usafa alo interview questions

You look at your Blue and Gold Officer (BGO) and think . . . What should I say? How do I address this question? When will this be over!

As a candidate for the US Air Force Academy (USAFA), US Military Academy (USMA), US Naval Academy (USNA), US Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) or US Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), you will undergo a number of interviews. Some may be in person and others may use the phone or a video platform. An interview will be conducted on the behalf of each service academy appointment that you seek. The BGO conducts the USNA evaluation. The AF Academy Liaison Officer (ALO) does the same for USAFA. Often, the Field Force Representative (FFR) conducts the USMA interview. The AAP, or Academy Admissions Partner, conducts the interview for USCGA. And, an admissions officer typically will interview candidates for USMMA.

Bottomline: prepare! You should prepare for your interviews by reviewing potential questions, including research about the school itself, the career path of the military service you choose, and the student lifestyle and responsibilities. Whats more, you should be able to answer the big things:

Although your preparation can seem daunting, a candidate should simply start the process of digging into the details. First explore and be able to articulate your motivations. My recent blog, Why do you want to attend the US Air Force Academy?, discusses some good pointers around this BIG question. Telling your story is important.

Another set of questions will focus on your knowledge of the path you are choosing. Have you visited the websites, read books or other materials about the school and career path of a commissioned officer in the Army or in the Coast Guard? What do you think you will study at the US Naval Academy? Have you ever visited the campus of the US Air Force Academy?

Educate yourself on all aspects of the cadet or midshipman experience, and then articulate why you are interested in this journey. A cadet must keep herself in top physical condition, meet all military standards throughout her training, and complete a Bachelor of Science degree, which includes an extensive core of curriculum. The interviewer will want to understand how your past and current performance demonstrates that you can succeed in this environment. Concrete examples, such as leading a money raising project for a school club, or completing your Eagle Scout project, will go a long way in convincing the interviewer of your qualifications.

A portion of your preparation should be practice. Use the video camera on your laptop, or other device, to practice your responses to questions. Focus on articulating your responses clearly. I often tell students to be conversational, tell stories, use full sentences and relax! The last bit of advice will come with preparation. As you explore, reflect and practice, you will gain confidence.

Remember, the interviewers job is to learn more about you and your motivations. The AF Liaision Officer (ALO) and BGO are not trying to trip you up or trick you into giving a bad answer . . . they truly hope for your best performance! As an ALO, I interviewed hundreds of candidates for the AF Academy. My goal was to do all that I could to make the experience a positive one for the student. Im sure your interviewer will do the same.

“Tell me a little about yourself?” will be the start of a fulfilling experience and a successful interview. With preparation, you will be relaxed as you respond with a remarkable, personal story!

[ I would welcome a chance to discuss details with you. I offer tailored coaching services to prepare you for your Academy interviews as well as for the entire application process. Contact me at [email protected] and/or 503.515.7406 ]

USAFA- Congressional Nomination Interview Tips & My Experience

The USAFA Interview Holds Significant Weight for the Admissions Process

The Air Force Academy (USAFA) puts a good deal of weight on their interview. It is likely worth up to 50% of the panel score or about 10% of the overall weighting. The interview will be conducted by an Air Force Academy Liaison Officer, assigned to you or your student during your initial application process. You can look up who your ALO is on the application portal.

The Interview is used to assess officership and leadership potential by discerning alignment of the student’s values with Air Force character/core values. Self-confidence, human relations predisposition, planning and organizing ability, communication skills, leadership ability, and motivation toward the Air Force are all areas you will be rated in as the interviewee.

You can get additional tips for video interviews in our post here.

What Your ALO is Looking For

If you or your student are preparing for your Admissions Liaison Officer (ALO) interview, your ALO will pay special attention to your demonstrated ability to get things done and to be successful, assessment of your ability to control situations with your presence and speaking ability, assessment of how well you will fit into the Air Force and military lifestyle, as well as your level of physical fitness. We’ve included the types of interview questions you can expect from your ALO. You can read more about USAFA entrance requirements here.

Most interviews are done by an ALO at the candidate’s home, at the representative’s home or office, in a neutral location or by telephone/Skype when there is too much distance between the representative and the candidate.

