Falcon Scholars

Randolph-Macon Academy welcomed its first two Falcon Foundation Scholars in the fall of 2012. Since then, we have had over forty Falcon Scholars attend R-MA.

R-MA’s eight Falcon Scholars of 2020 all received appointments to the U.S. Air Force Academy. 

R-MA has an established academic curriculum that successfully prepares students for all military service academies, including the United States Air Force Academy. The High Flight program at R-MA is a proven regiment that has resulted in acceptances to all the United States service academies. This curriculum has been tailored further for our Falcon Scholars to meet the expectations and demands of admission to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Randolph-Macon Academy is the only Falcon Foundation School with a proven Air Force JROTC program. Randolph-Macon Academy has been home to VA-091st Air Force JROTC since the fall of 1975 and is the oldest co-educational Air Force JROTC program in the United States. The Air Force JROTC staff and cadet corps consistently attain the AFJROTC distinguished unit with merit distinction.

At Randolph-Macon Academy you will learn to live by the same Honor Code as applied at the United States Air Force Academy.

Air Force Leadership Training is instilled. Upon completion of Cadre Camp, every Falcon Scholar will be promoted to the rank of Cadet 2nd Lieutenant within the Corps of Cadets. They will be assigned to one of the flights as a Flight Adjutant and, along with the Flight Commander, will lead up to 30 fellow cadets in their daily activities.

A physical training program tailored to prepare Falcon Scholars for the DOD’s Candidate Fitness Test. All Falcon Scholars will participate in a fitness training program created to maximize their physical fitness score.

Every Falcon Scholar is mentored by an on-staff, Brigadier General. The mentors will advise the Falcons on the preparation needed to obtain an Air Force Academy appointment and to pursue a career in the United States Air Force.

Focus will be placed on each Falcon Scholar’s needs in the nomination, application, and appointment processes to the United States Air Force Academy.

The mission of The Falcon Foundation program, established in 1958, “is to further the ability of exceptional young men and women to attend the United States Air Force Academy…” The scholarship recipients are selected by the Air Force Academy from students who successfully obtained nominations to the Air Force Academy and who are fully qualified to attend the Academy, but were not selected.

We recognize that as a Falcon Scholar, you have already gone through an extensive screening process in your successful bid for an Air Force Academy nomination. Therefore, you need only to complete the following information:

• Submit Application (select Falcon Foundation Scholar from the drop-down menu)
• Supply Randolph-Macon Academy with an official copy of your transcript so that we may plan your course schedule (download transcript request form here)
• A copy of the letter stating you are a Falcon Foundation Scholar

You may also scan and email your materials to Admissions@RMA.edu.

You may fax materials to 540-636-5419, e-mail them to the Director of Admission and Financial Aid, or mail them to: Randolph-Macon Academy, Admission Office, 200 Academy Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630.

We would like you to visit campus for a personal tour. At that time you will have a chance to meet the President, the Commandant, and the Academic Dean. If you visit while school is in session, you will be able to meet the current year’s Falcon Scholars. If it is not possible to visit R-MA, a video call can be arranged with the aforementioned persons so that we might meet you and give you the opportunity to ask questions.

Randolph-Macon Academy offers equal opportunity for admission, regardless of race, sex, color, religion, national or ethnic origin.

The goal of the military program and AFJROTC for the Falcon Scholar is to provide leadership training and character development in preparation for an Air Force Academy appointment.

Leadership Camp
All Falcon Scholars will join the Randolph-Macon Academy Cadre Leadership Training program in August. Like all other R-MA Cadre, they will receive intensive training in leadership, teamwork, drill and ceremonies, uniform wear, school policies, and physical fitness.

Rank and Position
Upon completion of Cadre Camp, Falcon Scholars will be promoted to the rank of Cadet 2nd Lieutenant within the Corps of Cadets. They will be assigned to one of the flights as a Flight Adjutant and, along with the Squadron Commander, will lead up to 30 fellow cadets in their daily activities. They will assist in the initial training and orientation of all new and returning cadets, as well as ensuring the health, safety, and daily accountability for assigned cadets in the dorm, in the classroom, and at all AFJROTC functions.

Physical Training
In addition to the leadership duties described above and academic responsibilities, Falcon Scholars will prepare for the USAFA Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA). We expect every student to be prepared and to perform well on the CFA.

