Following his graduation from Lower Cape May Regional High School in Cape May, New Jersey, Chris Jay left his native New Jersey for California in 1997 with the goal of starting a band. Jay soon befriended keyboardist Owen Bucey, trombonist Dan Clark, trumpeter Aaron Goldberg, original drummer Mike Rini and original bassist One' Nielsen at the Teltron Internet Cafe, a local coffehouse where Jay was performing his original songs (he had written over 500 before the band even formed).Within months, Army of Freshmen made a name for themselves by garnering a strong local following in Ventura County, California. For the band's first 2 years of existence, Jay played guitar and Aaron Goldberg and Dan Clark were the band's horn section, but as their eclectic sound took on a pop rock quality, Goldberg took over on guitar and Clark added an additional keyboard to the band. With no label, agent or management the band took their act on the road, booking their own tours.

In 2001, the band signed with a local label, Blue Hand Records, and released their self-titled debut which was produced by Jay Ferguson, a member of the popular 60's rock band Spirit.

They toured that summer in support of the album on the Moto Music Madness Tour which found AOF playing on the Ernie Ball Mobile stage during the intermission of a freestyle motocross event. The tour played over 50 dates across the USA.

At the beginning of 2003, Nielsen left the band on good terms to get married and pursue a career in real estate and was replaced by Kai Dodson, another Ventura County musician who was a long time friend of the band, and whose previous band, 19th Hole, had performed with Army of Freshmen in the past. Around the same time, the album was discovered by the Sonic Label, a record label in Japan, which led to Army of Freshmen being invited to play Summersonic, one of Japan's largest music festivals, in 2003.

In the fall of 2003, the band would first tour with Bowling For Soup. This led to a close friendship between both bands resulting in the creation of the Get Happy Tour in 2006.

The band entered the studio to record their second album, Beg, Borrow, Steal in late 2003. It was produced by Angus Cooke and was released on the label 33rd Street Records, which was owned by the now-defunct music store chain Tower Records. The album featured the single "Get Um Up," which was added to over 20 alternative radio stations and spent 5 weeks in the top 20 on the U.S. Alternative radio specialty charts. Following the release of Beg, Borrow, Steal in 2004, the band returned to Japan supporting The Living End, along with a co-headlining show with Sugarcult and Bowling For Soup in Sapporo, Japan where the band's record went to the top 10 in that city.

Returning from Japan, the band embarked on the entire Warped Tour in 2004. During the tour's stop in Toronto, Canada, drummer Mike Rini was asked to leave the band. Mike Milligan, a Chicago based drummer who had played with AOF on several shows with his previous band, Short Arm Trick, relocated to Ventura and officially replaced Rini in December 2004.

Shortly after the Warped Tour, the band toured the United Kingdom for the first time with The Littlest Man Band and Suburban Legends.

Immediately after returning to the United States, the band finished their busiest year yet touring the country again with Lucky Boys Confusion.

In 2005 the band did a headlining summer tour still in support of Beg, Borrow, Steal and returned to the United Kingdom that fall for a sold out tour opening for Bowling For Soup. In support of the tour, they released an exclusive UK only EP, At the End Of the Day, which was recorded in Texas and produced by Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup.

That spring, the band returned to Japan for the third time on the Nutcase Entertainment Tour which was the band's new Japanese label after Sonic Label folded.

In the summer of 2006, Army of Freshmen and Bowling For Soup created and appeared on the first Get Happy Tour, a package tour that covered the United States and featured fan interaction events and a family friendly show.

The Get Happy Tour then went to the United Kingdom in February 2007 where it sold out in advance. Army of Freshmen's energetic live show received glowing praise from such music publications as Kerrang Magazine. At the Birmingham date of the Get Happy Tour, organizers of the Download Festival caught the band's set, and a week later, Army of Freshmen was invited to appear at the 2007 Download Festival in England held in June.

In preparation for their debut United Kingdom festival appearance, Army of Freshmen co-headlined the Good to Go Tour in May in the United Kingdom with Wheatus and MC Lars. They also visited mainland Europe for the first time (Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands), then returned to the United Kingdom with Reel Big Fish in June prior to the 2007 Download Festival.

That summer, the Get Happy Tour's second year in the United States commenced. In addition to Army of Freshmen, the lineup included Bowling For Soup, Quietdrive and Melee. Then, in October, the Get Happy Tour went to mainland Europe for shows in France, the Netherlands and Germany. Immediately thereafter, the tour continued on to United Kingdom which saw Army of Freshmen playing to some of the largest crowds of their career, with the lineup of Army of Freshmen, Bowling For Soup, The Bloodhound Gang and Zebrahead.

In April 2008, Army of Freshmen announced that recording was complete on their fourth album, Above the Atmosphere. The 10 song record was recorded in Los Angeles during February and March 2008 and was produced by Jay Ruston. The band’s website and YouTube channel posted several photo and video blogs during the recording process. During that time Army of Freshmen also appeared at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas for a Get Happy Tour showcase that included Bowling For Soup, Presidents of the United States of America, Wheatus and Ludo.

Above The Atmosphere was self-released in June and is currently available on all digital retail stores, at all AOF live shows and on the band’s website. The band also embarked on their first headlining tour of the United Kingdom in June, as well as making a return appearance at the 2008 Download Festival where the band once again drew positive reviews and a large crowd despite being one of the only non-metal bands on the festival. Their set received 4 Ks in Kerrang! Magazine, the second highest rating a band can receive.

Immediately after the UK tour in July 2008 the band went on a short 3 week headline tour in the United States that included a benefit show at Chris Jay’s high school in Cape May, New Jersey.

The band has announced that the first video for the new record, “No One’s Famous,” will be released in August and is more like a mini movie then a normal music video. A shorter version of the video will be serviced to video channels in the United Kingdom this fall and the band has announced plans to return to the United Kingdom again before the year is over.