| Location: | Rockies |
| Type: | Public |
| Size: | Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Falcons |
| Nicknames: | Air Force, USAFA |
To educate, train, and inspire men and women to become officers of character motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation.
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA or Air Force), located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air Force. Graduates of the four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree and most are commissioned as second lieutenants in the United States Air Force. The Academy is also one of the largest tourist attractions in Colorado, attracting more than a million visitors each year.
The Air Force Academy is among the most selective colleges in the United States, although many publications such as U.S. News and World Report do not rank the Academy directly against other colleges because of the Academy's special mission. Candidates are judged based on their academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, athletics and character. To gain admission, candidates must also pass a fitness test, undergo a thorough medical examination, and secure a nomination, which usually comes from one of the candidate's members of Congress. Recent incoming classes have usually consisted of about 1400 cadets; just under 1000 of those usually make it through to graduation. Cadets pay no tuition, but incur a commitment to serve a number of years in the military service after graduation.
The program at the Academy is guided by its core values of "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All We Do," and based on four "pillars" of excellence: military training, academics, athletics and character development. In addition to a rigorous military training regimen, cadets also take a broad academic course load with an extensive core curriculum in engineering, humanities, social sciences, basic sciences, military studies and physical education. All cadets participate in either intercollegiate or intramural athletics, and a thorough character development and leadership curriculum provides cadets a basis for future officership. Each of the components of the program is intended to give cadets the skills and knowledge that they will need for success as officers.
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| Percent of Students International: | 1% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 102% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Mountain West Conference) Basketball (Mountain West Conference) Baseball (Mountain West Conference) Track (Mountain West Conference) |
| Acceptance Rate: | 18% (Most Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 55% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 610, Math: 630 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 690, Math: 710 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 33% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 28, Verbal: 27, Math: 28 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 31, Verbal: 31, Math: 32 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Not Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Recommended |
| TOEFL: | Not Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
College Advice
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Question:
Which service academy should I go to? (Please answer only if you know what I'm talking about)?
I have 2 appointments-1 to the US Coast Guard Academy and 1 to the US Air Force Academy. The problem is I really like both schools. People have told me to choose based on what career I want and they both have the ones that I want (aviation and intelligence). They both have majors I am interested in. CGA has Civil Engineering with a concentration in Environmental Engineering and AFA has Environmental Engineering. CGA has Government with a concentration in International Affairs and AFA has Foreign Area Studies. The pros of going to the CGA are that it is much closer to home and that it is a smaller school so they have had less problems than the AFA in the past. The pros of going to the AFA include more academic and extracurricular opportunities. I will enclose a list I made comparing the two. Which should I choose to attend?
Thanks so much for everything!
Majors
USAFA-Environmental Engr, For Area Studies
USCGA-CE with Enivron Engr, Gov't with International Relations
Summer Opps
USAFA- 4/c-Basic Cadet Training
3/c-Jump (parachute) or glide training
2/c and 1/c-Leadership opportunities-BCT cadre, flight instructor, etc
USCGA-4/c-Swab Summer (Military Training)
3/c-5 weeks on CGC Eagle/5 weeks on another CGC(Coast Guard Cutter)
2/c-Leadership opportunities-training swabs, helping prospective cadets, serving aboard a CGC
1/c-10 weeks CGC or 5 weeks CG internship/5 weeks CGC
THANKS AGAIN
And I'm not enlisting. I am going to have one of the best educations in the world. When I graduate I'll have a commision as either an Ensign(CG) or a 2nd Lieutenant(AFA) which is higher than what I would be if I enlisted.
And I'm not enlisting. When I graduate I'll have a commision as either an Ensign(CG) or a 2nd Lieutenant(AFA) which is higher than what I would be if I enlisted.
16 months ago
Best Answer
Hey- I’m going to be shipping out to the Coast Guard Academy for the class of 2011! Have you visited either of the academies? b/c that was the real deciding factor for me. The Cg has a great program where you follow a cadet around for a day. I'm so stoked that I'm already memorizing the runnign light and going crazy with the pushups and running.
