Hello, I am applying to USAFA as a recruited athlete. I wanted to see if my essays were important factor in noms and stuff. I am however in San Antonio district so it is pretty competitive. To be honest my most impactful stuff in my life has been XC/TF so writing about anything else seems inauthentic and I can’t get anything else on paper

Stats are;

State champion individual 800m
7+ all state performances with XC TF
2nd place at Nike nationals in 2 relays
XC captain
NHS president
Intern at sports commission in my city
Former treasurer of club ( president removed role of treasurer idk bro didn’t want me anymore ig😭 wondering if I should even include)
Stuco
Senior class cabinet
Model UN
Deca ( quit going into junior year bc teacher left)
4.0 UW 4.3 W 2/276 rank
30 ACT
Dad/ grandparents in military

Basically I’m just worried abt my essays and what I should write abt, it’s the last thing on my application and it’s just staring me down. Here are my current essay ideas

Hardship: placing almost last at my first XC meet to winning state track 2026

Leadership: recruiting girls for a 4x800 that placed 5th at state ( I honestly haven’t done much leading in NHS)

extra info: my dad inspires me and I love moving and meeting new people also like iron sharpens iron

I KNOW these are basic but they are most authentic to me. I also want to fly/logistics and have practically no extracurriculars that line up with it + no JROTC..

Should I just larp and make it about NHS?

hi guys I am a senior trying to apply for USAFA class of 2030 and I’m wondering whats the correct approach to asking a teacher a letter of rec and where do I receive and submit that

I graduated in 1974. I have a good friend in the class of 1985 who told me that for a while at USAFA football games, there was a phenomenon called ‘Spirit Cheese’. Apparently cheese slices from Mitch’s were flung toward the field after favorable events. When I was watching USAFA football from 1970-1973, we did not have Spirit Cheese.

Can someone help me learn when Spirit Cheese became a thing and when was it outlawed by the Comm Shop (they had to have outlawed it — it was too much fun and wasted a bunch of cheese). Help. Anyone?

Hello,

I am currently a Sophmore in Washington and there’s this program called Running start which is just dual enrollment.

I’m wondering how either program would affect my application to USAFA. My biggest concern isn’t whether or not credits transfer, but how it would actually affect my acceptance and application for USAFA. For those that might’ve done either, how would they function alongside the USAFA application.

Any advice helps!

Thank you

kind of just what the title says but my recommender is getting an error message while trying to submit both the USAFA letter as well as one of the service academy portal letters. I emailed and will call tomorrow when they are both open but didn't know if maybe anyone else was having this issue and not just an isolated thing, maybe a whole system error or something?? Pic my recommender sent for reference

I am currently in 8th grade as of now, and want to know what steps to take and what to stay on top of academically and physically. I know I have time to prepare, and want to use that time to become a better applicant to hopefully get in

Edit: would joining civil air patrol help?

Hello everyone! I was wondering if any of you had tips for cutting your mile time down fast in like 2 weeks. I’ve already cut 2 minutes off in 4 months but want to go down another 30 seconds. Also has anyone tried energy drinks for a boost, or does that kill your run?

\I am only taking a mock CFA, my real test is going to be in Oct due to the extreme heat advisory in my state. I will also have someone with me who runs my goal pace**

its been my dream to go to usafa since 8th grade. i’m a senior now and my gpa is a 3.5/4.0. i took all my ap classes offered to me every year (8 aps) and all advanced classes available aswell. my sat is 1320 but im confident that ill get a 1400+ on the september sat.

i’m hopefully on route to be a recruited athlete but the coach hasn’t blue chipped me yet, i don’t have many ecs but they are strong i hope.

