Advice on improving my odds of getting a pilot slot

[jtellez]

I'm currently a 4/C MIDN at VMI. I'm contracted with the Navy and I want to get a pilot slot. I know I'm only in my first year of NROTC, but I want to do everything I can be competitive for a pilot slot. From what I have read so far, it seems that to be competitive I have to have a high GPA, high PRT scores, do well on the ASTB, and participate in the MIDN battalion at my school. I'm also going to talk to my NROTC class advisor and aviation representative to see what I can do.

So far I been doing my best to keep my grades high (3.96), improving my PRT scores (my run time and curl ups are pretty good but my pushups need more work), I have read up on the ASTB but since I'm not taking it this year or anytime soon, I have focused more on my grades, and I participate in everything the MIDN batallion does at my school.

Basically I am wondering if there are any tips or advice that anyone who has gotten a pilot slot can give me to make myself more competitive to get a pilot slot. Thank you for all your help, this board has been immensly helpful.

 

[MIDNJAC]

sounds like you have a pretty good grasp on the factors involved. Keep working hard....sorry if this answer is not more enlightening, but there is no black magic out there that will get you selected. Although maybe putting SWO as your first choice during service selection might up your odds a little bit

 

[navywareagle]

the 3 biggest factors are your grades, PNS (Professor of Naval Science) score, and your ASTB score...in that order. I am a 5th year senior and the only leadership billet I've had my entire time was a Company XO. I spent alot of my time focusing on my grades rather than spending it in the unit. If you can balance both, then great, go for it but your gpa is more important. If you have a high gpa, then your pns score will be high too even if your CO doesn't know you (my CO didn't really know me when he gave me a 98 pns score). As long as you pass your PRT then you'll be fine. And the ASTB is an easy test so don't worry about that, but do study for it for about a week before you take it.

 

[Schnugg]

Just a 3.96...

Lots of room for improvement there! Work on that last .04 right now.

Sounds like you're doing fine.

 

[CaptainRon]

And the ASTB is an easy test so don't worry about that, but do study for it for about a week before you take it.

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. My attitude towards it was the same that pre-med kids have with the MCAT and pre-law kids have with the LSAT. This is your career. Study long and hard for it.

 

[Brett327]

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. My attitude towards it was the same that pre-med kids have with the MCAT and pre-law kids have with the LSAT. This is your career. Study long and hard for it.

That's good advice.

Brett

 

[lowflier03]

Actually if you do well at VMI, your chances of picking up a pilot slot are very high. Definately participate in all of NROTC activities. (Like we have a choice there right?) Do some extracurricular stuff like the club sports. What is your major? That can play a large factor in how well you place out of VMI, as does your grade in Naval Science classes. (Those are pretty easy anyhow.) If you are an engineering major, your score gets rounded up more than if you are a history major. So depending on your major, dont kill yourself for a 4.0. They know that certain classes are a bit more involved than others. If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[jtellez]

First off, I want to thank everyone for all the help and advice.

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. My attitude towards it was the same that pre-med kids have with the MCAT and pre-law kids have with the LSAT. This is your career. Study long and hard for it.

That is what I was thinking also. I want be fully prepared and ready to do well on the ASTB.

Actually if you do well at VMI, your chances of picking up a pilot slot are very high. Definately participate in all of NROTC activities. (Like we have a choice there right?) Do some extracurricular stuff like the club sports. What is your major? That can play a large factor in how well you place out of VMI, as does your grade in Naval Science classes. (Those are pretty easy anyhow.) If you are an engineering major, your score gets rounded up more than if you are a history major. So depending on your major, dont kill yourself for a 4.0. They know that certain classes are a bit more involved than others. If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

All the NROTC events are mandatory here haha but I've been looking at different club sports I can participate in now that we broke out. I was an engineering major, but I did not like my engineering classes much and did not want to stick with a major that I would not enjoy. I'm now a History and a Spanish major. I know that engineering and technical majors have an advantage, but I believed I'd be more competitive doing well in a major that I enjoyed rather than struggling to do well in a major that bored me. I believe I have the highest grades of the current contracted MIDN right now and I will do my best to get A's in all my Naval Science classes, which right now are not very difficult..

One thing I didn't mention, because I was not sure if others here would know much about, was how well holding rank helps. Did you hold any rank at VMI? I've been considering applying for company or regimental CPL positions. I thought that holding high positions of rank during my cadetship would help show leadership experience and would work well to compliment other activities such as a club sport. Thanks for your help.

