<p>Is the physical fitness test for admission actually graded and incorporated into admissions decisions?
My son can pass it now (barely, but consistently even with rough evaluations) but he's wondering if it will help his chance of admission to wait a little extra before applying in order to improve his performance?
In other words, is the physical fitness test pass/fail to QUALIFY for admission or does doing much better than passing actually help him get in?</p>
<p>It is pass/fail.</p>
<p>Don't wait on your app...you can do the PFE later.</p>
<p>He can work on his fitness but he better get going because that aspect of the CGA never ends.</p>
<p>Doing much better than passing is not a big help in the process. A good passing score is sufficient. Other factors such as grades, character, leadership mean more than that.</p>
<p>Having said that, good luck!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The mean entering score for the Class of 2012 was 209. </p>
<p>Candidates who cannot achieve a minimum of 130 points will not be offered appointments. </p>
<p>New cadets take the PFE in the first few days of Swab Summer, and if they cannot achieve a score of at least 130 they are disenrolled.</p>
<p>Near the end of Swab Summer another PFE is taken, and swabs who cannot achieve at least 165 are normally disenrolled.</p>
<p>(This standard may be raised based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool and the needs of the Coast Guard.)</p>
<p>Cadets at the academy are graded on their PFE scores as follows:</p>
<p>285-300 Max Club
258-284 A
222-257 B
200-221 C
165-199 D
0-164 F</p>
<p>A 270 gets you a blue star.</p>
<p>Once again Luigi topping the boss...I should retire...haha.</p>
<p>My son is/was a track guy, football player, crew nerd, weighlifting champ...he has never gotten the Blue Star...just missed in August. The kids who usually get one are cross country guys who can blow away the run.</p>
<p>If you get all three stars, blue(PFE), gold (academics), silver (military precedence) you get a nice orange and blue blanket with Luigi's picture stitched to it...haha...Steve has gotten two of three but not the elusive blue.</p>
<p>Luigi: My kid is a 230 pound football player and he got his.</p>
<p>Boss: I stand topped.</p>
<p>Boss: your definite answer is followed by uncertainty. If it is pass/fail that means that in terms of ADMISSIONS ( I understand what goes on later) how far above the passing grade an applicant scores is is IRRELEVANT.
Yet later you say it is not a "big help" to do better (implying it is SOME help).
Do you know which it is?
Thanks for your info.</p>
<p>I never claimed to be the final authority...that title belongs to L59.</p>
<p>As far as ADMISSIONS, you can wait to submit scores. The one thing I would suggest is that if the score is above 130 - submit it early decision. Don't send a score below 130. Admissions said for APPLICANTS last year 130 was minimum and 155 was competitive score. Until my daughter met with admissions staff - only 2 weeks before ED deadline, her plan was to not complete application in October because she wanted to improve her fitness score. However even with a 'non-competitive' fitness score (in the 140's) she was accepted early decision. </p>
<p>During interview (which is optional but can be scheduled) she told the admissions partner steps she was taking to improve her score in preparation for life at the Academy. Had she not been admitted early decision she was planning to retake PFE prior to the Regular Decision 'deadline'. She didn't retake the PFE once admitted but did continue to run regularly and take other steps to be physically prepared for the demands of swab summer.</p>
<p>Toughquestions,
Also, the average entering score (during Swab Summer) was 209 for the male swabs (as Luigi stated). </p>
<p>Though you have a son, the female average entering PFE score was slightly lower :( only 190!</p>
<p>Thank you for this information.</p>
<p>Our child attended AIM this summer and passed the PFE with a 140 score. During the Admissions Brief by the Admin folks, one of them stated that even though they passed the PFE during AIM, if the score was near the 130's rather than the 200's, they should really try to improve before applying.</p>
<p>I understand being in better shape before arriving, but if the PFE is really pass/fail, then I'm interpretting that he should focus more on the essays to submit for early decision?</p>
<p>Also, there are only a few recommendations requested. Are they allowed to have the rubrix form completed by other people too or submit just a general recommendation letter? This would be for someone who can attest to participation in community and church activities, not academics as is covered by the required recommendation forms.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>As long as the required recommendation forms are submitted, one or two general rec letters can also be sent.</p>
<p>Just make sure that the person writing the rec letter actually knows the candidate well and can attest to something that has not been shown in the application or the other rec letters.</p>
<p>35 days to the Early Action deadline (Nov 1).</p>
<p>And keep in mind the the regular admissions deadline has been moved up a month (Feb 1) compared to last year (Mar 1).</p>
<p>CGFamily,</p>
<p>Admissions office gave you good advice, being that your child's low PFE score occurred in the summer - with several months for him/her to work on improving fitness score before Early Action Deadline. Unfortunately, in my D's case she did not attend AIM, took PFE for first time in mid October with score in 140's. So in her case, the admissions officer advised her to go ahead and send in the application (and if needed send subsequent scores prior to Reg Decision deadline). It worked out as she was accepted in December 07.</p>