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Students who seek out a United States Air Force Academy education note their satisfaction in how 鈥渧alues of integrity, service, and excellence...are actually the norm.鈥� This esteemed institution not only promotes a 鈥渃ulture of excellence鈥� that molds students into 鈥渓eaders of character,鈥� but also offers 鈥減restige in both the military and private sector.鈥� It does so, incidentally, while offering free tuition and a 鈥済uaranteed job鈥� following graduation. Of course, if you decide to attend, be prepared to 鈥渂e challenged physically and mentally鈥� and held 鈥渢o a higher standard鈥� than at your average college. In return, however, students suggest you鈥檒l also get 鈥渋ncredible opportunities鈥� not found elsewhere. These opportunities can range from taking 鈥渢rips around the world鈥� or 鈥渙perating a real DoD satellite鈥� to 鈥渏umping out of planes [and] getting a secret clearance.鈥� Additionally, undergrads benefit from 鈥渆xtremely small鈥� class sizes. As one cadet shares, 鈥渢he biggest class I鈥檝e had in four years was 24 students.鈥� The faculty itself is a nice 鈥渕ix of military and civilian鈥� instructors who 鈥渢end to make class interesting鈥� and often excel at 鈥渂ring[ing] their life experiences into the classroom.鈥� The majority also do their utmost to ensure that they are 鈥渁ccessible for extra instruction, exam review, etc.鈥� Many students also feel that their professors 鈥渞eally seem to care about your performance and work with you on a one-on-one basis.鈥� As one cadet frames it, 鈥淭heir only focus is supporting us.鈥�

Air Force Academy cadets seem to agree that the school attracts a number of 鈥渢ype A personalities鈥� and 鈥渉ard working鈥� individuals who are 鈥渕uch more motivated than many other normal college students.鈥� They are also united in their deep desire 鈥渢o serve [the] country鈥� and are often 鈥渢eam oriented鈥� as well. Further, cadets pride themselves on being 鈥渕ore fit than the general population,鈥� and cadets at USAFA 鈥渃ome from all over the nation, territories included, and from allied partner nations.鈥� While there may be a 鈥渉ealthy diversity of thought鈥� at the academy, students do acknowledge a disparity in gender. A few individuals also grumble that some of their peers can be 鈥渧ery cynical.鈥� Thankfully, students view themselves as 鈥渙ne brotherhood and sisterhood looking out for each other.鈥� One cadet delves deeper adding, 鈥淲e hold each other to an honor code the best we can and feel very close as a student body because we all live on campus and spend a majority of our time together.鈥� All in all, 鈥渢here is a definite culture of helping out fellow cadets and of striving to bring peers up that helps people to perform at their best.鈥�

As you might have suspected, life at the Air Force Academy is rather regimented and cadets 鈥渄on鈥檛 have much free time.鈥� Students 鈥済o to class from 0730 to 1530 [and] freshmen have physical training multiple times a week after[wards].鈥� Additionally, everyone 鈥減articipate[s] in an athletic activity [whether] it be NCAA athletics, club sports, or intramurals.鈥� And on the weekends it鈥檚 quite common to 鈥渉ave the Cadet Wing marching鈥� or to have to perform 鈥渙ther military duties.鈥� Students also make a point of mentioning that 鈥渙nce every semester we have mandatory fitness tests, and throughout the semester [there are] random mandatory military briefs in the evenings.鈥� Even with a schedule packed with academic obligations and military training, one individual notes that there are 鈥渧arious clubs and activities for different interests, as well as religious services, all [of ] which take [place] intermittently throughout the week.鈥� And if they do have a moment to relax, cadets will typically kick back with 鈥淣etflix or video games.鈥� Of course, when students really want to have fun, they generally leave 鈥淯SAFA and [go] out into CO Springs or Denver鈥� or they will 鈥渢ake advantage of outdoor areas for hiking, fishing, etc.鈥�

This is a school of go-getters, and over four thousand people all dreaming of becoming officers in the United States Air Force 鈥渕akes it very competitive.鈥� Cadets are committed to serving in the military for a certain number of years following graduation, with more than half entering flight training. However, the academy can also commission students into dozens of non-flying career fields, including mission support, air traffic control, and civil engineering. Space is another popular pathway, with 94 cadets commissioned into the Space Force in 2022 alone. A few students receive scholarships to attend military or civilian graduate schools immediately after graduation, and many receive funding for post-graduate programs. One way or another, the people who graduate from the academy 鈥済o on to do amazing things in the military and are great leaders who influence their airmen鈥檚 lives.鈥� According to PayScale.com, 69 percent of USAF Academy alums report that they derive a high level of meaning from their careers, and graduates earn a median starting salary of $86,600.