CFA scores

Colleges & Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>By looking at the profile of the Class of 2011, I have a pretty good idea of what it takes academically to get into the Academy, and I am pretty sure I am set on that front. What I don't know, is much about the CFA.</p>

<p>I know what it is, what you do, how much time you have, the max scores, ect...but what I don't know is how I compare...so basically I am just asking for some scores...current mids, parent's of mids, ect...I just want to see where I am at. </p>

<p>Because I am not taking the test for another two months I have sometime to work up to the max scores...</p>

<p>Current scores:
Pullups: 12
Pushups:60
Situps: 85</p>

<p>dont really know about the rest, but I can run a sub 19:30 5k....so far...</p>

2

<p>You’ll score well. BTW, you don’t get that much benefit from “maxing out.” If the rest of your packet is complete, do the CFA now, as these scores will be fine.</p>

3

<p>I actually would do it very soon were it possible. Problem is I live in Cambodia, and there is literally no adaquete facilities in the entire country for me to do this at. There is one track in the entire country and it is a muddy disaster without any distance markings, start lines, ect…</p>

<p>So basically I have to wait until I get back to Colorado in early November to do it…</p>

4

<p>Just seeing if anyone else has any advice/input/scores for me…(thanks by the way USNA1985)…oh, and why doesn’t maxing out help all that much?</p>

5

<p>It is a pass - fail score. Make sure by waiting until November it is not going to effect the package for your MOC. One of our Senators required the CFA score in sons paperwork for that nomination and that paperwork had to be to Senators office by late September (earliest deadline of the 3MOC’s)</p>

<p>Just make sure you have checked all consequences of waiting until November.</p>

6

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</p>

<p>You’re welcome. :slight_smile: Yes, it is a pass/fail test, but you can get a small “bump” for maxing out on certain sections (i.e., pull-ups). But it’s no more of a bump than being an Eagle Scout or captain of your varsity team or a myriad of other considerations.</p>

<p>Also, CGO does know how well you did on each section of the test. I have to think that doing well across the board is better than just skating by in each category because the latter could signal that you have difficulties with athletics and/or didn’t put much effort into doing well.</p>

<p>All the above said, you just aren’t going to be helped that much by doing 25 pullups vs. 22 or running the mile in 5:30 vs. 5:40. Both are good scores and the improvement is probably not going to make much difference in your overall application – better to get it the results in early. If, on the other hand, your initial results were poor (but passing) and you worked out really hard since then and can make a substantial improvement (i.e., 17 pullups vs. 5; 5:50 in the mile vs. 6:40), it’s probably worth the effort to submit the better results.</p>

7

<p>Profmom has a good point. And in a broader sense you should know that probably the single most important overriding factor in the process (assuming that one is triple qualifyable … note: I did not say triple Qualified) is to get ALL of your stuff in ASAP. It’s rolling admissions and that simply means candidates who are are being reviewed in the fall stand a much greater probability of receiving an appointment than those in Jan or February. Simply stated, there are just a whole lot fewer spaces available in February than in November … AND by that time candidates are more likely to be competing in a NATIONAL pool of candidates than in your MOC region or state. The longer it takes, the lower the odds.</p>

<p>So if anyone needs any motivation to drive their application and nomination processes as diligently and quickly as possible, there it is.</p>

8

<p>Profmom2: Thanks for bringing that point up, however, none of my three sources for nomination require it.</p>

<p>WP: I have everything completed except for the CFA and DoDMERB’s stuff. West Point offered me an LOA yesterday with only my SAT scores, GPA, and EC’s provided, so I am holding out hope that USNA might as well. Otherwise I just have to hope there are enough spots open in mid-November for me…</p>

9

<p>It seems that WP is much quicker, and while I’m hesitant to say it, “easier” to get an LOA. They’re great but don’t worry about making that your target. Get all your stuff done ASAP and then you’ve done all you can. After that, it’s in the hands of others. Until you do, it’s in your hands. Good luck.</p>

10

<p>^^^^^
The goal should be to obtain an appointment not an LOA.</p>

<p>West Point issues their initial LOAs based on the preliminary application, secondary school transcripts (6 semesters), and SAT/ACT scores. West Point is extremely liberal in their approach to LOAs compared to USNA.</p>

<p>The bottom line: don’t sweat it if you don’t get an LOA from USNA.</p>

11

<p>I’d have to agree, I got an LOA to USMA within a week of turning in my application, but it took USNA until middle FEB to get an appointment to me.</p>

12

<p>One misconception candidates have is that all academies handle admissions the same way. There are subtle differences. What applies to one academy may not apply to another.</p>

