18 y/o junior here (parents had me held back in 1st), wanted to go into the Air Force and fly planes or become an officer. Heard that going to the Academy in Colorado is the best bet to be a pilot.
So should I apply for the Academy? If so, what should I do to make my application more attractive (white male, if that matters at all). Should I even go pilot?
>>1229364
Get a Senator to meet and recommend you.
Make sure you have strong basis in math and science.
Make sure to really prepare for the SAT or whatever they give these days. You need to be at the very top.
Also recommend being strongly physically fit and without a record.
It is a very hard school to get into, but it is incredible.
> Source: Grandfather was Dean of the History Department and Founding Officer of the Academy
>>1229364
it is a shitty place for atheist. lots of christfaggotry going on there. also, hiroshi should make a /college/ board.
>>1229449
That's the majority trying to join the military.
Most of them believe that adage that you better find something to fucking believe in before you go into a war zone.
The military is pretty good compared to the civilian job market right now, and the Air Force is the best of the lot in a lot of ways. The Air Force Academy and the others are considered to be on par with Ivy League schools, and if you can get in do it.
Pilots are compelled to serve for an initial 10 years, but their job is comfy as fuck.
Being this is biz:
Look up Thorstein Vebleens Conspicous Consumption. Paying people to be in the military is pretty unproductive. Better off fighting on the financial, science front against China, Russia etc.
>>1229539
>find something to believe in
The Literal Fucking Holy Goddamned Bible
>no other beliefs are required in combat
source: my fellow Rangers & I adopt puppies & kittens whenever we see them on craigslist; we sacrifice them to ourselves for more power
>>1229364
OP I was actually in the Air Force. Here's my advice.
If are hell bent on becoming a military man go for officer
Only a little bit of people actually come the pilot, so don't expect it but apply for it
If you ever had any medical thing happen to you other than a minor cold that you kept secret and didn't go to the doctor, REALLY don't expect to be a pilot
If you don't have perfect vision don't expect to be a pilot.
Enlistee's often won't respect you, however you will be above the highest enlistee rank and make a lot more than most of them.
Be very fit, as in 40+ push ups, 10+ pull ups, be able to run a mile in less than 10 Minutes, 60+ situps.
Attention to detail is spot on, see any mistakes on on this post yet? If you had to re-read this post make sure you train yourself.
No debt, good grades, and great credit. Cores for the military officer school.
Do you have a degree relevant to the military? If not then it will be harder to get in.
Religion is a big thing in the military, so even if your atheist just pretend OK? Some people refuse to to do so and have a real shit time because of it. They usually do it on the grounds of "Oh well I am strong independent man! I AM ME!" or some bullshit about self worth, when in reality it doesn't matter.
If you still want to go sit on that idea for a year, then if you still want to join the delayed enlistment, then after that pick the minimum amount of years to join. I immediately regretted joining 3 weeks in.
>>1229364
Read this for a reality check. The academies are strong schools and offer great opportunities, but people give them a tad too much credit.
http://www.salon.com/2015/01/05/lets_abolish_west_point_military_academies_serve_no_one_squander_millions_of_tax_dollars/
If you want to be an officer in a cool job or of high rank and are willing to commit to that goal above all others, then yes. There is no other route that will get you there as well as the AFA will.
HOWEVER, if you are not positive about wanting either of those things, particularly if you think you might actually only want to be in the military for a little bit or not really at all, do not apply.
Another consideration is how academically inclined you are. Despite their presence in the upper echelon of certain university undergrad rankings (due to zero cost of attendance and guaranteed employment at graduation), the academies cut corners academically and you will not have time to do what a serious scholar at a private or state university will do. That's a matter of priorities though, not a hard knock on the program.
I know people who are Navy SEAL and aviation officers who did ROTC at MIT, Harvard and Columbia. If you value academics for their own sake and are a real top-flight student, consider applying somewhere like that.
>>1229449
If you're not the right kind of Christian even, you will encounter proselytizing and even coercion based on religious beliefs. The Air Force has somehow become a stronghold of the most backwoods strands of Christianity and Mormonism, and Colorado Springs itself is home to numerous evangelical organizations. That shouldn't make up your mind for you, but it can be pretty extreme.
>>1229590
>The Air Force Academy and the others are considered to be on par with Ivy League schools
Kek not they're not. Not academically anyway. Their academic admission standards are distinctly lower than those of Ivies and most kids going to Ivies would never go to a service academy.
>>1229364
you should have started the application process already. I might be too late.
I applied to West Point. I didn't get a high enough score (affirmative action, plus I didn't do well enough)
The application process takes over a year
>>1229590
>The Air Force Academy and the others are considered to be on par with Ivy League schools, and if you can get in do it.
i was accepted to the AFA years ago. toured the place and was appalled by their computer labs. the equipment was old... very, very old. was accepted to a private highly rated engineering school as well... toured there and there was no comparison. the private school was cutting edge and the academy was ancient.
if you want to fly, try the academy. if you are interested in cutting edge science and engineering look elsewhere. (maybe they've changed since the late '90's... but i doubt it.)
>>1229743
> very fit
> 40 pushups, 10 pullups, mile in less than 10 min, 60 situps
Heh holy shit, is this what the air force considers fit?
I'm an average guy who never works out and I could crush all of those standards.
sorry chairforce, but I had to call you on this one.
If you want to be a pilot the AFA is your best bet. You can go to a normal college and do ROTC but the AFA will have more opportunities for training compared to a regular school.
If you really want to go to the AFA I hope you're top notch in academics/athletics/etc. Your competing against thousand of others for a free education. Honestly if you are a junior and aren't already on the right track its probably too late.
And if you do make it in be prepared to not make it as a pilot. Pilots are fucking sharp guys. The military is entrusting you with multimillion dollar machines. It's not a matter of wanting something and working hard for it. You think just anyone can drive an f1 car? No. You have to have an innate ability. Just as f1 cars are on a totally different level than cars, jets are on another level from f1 cars.
>>1229884
Eh I don't take it to personally, most faggots who join can't do that.
>>1229743
>mile in less than 10 minutes
Kek. I could speed walk and finish a mile in 10.
