<p>I didn't mean to shoot you down. I meant that lower 20s on the ACT probably wouldn't cut it for the academy (unless you REALLY shine elsewhere). Getting in the upper 20s to 30s on the ACT would make you very competitive, though. CAP and Sports are good to have. Don't be afraid to mention CAP, just don't play it up too much. Getting the Mitchel Award is a VERY good thing in the AF's mind.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, you still have time to improve--work at it and you will stand a good chance.</p>
<p>CAP will help you. If anything, not only will it be on there as a major commitment, but you can use it as a topic in your essays. Don't panic, it seems much stricter on the boards than you think. ;)</p>
<p>i found out if i try hard i can get a varsity letter, and if i try even harder in 2 years i could be captian of track team. im hoping to get 600 hours of community service, and i am sure i can pull off a 28 or above on the ACT concidering i am allowed 3 times! i am in Key club, and they donate alot of time to diffrent places and things. and i am in enviromental science club. i will be in these tings and maby more untill im a senior and im in 10th grade now...</p>
<p>Just don't sacrifice your grades to the point where they begin to slip. I would say to be competitive you need at least a 3.75+, with AP classes, to be competitive. Maybe I'm wrong though.</p>
<p>with my 1.8 freshman year, the highest possible GPA is a 3.4 ... hence the reason i am extreamly making everything look better. also when they look at the transcript, they will see EXCELENT grades in all CP or AP classes.... like calculus, chemistry, physics, algebra 3 with statistics. stuff like that the last 3 years of my highschool. and i think the councler from the usafa told me they count your highest GPA you make... and she has let in a guy with a GPA for freshman year that barly cut passing... like me :-D and she said he is a pilot now... so i am going to keep my grades up from now on... im just extreamly worried my 1.8 killed me, i would give my kidney or left nut to be in the usafa</p>
<p>You are going to have a tough road ahead of you, but I think you can do it. Even if you don't get in, there are other ways to get pilot slots: ROTC and OTS. You may not get an AFROTC scholarship your first year but your 2nd year you could qualify for a 3 year scholarship. I would just work on that ACT score for now. If you score a 30+, they will easily look over your freshman GPA, you can just explain what happened. The hardest part is getting that 30 on the ACT though.</p>
<p>They allow you to explain hardship situations or reasons for a temporary problem like that. Explain it, show them you've made a complete 180 turn and are working your butt off. Keep trying and keep your chin up. You'd be surprised.</p>
<p>i didnt make alow score in 9th causei chose to... my mom was abusive, and it killed me, not literaly but almost. i cant help that i made a bad grade. i will explain this, and will get Department of Human Rescources to copy papers of filed complaints by the school system to show she was abusive all throught 2nd throught -5th grade and get my counclors to write a note showing that she was... and i will have pictures of when she used a cable wire agianst me</p>
<p>i am thinking i can pull off a 30+ with no trouble.</p>
<p>i got a 26 with making almost a failing score on english and math... now i have studied for 3 hours+ a night on both subjects... so i am guessing i can pull off a higher grade on my ACT and the usafa counclor told me they dont look at your composit score almost at all... they look more individual scores and they wieght GPa diffrent than all highschools do, a 3.0 in my highschool could be a 3.2 in theres....</p>
<p>Just don't blame all of your problems on one thing. Although it may be true, you don't want to look like someone who puts blame on other people. But I do recommend mentioning you mother, but don't go into too much detail or else they'll think you're trying to make excuses for bad grades.</p>
<p>Just my opinion. Contact someone from the AFA about it prior to applying and/or talk to your ALO about it.</p>
<p>Your ALO would be a good person to discuss it with.</p>
<p>thats a good point. im not blaming it soly on one problem, but i have to admit it made it harder. what exactly is a ALO?</p>
<p>i also think i can get a varsity letter in track every year for 3 years that im left in highschool. i think that will help... but im seriously trying to think of everything i can do.</p>
<p>I just read this whole thread, and I think that if you can pull off a 30 on the ACT, and participate in sports like you are saying you will, you have an outside shot even with a 3.2. You should at least be taken to prep school, which is an automatic appointment after 1 year, if you keep a 2.0 gpa there. If you really want to go to the academy, you can and will. One more thing, the average gpa for any academy (they all are about the same, I've checked) is about 3.7, and average ACT subscores are 28-29 in all subject areas. Good luck, and just remember they have rolling admissions, so the earlier you apply the better.</p>
<p>What is an ALO? Just to quote from another thread..</p>
<p>"Academy Liaison Officer. They are responsible for interviewing academy prospects and providing information to people interested in attending USAFA. A fine professional group of former or retired Air Force officers. Each one is responsible for applicants within a defined area. Some of them have to cover a lot of territory, while others work in a single urban center. Most cogent quote: "I can't get you into the academy, but I can probably keep you out of it." A word to the wise should be sufficient."</p>
<p>-RTBDad</p>
<p>so all in all if i follow what i have said in the post, or what ever it is you call this thing. i have a decent chance of the afa and a good chance of the prep school?</p>
<p>Absolutely. Best of luck to ya!</p>
<p>i have just bought the oxford edition of beeting the ACT 2007... im taking it in 3 months! i have a great deal of time to study, and i bought a book to help me get my reading up... with my math and reading up i could make around a 29 or 30... my science will agian be a soaring grade, and my english will be fixed with the 2+ hours i spend a night practicing. a recruiter told me "if you belive it then it is, if you believe you can make it, by god try your hardest and you will." so imll do all i can. if anyone has any tips on the ACT or anything... let me know, and im wondering, do you take the ASVAB test before you go into the air force acadamy? and how do they judge if you get in?</p>
<p>Sign up for the SAT also. You might make a stronger showing on it than on the ACT. There's only one way to find out. Peterson's SAT review book is highly recommended for self-study. Try to discipline yourself to correct your spelling and punctuation errors even in these informal posts. Meticulous habits of that sort will make you a better student and ultimately a better officer. You will be writing essays for your applications and you will be judged even on superficial errors. We're all pulling for you!</p>