Need Advice To Make a Plan

Hey everyone! just like most of you, I would stop at nothing to be an astronaut. unfortunately I don't know anyone in my family related to NASA or anything in STEM or aerospace, so i have to search elsewhere for advice.

im a junior (16yo) in HS in florida, 1310 on SAT, 28 on ACT, and 73 on ASVAB. Had a really rough childhood so i do have a mental health history (depression disorder, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, 2 voluntary inpatient mental hospital visits), which im looking/hoping to get removed from my medical record. That is my biggest issue. I'm undecided on what college to go to, but i qualify for air force scholarship through ROTC. i'm not made of money so scholarships are what I need. I am not experienced at all in coding or military like JROTC. Like i said, i will do anything it takes to have a shot in astronaut candidacy. assuming i get my mental health record taken care of, what is my best bet on what "route" to take? I enjoy astronomy and i'm decent at physics. I have to get a math tutor because I got cheated out of algebra/calc skills (long story). im a little scared of the military because i dont know a lot about what it's like and i'm not exactly a "military-type" person. But if i need to, i can join the airforce and get my college paid for to become a pilot and stand out that way. I was thinking getting a doctorate in a physics/science related field, maybe dabble a bit in geology and engineering, while possibly doing air force piloting for 12+ years to get a resume. I just need to figure out where to start now and if those are my best options. I know I should start on my math skills and possibly learn some code, but do you guys have any other suggestions for me? Sorry for talking so much, I appreciate it!

Posted Apr 8, 2026, 2:45 AM UTC

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