Applying for OCS

[BlueMo86]

Im thinking of applying to OCS, but not really sure where to start.

26yrs of age
B.A. Business & Communications 2.7
M.A. Criminal Justice 3.2
Former College Track & Field Athlete
-Team Caption
-National Champion
Community Service
Big Brother & Sister Mentor
Work Experience
LOR's from employers

~NO ASTB Score yet

Thinking of applying to SWO, SUPPO & POA

HELP NEEDED!!!!

 

[Bam Bam]

Welcome to AW! First things first. Have you spoken to a officer recruiter (OR) yet? If so, then you need to study and smoke the ASTB. If you haven't talked to an OR, then you need to. They can ask some questions and determine if you may be qualified to apply for OCS. Your undergrad GPA is a bit low but you also have a completed masters which should be a plus.

I've seen many posts on AW that indicate that the Public Affairs Officer designator is HIGHLY competetive! I think you're also asking about the supply corps officer designator. Supply and SWO seem to have a much higher success rate as compared to PAO (also info that I have gleaned from AW).

Good luck!

 

[BlueMo86]

Welcome to AW! First things first. Have you spoken to a officer recruiter (OR) yet? If so, then you need to study and smoke the ASTB. If you haven't talked to an OR, then you need to. They can ask some questions and determine if you may be qualified to apply for OCS. Your undergrad GPA is a bit low but you also have a completed masters which should be a plus.

I've seen many posts on AW that indicate that the Public Affairs Officer designator is HIGHLY competetive! I think you're also asking about the supply corps officer designator. Supply and SWO seem to have a much higher success rate as compared to PAO (also info that I have gleaned from AW).

Good luck!

Thanks... I haven't talked to an OR yet, but I will some time this week.... I've been studying with a book for the ASTB. I talked to a recruiter online and they advised with my background Public Affairs would be a good area. From the information I have review I should qualify to apply to OCS.

Do you know how long the whole process takes to get selected?

 

[Bam Bam]

I honestly don't know the specifics about OCS. I went the DCO route for the Reserves. I started filling out my paperwork in March 2012 and submitted my kit in October 2012. I was Professionally Recommended for AMDO in July 2013. If all goes well I'll commission in about 2 to 3 months.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Im thinking of applying to OCS, but not really sure where to start.

26yrs of age
B.A. Business & Communications 2.7
M.A. Criminal Justice 3.2
Former College Track & Field Athlete
-Team Caption
-National Champion
Community Service
Big Brother & Sister Mentor
Work Experience
LOR's from employers

~NO ASTB Score yet

Thinking of applying to SWO, SUPPO & POA

HELP NEEDED!!!!

Your community svc, team captain, being a mentor will all look very good and help.

The bad is your GPA, even when you add in your Masters the overall GPA will go to 2.86 due to a Bachelors having more overall credits than a Masters.

If I was your OR I would say your only realistic shot is SWO, Supply is very competitive (not as much as IDC), and for the past several years PAO has been restricted to fleet applicants only, but even then they only picked one (1) non prior service in the past like 5 years or so.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Thanks... I haven't talked to an OR yet, but I will some time this week.... I've been studying with a book for the ASTB. I talked to a recruiter online and they advised with my background Public Affairs would be a good area. From the information I have review I should qualify to apply to OCS.

Do you know how long the whole process takes to get selected?

The online recruiters are enlisted, not officer, they just look at the designators and the descriptions (they actual aren't real recruiters either, they are staff positions, generally the field recruiters are very irritated with that program because of all the misinformation they give.)

 

[BlueMo86]

Your community svc, team captain, being a mentor will all look very good and help.

The bad is your GPA, even when you add in your Masters the overall GPA will go to 2.86 due to a Bachelors having more overall credits than a Masters.

If I was your OR I would say your only realistic shot is SWO, Supply is very competitive (not as much as IDC), and for the past several years PAO has been restricted to fleet applicants only, but even then they only picked one (1) non prior service in the past like 5 years or so.

- If I score high on my ASTB will my gpa from undergrad really matter? Well SWO is my first choice... I guess I need to go talk to a OR as soon as possible.


Thanks for the info

 

[BlueMo86]

The online recruiters are enlisted, not officer, they just look at the designators and the descriptions (they actual aren't real recruiters either, they are staff positions, generally the field recruiters are very irritated with that program because of all the misinformation they give.)

yea the person didn't seem really helpful at all. I will talk to OR this week.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

- If I score high on my ASTB will my gpa from undergrad really matter? Well SWO is my first choice... I guess I need to go talk to a OR as soon as possible.


Thanks for the info

Absolutely, ASTB or in your case the OAR is really only paid attention to if it is very low, for SWO they look at GPA, degree, E.C. activities, leadership, motivational statement, LOR's, etc...

 

[exNavyOffRec]

yea the person didn't seem really helpful at all. I will talk to OR this week.

especially since in the PA for PAO it says civilian applicants should include a resume highlighting their experience related to public affairs, of course I don't know if you do or do not have that.

 

[BlueMo86]

Absolutely, ASTB or in your case the OAR is really only paid attention to if it is very low, for SWO they look at GPA, degree, E.C. activities, leadership, motivational statement, LOR's, etc...

- I'll be studying and looking to take the test ASAP I've only been out of school a year, so I should be fine.

 

[BlueMo86]

especially since in the PA for PAO it says civilian applicants should include a resume highlighting their experience related to public affairs, of course I don't know if you do or do not have that.

- Resume is stout, so I should be fine in that area... I deal with public affairs on a daily in my current work position.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

- Resume is stout, so I should be fine in that area... I deal with public affairs on a daily in my current work position.

That will help, *if* they open it up to civilian applicants, but to be quite honest rare, before they closed it to civilians they turned down a person that had worked as a reporter for a TV station for several years.

They pick between 1-4 each FY for PAO, that is part of the reason they went to fleet applicants only, they were essentially only picking those with enlisted experience as a JO

 

[BlueMo86]

That will help, *if* they open it up to civilian applicants, but to be quite honest rare, before they closed it to civilians they turned down a person that had worked as a reporter for a TV station for several years.

They pick between 1-4 each FY for PAO, that is part of the reason they went to fleet applicants only, they were essentially only picking those with enlisted experience as a JO

Well in that case I think my main option should be SWO...

 

[Renegade One]

If I was your OR I would say your only realistic shot is SWO...

Ding ding ding…"BlueMo86…come on down!"

Seriously…one of the four "combat arms" career paths in the Navy. Go for it!