<p>I just got notified that I will be having an interview for the Summer Seminar. Can anyone who has already had an interview tell me what type of questions to expect? I am sure they will ask me why I want to attend the Air Force Academy but are there any other questions I can expect?<br>
Thanks!!</p>
<p>I only know 2 questions they will ask you, other than that, you will have to contact your ALO:</p>
<p>.Why do you want to attend the Air Force Academy?
.Why do you think we should accept you over the additional applicants?</p>
<p>I had these four:</p>
<p>"Why do you want to go in the military?" (I had already expressed wanting an AF career IIRC)
"Why the Air Force?"
"Why the Air Force Academy?"</p>
<p>Be prepared to answer questions like "tell me about one of your extracurricular activities" and vague stuff like "tell me about yourself." I think what they are looking for is that you can articulate your thoughts well. Think before speaking and when you answer speak slow and deliberately. Good luck!</p>
<p>What do you want to do as an Air Force officer?
Have you considered an ROTC program? Would you prefer the Academy? Why?
Do you have family members in the military?
Where do you see yourself 5/10/20 years down the road?
How do you feel about (insert current event)?
What do you know about the USAFA Honor Code? What are your feelings about this?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
The Academy won't always be easy/fun. How do you plan on making it through?
Why should USAFA admit you over a similarly-qualified candidate?
Do you have any moral/ethical reservations about a career in the military?</p>
<p>I'll try to post some more as I remember them, but these and the above are a great place to start. As others have said, think about your responses a bit before the interview. When the time comes, stay relaxed, respectful, and articulate well - you'll do just fine. Good luck!</p>
<p>The ones Petko mentioned are the main ones for both SS and the interview during the actual application process. Another one is "What leadership experience do you have?" or "Can you tell me about a situation in which you applied your leadership skills to correctly handle that situation?" </p>
<p>One major thing about these interviews though. Although most people (hopefully) wouldn't do this, DO NOT make stuff up during the interview (i.e. when asked about the Honor Code, answering that honor is very important in your life, but not mentioning that you cheat in school all the time). Honor is very serious here. If you have to make stuff up to get in, you don't belong here.</p>
<p>Like Falcons mentioned, you aren't under the Honor Code yet, but now probably isn't the best time to be stretching the truth. Own up to your faults and weaknesses - we all have them, and your admissions officers may view your honesty as a very mature and attractive characteristic.</p>
<p>A couple other things:</p>
<p>What if you don't make it in? (They want to see someone who's prepared with back up plans)
What if you don't get/qualify for a pilot slot? (May not be your case, but many people go just because they want fly. It's a good reason to go, but a good answer is that you're eager to serve in AF even if you don't get your first choice)</p>
<p>If they ask you, "what if you don't make it in?"
It really means, "how serious are you about wanting an Air Force career?"
Don't expect high remarks if you say something like, "Oh, I think I will just go to Ponderosa college and study engineering."
Say something like, "If I don't get in, I'd be back every year until I get too old."
That shows them how determined you are about getting into the Air Force Academy or Summer Seminar.