 

[raptor10]

Commissioning Score

This formula was posted for Navy Midshipmen by my CO last semester. He’s an O-6 NFO. My XO (O-5) is an NFO as well and he confirmed this formula. I couldn't find anything else like this posted on the forum so I thought it would be useful for some of you. Anyway, if you have anything proving this is wrong, let me know. Otherwise, I’m quite confident it’s reliable.

For NROTC service selection:

Commissioning Score:
GPA (out of 4.0) – 45%
Aptitude (out of 5.0) – 35%
Major (Engr=100, Tech=85, Lib Arts=75) – 10%
CO’s Points – 10%

Aviation Score:
Total Commissioning Score from above – 60%
AQR (out of 9) – 15%
PFAR (Pilots) or FOFAR (NFO) (out of 9) – 25%

(ASTB Min: Pilot – AQR 3, PFAR 4 / NFO – AQR 3, FOFAR 4)

Now to explain all that. The commissioning score is used to rank EVERYONE seeking a commission. It’s really just to see who will be commissioned. The aviation score is used to rank everyone going aviation.

However, keep in mind that these things go before boards. Just because you have a better score, doesn’t mean you are guaranteed anything. The Navy isn’t so bureaucratic that everyone becomes a number. Also, as I understand it, they can adjust these numbers every year, although I doubt there is much change. However, these numbers should give you a rough estimate of where you stand.

Hope this helps!

- CH

 

[lowflier03]

Holding rank can help you. I held rank my 2nd class year, but didnt like dealing with the commandant's BS. I think the biggest thing that helped my (and I know it helped others), is to be known in the unit. I didnt volunteer for rank in the unit, but I was always helping out with things that I could. (Which got some positions pushed on me) I spoke with the aviation officer alot about choices and his experience. Anything that shows you are interested and willing to work hard will help you with the unit's portion of your score. The rest is up to the ASTB and your grades.

 

[navywareagle]

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. My attitude towards it was the same that pre-med kids have with the MCAT and pre-law kids have with the LSAT. This is your career. Study long and hard for it.

i guess it's easy for some and hard for others. our rotc unit made everyone in the unit take it on a whim my sophomore year and I made a 6/6/7. When I took it last summer, I studied for about a day and made a 7/8/7. A buddy of mine just briefly reviewed the material and made a 9/9/9 and another buddy of mine studied for a week and made a 7/9/9. defenatly study the aviation and nautical information. the math is very basic and doesn't really go beyond trig, so basic that i got caught up on some very easy problems that i hadn't done since 10th and 11th grade. if you remember anything from physics I then the mechanics portion is a breeze. defenatly study as hard as you feel you need to for your first time, i'm not trying to say that you need to blow off studying. but after your first time, you will know your strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Lonestar155]

Sure that material on the exam is easy, but time yourself as you study. It is easy to run out of time, when you are in the zone

 

[jollygreen07]

First: Sorry about the VMI thing... good luck with that. I can't imagine going to a military school where the sun only shines every other April.

Second: You want an aviation slot? Put SWO first when you fill out your designator sheet 1/C year. HA!! j/k Study hard and keep those PT scores up. I think we picked up seven aviation slots out of a class of 12 MIDN down here at The Citadel. Good luck!

 

[USMC_NA]

dude, play rugby. It's the best club sport known to man.

 

[FMRAM]

I'm currently a 4/C MIDN at VMI. I'm contracted with the Navy and I want to get a pilot slot. I know I'm only in my first year of NROTC, but I want to do everything I can be competitive for a pilot slot. From what I have read so far, it seems that to be competitive I have to have a high GPA, high PRT scores, do well on the ASTB, and participate in the MIDN battalion at my school. I'm also going to talk to my NROTC class advisor and aviation representative to see what I can do.

So far I been doing my best to keep my grades high (3.96), improving my PRT scores (my run time and curl ups are pretty good but my pushups need more work), I have read up on the ASTB but since I'm not taking it this year or anytime soon, I have focused more on my grades, and I participate in everything the MIDN batallion does at my school.

Basically I am wondering if there are any tips or advice that anyone who has gotten a pilot slot can give me to make myself more competitive to get a pilot slot. Thank you for all your help, this board has been immensly helpful.

You're fine...keep up the good work and remember to have fun...
Don't be a d!ck to the OC's...they were exactly the kind of sailors you will be leading someday.