<p>Can I just say that people should be a little nicer to each other on here? Really, this board is for students applying to the Air Force Academy to get their questions answered and find out more about cadet life, not for people to be rude and nitpicky about who is right about what. The information posted here is not always 100% accurate, but I learned a lot of information before I came that, believe me, proved to be invaluable. All we can share is our own experiences. That doesn’t mean that everything cadets and parents say on here is the absolute answer, but everyone’s input is valuable. Now that I’m on the other side, I want to help candidates and potential applicants the same way I was helped. Let’s keep that the focus rather than discrediting one another…</p>
<p>I applied and was appointed to West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy, and it is true that Army and Navy offer LOAs earlier than the Air Force. I started applying to West Point in September and within a week of starting my application (they asked me to fax in my information, and I basically already had the package complete because I had already done everything for USAFA) I had an LOA. My resume was definitely academics and leadership-focused, so it’s not necessarily true that all of the early acceptances are given to outstanding athletes. So I got an LOA to Army in mid-September, an LOA to Navy late September or early October, and an LOA to USAFA on October 19th! (Yes, I still remember the day :))</p>
<p>A lot of this is just a waiting game, and you’ve got to be patient even though it’s hard. It will be well worth it in the end!</p>