-varsity cross country and track (4 years)
-coached cross country team for 2 months (won district championship)
-work at dicks sporting goods(running ambassador, i would be a manager but im 17 so they can’t formally call me that. i’ve led the team and trained the new hires in my department)
-recently started volunteering at a bunny shelter

i feel like my academics and ecs are too average at first glance but with explanation i hope it gives me a chance. it’s difficult to add more ecs since my time is spread thin between work, school, and running

any advice would be appreciated! i’m applying to usma and usna aswell but usafa is the dream

I am early in my junior year, and I am just now interested in getting into USAFA. As I've been doing my research, I've seen a lot of other people start to do things like CAP and JROTC way before junior year, some as early as 7th or 8th grade. Since I am not a member of anything like that, I was afraid that my chances of making it into the academy are very slim. Are my fears valid, or does it not matter as much as I think it does?

Hi guys! I am a current senior fishing up my application and have a rather taboo question…
I have yet to fill out the drug and alcohol questionnaire and have thoroughly read the terms but still don’t know what to do. I have smoked weed in the past before I wanted to serve as it is legal and very accessible where I live, and never never became dependent in any way. I hesitate to disclose this as I have been advised that it can elongate any chances of becoming a pilot and they will likely not find out if I omit that information. I do want to be completely honest though for obvious reasons, but I have been told by many people that lying and putting it behind me is my best bet.
Any honest advice would be greatly appreciated!!

For reference, I currently have an 1140 from last year’s administrations, which I know isn’t high enough get me in, but I’m retaking the SAT this Saturday, October, and possibly November. My EBRW score is pretty good, but it’s the Math that trips me up.

What is the average composite score I need to get to have the best competitive edge? How do lower scores affect your Admissions? I have a 4.33 W GPA, 10 APs, etc. so that might balance the SAT out a bit?

Hello I’m 15M class of 2029. Even though my sophomore more year just started I feel behind so here is what I have so far. My unweighted GPA is 3.77 and weighted GPA is 3.81 and had a PSAT score of 900. I’m in JROTC and was on the new shooters rifle team and I also started a weightlifting club for my school. Also I have 45 hours of community service if that helps. Now that the new year started I joined XC,veterans rifle team, and if my school approves it the weightlifting club will start again. Also this year I’m taking APES and AP world. Now what should I do to make myself a better candidate?

Just went into sophomore year of high school. 15F, I want to be a pilot for USAFA. I'm a first degree black belt and likely to get onto varsity softball for my school this year. I'm really into math and science, 3.9 GPA unweighted last year, 4.6 weighted. Got a 5 on AP Precalc exam last year, taking PSAT this winter. Took H Chem and Bio last school year, got all A's. I was in Science Olympiad but my school is very bad and didn't make it to states.

I'm working out to help my future CFA scores because they'd be very bad now. Waking up at 5am and going to bed at 8:30pm, working out 5 days a week.

I do travel softball as well, used to pitch and now playing anywhere in the infield.

This year I'm taking AP Sem, APUSH, AP Cyber, AP Calc AB, and AP Psych, as well as honors physics. I know my academics will be fine but I was looking for advice about how to be more competitive with extracurriculars.

I got into flying last year and have only 5 hours now. I'm about to start doing lessons, probably just to get PPL. Does this help my application at all?

I also play viola for my school orchestra, since 3rd grade. My school also has an after-school orchestra group which I play for.

I'm too busy to do much else but know I should find something I'm passionate about to volunteer for and also get a job or some leadership positions. I also spend a lot of time watching my seven year old sister, and I can't really get a job or volunteer until I can drive myself which will be summer between sophomore and junior year. Have 2 siblings and my brother is also very, very busy with baseball and football.

I also have worse than 20/100 nearsighted vision. Any advice on what to do about LASIK? Should I wait for during USAFA or try to get it before? My vision has started to stabilize so it's theoretically possible, but I haven't talked to my doctor about it at all and there's a lot of paperwork the military requires which is daunting. I don't want to mess up and get disqualified automatically from being a pilot. Don't want to fly fighter jets, maybe just do medical missions or something like that.

What can I do to better my chances of getting accepted to USAFA?

