Should I join the AF or continue in college?

Question

I will have my Associate of Arts Liberal Arts degree in 8 months. Should I finish a Bachelor's in Business or enlist now?

Realistically, I will probably not have the grades to be an officer.

However, with my A.A. and being an Eagle Scout I will probably be an E-3 when I join.

Could I be an E-4 when I enlist if I join after receving my B.S.?

Answer 1

He said he doesnt have the grades to be an officer, so i dont know why people are mentioning that. Not only does he need a BA, but also good grades. Unless you join the Army. They dont care about grades for their officers.

I would tell you to enlist after the AA, because you will enter as an E-3 with that. With a BS you will still enter as a E-3. Only the Army will let you enter as a E-4 with a BS

Answer 2

finish and go to air force OTS where all you need is a bachelors degree in anything to get in.

Answer 3

1-2 semesters left I'd finish

Vet-USAF / college student

@dded: How much longer for the BS? if not more than a year or two get the BS

Answer 4

my brother in law tried to go in the AF as an officer, he had a bachelors degree but he couldn't go in as an officer, he made 2.5 GPA in college and they told him to join as an officer he had to have graduated with a 3.0, join the AF and you can go to school while your in, my husband is doing it, they paid for his associates and he got it last year now he is working on his bachelors, good luck!  

Answer 5

Finish school.  Get your Bachelor's and become an officer.  No comparison there.

Answer 6

Get your bachelor's first. Grades do not make a good officer but leadership skills and dedication. It will take you much longer to get your degree when your enlisted; it is not impossible but with training and other things going on it will take longer. The pay as an officer is much better than enlisted. Please finish your education first.  

Answer 7

First off, if the money is not the issue and you can go to college and finish your AA. You will get a bigger bonus and get to enlist as E-3. Which is a good thing.

Second, if you do finish your BA, you'd still enlist and be E-3, bigger bonus as well but if you can't go officer then what's the point? So I say stick with the AA, enlist, take college courses while in the military to get a BA.

Third, why not consider the Navy and join as an MC. If you are the liberal arts general person type you'd like photography, etc. And if you're the engineering type of person and why you're choosing the AF then why not go Navy NUKE for nuclear engineering, big time 5k to 40k depends, even if you don't have a degree, and guaranteed civilian jobs with up to 90k to 100k a year.

MC description: http://extensis.cnrc.navy.mil/factsheets...

Nuclear Navy Engineering: http://extensis.cnrc.navy.mil/factsheets...

Good luck.

Answer 8

I'd be in better shape if I finished college first.

COLLEGE!

Answer 9

If you finish your B.S., you should come in as an officer.  If it's a case of money, or just lack of interest, I'd come in now, and let the credits that Basic and tech school will give you work towards your degree.  There are several programs in the AF that allow enlisted to move into the officer ranks, and I've found, for the most part, prior service officers seem to make better leaders from the get go.