Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA): Events, Requirements & Scoring

What Is the Candidate Fitness Assessment?

The Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) is a fitness test required for admission to the United States Military Academy (USMA) and other service academies. It is designed to predict a candidate's aptitude for the physical program at the academy. The CFA consists of six physical and motor-fitness events that are administered together as a single battery.

The CFA is separate from the Army Fitness Test (AFT), which is the in-service fitness test for soldiers. While the AFT is taken by Soldiers already in the Army, the CFA is taken by candidates applying for admission to service academies. The CFA evaluates the fitness level of prospective cadets, not current Soldiers. The in-service test it is often compared with is the Army Fitness Test overview.

Who Needs to Take the CFA?

The CFA is required for admission to the United States Military Academy (USMA), the United States Naval Academy (USNA), the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA, as part of the Candidate Physical Ability Test), and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). All candidates applying for admission to these academies must complete the CFA.

The CFA is an important part of the admissions file. Candidates should become familiar with the six events and practice them before taking the test. The results are used by the admissions committee to evaluate the physical fitness level of applicants. Candidates must upload videos for the push-ups and pull-ups (or flexed-arm hang) events, and CFA administrators upload the scores.

The Candidate Journey: From Application to CFA

The CFA fits into the service academy application timeline like this: Compare with the in-service Army test on the the AFT overview.

• Interested in a service academy — research the admissions requirements and start your application.
• Application — complete the academy's application package, which includes the CFA requirement.
• Schedule the CFA — coordinate with a CFA administrator, typically a teacher, coach, or counselor.
• Complete the test — all six events are administered consecutively as a single battery.
• Submit your score — the CFA administrator uploads your results to your application file.
• Admissions review — your CFA performance is evaluated as one part of your overall candidate file.

The 6 CFA Events

The six test events of the CFA are administered consecutively with specified start, finish, and rest times:

• Basketball Throw — from kneeling position, throwing a basketball for distance. Measures upper body power.
• Pull-Ups (or Flexed-Arm Hang for females) — maximum repetitions of a pull-up, or holding a flexed-arm position for females.
• Shuttle Run — a 30-foot (9.1m) shuttle run, measuring agility and speed.
• Modified Sit-Ups — maximum repetitions in a set time period.
• Push-Ups — maximum repetitions in a set time period.
• 1-Mile Run — timed one-mile run, measuring aerobic endurance.

How the CFA Is Scored

Candidates' raw scores are converted to scale scores (0-100 points) based on their performances in each event. The 100-point maximum scores, by event and gender, are listed in the official CFA instructions. A candidate who achieves the 100-point level on any of the first five events still needs to complete all six events to receive a total score.

The CFA is scored on a percentile basis against other candidates, and scores from all six events are combined into an overall result. There is no single published passing score: service academies evaluate CFA performance relative to other candidates as one part of the admissions process. A candidate's event scores and overall result are reviewed alongside academic and leadership qualifications. Army event-level scoring context is on the AFT event guide.

CFA Test Day Tips

Candidates should spend 20-30 minutes warming up before the CFA. It is a good idea to have medical personnel on hand, though not required, and to have a medical emergency plan. The six events are administered consecutively, and candidates should attempt to do their best on all six events, keeping in mind that the events are sequenced to produce a cumulative loading effect.

After completing the first five events, it is unlikely a candidate will score their personal best on the 1-mile run. This has been considered in the development of the scoring standards. Candidates should pace themselves and maintain good form throughout all six events. The CFA is scored on a combination of best efforts across all events, so every event counts toward the final score.

CFA vs Army Fitness Test: What's Different

The CFA and AFT are both fitness tests, but they serve different purposes and are taken by different populations. The CFA is an admissions test for service academy candidates; the AFT is the in-service fitness test for Soldiers. The CFA has six events and is scored on a percentile basis; the AFT has five events and is scored on a 0-500 point scale.