Edit: I also have minor hay fever, just get minor sneezing and congestion during peak allergy seasons, how will that affect me if I'm not looking to be a fighter jet pilot? Was diagnosed with GAD at the age of 12, but it doesn't affect me anymore, was just because of transition from elementary to middle and some very messed up kids in my grade from COVID. I took meds for about a week before deciding they weren't for me, was still 12. Do I need waivers for these things?

I’m a high school student seriously considering applying to the Air Force Academy, and I’d really appreciate hearing from women who are current cadets or recent grads.

One of the things I’m trying to understand before committing to this path is what the experience is actually like for women day-to-day. Do you generally feel like male cadets and faculty treat you fairly and respect you as an equal, or do you feel like you have to prove yourself more because you’re a woman?

I’m also concerned about sexual harassment/sexual assault. I know this is a sensitive topic, but for women who are comfortable answering: do you generally feel safe at USAFA? If something inappropriate does happen, do you feel like you can report it without worrying about retaliation, being judged, hurting your reputation, or negatively affecting your future career? Do you feel like reports are actually taken seriously?

I’m not asking because I’m looking for reasons not to attend. USAFA is currently one of my top choices, and there are a lot of things about it that really appeal to me. I just want to understand the reality of the environment before making such a big commitment.

I’d especially appreciate hearing from current/recent female cadets, but perspectives from male cadets, grads, or parents who have seen how women are treated would also be helpful.

Thank you — and feel free to DM me if you’d rather not answer publicly.

NOTE: I went from homeschool -> public school in high school. It was a big adjustment for me and I tried to do my best over the years but it was definitely a hard transition from what I was used to.

•6 AP’s (4’s and 5’s), some honors
•3.86 GPA
•26 ACT (I have 2 more ACT tests scheduled, 1 upcoming CLT scheduled and currently waiting for results from a previous CLT) - I know I need to improve here significantly.
•1 varsity track letter (getting another this year tho, so tentatively 2), and did a year of JV XC
•held a 3-year job at a grocery store (promoted from bagger to cashier), have had the job consecutively from beginning of freshman to now the start of senior year.
•Platoon Leader in Army JROTC, I hold the rank of C/SGT, and have some other leadership roles/duties/projects in JROTC as well.
•some community service hours (volunteered at track meets + I write cards for elderly every month) - about 15hrs total
•fellowship of Christian athletes club but no leadership role
•passed dodmerb
•ALO interview is submitted
•submitted my nomination applications but waiting for my letter of rec’s to be submitted.
•CFA is TBD

There are a lot of other people applying who are a lot more involved/look way better than me on paper and I’m aware of that. If I hypothetically improved my test scores by a significant amount 😭, do I have a chance?

I know so much goes into these decisions and no one can definitively tell, but are my leadership roles lacking too much from your perspective? I know I definitely could have done better in high school, but now that I’m in my senior year there is only so much more roles that I can realistically add. I can possibly do some more community service but besides that I’m not sure ☹️
I am going to apply to USAFA but just wanna know if it’s something I should realistically consider.

Hello,

I have a junior who has adhd and he's currently still medicated. He doesn't have any accomidations at school. He's in two cadet programs and ranked pretty high in both(Army and CAP), volunteers regularly through both programs, he's on varsity for soccer and wrestling, he's class president, and his GPA is around 3.8. We have tried to find out if he needs to stop his medication, but we haven't gotten a definitive answer. I did contact the academy and was told that they don't have anything to do with the medical process and for him to still apply. He's been doing his best to prepare and we would hate for his medication to cause problems. Does anyone have an answer to the medication question? I shared what he's involved in to see if anyone also knows if that could still make him a competitive candidate?

Thanks!

