<p>I’m a junior that wants to major in biology or some type of engineering at the AFA and possibly become a pilot. Here are my stats:
Unweighted GPA:
Freshman- 3.3
Sophmore- 4.0
Junior- 4.0 (so far)</p>
<p>Classes:
AP Biology (5)
AP USH (4)
AP Lit (4)
AP Psych (5)
AP Calc ab (5)
and i plan on taking more AP classes in math and history</p>
<p>ECs:
Varsity Baseball soph +junior year
Marching Band
Jazz Band
All-state band soph, junior</p>
<p>I’ll provide any other information that might give more information, but can anyone say whether i have a good chance of being accepted, or how i can make my chances better?</p>
<p>i’m already in the process of securing a nomination and training for the CFA
thanks</p>
<p>If you're involved in school clubs, like NHA, then you could run for some office. And you might be surprised at the results if you run for a class office. It never hurts to try (unless you're concerned about your dignity... haha, I'm kidding :)). Being captain of a sport is also great, but I wouldn't say that's the most accessible leadership position. Those are my ideas... Just go with what you're already involved in and take it to the next level.</p>
<p>ok thanks, but my main sport is baseball, and the results for team captain my senior year wouldnt be in until after i sent my application in. does that rule it out?</p>
<p>no, they allow you to put projected senior year positions on the app. also if you are looking for another way to earn a leadership position, try creating your own club.</p>
<p>Speaking of creating a club, I e-mailed the webmaster of my school's website asking him if I could start a Web Design Club to improve our "not so great" website. He needs to reply -.- I really want to do this :</p>
<p>you indicated you are in Marching Band and Jazz Band and all-state. Sounds like you're a pretty good musician - are you section leader in marching band or first chair in concert band or jazz? These are examples of leadership too, depending on how your school runs their marching band / jazz band / etc...</p>
<p>I don't know if music can take the place of sports. My D has an LOA and nomination (got it today!), waiting for the official appointment - no HS sports, just tons of music. Drum Major is her big leadership thing (3 years). She is section leader once MB is over. She doesn't have time for HS sports with her music. She did club sports though, but not senior year - to difficult with all the band stuff etc... </p>
<p>So, I don't know if music in and of itself makes up for sports but it can't hurt. The question of sports was raised in her interviews and ALO focused considerably on it. She explained the time constraints and that leadership seemed to be more important and since she would have to drop so much music (in her case, drop leadership positions) to do HS sport she decided to go with the leadership impact. He noted that MB is only a few months in the fall so she could do spring sports - she replied that she is section leader and they have music competitions winter and spring and rehearsals three nights a week etc. for Symphony, Jazz etc. and the band performs at BB games, and as DM she has to be there to lead them. In the end AFA must have liked something they saw since she got the LOA. </p>
<p>By the way, to compensate for no sport, she is taking an advanced condition PE class this year so she was able to respond that she understands the import of staying in shape etc. and she did well on the CFA so. . . .</p>
<p>I did not partake in any HS sports at all either (a minority for sure). I spent 10 years in Taekwondo with high leadership positions, certifications, rank, competition, and titles. The reason I probably didn't get an LOA was lack of having the HS sport, but the TKD stats I provided on paper definately made the appointment possible.</p>
<p>I would defintely say get involved in some kind of athletics. Not only will it help in the admissions process, it plays a major role in your ability as a pilot. Hand-eye coordination is very important in which aircraft you will be flying. How many fighter pilots do you know that are drum majors? When you get to UPT, it isn't about who can do calc in his head, it comes down to the checkrides and who can fly the hell out of a plane. The people that can fly the hell out of 'em are usually athletes.</p>
<p>P.S. Only do a sport if you would have fun doing it; not to throw it on an application.</p>
<p>Well, I don't know that hand-eye coordination should be a top concern at this point. 25% of cadets partook in some kind of Track or Cross Country during High School and those sports require no hand-eye coordination. I think the main reason they emphasize athletics is so you'll be prepared physically. I'd say if you're doing band and that prevents you from doing sports, start running and working out on your own. Keep a log or something and work on your CFA performance. My guess is if they see no HS athletics but decent CFA scores it won't matter. (Once again, only a guess)</p>
<p>Each individual has to determine what makes their personal file look better. Being DM is a big leadership thing (D school of 3000 kids has 1 drum major). D decided that the strength of her leadership showed better on her application with the DM position and decided to forego HS sports to ensure that strong leadership was in evidence. She has had years of team sports, just not HS sports (in our area club sports of looked upon quite highly, above HS sports). The bottom line is every individual must make a decision based solely on what is on their personal resume and what will bring out their personal best qualities. Like hornetguy above, kids not doing a HS sport will have to show in some other area that they could do that level of participation. Everybodys case is diffferent, evaluate your situation and do what needs to be done to make you the best candidate you can be. </p>
<p>Joshrk22 - perhaps you struck a nerve or I didn't fully understand what you were saying but Drum Majors are rather adept at the hand-eye coordination thing, ever try to march in a straight line while twirling a 5 foot rod of metal in one hand, toss said metal rod in the air once in a while, with a whistle in your mouth, to the right beat and tempo, with the correct size of steps, and with 150 high school kids behind you playing music to whatever tempo you set while twirling said rod? Drum Majors do quite a bit above and beyond student leadership and all conducting of the shows. </p>
<p>I'll get off my soap box now - sorry everyone - but I feel better! </p>
<p>Andyrules - in my opinion - you should evalute your personal strengths and play to them. Sports has been excellent for my D, but she could not particiapte at her school and also be drum major or even be active in many clubs that she is in. Your school may be different and your requirements as section leader may be different than hers. If there is the ability to do a sport in HS, go for it - whatever you would enjoy. If you are doing it just to put it on your resume then you should think carefully about it. You want your resume to reflect the best "you" it can reflect. And, gee - you have a varsity sport already so it is kinda a moote point, right?</p>
<p>I didn't mean to offend you or your daughter. Does your daughter want to be a pilot? I'm not saying your daughter isn't going to be a pilot, but of all the fighter pilots I've met and talked to, they've all played sports. They weren't 4.3 GPA with 10 AP class students; they were average in academics, but excelled in sports and were very competitive. Does band offer that same competitiveness that sports offer?</p>
<p>CW,</p>
<p>I wouldn't say it's too early to be worrying about pilot slots and all that jazz. Keep your eye on the prize, or you will start to lose focus;-).</p>
<p>Everyone plays sports at the Air Force Academy. Hand-eye coordination is not something you can really develop. You're pretty much born with it, or you're not. Peyton Manning and Eli Manning are both pro quarterbacks: genes. Obviously this shouldn't push you away from sports, but the overwhelming majoring of cadets and eventually pilots are athletes. Being a drum-major doesn't rule you out at all. There can be 50 people on a football team, but the band can only have one drum-major.
Josh, I'm not saying hand-eye coordination isn't important, but you shouldn't drop something you love, especially something that requires extraordinary dexterity just to blend in with the other applicants. Just stay fit and do well on the CFA.</p>
<p>It's not a matter of sports or not. It's the mind-set that just happens to be more common in athletes and "jocks" here than academics. hence the phrase: fighter jockey.</p>