Applying for OCS with a class problem.

[MambaJamba1124]

Hi there this is my first post to this website. I have been exploring this website and have found tons of useful information, on almost everything I've been looking for. A little back ground on myself: I am currently attending Eastern Michigan University, pursuing a math degree. I currently have a 3.48 GPA and currently active in many clubs at my University. I recently started talking with a Navy officer recruiter, to finally start the process of fulfilling my life long dream of becoming an officer in the United States Navy, and also becoming a Naval aviator or NFO.

But I have kind of hit a snag that I don't quite know how to handle or talk to my selection officer about. The problem started back about a semester ago when I signed up for aviation 100, thinking we would be talking about both civilian aviation and military aviation. As we went on we barely talked about military aviation, in fact I even wrote a paper on how and what the F/A-18 replaced to come and find out he hates the military. The teacher asked me one day to stay after class to talk about my paper. He politely told me he thought I had been plagerizing, which I had'nt been.( first time writing in APA didnt quote properly, but fixed that with a program my dad introduced me to.) As the semester went on he kept writing on paper that he thinks I was plagerizing( even though I learned from my mistakes and learned how to write in APA format) long story short I had to have a meeting with his boss over him, my teacher and I. I was found not to be plagerizing by his boss, so I wenton with my buisness, but as the semester went on the teacher kept railroading my papers and quizzes, giving me grades that were worse than awful, and he also wouldnt allow me to take some quizzes while everyone else got to and I recieved an F in the class which means I failed avt 100.... So my question is what do I do cause I mean the board is going to look at that and say really he wants to be an SNA??? but he failed avt 100 so I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on what I should do to help correct this problem?

Any information on this would really help me out, because I am not quite sure how this will affect my package for the board and I dont want this to ruin my chances.

 

[BackOrdered]

I can't help but think the truth rests in the middle somewhere. You say he purposely didn't let you and only you take assigned work and you allow this to fester into an F by term's end before telling the Dean?

 

[croakerfish]

So my question is what do I do cause I mean the board is going to look at that and say really he wants to be an SNA??? but he failed avt 100 so I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on what I should do to help correct this problem?

Any information on this would really help me out, because I am not quite sure how this will affect my package for the board and I dont want this to ruin my chances.

My college had a thing called GAP (http://www.auburn.edu/academic/cosam/departments/student-services/academic-policies.htm#GAP) which basically meant you get to take a mulligan on a class you failed, and delete it from your GPA calculation, although it would still show up on the transcript with "gap" in place of the failing grade. I failed an organic chemistry class, GAPped it and still got selected. Maybe your school has something similar.
As to it looking bad that you failed an aviation class in particular, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your GPA is good and you do well on the ASTB, I really doubt anyone on the board is going to go through your transcript with that level of scrutiny.

 

[MambaJamba1124]

well it was brought up to the Dean during the disscusion and the teacher told him he did do those things, admitted to everything he had done and said. He was told that it was unacceptable and not to do that again or he would have bigger things to worry about more than not liking military aviation( which he said during the disscusion). After the discussion there was about less than half the semester left, and with all my points from before the discussion which we had with the dean he would not let me make up or redo lost points he railroaded me on which led to the F.( it was a slap on the wrist for both of us.) I'm not exactly sure what to do, is this the end for my chances as a pilot, I mean Im trying my hardest in everything I do, should I retake the class with a diffrent teacher?

 

[MambaJamba1124]

My college had a thing called GAP (http://www.auburn.edu/academic/cosam/departments/student-services/academic-policies.htm#GAP) which basically meant you get to take a mulligan on a class you failed, and delete it from your GPA calculation, although it would still show up on the transcript with "gap" in place of the failing grade. I failed an organic chemistry class, GAPped it and still got selected. Maybe your school has something similar.
As to it looking bad that you failed an aviation class in particular, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your GPA is good and you do well on the ASTB, I really doubt anyone on the board is going to go through your transcript with that level of scrutiny.

Hey thanks croakerfish, I never thought about anything like that I'll have to look into my university and see if they have something like that. I hope the board doesn't to much into it. But I cant help but think "don't they usually scrutinize, for the weeding out process?"

 

[Swanee]

A: Don't bitch that you failed a class. That's on you. No excuses. The professor wouldn't have a job if he let a personal agenda get in the way of teaching.
B: individual classes won't matter (unless you need X class for Y MOS). Don't dwell on it.