Aerospace Classes
All Falcon Scholars will be assigned to an Aerospace 400-level class taught by a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel where they will learn citizenship, academic and social integrity, character, and service to others.

Mentoring & Guidance
Each Falcon Scholar will be assigned a mentor who will focus on academic and military performance and ensure their USAFA candidate application process is on track. The mentor will prepare and manage the Academy interview preparation. Mentoring will emphasize school rules, school culture, uniform care, and wear, and Service Academy application requirements tracking.

Randolph-Macon Academy’s Academic Department developed the following specialized curriculum for the Falcon Scholars based specifically on the needs of the Air Force Academy. The curriculum focuses on four key areas: Mathematics, Science, English, and SAT/ACT Prep.

Mathematics

Successful Air Force Academy candidates need mastery of the foundation of mathematical principles to be successful.  Progress toward this goal depends in part upon the successful integration of the new mathematics with the old to ensure that students acquire the fundamentals, while they are provided with an overview of the rapidly expanding frontiers in the field.

Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry
Honors Algebra II/Trigonometry reviews and expands basic algebraic concepts and skills covered in Algebra I and Geometry.  Students learn a higher level of mathematical thinking and greater skill in working with numbers and algebraic expressions, equations, and inequalities.  Among other topics, they study complex numbers, functions, linear systems, quadratic functions, radical equations, trigonometry, probability and linear programming.  This is excellent preparation for excelling in the advanced mathematics courses such as pre-calculus and calculus.

Honors Pre-Calculus
This advanced course prepares students for calculus and higher level mathematics. Students are exposed to higher level functions, including circular functions (trigonometry), analytical geometry, sequence and series, polar coordinates, and conic sections. This challenging course prepares our most serious students for theoretical college calculus by challenging them to solve rigorous and complex problems with an in-depth knowledge of higher level functions.

Science

Understanding and applying major scientific principles and the development of confidence in the use of scientific methods is essential for the successful Air Force Academy candidate.  Classroom teaching stimulates an interest in research and investigation, and laboratory periods present opportunities for individual and group experimentation.  Both inductive and deductive techniques are used to aid students in understanding principles and solving problems.  All courses require extensive laboratory work.

Advanced Placement Chemistry
Students in this course extend the basic principles of general chemistry into a deeper understanding of the complexity of chemical processes found in stoichiometry, gas laws, chemical bonding, theorem chemistry, kinetics, and equilibrium.  Concepts studied are strongly reinforced by laboratory experiments.  The understanding of concepts and the ability to solve problems are emphasized.  Advanced Placement Chemistry requires an application of algebraic principles to fully comprehend the chemical forces at work.

Advanced Placement Physics
This class presumes at least an introductory background in physics and is equivalent to an advanced, college level calculus-based mechanics class.  Students examine the standard topics in a mechanics curriculum from the basic kinematics equations through gravitation and rotational dynamics in much greater depth and with the application of the tools of calculus.  Class time will be split amongst a combination of lectures, interactive demonstrations, problem-solving sessions and group work, and laboratory experiments.  Students are expected to spend a significant amount of time outside of class on the course material.  The student must have completed math classes through pre-calculus and one year of high school physics (or have an equivalent background as approved by the instructor or Dean).  In addition to this, the student must have either already completed or be currently enrolled in Advanced Placement Calculus.

English

A solid foundation in reading and writing is the best preparation for success at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Reading and analyzing literature and rhetoric develops the student as thinker, writer, and speaker. Students develop mastery and voice in diverse writing missions.  Rigorous vocabulary study with cumulative testing develops the language facility needed for reading, writing, and standardized testing. Students learn to develop a formal thesis in essays that focus on the themes and literary techniques of literature; they learn the Modern Language Association (MLA) style for writing research projects.

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition 

In texts ranging from Dante and Shakespeare to Albee and Beckett, students learn to read and analyze the world’s most important writings.  Students write analyses and interpretations based on application of the works’ textual details, literary elements, social and historical context, and themes.  The course affords students the opportunity to read and write in a variety of forms—narrative, expository, creative, and argumentative.  Students gain mastery in the process of drafting, revising, editing, and polishing a piece of work.  In developing sophisticated reading and writing skills, students explore and describe how language works. They learn to observe and analyze the words, patterns, and structures that create subtle effects of language.  The depth, breadth, and pace of readings and the writing assignments challenge students and prepare them to succeed in the Advanced Placement test given each spring.

