Falcon Foundation Scholarship

[Guest Joshrk13]

Hi, could someone give me some information about he Falcon Foundation Scholarship. I'm a 16 year-old Sophomore interested in going to the Air Force Academy. During my senior year of High School I want to attend one of the five military service academies and I'm wondering if the Falcon Foundation Scholarship will help finacially such as the prep school part of the Academies. Or is this scholarship for High School Graduates that haven't been accepted into the Academy? Also, how much is each scholarship worth? I doubt my parents can fork out $25,000 for a year of schooling(schooling not being college). Any info would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

[Guest ruckerstud]

Before the flaming starts- The falcon foundation scholarships are for kids who applied to USAFA, didn't get in, but who the admissions board feels with a year of military school would be able to get in. They forward these names to the falcon foundation, who offers these kids scholarships. This is something you do after you graduate high school. The scholarships allow you to go to a select group of military schools for free with pretty much assured admission to USAFA. The prep school is completely different from a falcon foundation scholarship. The prep school is owned and operated by the Air Force. It is mainly for folks who are prior service and haven't been is school for years to set them up for success academically, but they also use it for people(again high school graduates) who didn't get in for one reason or another (like they are great football players, but got a 900 on their SATs) and you go there for a year, like junior college, but you are almost assured you will get into the academy, and you are on the academy reservation,and are being taught by recent graduates. You can only go to a service academy if you are a high school graduate, so the whole going your senior year is a non-starter. For more information, I would go to USAFA's website, or figure out who your ALO (admission or academy liason officer, can't remember which) is and talk to them. And just so you know, you are asking to go to a place that has an abbreviation for I Hate This F&^*()$ Place, because it is used that frequently.

[Guest Hoser]

Future,

Rucker gave you a good synopsis. I actually got a Falcon Foundation Scholarship and attended Valley Forge Military Colllege in Pa. The other colleges supported by the Falcon Foundation are: Marion Military Institute in Alabama, New Mexico Military, Northwestern Prep in So Cal, and Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington Mo.

While the rate of acceptance to the USAFA is very good following a year at a Falcon Foundation Prep School, there are people that do not get in, so it's not a sure thing.

Like Rucker said, the Prep School at the AFA is normally for jocks and people of minority ethnicities. Got to love Affirmative Action.

Here are some links for you:

Falcon Foundation

USAFA Prep School

Hoser

[Guest Joshrk13]

Thanks for the replies guys. This question is directed towards RS, but anyone can answer it. Why are people so against the academy? I've been reading a lot of posts about the academy and almost all of them are negative, lol. Could someone give me a few reasons to go the ROTC way instead of USAFA? All I know is I want a slot and I want it to be a fighter slot, and I will do anything to get it. << Haha, can you tell that I'm determined.

[KennyB]

I’m a Falcon Scholar and a ‘98 graduate of Northwestern Preparatory School located in San Bernardino, CA. I HIGHLY recommend the program the Durbecks have set up. Hoser was right… there were a few people from on Falcon Scholarships that didn’t get in from my NWP class… that’s because they didn’t show up for inprocessing or they quit! Unless you frickin kill somebody (and don’t hide the body well), you’re going to be admitted to USAFA the 2nd time around.

Another point that hasn’t been mentioned… once you accept the Falcon Scholarship, you are on contract with USAFA. The Falcon Foundation is basically an extension of the USAFA Admissions office.

Another HUGE point… you don’t have to be on a scholarship to attend NWP. There were quite a few “free agents” at Northwestern who took their new SATs, ACTs, and CFT scores and applied to all of the academies. Some of them were accepted at all three! I guess I can say four… we did have one guy end up at USCGA. What will limit you is congressional nominations. Those are for a specific school, so in order to truly be accepted to two service academies, you would (for instance) have to have a USAFA nomination from you senator and a USNA nomination from your congressman.

Go to https://www.northwesternprep.com/ for more information. Like ruckerstud said, you can’t apply for the Falcon Scholarship… you have to wait until you get your reject letter from USAFA, then you are automatically considered for the Falcon Scholarship. If you get it, they’ll call you. If you don’t, apply to NWP and be a free agent.

