Couple of Questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs
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<p>DocFrance,
I have a few questions-but first let me just give you the basic backround info:</p>

<p>Academic:
-3.4 Unweighted GPA (with APs and Accelerated/Advanced classes throughout)
-My school doesnt rank classes, but estimated top 20%
-1350 SAT (660 V, 690 M)
-31 ACT
-National Honor Society</p>

<p>Athletics*:
-Varsity XC, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track and Soccer
-Varsity XC, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track Captain
Athletic Awards:
-2005 All-America Outdoor Track and Field team
-Area Council Cross Country All Star
-Varsity Indoor Track: Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Runner, Perseverance Award
-Varsity Outdoor Track: Most Improved Runner, Bethlehem (my school) Central Spirit of the Eagle Award (This award is given to the senior who shows the best attitude, potential, leadership, etc etc in the senior class for each sport)
-Varsity XC- Leadership Award
-Member of Three School Record breaking relays (4x800 that was 2nd at states and 6th at Nationals)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Marching Band-3 years
Jazz Ensemble-3 years
Symphonic Band-4 years
CAP-2 years (wasnt really in it long enough to accomplish much)</p>

<p>Volunteering:
I volunteer at a local nursing home regularly.</p>

<p>OK finally on to the questions</p>

<p>1.) Am I competative with these stats alone?</p>

<p>2.) I graduated from HS this year, and will be attending college (RPI) and i was wondering if above average grades could possibly make up for my somewhat low HS GPA?</p>

<p>*3.) I sent a recruiting questionaire form in on the internet a few days ago for XC/Track, and recieved a call from the coach a few hours later that day. We talked for a while, but what he basically said was that they are “very intersted in me”-Can being an actively recruited athlete help your chances much?</p>

<p>I have already completed my DODMERB exam, and I am potential Pilot Qualified (I’m in superb health) now the next step is the PAE. I know for a fact that I will get max points in 3 of the activities (the shuttle run, the sit ups and the 1 mile run). The other 3 are iffy, Im probably going to be right on or near the averages for the pull ups and push ups, and in the bball throw anything could happen. Basically what I’m trying to say here is that I’m not really built for strength (I’m 5’11’’ and 150), I’m more build for Endurance Strength and Aerobic/Anaerobic work. Is this fact going to hurt me at all?</p>

<p>Sorry for the length of this post but I just felt I needed to get some insight on my questions. Thanks alot, CPM</p>

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<p>I think if you go to RPI, take tough classes and get a 3.5 or higher this fall, you're almost a shoe-in for an appointment this Spring. Of course, I'm strongly biased towards track athletes. I also suggest you contact thr head track coach (Ralph Lindeman--one of the '04 US Olympic coaches) and the head XC coach, Mark Stanforth. If you're really an All-America with All-America times, they can probably help. Good luck! See you on the track in a year or so! (PS -- practice, practice, practice the bball throw. Don't beat the min and you don't get in.)</p>

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<p>Yeah, the head XC coach, Mark Stanforth called my house a few hours after I sent in the recruiting questionaire, and yes I truly am an All-America, but I must admit that it was on a relay (4x800, our time was 7:45.23). Still, my time is close to those of All-American open 800 runners, only about 3 seconds off. My best time in the 800 is 1:55.0. How can the coach actually help, is it just adding some points to my addmissions score or whatever, or can they have even more influence than that. Also, I think I'll be fine with the B-Ball throw, I went to a field near my house and marked out every 10 feet up to the max of 102 and was able to manage between 80 and 90 with no trouble. What i'm worried about now is the pull ups. You wouldnt happen to know the minimums for pushups and pull ups, would you? because right now im at about 7 pull ups and like 50 push ups in 2 mins. Thanks again CPM</p>

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<p>You're good with 7 pull-ups. Yes, they can help quite abit with the package if they want you. You still need to get a nomination on your own, though. work on the sit-ups. Should be able to do at least 65 in 2 minutes.</p>

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<p>Yes patriot, I would say being a recruited athlete definately helps your chances. I personally know cadets at USMA who got in with 1080 SATs and 24 ACTs who were recruited athletes. What you lack in academics can always be made up by their interest in your athletic ability. However....I will refer you to my "Don't let anyone tell you..." post on the USMA board, because in truth, no one can say for sure whether or not you're going to get in.</p>

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<p>The only thing I see missing (unless I glanced over it) was leadership positions.</p>

<p>Regarding pullups, just realize that 7 is the bare minimum for males on the physical fitness test; this will only give you 25 out of the 100 available for that event.</p>

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<p>I have leadership positions-Varsity Cross Country Captain, Varsity Indoor Track Captain, and Varsity Outdoor Track Captain. Also, I got a "Leadership Award" for Varsity XC. I'm really gonna need to work on those pullups then, because 7 is hard for me to do. Sometimes i can only do like 4. But in any case, I know for a fact that I will max the Mile run (my best is 4:22), the shuttle run, and the situps. The Basketball throw i've practiced and gotten the average. The pushups I should also be able to get average at least. It's only the pullups I have a lot of trouble with. Do any of you have any suggestions on how to get better other than doing them a lot? I dont even know if I have enough time to get substantially better, but im pretty sure I can do 7 if I try amazingly hard.</p>

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<p>Nope. Just do 'em a lot. No better way... Looks good. Best of luck.</p>

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<p>Well, I don't know if it is the same way as with the old PAE...but I know for a fact that you could pretty much fail one event, and do okay on the others and still get a passing score. The PAE that USMA used to do isn't like the one that USNA did...theirs, if you failed one, you failed the whole thing. When I took the PAE, I failed my flexed arm hang, maxed pushups, maxed the basketball throw, came close to max on the jump, and did okay on the shuttle run, and came out with a "satisfactory-average" score. I don't know if this is still the same, but I would imagine it is. I recommend you ask.</p>

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<p>PatriotPCM</p>

<p>I'm a runner too...and I used to have a very hard time with the pullups. I made it my goal in one month to get good at them, and I found it a lot easier than I thought. I went from about 3 to maxing out around 15 just by doing them until I couldn't anymore every time I had the oppurtunity. You've still got some time before you need to complete the CFA so you should be safe. Plus, with the pathetic scores I saw at summer seminar and the fact that about 50 percent of those people get accepted...I'd say your doing fine.</p>

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<p>You do have some time before you have to do the CFA - and the best way to increase pull ups is to do pull ups. My S was also amazed at the less than stellar physical shape so many at SS were in - even with the altitude factored in. Guys struggling to do 3 or 4 pull ups and more than a handfull of push ups. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Ok thanks. I figure as long as I can do the average for the pullups, I should still do well because of everything else being maxed or above average. Does anyone know when the Application packet will sent out?</p>

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<p>I've heard that the application packet will be sent our mid august.</p>

<p>"My S was also amazed at the less than stellar physical shape so many at SS were in - even with the altitude factored in."</p>

<p>So true. I came in there thinking I would be average physically but was very surprised that I was well above the curve. Some of those guys couldn't even put out 20 pushups. It got even more pathetic on doolie day when a bunch of people could barely make it up the hill we were running and dropped out when we got to the pushups/flutterkicks etc. in the halls.</p>

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<p>Yah... even during our basic I was pretty surpised how Unprepared some of the kids where.... we had kids falling out of 1/2 mile runs... alot of kids fell out of the acceptance parade (and it wasn't even hot)</p>