When's the best time to finish my PCQ?

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phillips77

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Hello, I am in high school, planning on applying for the USAFA class of 2028. I understand it is best that you start your application and submit application items as early as possible. Over the summer (from mid may to mid august), I will be away from home and unable to work on any application items. With that being said, would it be better for me to begin & submit my PCQ before I leave for the summer, or when I come home? On the USAFA website it says that once you submit your PCQ, it is a rolling admissions cycle, where due dates are unique to the dates you submitted your PCQ. If I submitted my PCQ before I left for the summer, would I end up having application items due while I am gone over the summer?
Thank you.
 
Once you complete the PCQ the clock will start on your application. You will have a limited amount of time to get everything done as you have indicated in your post. I would train for the CFA now. I would start writing notes about your motivations to attend now - these will be used for your essays. I would make a list of all the nomination sources you are eligible for and a reminder to find their application deadlines -most will be Oct-Nov. I would start lining up people that will write your letters of recommendation. Once you are back from your summer obligations I would submit the PCQ. If you submit prior to summer - you won't have deadlines during the summer but you will have very little time towards the end. As an example - DD started hers in Oct and her deadline was the end of Dec. So expect 3 months total time to get it all done?
 
NeverSayNever said:
Once you complete the PCQ the clock will start on your application. You will have a limited amount of time to get everything done as you have indicated in your post. I would train for the CFA now. I would start writing notes about your motivations to attend now - these will be used for your essays. I would make a list of all the nomination sources you are eligible for and a reminder to find their application deadlines -most will be Oct-Nov. I would start lining up people that will write your letters of recommendation. Once you are back from your summer obligations I would submit the PCQ. If you submit prior to summer - you won't have deadlines during the summer but you will have very little time towards the end. As an example - DD started hers in Oct and her deadline was the end of Dec. So expect 3 months total time to get it all done?
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Thank you, in that case it seems best for me to prepare as best I can now, and formally begin the application process when I come back from the summer.
 
warden said:
Hello, I am in high school, planning on applying for the USAFA class of 2028. I understand it is best that you start your application and submit application items as early as possible. Over the summer (from mid may to mid august), I will be away from home and unable to work on any application items. With that being said, would it be better for me to begin & submit my PCQ before I leave for the summer, or when I come home? On the USAFA website it says that once you submit your PCQ, it is a rolling admissions cycle, where due dates are unique to the dates you submitted your PCQ. If I submitted my PCQ before I left for the summer, would I end up having application items due while I am gone over the summer?
Thank you.
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DS applied for summer seminar in January and that automatically became his PCQ. His application deadline was November 1st.
There are benefits in getting as many items on your application done as early as you can. One being starting DoDMERB exam and another is receiving an earlier LOA (this is rare but not impossible) which can be a plus when you apply for nomination.
 
PLC007 said:
DS applied for summer seminar in January and that automatically became his PCQ. His application deadline was November 1st.
There are benefits in getting as many items on your application done as early as you can. One being starting DoDMERB exam and another is receiving an earlier LOA (this is rare but not impossible) which can be a plus when you apply for nomination.
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Agree with this. My 2026er opened his PCQ on March 1st (missed the SS window) and also had a Nov 1st deadline. There is plenty of time after summer so I don't think it matters when you open except for the Nomination piece unless you think you can't get everything (like the CFA) done by then. My ds had no trouble submitting his app by early Oct. Our MOCs require an app to be open in order to start the nomination process so opening the app would allow a candidate from our area to work on noms when they open in the spring. Your MOCs might be different but something to check out.

Both noms and the USAFA app require LORs and teacher evaluations. It is easiest to secure these (at least a verbal committment) before spring semester ends. If you work on that for the next couple of months, you will go into summer knowing that you are ahead of the process.
 
A person said something along like this when I was asking for class of 2028, if you don't feel comfortable for the CFA, then might be better to submit later to get more time to prep for that. And on these forums i was informed that nominations can be done before the PCQ. Good luck for hopefully fellow class of 2028.
 
There is zero reason to not be prepared for the CFA. It isn't a secret. Winter CFAs are sketchy, at best, due to unpredictable weather, conflicts, etc. Start prepping now! Any reasonably healthy 17 year should be able to adequately prepare for a late summer/early fall CFA.
 
un_pajaro said:
A person said something along like this when I was asking for class of 2028, if you don't feel comfortable for the CFA, then might be better to submit later to get more time to prep for that. And on these forums i was informed that nominations can be done before the PCQ. Good luck for hopefully fellow class of 2028.
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The nomination piece depends on your MOC. Ours specify that you must have an open application to apply for a nomination.
 
Start it now, and as noted, your Candidate Kit due date will be 1 Nov 2023. It will open on 1 July. I agree with all of the comments above on starting your preparations now. It is not too early, and many items can be anticipated. They include recommendations, CFA prep, expanding your résumé, etc. All of my students are working on a full schedule of items, and all have either applied to AFA summer seminar or completed the PCQ. Best of luck with your application!
 
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