If you want any more details, shoot. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[Guest FCI]

Originally posted by FutureUSAFACadet:

All I know is I want a slot and I want it to be a fighter slot, and I will do anything to get it.

There's no such thing - just a regular 'ole pilot slot (unless you go Guard/Reserves).The "Fighter" part is up to you.

[Guest Joshrk13]

Okay so when do you choose which track you will take? Upon graduation from the USAFA or during UPT? Thanks.

[Champ Kind]

In your fifth month of pilot training. Check out the USAF UPT section on the Baseops site... It does a good job of outlining the program and selection process.

[KennyB]

Also, that's a pretty sweet occupation you've got there on your profile Future... you might want to take that one down a peg or two...

[Guest Joshrk13]

Originally posted by kenblankenship:

Also, that's a pretty sweet occupation you've got there on your profile Future... you might want to take that one down a peg or two...

Haha, why do you say that?

[Guest Hoser]

Originally posted by kenblankenship:

that’s because they didn’t show up for inprocessing or they quit! Unless you frickin kill somebody (and don’t hide the body well), you’re going to be admitted to USAFA the 2nd time around.

I didn't kill anybody, nor did I quit, but I wasn't accepted the 2nd time around. Transferred to a regular college with ROTC (I did AFROTC during my year at VF) and graduated 3 years later (1 year earlier than my bro's that did one year at VF, then 4 full years at the zoo. I actually ended up being a T-38IP for some of them as they came thru Columbus for UPT. Couldn't be happier with where I am right now.

Hoser

[brabus]

Because that attitude is going to get the sh*t rocked out of you at USAFA/ROTC and UPT (if you even get there). Not trying to be negative, just an observation.

[KennyB]

Originally posted by Hoser:

I didn't kill anybody, nor did I quit, but I wasn't accepted the 2nd time around. Transferred to a regular college with ROTC (I did AFROTC during my year at VF) and graduated 3 years later (1 year earlier than my bro's that did one year at VF, then 4 full years at the zoo. I actually ended up being a T-38IP for some of them as they came thru Columbus for UPT. Couldn't be happier with where I am right now.

Hoser

[Guest Hoser]

Originally posted by kenblankenship:

I didn't kill anybody, nor did I quit, but I wasn't accepted the 2nd time around. Transferred to a regular college with ROTC (I did AFROTC during my year at VF) and graduated 3 years later (1 year earlier than my bro's that did one year at VF, then 4 full years at the zoo. I actually ended up being a T-38IP for some of them as they came thru Columbus for UPT. Couldn't be happier with where I am right now.

Hoser

[Guest SuperStallionIP]

Originally posted by FutureUSAFACadet:

All I know is I want a slot and I want it to be a fighter slot, and I will do anything to get it. << Haha, can you tell that I'm determined.

Anything huh? Hopefully that excludes stabbing your buddies in the back or being a deep-throated pole smoker.

[Guest Joshrk13]

Originally posted by ChuckFlys17s:

Aligator closest to the boat my friend... Thats the one that needs killing first.

Hehe I like that analogy. I'm not trying to be cocky or anything just confident. I know what I want and I will do anything to get it(and I think I have a pretty good chance). In my eyes, the Air Force wants people who are confident in getting the job done, not saying "well, I'll try my best." For CAP promotion boards were taught to be confident, just short of cocky, in every question that we answer even if our answer is wrong. When people tell me that it's competitive to get where I want to go, it makes it sound like I don't have a chance, and it only makes me want it more. I have probably searched literally hundreds of websites on 'what it takes to get into the academy'. My two cents.

[brabus]

Yeah you're right, confidence is needed, maybe even some cockiness...but saying straight up at 16 that you're gonna graduate USAFA and become a fighter pilot w/ all certainty is taking cockiness too far and lends others to believe that you just might be what bigiron described. Walk the line, but don't cross it. My 2 cents.

