Advanced Standing Rumor

[pennst8]

It was that no advanced standing was given this year even though I have outperformed many of the scholarship students

Its been explained to me since day one in NROTC that the Navy has a glut of JOs. Not adding more Midshipmen to the payroll through advanced standing is an easy way to trim down future classes to fix the problem.

My XO had a great explanation about this phenomenon... "Someday, maybe tomorrow, maybe 20 years from now, the Navy is going to tell you thanks, but you're not good enough". He was told that his career was ending after his tour at the unit. He will not command a squadron or make Captain barring WW3. He is a good officer and a nice guy, but a combination of factors mean his service to our country in this capacity will end in the near future. Its something that no one can control, its the nature of the beast.

I agree that it sucks and I feel bad for you, but there's not alot to be said other than "needs of the Navy". You may very well have outperformed many of them. The difference is that the amount of money invested in you to date was low, so it was easier to cut you. They could cut anyone of us tomorrow - Midshipmen are easier and cheaper to eliminate than Ensigns.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Purdue,
I agree a little about you getting somewhat of a raw deal...I saw my share of good Mids get passed over for Scholarship or Advanced Standing. I understand your frustrations, but if you are truly dedicated, you will not let this dissuade your pursuit for a Commission in the service. I saw a Mid in a a technical major with a L O W GPA (<2.8) get selected for a scholarship over a non-tech guy with a higher GPA (~3.4). I ranked the non-tech guy as my #1 guy.

The Navy is really serious about technical degrees, and if they want technical degrees, then they can get technical degrees and pass on the non-tech guys/gals.

Life is not fair (and it not a circus ) so what can you do about it? The point of my previous post was that although you did work, you are still somewhat to blame (You selected your major).

You didn';t answer my question: Were you ever counseled about tech v. non-tech?

I certainly wish you luck in your pursuits....Don't take the non-select personal.

ea6bflyr

Sir,

My class ranking was 9 of 40 some, I was the top person put in for the scholarship. Yes I had taken 300 level courses towards my major (junior level classes at sophmore level). I was an early promote on my evals and I was very active within NROTC. What I was refering to as "shaddy" was that OLS majors (Organization Leadership Studies) were considered techinical, but are regarded as easy majors (majors taken by varsity athletes). Poli Sci at Purdue is not easy, and taking engineering physics and calc at a engineering university is definitally not easy for a political science major. When I did better in those classes than some people that came in with a scholarship it makes me wonder why I wasn't given one. I believe that the whole process needs to be re-looked at by the navy. I would have liked to picked up a scholarship but if I didn't it wouldn't have bothered me so much. It was that no advanced standing was given this year even though I have outperformed many of the scholarship students that I have not been given any chance to serve in the Navy I feel betrayed. I have worked so hard for 2 years, I am very bitter about not even receiving advanced standing.

 

[purduenavy]

When I choose my major we were not told that it would have any bearing on if we got a scholarship or not, as long as we were qualified. It was only at the end of my sophmore year did they start to figure out that non-technical majors were probably going to get the boot. By then it was too late to change.