Not sure why you think the development of civilian aviation is not interesting. There are many very, very cool civilian accomplishments in the aviation (and now space) world. If you don't get a hard on for stuff like the Perlan Project aviation may not be for you. They may not drop bombs and shoot guns but those guys have balls of pure brass.

 

[MambaJamba1124]

Checked into see if my School had the GAP option, only thing they close was something I had to fill out before I took the class so a big bummer there but I'm going to try to stay positive about things... would retaking the class show them Ive got what it take or should I call it small beans..?

 

[MambaJamba1124]

A: Don't bitch that you failed a class. That's on you. No excuses. The professor wouldn't have a job if he let a personal agenda get in the way of teaching.
B: individual classes won't matter (unless you need X class for Y MOS). Don't dwell on it.



Not sure why you think the development of civilian aviation is not interesting. There are many very, very cool civilian accomplishments in the aviation (and now space) world. If you don't get a hard on for stuff like the Perlan Project aviation may not be for you. They may not drop bombs and shoot guns but those guys have balls of pure brass.

I do think civilian aviation is interesting my uncles is a pilot for delta. My teacher didn't like military aviation. I'snt that class technically needed for aviation?

 

[MambaJamba1124]

Swanee I love the tuff love your replys always rock! I joined that class to learn more about the history of aviation and where it has progressed from to today, but my major is math with a concentration in statistics, so I don't know how bad this is going to hurt me.

 

[Sonog]

Dude, just apply and don't worry about "chances". Insert that Gretzky quote here. I know how you feel, almost everyone has things on their app from their past that they regret or wish they could re-do. However, focus on what you can improve and move forward. It's out of your control at this point and no one here is going to say anything that will make you not regret that class. Do you want to not apply and grow old, always thinking about "what if", or do you want to move forward and give everything you have to put forth the best application from this point forward, and if you're not selected at least you can grow old and say you gave it your best attempt.

 

[Swanee]

I do think civilian aviation is interesting my uncles is a pilot for delta. My teacher didn't like military aviation. I'snt that class technically needed for aviation?

I never took an aviation class in college. Heck, I have a degree in theatre of all things (that's theatre with the RE ) I wouldn't sweat it. If your GPA is above a 3.0 (which you say it is) and you have some extracurricular stuff (sports, jobs, clubs, etc...), you score well on the ASTB and you have decent PFA/PFT scores you should be as competitive as the next guy.

 

[villanelle]

If your professor really did legitimately screw like like you say, and if the Dean is already aware of the behavior and had warned the professor about it, then you can contact the dean to contest the grade.

I would only do this is you are being 100% honest (with yourself as well) about what actually happened. But if the professor truly treated you unfairly and significantly differently than the rest of the class, contact the dean again, let him know the behavior continued, cite as many specifics as you can, and tell him that you would like to have the class removed from your transcript.

Again, this is only a valid course of action it you really were grossly mistreated by the professor and he really did do things like not allow you to take a quiz (how does that happen?) that was offered to the rest of the class, based on no legitimate justification. But if that's the case, it reasonable to turn to the dean to ask that he do something to rectify the situation.

 

[MambaJamba1124]

Hey thanks guys for all the advice! I guess sometimes I am my worst enemy at times. Well all I can pretty much do is study for the ASTB and keep GPA up. Hey do you guys no where to look to see where there is volunteer work in your area?( websites and such) I'm currently in the EMU Sailing club and judo club, but I think I should do some volunteer work. where did some of you do yours?

 

[BackOrdered]

Hey thanks guys for all the advice! I guess sometimes I am my worst enemy at times. Well all I can pretty much do is study for the ASTB and keep GPA up. Hey do you guys no where to look to see where there is volunteer work in your area?( websites and such) I'm currently in the EMU Sailing club and judo club, but I think I should do some volunteer work. where did some of you do yours?

Habitat for Humanity usually has a chapter near college towns. This is where I go for my command:

http://www.serve.gov/

 

[MambaJamba1124]

Habitat for Humanity usually has a chapter near college towns. This is where I go for my command:

http://www.serve.gov/

Thanks Contributor! There is stuff I can do at the high school I used to go to, and the recreational park I shoot at!