SAT/ACT Preparation

Fundamental test taking strategies, mathematical principles, reading approaches, and vocabulary development form the foundation for this course.  To prepare the successful test taker, a multitude of approaches are used—computer research and testing, paper and pencil tests, vocabulary dissection, instruction on calculator use, and more.  This thorough course reviews the current approaches to successfully scoring on the college entrance examinations. The course is designed to help students improve their SAT/ACT scores. Our track record is excellent and we are confident that Falcon Scholars will experience significant improvement.

Randolph-Macon Academy welcomed its first Falcon Foundation Scholars in the fall of 2012. Since then, R-MA has welcomed more than forty Scholars into its community. Below are some of their thoughts of the Falcon Foundation program at R-MA.

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My year, so far, here at Randolph-Macon Academy has been one of the biggest learning experiences of my life. It has taught me invaluable lessons on leadership, problem-solving, and most of all time management. I didn’t think that it was possible to fit as much in a day as I have while here at R-MA.  I am also the fittest that I have ever been, which has been due to the rigorous PT schedule that we have made for ourselves. It has been great to interact and get to know my fellow Falcons and learn about what each of them brings to the table when trying to solve problems. But most of all I think that I have liked becoming best friends with each and every one of my fellow Falcons, we have become a little family, I would do anything for them and I know that they would do the same for me. I wouldn’t have traded this year for anything. 

Colby Tell
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’21
U.S. Air Force Academy ’25

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Randolph Macon Academy was the best preparation for my future career at USAFA. Not only will you be the most physically fit, you will learn to live the military lifestyle and develop a sense of discipline and confidence that you never knew that you could have. Going to Randolph Macon for my prep year allowed me to be in leadership positions which other prep schools cannot offer. Taking charge of a flight and learning how to deal with and be a mentor to cadets was a beneficial learning experience that I will remember forever. The Falcon Foundation program, here at RMA, has given me a second chance to earn an appointment to USAFA and has given me the camaraderie of nine other Falcons who I call my best friends. I will not sugar coat it, most of your training and days will suck, but your teammates will be the ones that make your experience rewarding; and later on, those memories will be something you will laugh at.

Vivienne M. Truong
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’21
U.S. Air Force Academy ’25

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As soon as I found out I had been offered a Falcon Scholarship I didn’t have any doubt as to which school to choose.  I called R-MA and signed up right away. There’s several reasons why I believe this is the best place to prepare yourself for the Air Force Academy. First, there’s a small number of falcon scholars, allowing you to receive full attention in your training and to establish deep relationships with your comrades. Second, the Falcon program operates like a unit within a base: we have our own Officer In Charge (a freshly commissioned Air Force officer) with whom we train physically and mentally, developing endurance, perseverance, excellence, leadership, and just about anything a future officer needs. Third, it’s an Air Force JROTC environment, which enables you to initiate the understanding of the branch, its traditions, values,  and procedures. Being a Falcon at R-MA means you will be held to the highest standards, growing as a leader, a teammate, and a friend. Looking back at my year at R-MA, I have grown physically, mentally, and emotionally. Had I been appointed directly I would have had a rough start, but thanks to Randolph-Macon Academy, I feel ready for the rigors of the Air Force Academy.

Luca Valenti
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’21
U.S. Air Force Academy ’25

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Randolph-Macon Academy’s Falcon Scholar program has been the greatest learning experience I have gone through so far in my life.     Being here with other Falcon Scholars and R-MA students from all across the country and world has been an enriching experience that I will never forget.  While I now have so many great memories from my time here, it has not all come with ease.  I have been challenged and pushed to my limits both physically and academically, but there’s also been a good balance between that and just having fun.  Friendships have been forged with people of different backgrounds and beliefs, yet we are all one R-MA family, and within that I also have gained the amazing camaraderie of my eight other Falcon brothers and sisters, with whom I will soon enter the United States Air Force Academy as members of the Class of 2025.  Thanks to the leadership of R-MA, its teachers, staff and entire student body, I feel incredibly prepared for the next phase of my life.

Rocco Graziano
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’21
U.S. Air Force Academy ’25

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To receive The Falcon Foundation scholarship was a true blessing. Immediately after receiving the great news I had done research on all the prep schools, and R-MA stood out the most to me. I am very happy with my choice, I have grown mentally, spiritually and physically. From the very first day we were all held to new standards and were met with challenges. By overcoming the obstacles we were able to grow individually and as a unit. The memories and friends I have made here will never be forgotten. I am fully confident in my ability to excel at USAFA and bring pride to being an R-MA Falcon.

