I have wanted to go to the Air Force Academy and become a fighter pilot since I was 11. But i never understood how the system works. I knew there was a board of administrators etc. but as ive recently figured out, you dont neccesarliy have to have a degree in aerospace engineering/aeronatical engineering to become a pilot.

 

So i need to know what are my chances of entering the air force academy, and what are my chances of becoming a pilot?

 

I am a Sophmore and currently i have a G.P.A of 3.7 and i am engaged heavily in sports.

My first year i made varsity baseball as a freshman in the posistion of catcher.

I thought i would have a better chance at the air force academy if i was physcially fit so i have a trainer that i work out a few times a week.

i am in excellent physcial condition.

i am a christian and have attended a christian school all of my life.

I am currently in all of my core classes.

 

First off, www.academyadmissions.com has more info than I can give on the current application process.  You would be well served to read the information there.

As for general tips, sports are very good to be involved in.  Try to keep your GPA as high as possible while taking the highest level classes you can.  That should ensure a solid academic background, and possibly give you the chance to place into higher courses here (depending on how good your school is and how well you do).  Get involved in activities where you can hold leadership possitions (could be team captain, class council, scouts, jrotc, club president, etc).

No, you do not have to be an engineer to be a pilot.  I am a military history major at USAFA, and am trying to get a pilot slot.  Your grades in college play a much greater role in your chances of becomming a pilot than your major does.  The choices for what job you want (pilot, security forces, intel, civil engineering, etc) are based on your class rank in college.  The 1st person in their class gets to choose first, the last person is pretty much stuck with whatever is left.  Therefore, you should major in something you are good at and enjoy.

ok well I was vice-president last year and I didnt run this year at all. Hypothetically say I do not make it into the Air Force Academy, are my chances of becoming a Fighter Pilot ruined or is there other ways of becoming a pilot? Because as ive heard the Air Force Academy is a rigourous selectection process and i somtimes feel that dreams a bit out of reach. So can you give me other ways of becoming a pilot

 

            Thanks for replying

By the way I forgot to mention I amd within the top 5 ranks in about 6/7 of my classes. I am taking the PSAT on wednesday.

You look like you have a decent shot.  Even if you do not go to the academy, there are other options.  You could do AFROTC in college, which has about as many pilot slots, just distributed over more people.  Also, you could do OTS after college, but that program does not get very many slots.

does it vary on which colleges have AFROTC or do the majority have them. i think thats most likely the wisest decision currently but im still not sure. But i just need to get into one of the academies and then i can transfer over to whichever academy i please right? but ive heqard the air force academy isnt big on doing that but the naval academy is. When im in AFROTC what happens is it the same as college? Do i join the air force and then am i automatically signed into the air force? Im not sure i completley understand. If you could give me some more information on AFROTC it would be much appreciated.

 

        Thanks

Only certain colleges have AFROTC detachments.  You take a few extra classes for AFROTC and do stuff like PT during the week and training in the summer.  Other than that, you are a normal college student.  Go to www.afrotc.com for the official info.

You cannot simply transfer between the service academies.  People who switch wind up quitting one and being appointed to another (thus starting over in a different service).  There is the possibility of cross-commissioning at graduation, but that is not very common (maybe a half-dozen per year).  There are semester exchange programs between the academies, but it is ONLY for a semester.

At the academies, you are considered active duty military and have a five year committment after graduation (you commit at the start of your junior year).  AFROTC commissions people into the active duty Air Force after graduation, but those on scholarships commit before graduation.