Being accepted into the United States Air Force (USAF) Academy is highly competitive, with only 14% of all applicants being accepted. To stand any chance of getting into the academy, you must have been a straight-A student with a SAT score of between 1250 and 1450. A quarter of people who accepted had a score higher than 1450.
To have any chance of attending an Ivy League school in the United States, you will need an SAT score that is above 1500. For example, you will need an SAT score of above 1560 to be considered eligible for Harvard. Participating in after-school sports programs or taking extracurricular classes also helps.
Submitting letters of recommendation from respected sources also goes a long way toward getting a place at the academy.
What qualifications do I need to attend the United States Air Force (USAF) Academy?
To be eligible to join the United States Air Force Academy, all prospective candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Be a United States citizen or have been nominated by a friendly country approved by the United States and invited to attend the Academy by the United States Department of Defense.
- Candidates must be at least 17 years old and no older than 23 by July 1st in their year of entry into the Academy.
- Be unmarried with no dependents.
- Have a good moral character and no criminal convictions.
- Meet high academic standards.
- Have no underlying medical conditions
- Display proven leadership skills
- Be in top physical shape.
In addition to meeting the above criteria, a United States Senator or Congressional representative must nominate all potential candidates. Each United States representative can have a maximum of five appointees attending the United States Air Force Academy at any one time. The process of being appointed has no political meaning, and you do not need to know the person who appointed you for a position.
In addition to appointees, the Academy reserves places for the children of career military officers, disabled veterans, Medal of Honor recipients, and those killed in action.
The admission process can be extremely long, and the Air Force Academy recommends that anyone who wants to attend must begin submitting their paperwork during their junior year of high school.
About the United States Air Force (USAF) Academy
Located just a little north of Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Air Force (USAF) Academy is a public university and a military service academy focused on training the leaders of the future. The US Air Force Academy is the youngest of the nation’s five service academies but the third in seniority. The other four service academies are:
- The United States Military Academy, founded in 1802, is located in West Point, New York, on the upper Hudson River.
- The United States Naval Academy, founded in 1845, is located in Annapolis, Maryland, at the confluence of the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay.
- The United States Coast Guard Academy was founded in 1876 in New London, Connecticut, overlooking the Thames River.
- The United States Merchant Marine Academy was founded in 1943 in Kings Point, New York, on the water overlooking Long Island.
Of the five service academies, the United States Coast Guard Academy is the only one that does not require a candidate’s name to be put forward for a place at the school by a senator or congressional representative. All United States Air Force Academy cadets graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree and, in return for four years of free higher education, must serve in the United States Air Force (USAF) or United States Space Force (USSF).
When cadets graduate, they are commissioned as second lieutenants and must serve at least five years of active duty, followed by three more years in the Air and Space Force reserve.
Is the US Air Force Academy free?
The short answer is yes, but it also requires you to serve your country as an officer in the United States Air Force (USAF) or United States Space Force (USSF). The length of your commitment to serve will depend on your chosen career path. The minimum length of service is five years of active duty and three years in the Air Force Reserve. However, if you decide to become a pilot, you must commit to ten years of service due to the cost of flight school training.
For this commitment, you will receive a world-class education, free room and board, and free medical and dental benefits. One big difference between enrolling at the Air Force Academy and enrolling in a civilian college is that when you graduate from the academy, you already have a job lined up.
In the fall of your senior year at the Academy, you will be asked to submit a list of jobs you would like to do while on active duty for the next five years. A lot will depend on what roles the Air Force needs to fill. Shortly before graduation, you will be told what job you have been selected for and where you will be based.
Is dating allowed at the Air Force Academy?
If you are already in a pre-existing relationship before becoming an Air Force Cadet, you must fill out and sign a pre-existing relationship documentation form. The form lists what is accepted and what is not.
Cadets must have professional relationships with other cadets, officers, NCOs, airmen, or civilian academy staff. The definition of what is considered an unprofessional relationship is the following:
- Fraternization, including dating other cadets or members of the Academy
- Communications using electronic devices
Overly familiar relationships compromise a cadet’s respect for authority and the inability of senior staff to exercise fair and unbiased judgment. Because of this, relationships between cadets, other cadets, and teachers at the academy are considered prejudicial to good order and discipline. This could lead to a decrease in morale and a degradation of mission accomplishments.
Once you have read and signed that you understand the rules, you will be asked to fill out a form describing any relationship you were in before arriving at the academy.