Rafael Maldonado
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’20
U.S. Air Force Academy ’24

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My year at R-MA has been one of the most memorable years of my life. This is solely due to the camaraderie that I share amongst the other Falcons who I can now call my own separate family. Being a Falcon at R-MA is no easy task; however, it is definitely a rewarding one. Fighting through the tough physical training while keeping up with the academic coursework has been a challenge that will prepare you for the rigorous environment at USAFA.

As a Flight Adjutant at R-MA, I can lead a small group of motivated cadets into parades and flight competitions. As a Falcon, I am able to be a role model for the whole corps of cadets here at R-MA. This is an incredible opportunity to learn and experience great leadership qualities that I will be able to use as an officer within the Air Force. After one year at R-MA, I can now say confidently that I am prepared for whatever USAFA will throw at me in the following years.

Ryan Messer
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’20
U.S. Air Force Academy ’24

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Being a Falcon Scholar here has helped me grow both mentally and physically. I am in the best shape of my life because of the constant workouts we do. Furthermore, being a Falcon has shown me the importance of a team and trusting in that team. I believe this school has prepared me very well for the challenges to come at the Academy.

Ryan Hidalgo
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’20
U.S. Air Force Academy ’24

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While some people may have been unsure about accepting their Falcon Foundation Scholarship, I was eager from the moment I opened the letter. What I didn’t realize going into this year, was how much Randolph-Macon Academy would push my weaknesses. It’s the first time in eighteen years that you are forced to work with a group of people who have the exact same goal as you, and instantly they become family. With every struggle that I faced, I found there were resources everywhere I looked to help me overcome them. Knowing that I have a support system of upperclassmen with me at the United States Air Force Academy will be a priceless resource that you cannot get when arriving there straight from high school.

Being at Randolph-Macon Academy has created a sense of independence. You rely on the Falcons, but you learn so much about yourself, your values, and your limits on the way. This year has been a year of adjusting to the challenges and pain, while also finding out what you can give to a group of eight kids who come from such diverse backgrounds. I am excited to finish this journey and proud to call this place, and these people, home!

Elizabeth Cassidy
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’20
U.S. Air Force Academy ’24

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The Falcon program at R-MA has genuinely changed my life. I have grown physically, mentally, and intellectually through the amazing mentors and staff at the school. I was challenged from the moment I stepped on campus and have grown drastically in the past six months. My goal of attending USAFA was always a focal point of physical training sessions and discussions with influential retired air force faculty. I feel so much more comfortable knowing that I am prepared to the best of my ability going into USAFA this summer. I feel stronger, motivated, and ready to take on anything the Air Force Academy needs of me.

Camryn Camarata
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’20
U.S. Air Force Academy ’24

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To me, coming to Randolph-Macon Academy was an acceptance of a challenge. I had the opportunity to attend almost any college in the nation on a full ride because of my NROTC scholarship. Although I almost chose that offer, I am proud and thankful I accepted the Falcon Scholarship over that one. I knew it would be more difficult to attend a service academy. I knew that it meant not going directly into college like the rest of my peers. I knew that this year would be one of my toughest years ever and believe me it did not disappoint. However, this year at Randolph-Macon Academy has been one of the most transformative periods of time in my life. I have never been more in shape mentally and physically.

I come from an area that is not known for its academic shrewdness. I have struggled through the majority of this year catching up to the other Falcons. Yet, because my drive and motivation to succeed is so large I have continued to prove my worth. I believe that it is this same drive and motivation that will make me successful at the United States Air Force Academy. Similarly, Randolph-Macon Academy has given me a head start that will benefit me greatly at the United States Air Force Academy. I have learned a deep understanding in classes that I would have definitely struggled with at the United States Air Force Academy. I have perfected a routine that works for me and keeps me organized and on top of my work. I have strengthened my body through workouts that would seem unorthodox to anyone outside of the Randolph-Macon Academy falcons. These are simply a few examples of how Randolph-Macon Academy has successfully transitioned me into an appointee of the United States Air Force Academy.

Blaze Williams
R-MA Falcon Scholar ’20
U.S. Air Force Academy ’24