[Champ Kind]

Originally posted by FutureUSAFACadet:

For CAP promotion boards were taught to be confident, just short of cocky, in every question that we answer even if our answer is wrong.

:rolleyes:

Originally posted by FutureUSAFACadet:

My two cents.

Giving your two cents on your fifth post...... The math doesn't really add up to me.

[Slander]

I wanted to answer your question about why choose ROTC rather than go to the zoo. I thought long and hard about applying to the academy, and ended up not doing so because I wanted to do the ROTC thing. I decided to do this because I looked at college as a huge growing experience and living under strict military rules (while not a bad thing) wouldn't give me the experience I wanted. I too want desperately to be a pilot, but it is not impossible to attain that goal from where I am. Actually, I think it's easier to get a pilot slot from ROTC than from the Academy only because my life is not as unpleasantly governed by military rule and order. I am in a fraternity, I hang out with sorority girls, I have friends in ROTC and out, and I think I've grown a lot as a person by having a broader friend base than making all my friends in the zoo. I have a ton of respect for guys and girls at the zoo, but I just wanted to have a more relaxed and enjoyable college career. If you want to be uber-involved in ROTC and treat it as seriously as the Academy, there are guys who do that. But that level of participation is not required to get a pilot slot, and once you show up at UPT no one cares about what you did in ROTC or at the zoo, you're all LT's. Give ROTC a chance, your career won't be held back by being a ROTC Nazi, Gen Jumper is an ROTC grad. (I know, he went to VMI.) Just my $0.02

[Guest Hoser]

Future,

My $0.69

The wealth of information available from this board is outstanding. When you have more than your 5 posts, you will see that certain people post lots of good info. They have many, many years of service and thousands of flight hours. They are truly giving you good advice. You can take it or leave it.

Yes, it's good to set your goals high, and yes there is a fine line between being confident and being cocky.

Hoser

[ 11. December 2005, 18:54: Message edited by: Hoser ]

[Guest ruckerstud]

Just as a heads up, the I noticed a directly inverse relationship between someones rank in CAP and their odds of graduating from USAFA. I think it was mainly due to the fact that they had a problem going back to the bottom of the barrel, and thought they knew something about being in the military, sort of like a 2LT telling a chief in my experience. And for as to why there are negative feeling about the academy, we produce roughly 1000 2Lts a year, some of them are going to do stupid stuff, and in some cases, they are going to be the ring knockers (guys who wear their rings while flying and start every story with "this one time on the T-zo). This reflects badly on everyone else who just wants to be the best officer and pilot they can be.

[Guest AviatorFT07]

Future,

If you want to do yourself a favor, try to attend one of the AETCFC events that CAP holds, preferably the one at CAFB (in my view). This will give you a small view of UPT and is organized by USAF Reservists who were IPs at one point in their careers.

And please (as a fellow member of the organization) don't brag about CAP stuff on here. There was already a bad experience with a purported 1LT from the organization. ("Soft Sandy", anyone?)

Soak up as much knowledge from this site as you can, it is an invaluable resource. Best of luck.

[Vetter]

Rule #1: Never have the word "future" in your screenname. You are gonna jinx yourself. Just ask Raptorpilot.

[Guest Joshrk13]

Well guys I took all your advice and changed my name and profile information. Not sure if this was the move you wanted me to make or not. No, I wouldn't go as far as what 'BigIron' described. I guess I will just keep on working hard to keep the grades up and stay involved. I will check into ROTC a little more, but I love the military life, so the Academy is probably where I'm headed(if I get in, as many of you stated). I will try to keep the cockiness level down until the day I get those wings, and even after that:-p. What happened to Raptorpilot by the way? I'm curious. AviatorFT07, I just sent my application in today for the AETCFC at Colombus, but I'm not really expecting to get in, seeing that I'm only a C/A1C. Thanks guys.

[Guest FCI]

Originally posted by Joshrk13:

Well guys I took all your advice and changed my name and profile information. Not sure if this was the move you wanted me to make or not.

What happened to the whole "having confidence right or wrong" thing?