<p>I was just wondering how many non-traditional applicants there are. non-trad. as in not fresh out of high school. I spent 2 years at a state school. Also (more importantly, i guess) how successful are those students at school? for those of you who attend AFA, how many non-trad. students do you know/how well suited are they for the lifestyle of the academy. </p>
<p>I probably would have been able to be accepted straight out of high school, but i decided to go and try out architecture. it hasn’t exactly worked out and I’m gonna apply for the AFA (among other schools). I do still have a 3.1 gpa in college and have a long list of extracurriculars that i think would get me an appointment.</p>
<p>I think I remember reading that 1/3 of cadets are not straight out of high school. Out of my friends 1/3 seems about right. Non-traditional students seem to do no worse or better compared to the high school students.</p>
<p>it all depends on the person. i’ve seen some people come in after college and excel because they knew the basics for many of the core courses which allowed them to concentrate on changes in the other aspects of the academy. i’ve also seen others who do horrible because they developed poor study and time management habits in college which made the transition that much harder. like most things at the academy, it depends on you and your surroundings. who you are and the type of people you surround yourself with make all the difference</p>
<p>i applied for 2013 and got the dreaded QNV letter but plan to apply again. I’m a rising college senior at my state’s flagship university and even though I will be graduating, I would like to go through four more years at the Academy.</p>
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<p>Why? 
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<p>Is your goal to become an Air Force officer? </p>
<p>If you are graduating from college, why not simply apply for 12 weeks of OTS? </p>
<p>There was a guy in the class of 2008 that had a degree from Notre Dam before coming to the Academy. A LT in my squad at the p school knew him and asked him about it and apparently flying meant that much to him he was willing to go through it.</p>
<p>Personally I think it is crazy, but if you can do it and it is important to you it can be done.</p>
<p>I guess you could say I’m just like the guy from Notre Dame. Also I really don’t think OTS would prepare me as much as the Academy and I don’t think my business degree would be helpful enough to get into the specific field I’m interested in. Also I heard that you had to fork over a couple thousand dollars up front and with no parental support and college loans that would be kind of difficult</p>
<p>there’s a LtCol in the office i’m currently in you had 3.5 years of college before he went to USAFA. he went 3 years at one school, 1 semester at another, then took several months off before basic. it’s just what he felt compelled to do, so he went for it</p>
<p>I do not think it makes much sense to come to the Academy if you already have a degree. Let’s say your two options are: enter the Academy next year, or go to OTS. Which option do you think would make you a better Officer in 2013? I think you would basically be wasting your time repeating classes if you went to the Academy. But, if a pilot slot means that much to you, go for it.</p>
<p>its what you felt meant to do. if OTS now means in 10 years you’ll have gotten out cause you didn’t like what the air force was having you do whereas the academy means 10 years from now you’re still in b/c a) you’re a pilot and have to be or b) you like your career more and want to stay with the AF, then in the long run USAFA would be the better choice. it all depends on what you feel compelled to do, and the only person who can remotely try to tell that is you.</p>