect PFE score in the fall did not have to take the PFE this January). Class rank can make a difference is some things - The higher you are in class rank the better chance you have of getting your first choice at billet night, especially if it's a highly desired billet (flight is a little different - it includes an aviation exam, a physical, and an interview so those are more spread through the class).
 
27BearDad said:
Not to hijack the thread, but can you tell me what all comprises the class rank? Guessing some weight between GPA, some sort of military performance metric and maybe PFE score? Is class rank something you are aware of throughout time at the academy, or not until 1/c year?

My daughter is currently a 4/c. She may or may not know how that works, but I was just curious!

Best of luck to you on billet night!! The 4/C's just put in their sheets for their first summer assignment....I get the feeling billet night for them will be here in the blink of an eye!
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Class rank is 70% grades (CGPA), 25% CER (Cadet Evaluation Report...which is your military evaluation for each semester or summer training period), 5% PFE score.
 
VAcadetmom said:
Class rank is a combination of GPA, Military Performance Score, and PFE. GPA is weighted the most, but small differences in Military Performance and PFE scores can make a difference in where you are in class rank. For example, the way I understand it, the PFE scores are assigned a point value, and all of those points are averaged together. Anything 199 or less is worth zero, 200 to some number is 1, and so on. Max point value is 4. They take the PFE 7 or 8 times while at the Academy (I believe any 1/C that got a perfect PFE score in the fall did not have to take the PFE this January). Class rank can make a difference is some things - The higher you are in class rank the better chance you have of getting your first choice at billet night, especially if it's a highly desired billet (flight is a little different - it includes an aviation exam, a physical, and an interview so those are more spread through the class).
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The give letter grades for PFE scores. I don't remember all the break points and am too lazy tonight to look it up. I know 285+ is PFE Honors. Something like 260-284 is an A, by the time you're under something like 180 it's an F. Do t know if that carries over to cadets, but that's what it said for swab summer.
 
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