1.
How does the Academy’s academic program compare with other
institutions?
2. When do cadets first enter the academic program?
3. Do all cadets take the same classes?
4. Are cadets counseled on the selection of a major?
5. Can cadets transfer credits or validate courses?
6. Can cadets take elective courses?
7. How are cadets graded on their courses?
8. When do cadets study?
9. Can cadets with marginal grades seek help?
10. Where can cadets of all performance levels go
to receive additional assistance?
11. When is a cadet considered academically deficient?
12. What type of faculty does the Academy have?
13. What type of instruction does the faculty provide?
14. Are cadets graded on their military performance?
15. Do cadets receive any special recognition for
outstanding grades?
16. What library facilities are available?
1. How
does the Academy’s academic program compare with other institutions?
The Air Force Academy has instituted many new concepts in service
academy instruction and is recognized as an outstanding educational
institution. Academy graduates have won an impressive number of
Rhodes Scholarships, Truman Scholarships, National Science Foundation
Fellowships and other major competitive awards. We feel this record
reflects the excellence of the Academy's academic program.
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2. When
do cadets first enter the academic program?
After you’ve completed BCT and have been admitted to the cadet
wing, you’ll be scheduled for classes at the beginning of
the academic year in early August. The year is divided into two
semesters, each containing approximately 17 weeks of instruction,
with breaks scheduled for holidays and leave periods.
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3. Do
all cadets take the same classes?
The Academy requires all cadets to take a core academic curriculum.
This core curriculum covers a broad spectrum of classes in humanities,
social sciences, engineering and basic sciences. This core load
makes up 109 semester hours of the academic program and is the foundation
for a cadet's future service as an officer in the Air Force. Cadets
then receive further specialization in one of 32 Academy majors
currently offered.
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4. Are
cadets counseled on the selection of a major?
Most definitely. Cadets are advised by Academic Advisors who discuss
the academic majors in relation to career areas and opportunities
in the Air Force. After selecting a major, you’ll be assigned
to a faculty advisor from an academic department who will assist
you with course selections, schedules and other academic matters.
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5. Can
cadets transfer credits or validate courses?
When you enter the Academy, you'll take several validation tests
offered by the various academic departments. Successful completion
of a test will enable you to be placed in an accelerated or advanced
course, or perhaps to receive validation credit and substitute another
course. Representatives from each department review transcripts
of new cadets who have prior college credit. Credit may be awarded
for any satisfactorily completed college course that is equivalent
to a course in the Academy curriculum. A cadet who passes a validation
examination or who makes an acceptable score on a College Board
Advanced Placement examination may also earn validation credit.
Departments certify this credit to the Office of Registrar, Customer
Service.
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6. Can
cadets take elective courses?
Many electives are offered and cadets who receive transfer or validation
credit may substitute electives for those particular courses. Cadets
with a prescribed Grade Point Average (GPA) may also overload during
most semesters, allowing them to take other nonprescribed courses.
Every cadet, however, must remain at the Academy for four years,
no matter how many extra course credits are earned. Every cadet
must also take a certain number of classes each semester –
usually six academic courses (except for Fourth-Class cadets who
only take five courses their first semester).
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7. How
are cadets graded on their courses?
A computerized grading system enables instructors to keep a continuous
evaluation of each cadet's performance on quizzes, examinations,
homework and classroom recitations. A progress grade report is published
at mid-semester and a final grade report is issued at the end of
the semester. Most courses are graded by means of letter grades
(A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F) with equivalent grade point
averages (4.0, 3.7, 3.3, 3.0, 2.7, 2.3, 2.0, 1.7, 1.0, 0). An incomplete
(I) grade is given to a cadet who does not complete the academic
requirements because of incapacity, emergency or failure to finish
an essential assignment. Some courses are graded pass/fail and have
no effect on grade point averages.
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8. When
do cadets study?
Study periods are scheduled during the day when cadets do not have
classes. After dinner each evening, from Sunday through Thursday,
cadets are expected to study in their rooms or in the library. Cadet
tutors are arranged for cadets experiencing academic problems.