The Interview is scored in seven (7) topical areas:

It was only one person interviewing me (my ALO). Honestly, it was very relaxing and he wasnt intimidating at all, but like what bulletandpima says ALOs vary, but luckily I got a really cool one. My ALO asked me the general questions like Why the Air Force? and questions about my resume like What kind of things does the BETA club do?. Then, there were the “What if?” questions. Here is some advice: think of a tough situation and think about what you would do in that situation. My interview was about 2 hours, but time flew by because there was soo much for us to talk about. For attire, definitely do NOT wear jeans. Look presentable and professional. I wore black slacks with a blue collared shirt. And lastly, relax during the interview and learn from your ALO. Looking back, I wish relaxed more. But just think, youre only having a conversation. Also, be current on the news, just in case they ask you for your opinion on it (my ALO didnt). Good luck!

Be very familiar with the Academy website, able to discuss what sparked your interest in the Academy, and whats motivating you to go there other than becoming a pilot. Be able to illustrate how you have been a leader, and how you have confronted adversity. Dress neatly, relax, and enjoy the conversation. Learn everything you can from your ALO.

so was it one person or a board? what kind of questions were you asked? What questions did you ask? How long did the whole interview last? what did you wear to the interview? Would a polo shirt and slack be appropriate, or should i wear a button down shirt and tie?

I have applied to USAFA and this Sunday is my interview. I have already spoken to my ALO over the phone and he sounds like a very nice and understanding person. When I spoke with him he even told me that it would be okay if I brought with me a note pad to write down anything that he thought I may forget. So, it doesn’t sound like he is trying to intimidate me, but I am still a little nervous about the interview. He told me to think about some questions that he may ask so I thought of some things like, “Why do you want to go to USAFA?” or “What are your weaknesses/strengths?” etc. But what are some other things that he is likely to ask? Also, what are some things that I should DEFINITELY avoid saying/doing during the interview? Any other tips will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Overall Recommendation for Selection

The overall recommendation rating is based on the sum of the applicant’s responses to the questions posed, the manner in which the applicant conducted themselves during the interview, the interviewer’s experience as an Admissions Liaison Officer, and his/her experience as an Air Force officer. Basically, it asks how strongly the interviewer recommends the applicant a scholarship. The manner you conduct yourself with your Air Force Academy liaison officer matters!

Military officers do the right thing for the right reasons, all the time. It means doing the right thing whether someone is watching or not. They are loyal first to the Constitution and nation, then to the institutional Air Force, then to their units, then to their wingmen, and finally to themselves. They do not tolerate deviations from what is right from subordinates, peers, superiors or friends.

Typical Question: What does integrity mean to you?

Military officers are self-confident. They are confident in their ability to accomplish assigned missions and their ability to control themselves. They project a calm, unflappable, martial regardless how challenging the environment so as to inspire confidence among their subordinates. Military officers know how to be, and are, in charge when appropriate.

The main question the interviewer is attempting to answer is how the applicant holds him or herself, maintains eye contact, interacts with, and speaks to the interviewer. The candidate should demonstrate confidence and advanced social skills. They should be comfortable with the interviewer, be judged assertive and competitive, and seem to be high- energy optimists. The interviewer should not have to pull out answers from the candidate.

Typical Question: What are the priorities in your life? What do you truly care about?

Military officers are comfortable working in teams and they value the inherent strengths that come from teams made up of people with different backgrounds and perspectives. They are respectful of others. They understand that high performing teams are characterized by common goals, shared responsibility for success and appropriate leadership-followership relationships.

The main question the interviewer is attempting to answer is how skilled a leader the candidate is. The candidate should be able to cite several examples of instances where he/she has influenced and/or directed others to accomplish a task. The candidate will be able to describe task that needed to be done, how he/she worked through others to take the action needed to get it done, and the impact of accomplishing the task. The focus is on influencing others to get something done.

Typical Question: Tell me about a situation you were involved in that consisted of a very different or diverse environment (either culturally, ethnically, or religiously), and what you learned from this experience.

Military officers get things done. They are able to determine how best to divide large tasks into smaller parts and then develop plans to accomplish them. They are able to set priorities and manage their time accordingly, then organize themselves and others to accomplish the priority tasks. Then, they relentlessly apply themselves until they get the job done.

The main question the interviewer is attempting to answer is how driven the candidate is to accomplish assigned tasks or goals to the best of his/her ability. These candidates are often described as responsible, dependable, or ethical professionals who have an exceptional work ethic. They are good planners, for whom initiative is a strong suit; they have an intrinsic need to achieve. The focus of these bullets is on doing what it takes to get something done.

Typical Question: Can you give me an example of when you had too much to do? How did you resolve the conflicts in your schedule? How did you establish priorities for your efforts?

FAQ

What is an ALO for the Air Force?

What is Usafa looking for?