©Air Force Academy Candidate Book</p>
<p>For the actual SS interview I was only asked why I wanted to attend: basically I told my interviewer that I wasn't sure if I even wanted to attend- Navy was my first choice and I wasn't sure I'd have time to go to both Summer Seminars. It didn't seem to matter, as I was still accepted to the Air Force SS.</p>
<p>Prolouge, that may be valid, but I would caution agianst saying anything not 100% accurate. If you would go to Ponderosa college, say so. Integrity is the bedrock of leadership.</p>
<p>Yeah you are right raimius. If your dream and passion is to attend the USAFA you should stay with that commitment. For an alternate route, I would try to apply for an ROTC scholarship for Ponderosa College. In the interview you should answer something like, "I am considering in applying for an ROTC scholarship for Ponderosa College because of it's curriculum of engineering. Because of my desire of attending the Air Force Academy, I will be back year after year until I'm 23 years of age, until I grasp a nomination so I may pursue my dream of becoming a Commissioned Officer for The United States Air Force."</p>
<p>Ah, but that's the tricky part. If your dream is to "become a Commissioned Officer for The United States Air Force," then why not pursue a commission from ROTC or OTS? What makes the Academy so special? You receive the same 2nd Lieutenant's bars upon graduation, so what would motivate you to reapply year after year to USAFA?</p>
<p>And for questions like what Petko is asking, you will (hopefully) show your true reasons for wanting to go to USAFA. If all you can think of is "Well, I want a free education" or "I want the prestige of having gone through the Academy", then I recommend you look into the Academy a little more before making any big decisions...but that's part of what SS is for, so that could (potentially) help.</p>
<p>I just had my interview! The questions that they asked me were kind of peculiar. They asked me how I have helped a friend and mostly some other questions about my resume. He also asked me what I wanted to do in the Air Force. Other than that, he did not ask anything about the Air Force or the Academy.</p>
<p>PETKO, I am just giving an example for people, my motivation of going to the USAFA may or may not be the same as other people wanting to apply.</p>
<p>No, I realize that, but the way you have things worded leaves room for them to ask further questions. Here's my point - imagine that I'm interviewing you. You tell me:</p>
<p>
[quote]
"I am considering in applying for an ROTC scholarship for Ponderosa College because of it's curriculum of engineering. Because of my desire of attending the Air Force Academy, I will be back year after year until I'm 23 years of age, until I grasp a nomination so I may pursue my dream of becoming a Commissioned Officer for The United States Air Force."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well now, I wonder to myself, why would he bother to reapply to the Academy year after year if he can receive the same commission from the ROTC program he's also considering? So Prolouge, I ask you, what is it that makes the Academy so special in your eyes? You've said that you're considering the ROTC program at Ponderosa College. That's a fine program and an excellent way to receive a commission as a USAF officer. Applying to the Academy is no easy process, so why then would you want to pursue an Appointment to USAFA each year?</p>
<p>How do you respond?</p>
<p>in the 7th grade, I watched a program on the Military Channel talking about Fighter Pilots and what they do for our country. I don't know how it got in my mind , but some how got addicted to the idea of becoming a fighter pilot.I started doing research on each branch of the Military. From the 4 branches, I decided the Air Force was the right path for me as into becoming a fighter pilot and an Officer. The whole time of doing research, I thought you could just become a pilot just by applying. I did not know you had to go to school which took determination and sacrifice including 5 years of active duty service until looking it up. I found out I could either do the ROTC program or attend the USAFA. I decided I wanted to live a strict and disciplined Military lifestyle of a service and I made a commitment I will attend the academy.
I asked my friends of what they think of me going to the USAFA, become an Air Force Officer, go to UPT, and hopefully a pilot.They all just laughed, mimicked me, and told me I am too stupid. I was infuriated that my own friends Won't even support me into what I dream of doing. So from that day on I promised myself I will make it to the USAFA to pursue my dreams and to prove my friends that I could do anything if I put my mind into it.</p>
<p>Good answer. :)</p>
<p>Edit - At the same time though, if you wan't to make it an even better answer, make sure to emphasize these two things: First, that the Academy is what you want - that you're going there because you want to and not because you have something to prove to your friends. Also, ideally, your first priority should be to serve as an officer and should outweigh your desire to become a pilot, but I realize that's hard to keep in mind sometimes. Nice response overall.</p>
<p>PETKO, you got an appointment to the USAFA, right? If you did, was it really hard to grasp a nomination from your representative?</p>
<p>I received an appointment in December '06 and am currently at the Academy as a four degree. I was lucky enough to receive nominations from both my rep and one senator, but the difficulty in securing a nomination can vary widely by state. I come from Pennsylvania, for example, where there's a lot more interest in USMA and USNA than USAFA. Consequently, it was probably easier for me to be nominated there than if I had lived in Colorado, for instance.</p>