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9. Can
cadets with marginal grades seek help?
Cadets are encouraged to contact their instructors at any time to
request extra instruction outside the classroom. Faculty instructors
want to assist cadets who need individual tutoring. An Academic
Review Committee (ARC), consisting of several officers from various
organizations, interviews cadets having academic difficulty and
recommends remedial action. The Student Services Division has programs,
facilities and personnel dedicated to assisting cadets interested
in improving their performance.
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10.
Where can cadets of all performance levels go to receive additional
assistance?
The Student Services Center provides a full range of instruction
to improve a cadet’s learning techniques. The benefits of
being an independent and confident learner are immeasurable. Resources
available are: one-on-one advising, seminars, handouts and enrollment
in Strategies for Academic Success or Reading Enhancement courses.
Cadets may also seek help with any type of writing assignment from
Student Services. Cadets are welcome to drop by and pick up literature
on topics such as time management, procrastination avoidance, note
taking, effective textbook reading, better listening skills and
test strategies.
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11.
When is a cadet considered academically deficient?
A cadet is considered deficient in academics if one or more F or
I grades is received on a grade report, or if the cumulative, core,
or most recent semester GPA falls below 2.0. A First-Class cadet
is also deficient if the major GPA falls below 2.0. At mid-semester,
most deficient cadets will be placed on academic probation and will
be reviewed by a Class Committee. In addition, cadets on probation
will be assigned certain weekend study periods. At the end of the
semester, if seriously deficient, the cadet's record will be reviewed.
The board may recommend either dismissal of the cadet, or continuation
on academic probation with appropriate remedial actions. The board
can direct attendance at the academic summer school held at the
Academy.
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12.
What type of faculty does the Academy have?
The Academy has a military and civilian faculty. The military faculty
is composed primarily of Air Force officers with a few officers
from the other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and from the military
forces of allied nations who serve in a liaison capacity. The civilian
faculty is composed of both government employees and visiting faculty.
The civilian government employees are on renewable term appointments
and hold all academic ranks as well as several administrative positions.
The civilian visiting faculty members come to the Academy from academic
institutions, government agencies and industry and are assigned
to academic departments for one or two years. Like other institutions
of higher learning, the faculty is organized by academic division
and department. The Dean of the Faculty and all Permanent Professor
positions have been established by law.
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13.
What type of instruction does the faculty provide?
The average class is small – 15 to 20 students – which
allows the instructor to establish a rapport with each cadet and
to recognize a student’s strengths and weaknesses. The faculty
uses the seminar approach to instruction, when possible, keeping
lectures to a minimum. Cadets are expected to prepare for their
lessons and participate in classroom activities.
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14.
Are cadets graded on their military performance?
Yes, all Academy personnel who instruct, supervise or coach cadets
submit a military performance appraisal on each cadet. These inputs
are used to create the Military Performance Average (MPA) similar
to the academic GPA. Cadets who fall below a 2.0 MPA will meet a
Military Review Committee (MRC) – similar to an ARC, which
reviews academic deficiencies. The MRC may place a cadet on aptitude
probation, initiate corrective action or make recommendations to
the Commandant or the Academy Board.
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15.
Do cadets receive any special recognition for outstanding grades?
Cadets who achieve at least a 3.0 GPA are recognized by the Dean
of the Faculty and wear a small silver star on their uniform. Cadets
who are recognized for achievement in military performance by the
Commandant of Cadets wear a silver wreath. Cadets who are recognized
for excellence in physical education by the Director of Athletics
wear a silver lightning bolt. Those cadets on all three lists are
recognized by the Superintendent and wear the star enclosed in the
wreath between two small lightning bolts.
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16.
What library facilities are available?
The Academy Library, with a collection of over 1.5 million items,
supports the academic, research and recreational needs of all cadets
and faculty members and has accumulated one of the most outstanding
aeronautical collections in the nation. Other useful features of
the library are the current periodical and newspaper collections,
the microform collections and listening rooms for musical and narrative
records and tapes. With a seating capacity for 1,300 readers, the
library has open book stacks to afford complete access to materials.
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