Hello. I recently discovered the thread and I decided that talking to some folks about specifics would help me get insight on my situation. I recently applied to an OCS board with NFO (July 2017) as my first choice and SWO (August 2017) as my second. I'm a recent undergraduate with a 3.81 in History and Government and an OAR score of 56. I've previous working experience in a lot of think tanks (no idea if that's valuable or not) where I got 5 recommendation letters and 2 from professors. I was rejected from both boards. I'm determined to try again in 6 months as a SWO (looking back I only wanted to try NFO because my recruiter told me I was almost a shoe in). I was wondering what evolution I should put myself through before trying again.
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
OCS An OCS reject looking to better himself
- Thread starter Cris
- Start date
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
There's a thread on AWs dedicated to what the boards consider competitive. Search around and you can easily find it.
Also, I don't see your ASTB scores, just OAR on here...
Thanks. My ASTB scores were 5-4-5. They were just barely passing scores.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
Retake the ASTB and improve your scores. Pilot/NFO Boards don't care about LORs or your work experience.
I was looking to reapply to strictly the SWO board though. I assume I still should take the OAR again to better my chances?
It never hurts to re-test. Worse case scenario, you learn your weaknesses.
Hopefully you learned from your first and second test. My recommendation is to STUDY your ass off and retake for a better score. It can only improve your kit/package.
moveslikemorgan
Standing By
Correct me if I'm wrong @RUFiO181, but I'd say an OAR score of 56 is pretty solid for SWO. I don't know how high the OAR scores go, but I was selected for SWO, and your OAR is much better than mine. Plus, if you retake it and get a lower score, you have to keep the most recent one...Your 3.8 GPA is also very solid, again, higher than mine. If I were you and applying for SWO, I'd apply with those scores and list SWO as your first and only option. That's what I did. Then just focus on getting solid LORs from credible people, as well as fine tuning your Motivational Statement to the board. There's a thread on the AW website dedicated to that as well..
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
The thing is that he needs to make improvements on his application in order to reapply. Improving an OAR/ASTB is probably the easiest with improving your GPA, getting a masters degree, etc. are the harder ones.
Cris,
They did change the resubmission requirements. You can't resubmit after 6 months if you make no changes; now, in order to resubmit at all, you have to make an improvement. I'm resubmitting just for SWO and the only improvements I am making to my kit are professional interviews and updated work experience. In this method, your kit has to go to the CO of your NRD for approval to go to boards first. My OAR is a 47 and I have a very good chance of selection; people have been selected with lower. Your OAR is fantastic and I would personally not suggest retaking it and improving your kit another way.
They did change the resubmission requirements. You can't resubmit after 6 months if you make no changes; now, in order to resubmit at all, you have to make an improvement. I'm resubmitting just for SWO and the only improvements I am making to my kit are professional interviews and updated work experience. In this method, your kit has to go to the CO of your NRD for approval to go to boards first. My OAR is a 47 and I have a very good chance of selection; people have been selected with lower. Your OAR is fantastic and I would personally not suggest retaking it and improving your kit another way.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
No.
It is what my recruiter told me and this is it in writing that he forwarded to me.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
The NRD CO part is not true.
Thanks for all the advice! I've six more months to cool down from everything and I'll be job hunting for a little bit in the D.C. area (I have a gig already with a think tank that studies maritime security but it's unpaid) and to get some serious studying and better LOR's over the Fall.
I think I should also note that my recruiter operated out of Syracuse (I was at my college at the time so he was the closest). I think I need to contact a recruiter again in the Washington area.
I think I should also note that my recruiter operated out of Syracuse (I was at my college at the time so he was the closest). I think I need to contact a recruiter again in the Washington area.