13

<p>“Yes, it is a pass/fail test, but you can get a small “bump” for maxing out on certain sections (i.e., pull-ups). But it’s no more of a bump than being an Eagle Scout or captain of your varsity team or a myriad of other considerations.”</p>

<p>I’m interested to read how the CFA is factored in at USNA. Quite different from USMA where it counts a full 10% of the whole candidate score.</p>

14

<p>There may be some on the thread who know how much weight is given to the CFA, but during my BGO training two years ago, the admissions staff would not discuss the weighting for the Whole Person Multiple - even after some of us asked them directly for the “formula” they declined to give us specifics. All they would say is that grades and test scores were the most important pieces of the WPM.</p>

15

<p>I was sniffing around the Internet this summer, trying to help a friend’s daughter who is interested in becoming USNA 2013. I found the following paper:</p>

<p>Predictors of Plebe Summer Attrition at USNA by
Author: Michael Hollenbach
Publication Date: June 2003.
URL: <a href=“http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA362515[/url]”>http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA362515&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>SYNOPSIS: The Whole Person Multiple is a “score” which is calculated based on a candidate’s application information. It is designed to be a predictor for successful completion of freshman year at USNA. Qualifying candidate multiples fall between the ranges of 58,000 to greater than 80,000. The paper set forth the components of the WPM and their weighting:</p>

<p>Highest SAT verbal score - 15 %
Highest SAT math score - 31 %
High School Class rank - 21 %
Teacher Recommendation - 8 %
X-curr. activities/athletics - 10%
strong interest inventory technical interest score - 12 %
strong interest inventory career interest score - 3 %</p>

<p>The admissions board can subjectively adjust the WPM by up to 9,000 points.</p>

<p>(The above information is on page 12 of the paper referenced above)</p>

<p>This information was posted in 2004 at collegeconfidential.com. One poster downthread disagreed strongly with this WPM breakdown, and said that the numbers were incorrect, even in 2003. You can go to the thread and see it in its entirety here:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/archive/index.php/t-10054.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/archive/index.php/t-10054.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>There is also information on this thread about a 2003 GAO report that breaks down USNA candidate attrition rates. One of the biggest predictors of USNA success as defined by the GAO? A military family background (not necessarily USNA or even officer rank, however).</p>

<p>One interesting part of the WPM weighting: GPA doesn’t factor in; instead, your high school class rank is calculated. Both the academic paper and the GAO report agree here. Seems that the USNA realizes that grade inflation is rampant, and rank among peers is a better predictor of plebe year success.</p>

16

<p>CFAs, combined with Eagle Scouts, team captains, etc may be “little bumps” but they add up. My advice has always been to take advantage of all those “little” things that one can. They do add up and WPMs are, from my limited observations, a bell curve peaking in the high 50s range. Would you want to be the one who didn’t utilize that last little extra effort and ended up a few points shy.</p>

17

<p>Definitely not… :)</p>

18

<p>gonavy2011-
that information has surfaced here on several occassions as I recall.<br>
The strong interest inventory was a part of the candidate application process for the class of 2009… not sure if it is still required however. </p>

<p>Also- the board has the ability to “add to” the WPscore up to a certain point total… for a variety of reasons. I believe those were also discussed on here some time ago, and a search using “whole person score” on CC might yield you more information on that. I believe that the CFA is one of the “Variables” that may be awarded more points if maxed out… one of the the “little bumps” USNA69 is referring to.</p>

19

<p>The best advice on the CFA is to be fully prepared to take it (and score well) the first time. Most candidates know well in advance that they’ll be applying to one or more service academies and that there is some sort of physical fitness requirement – it shouldn’t come as a surprise. </p>

<p>If you’re an underclassman, read/understand the requirements and start training NOW. That way, even if you take the test in June (at NASS or elsewhere), you’ll be doing your best.</p>

<p>If you’re already a senior, you have to balance how well you’ll do now on the CFA vs. the benefit of completing your application as soon as possible. There’s no single “right” answer – it depends on individual circumstances.</p>

20

<p>GoNavy2011 … While there may be some tweaks and adjustments in play, your research is valuable as it tells the essence of the admission review process, the critical variables, and their weighting.</p>

<p>I find the notion of looking at ranking of special interest, and it should be of special note to candidates as it flies in the face of a great many colleges and universities, many that are highly selective, that are abandoning it. USNA’s reasoning makes far more sense in terms of counter-balancing grade inflation than does using GPA or some kind of unmonitored writing sample or portfolio.</p>