<p>I just received my letter in the mail yesterday and apparently I’ve received a principal nomination from my congressman. Could someone clarify the difference between a normal nomination and a principal nomination? (I checked the USAFA viewbook last night, but didn’t see anything.)</p>
<p>Principal is the person your source of nomination wants the most to get an appointment. This means that as long as you qualify (meet minimal academic requirements, pass CFT, dont have any legal issues, and most importantly medically cleared) you will be an appointment. I am not sure as to exceptions but i think if you qualify, the academy HAS to give you an appointment.</p>
<p>Either way congradulations on that one!</p>
<p>wow...thanks! I guess I'd better complete my application!!!</p>
<p>If an LOA is received from the AFA and the applicant receives a "Competitive Nomination" rather than the "Principal Nomination" from his/her MOC, then does that equate to an Appointment? I guess the question is, does "any" Nomination complete the process for the applicant?</p>
<p>If you have an LOA, any nomination will get you an appointment.</p>
<p>Congrats on the Principal nomination!...from what I've heard that's almost a guarantee your in.</p>
<p>Its a guarantee that I'm in?? I'm medically, and I'm assuming academically qualified (Top 10, 1400 Sats etc...), but my CFA scores weren't very good....I mean there were a couple above average and a couple below average...Would this affect my chances in any way?</p>
<p>@caddyshack:</p>
<p>What were your scores on the CFA? </p>
<p>There's no "minimum," and its an overall raw score. You either pass or fail. </p>
<p>So, if you did well enough on the events that you went above average, you shoudl be all right. But...don't slack off in preparing. Know your weaknesses and train for them so you don't have a tough time at the Academt.</p>
<p>Also, you should have an option to take it a second time if you fail. Make a call just to make sure if you don't hear anything.</p>
<p>Hope that was of help.</p>
<p>-Guy4Christ</p>
<p>my scores weren't that good
66ft - bball throw
5:53 mile
56 sit ups
30 push ups (not really this weak but...the timing thing got me)
5 pull ups
8.8 shuttle run</p>
<p>I'm definately taking this again since I just heard my athletic director did NOT send the first one in, so I still have some time to improve.</p>
<p><em>Big Sigh</em></p>
<p>Finally after completing my Representative nomination application about three months ago, I finally received a nomination to USAFA and USNA today. YYAAAAYYYYYYY!!!</p>
<p>Hey Guy4Christ, this is Brett from SS btw, Paulina said you got an LOA but you never answered my email....</p>
<p>texasfalcon - A big congrats to you! Shoot - you just might be all hat AND all cattle...</p>
<p>Excellent job falcon! Good ole' texan pride!</p>
<p>Brett!!!!</p>
<p>What email? I never got one. Get your butt back on messenger sometime!!</p>
<p>I have LOAs and nominations to West Point and USAFA. Good luck to you, man! I can't wait to hear from you.</p>
<p>EDIT: @caddyshack: train till you drop. Not just for your CFA, but for when you go. There is nothing better you can do for yourself than to be in really good shape when you go. Good luck!</p>
<p>yeah, I was wondering....what is the best way to train yourself better for pull ups? (without a bar to practice on) Like any kind of special exercise? or weight lifting routine?</p>
<p>Doing pull ups is the best way to practice, obviously. However, if you have access to a piece of equipment that has a lat pulldown bar, that'll help some.</p>
<p>anything else i can try? like just body weight exercises? All I need is a good CFA score and I think I'll be aight....</p>
<p>I always thought pushups helped. Form is really important though, so there's no substitute for actually doing pullups. Just by improving my form, I've gone from about 10 pullups in BCT to 18 now.</p>
<p>A few things that help: pop your chin at the top to get it over the bar; don't try to slow your decent, you'll waste energy; go as fast as you can so you don't have time to get tired (this works for pushups too); don't kick, they can be very strict on this for the PFT; experiment with different grip widths, even changing in the middle of a set.</p>
<p>caddyshack- we had almost identical cfa scores. Both west point and annapolis said mine were low but it didn't hurt as I have an appt to usma and hopefully get one soon from usna. Just keep pumping out push ups when ever you have free time. I'm about up to 50 now...i had 32 on my cfa. but a home gym...thats what I am doing to prep for basic.</p>
<p>What you can do for pullups is just to train all-around upper body, focusing on the back and arms. Do some military press, bench press, curls, and incline press, but mostly lat pulldowns and...pullups. Get to a gym or somewhere to do them.</p>
<p>Do as many as you can 3x in a row, even if you can only do 4 or 5. You'll build up. I went from 4 tops to about 10 in a course of two weeks. Also, what surfnkid is saying works too: just like when you do pushups for time, go really fast so you dont think about how tired you are. But...when I train, I like to go slow, as its a better workout.</p>
<p>Hope that helps some.</p>
<p>I would recommend trying pullups from a tree branch if you do not have a bar available. As long as the branch is relatively level and high enough off the ground, it will provide a good place for you to practice without having to pay for a pullup bar, gym membership, etc.</p>
<p>My exact CFA scores are, (i was just approximating before, but here are the actual)</p>
<p>5:53 mile
9 Pull ups
8.7 sec shuttle run
67 ft Basketball throw
55 sit ups
28 push ups</p>
<p>are my things above average enough so i won't fail it? or should i def take it again? (my athletic director has cancelled the last two times I've asked to take the CFA)</p>