I guess I’m just wondering if letting other people influence your decision on this site is the right thing to do? Anyway, not to creep you out or anything, but I’m going to throw my myspace out there- so feel free to throw it right back at me. It’s myspace.com/sespe7 Hope to hear from you about how your decision and preparations are going!
GSN
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I'm planning on going to the Air Force Academy after high school and was wondering if anyone has been there before and could give me an idea on things that could make my application stand out and an idea of what it is like?
{I want to be commissioned as an Officer so after I can become a US Air Force Fighter Pilot. If anyone has any information on that it would be very helpful}
thank you in advance.
16 months ago
Best Answer
Keep your scores in Math very high.
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17 months ago
Best Answer
8 years of service are required after graduation--5 years of active service + 3 years of inactive reserve.
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I'm a sophomore in high school....what are some requirements...how should i do the interview? waht kind of grades do i need? thanks!
22 months ago
Best Answer
The best source of information would be the catalogs for the Naval Academy and Air Force Academy. You can write to them and ask for the catalogs. You may need to send a small amount of money for the catalog.
The Academies are very prestigious, and really they are looking for the best of the best. It is true that you need a recommendation from your Congressman or Senator and each of them can recommend two candidates per year to each of the Academies.
If your high school has JR ROTC that might be worth checking out. However ROTC programs in colleges and universities are the nations second source of military officers. While the military won't draw attention to the fact, almost every officer at the highest ranks is an academy graduate.
First, why do you want to go to the academy? What are your goals. You need to be clear on that, and you need to be able to communicate it well.
Grades are important. Do everything you can to get a 4.0, straight A's ( not to worry candidates get accepted without straight A's). But the military is not interested in bookworms only.
Extra curricular actives are also important. I know students who were accepted to the academies with records in with gymnastics, cheer leading ( yes, young women can go the academies.) or work on the volunteer ski patrol.
Think about sports, debate team, boy scouts, many males at the academies are Eagle Scouts. Take the time to become involved in leadership. Class president, or an officer in a school club are good indicators that you have the leadership ability and motivation to succeed.
Fitness is important. I missed out on the academy because I did not take the fitness requirements seriously. Get the catalogs read about the physical fitness tests, and get a program going to be sure you are strong enough. Inside story: most cadets at the academies have trouble during their first Summer of training because they do not have the upper body strength required to succeed at the obstacle courses. Have a regular fitness routine, running, and weights for strength, even if you are star of all your high school sports ( and especially if you more the debate and chess club type!)
If you get in, be prepared for the hardest most difficult experience of your life. They will ask more of you than you can possibly imagine in the first year. All I can say is always remember you are up to it, but they program will push you to the point where you feel like you can't go on. Even them remember you are tough enough to make it through.
Some high schools have JR. ROTC. You could look into this. Another program is the Civil Air Patrol Cadets. Some communities have CAP groups ( civilians who fly search and rescue missions) and these groups may sponsor cadet groups for high school students. CAP is a great program if you can find it.
I want to share an encouraging story. I went to high school with a guy we all called dumb Roy. Well Roy decided he wanted to go to the Air Force Academy. He was passed over the first year he applied because we had better candidates from our high school. He went to college and joined ROTC there. He applied again in his freshman year of college to go to the Academy, and got passed over. Well Roy didn't give up. He kept up in college and worked very hard to be the best in ROTC and applied again in his second year of college and with the recommendation of his ROTC instructor, he was able to get accepted to the Air Force Academy. He It took him 6 years to finish college because at the Academy he had to start over at year 1 even though he had already done well in two years of college. Of the seven students I went to high school with who went onto the military academies, Roy was the only one to finish and is a very happy career Air Force Officer. Success is possible.
Look at who you are, why you want to do this, and put together a program for you next three years that will allow you to do you best.
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