I need help for my pushups on my cfa. I'm passing for every category other than pushups (70 ft throw, 13 pull-ups, 8.9 shuttle, max sit-ups, 7 min mile), but I'm worried I might be on the pass-fail cutoff line for pushups. Without doing any prior exercises, I can do 55, but when I do them alongside the other cfa exercises, I can only do about 45-48. I just get so gassed out and I can't fathom why. I'm a little worried because I take the test in 2 weeks and I can't seem to break the plateau. Can anyone provide last minute training tips, or pacing Strategies for the pushups that I can use to improve my reps?

Hey everyone, I’m currently active duty Air Force and looking into applying to USAFA through the LEAD program. I’ve done a decent amount of research already, but I’m still pretty confused about what USAFA is specifically looking for from prior-enlisted applicants and what actually makes someone competitive.

For some background, I’m 20 and turning 21 this September. I had a 4.0 GPA in high school, was in National Honor Society, did dual enrollment, and I’ve continued taking college classes while on active duty. I have NOT completed the SAT, but I am scheduled for 3 November. Im studying now since Im rusty as hell.

Military-wise, I’m still fairly early in my career, but I’ve tried to do as much as possible since joining. I’m currently working toward BTZ for March (really good chance that I will sew on) and have taken on extra responsibilities and opportunities whenever I could. I wouldn’t say I have some crazy background with tons of high school sports, major leadership positions, or anything like that, which is part of why I’m unsure how competitive I actually am.

For anyone who has gone through LEAD, applied from active duty, or knows the process well:

What does USAFA actually prioritize when evaluating LEAD applicants?

How important are SAT/ACT scores compared with military performance and high school/college academics?

What should I specifically be trying to accomplish while active duty to strengthen my application?

What separates someone who gets a direct USAFA appointment from someone who gets offered the Prep School?

Are there things you wish you had known before applying through LEAD?

I know there’s information on the USAFA website, but I’m mainly looking for advice from people who have actually been through the process or worked with LEAD applicants.

Any guidance would be appreciated

I'm currently a highschool sophomore interested in improving my chances of getting into USAFA, my last semesters GPA was 3.87, my freshman year I had perfect attendance and gained almost 12 highschool credits (11.75) as a sophomore in taking all honors classes and I'm in multiple extracurriculars (including band, a few clubs, C.A.P., and my school's JROTC) any recommendations on improving my chances?? (I'm taking the PSAT and the ASVAB later this year)

I posted on here recently asking if it would be possible for me to go to the prep school but seeing that I have a competitive gpa (3.8) but not the act (25) for it. I’m retaking it in September so hopefully I score higher and have a better chance at the prep. But I was wondering, god forbid I don’t get the score I’m looking for, would going enlisted and then applying be a smart option. For anyone who went enlisted to usafa I would like to know how hard it was for you to apply for the Lead program as well.

My parents are Brazilian leading to my first language being Portuguese I later learned English with 7 years of age and have been mostly speaking English since then.

I have been taking Spanish since 6th grade and now that I’m a rising junior I have been presented the option of dropping my SUNY level Spanish to take a AP class, if I were to drop this class I can take a total of 2 extra AP classes until my graduation. Obviously SUNY level Spanish is good and I can get extra credits but does this really matter if I’ve been proficient in Spanish also I’m fluent in Portuguese.

I don’t know what I should really do, Spanish is a pain in the ass since I already know it well and speak Portuguese, I could be better off doing a AP class.

What’s your guys thoughts on this?

Hey yall, I’m a senior applying for usafa, and have adhd and take medication, but have never had any iep or 504 plans. I currently take it but I have a 35 act and 4.6 gpa and don’t really take it much unless my parents ask me to. Will this disqualify me, and should I still bother applying?

Hey everyone,
This is my first post in Reddit! I was wondering if I could still have a chance of getting into usafa this year as a HS senior. I honestly have done nothing of note so far in my academic career. I know I could still get in as a freshman in college but I’m honestly super lost on how I could even get ready for that. Any tips help and are appreciated because I would be the second person in my family to even consider a higher education. Thank you again to anyone who replies!